Need Help Choosing Mig Welder

[donsrods]

I looked at the current  price of the 210.

it's gone up a bit since I bought mine.

I just did the same thing, and was surprised it was that much now.  I don't remember Dan paying that much for his, more like $ 1600, I think.  Here is the current price from Cyberweld.com.


   Millermatic MIG Welder - Millermatic 210 with Spoolmate 3035 S...      $2065.00
      Millermatic MIG Welder - Millermatic 210 with Spoolmate 3035 Spoolgun Millermatic MIG Welder - Millermatic 210 with Spoolmate 3035 Spoolgun The Millermatic 210 MIG Welder offers the widest range in it's class at 30-210 amps and is able to weld material from 22 gauge to 3/8 inch thick in a ... set up is easy with the direct hook up of the Spoolmate 3035. With Miller's exclusive Gun-On-Demand, simply pull the trigger for either gun ...    



Don

[Crosley.In.AZ]

I paid  $1060.00 for my Miller 210 delivered to our dock at work.

It was a show special price at the PRI show several years ago.

[Sean]

I would suggest the 210 as well, but if you do end up buying a 115v machine, I would buy the Miller 140

http://www.millerwelds.com/products/mig/millermatic_140/

We have three Miller 300 amp Shopmaster's for fab work in the shop, but we also weld a lot of grease duct for kitchen hoods, and other assorted "light" jobs in the field. After our 115v Lincoln crapped out after 2 years of hard use, I went and bought a Miller 140 to replace it. It is a noticeably better machine than the Lincoln.

Also, if you end up buying a 115v machine, do yourself a favor and buy a 10 gauge extension cord. They are expensive, but if you have to drag that welder out into the driveway to work on something, you will be glad you bought it.

In our shop, we have the three previously mentioned Shopmasters, two 300 amp Lincoln "Square-wave" TIG's, and a Miller 210 set up with a spool-gun for aluminum. For field work we have around a dozen of the Miller Maxstar 150 portable TIG's.

The only issues we have had with any of them are with the two Lincolns. Apparently there is a set of points inside for the high-frequency, and they have to be adjusted periodically. These two welders are used all day long, sometimes seven days a week, and are both over ten years old. The Shopmasters are also over ten years old and are used almost as much as the TIG's.

Just my opinion, but in the area of entry level/hobbyist welders, I think Miller has a definite advantage. But once you get into the bigger machines, I don't think there's a nickels worth of difference between Miller and Lincoln.

[1FATGMC]

lethal6 not to steal this thread, but Sean do you have an opinion on the following two welders??

   

http://www.weldersource.com/k2533-1.html



http://www.weldersource.com/907038.html

I'm looking for a welder that would let me weld EFI injector bungs into an aluminum manifold, be able to weld aluminum intercoolers, aluminum tanks, aluminum body work and steel headers, etc..  Except for the manifold probably 1/4 to 5/16 max. thickness.

I've been told by a dealer that sells both that the lincoln might be easier to use for a beginner as it has a better auto mode in the pulse mode.  He said for someone who welds everyday, like you, the miller has a little more adjustability to it. If you have any other suggestions I need to stay under $2200 for the welder itself or forget it..

I can get a spool gun for my 172 amp Miller, but have been told I couldn't do much with it as it doesn't have enough amps.

I have a 50 amp circuit all over the shop and would like to use it and it looks like both of these, especially the lincoln would get by on it.

If they won't work for me then I don't want to spend the money.

Thanks for any advice,

Sum

[Sean]

I'm looking for a welder that would let me weld EFI injector bungs into an aluminum manifold, be able to weld aluminum intercoolers, aluminum tanks, aluminum body work and steel headers, etc..  Except for the manifold probably 1/4 to 5/16 max. thickness.

With the exception of the aluminum body work, I wouldn't try doing any of that with a spool-gun. In my opinion, a spool gun is only good for structural type welding and aluminum sheetmetal. Anything with any mass to it, like a manifold for instance, I would definitely use a TIG.

My reason being, its hard to get a spool-gun to start hot; they almost always leave some cold-lap at the begining of the weld. Its not really a problem on structural stuff, but on an intake manifold, or a fuel tank, that cold-lap at the start of the weld could easily leak. Pre-heating the part would probably help, but in my opinion, a TIG is your best bet for a leak free joint.

Once you get the hang of it, TIG'ing aluminum is easy. It flows almost like solder, you can see exactly what you're doing because your the one adding the filler, and with some practice, you can lay down beautiful beads.

