welding suggestions?
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,299
Likes: 2
From: The Vieux Ford, Kansas
The main thing you will gain if you step up to a bigger machine like a 220V machine will be duty cycle and the ability to use bigger wire and weld thicker stuff. I hate waiting on my 140 but it wasn't worth it to me I can wait for it to cool down, every thing we use at work it a 100% so I am kind of spoiled in that respect, we se Demision 652s and PowerMig 650s and when it comes to the big machines Lincolns are hands down better but for the smaller consumer grade stuff I really feel like Miller/Hobart has the edge. Just don't go and buy the cheapest thing out there you have to spend a little to save a little in the long run.
-John
-John
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 10,101
Likes: 40
From: Pa
I got the new pricing today from my welding supply dealer and figured I would post some prices of welders for comparo to whats out there.
Miller Millermatic 140 Autoset $679
Miller Millermatic 180 $829
Miller Millermatic 211 $999
Miller Millermatic 140 Autoset $679
Miller Millermatic 180 $829
Miller Millermatic 211 $999
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
Likes: 10
From: West Virginia
I say buy the hobart for half as much as the 140 miller. I really don't think you will notice a difference. Learn to weld on it and then try some other machines. Most welding places will have a demo set up or let you try one. If you like the millers $300 or $500 better, you should be able to sell your hobart for most of what you paid for it. I'm betting you'll just end up keeping it once you realize there isn't much difference.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,299
Likes: 2
From: The Vieux Ford, Kansas
Hobart and Miller are the same company, the millers have a few more bells and whistles like the variable voltage instead of five position. I would avoid auto set, you need to learn to set your welder and different situations require different settings there is more to it than metal thickness, it really kind of laughable to people who weld a lot. This is my main grip with miller nowadays is they make machines assuming no one is capable of setting a machine themselves and all the BS technology makes them unreliable and needlessly expensive. I have a Hobart and really like its a dummy machine it does what I tell it not what it thinks I want.
-John
-John
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 10,101
Likes: 40
From: Pa
I'm not a fan of the Autoset stuff either. Miller sticks a chart on the welders to get you in the ballpark for what you want to weld. If you can't figure that out you should let someone else do your welding.
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