As for Miller or Lincoln TIG's, I have personally never used a Miller capable of welding Aluminum. Our Miller TIG's are the small portable ones that we use for SS work in food plants. They don't have AC, or high-freq on them. All my aluminum welding is done in our shop on the two 300amp Lincolns that we have. If your dealer tells you that the Lincoln is easier to use for a beginner, he may be right. Unless the Lincoln cost's more and he is just trying to get more money out of you...

[1FATGMC]

If your dealer tells you that the Lincoln is easier to use for a beginner, he may be right. Unless the Lincoln cost's more and he is just trying to get more money out of you...

No I don't want a spool gun, but that is good info for someone considering one.  Actually the Lincoln is a little less, but they are within $100 of each other the last time I checked.  The main thing I want to know is if they have enough amperage to do what I want to do.  Like you mentioned pre-heating would help.

Thanks Sean,

Sum

[Sean]

The main thing I want to know is if they have enough amperage to do what I want to do.

I mis-understood what you were asking. I had just got out of bed, so I must have still been half asleep.

Yes, 200 amps would likely do everything you'll ever come across in the automotive world. I've spent a lot of time on the 300 amp Lincolns we have and in the ten years I've been at this company I've never once had to use the full 300 amps.

The heaviest aluminum I've welded was 1/2" plate, and I think I had the main power switch on high, but the fine tuning dial was at less than halfway up. I don't know what that translates to, amperage-wise, but I know it wasn't 300 amps.

Even on the high side of medium with our welders, the head of the TIG torch gets so hot you can't hold on to it. If you foresee doing a whole lot of aluminum work, you might want to consider a water cooled torch. We have one, but we very rarely use it, because ours doesn't have a flexable head.

[1FATGMC]

Even on the high side of medium with our welders, the head of the TIG torch gets so hot you can't hold on to it. If you foresee doing a whole lot of aluminum work, you might want to consider a water cooled torch. We have one, but we very rarely use it, because ours doesn't have a flexable head.

Thanks Sean that is what I needed to know.  I think at some point a water cooled torch would happen.  I have to see how Crosley adapted the pump from his fish tank to work with an e-bay torch .

Now back to finding a mig for lethal6    .

c ya,

Sum

[Sean]

Thanks Sean that is what I needed to know.

No problem. There isn't all that much information that I can contribute to the RRT, so anytime a question comes up about TIG welding I'm happy to give my 2 cents. Thats one area where I have more experience than I want. As far as that goes, it wouldn't bother me if I never struck an arc again for the rest of my life...  

[Ralph]

I just faced this same decision. Had a 110 Lincoln MIG, but it didn't have the beef to do much beyond 1/8 inch. Lots of guys will tell you they do frame work with a 110. "Just do a couple hot passes." My advice - don't ride in their cars. The Miller 180 is a really nice economical 220v machine. Probably would do anything I need. Rated at 5/16 inch, one pass. I ended up buying the Miller 210. Still suffering from "buyers remorse", because of the price difference between the 180 and 210, but it is a fabulous welder, and I'll never wish for more power....
Ralph

[lethal6]

Thanks for all the replies, I have been out of town first night on the board just looking over the responses.I went to lowes today and looked at the new lincoln 180 with the tapped heat settings. Has anyone used or purchased on of these? And would something this size do every aspect of building a street rod, Including frame work? I noticed the ad in the street  rodder magazine is promoting the miller 140 auto set for every aspect for lite body work to frame work. I would like some feed back. Thanks for your replies.

[1FATGMC]

Thanks for all the replies, I have been out of town first night on the board just looking over the responses.I went to lowes today and looked at the new lincoln 180 with the tapped heat settings. Has anyone used or purchased on of these? And would something this size do every aspect of building a street rod, Including frame work? I noticed the ad in the street  rodder magazine is promoting the miller 140 auto set for every aspect for lite body work to frame work. I would like some feed back. Thanks for your replies.

How many taps on the lincoln.  My Miller has 4 voltage settings and varible wire speed and works just fine.  Most now have varible voltage and wire speed.

I would stay away from the 110 volt miller even if they do say frame work.  Re-read the replies above about that.

I'll bet you still might be able to pick what you want from the internet cheaper than Lowes and maybe with no sales tax.  I got my plasma cutter from these guys and it arrived in just a couple days with no surprises.  I'll get my next welder from them:

http://store.weldersource.com/

Make sure you are set up for mixed gas also,

Sum