Wire feed welder (review I guess)

[Bill W]

I made my cart from a hand truck that I bought from Home Depot for $20...Hows that for being cheap

 

[M35Brown]

I have a Millermatic 185, that I have had for 15 years, It has the add on Spool Gun kit from Miller.
I also have a Miller Syncrowave 200 TIG, and I Love it.

For your MIG, Don't forget to use Nozzle Gel!!

 

[goldneagle]

I have a Lincoln 175HD mig that I use with Fluxcore wire. Gas is useless outdoors! I used a n old Oscilloscope cart to roll it around on. It will do up to 1/2" plate when used with .045 Fluscore wire.

 

[M35Brown]

Welding Curtain!!

 

[Sergeant]

Wire welder

I bought the same welder and I love It. I have only used the flux core wire to date. Is buying or leasing bottles of argon worth the upgrade? what I am interested in is, Are your weld beads that much better/stronger using the argon bottles vs the flux core to justify the expense?
Thanks

 

[mdlbldrmatt135]

It
s straight argon for aluminum and a argon/co2 mix for steel...... Imho there's less splatter when running a shielding gas Vs a flux core wire.

 

[frodobaggins]

You can do a little thicker material with flux core than with gas, but your weld will not be near as pretty. If you need good cosmetic welds, go with the gas.

 

[jlckmj]

I have had several mig welders, I started with the small 120 volt welder and traded up about 3 months later. I then went to a Clarke 140 and that was a very nice machine for the money. I kept that for about 2 years until I needed to weld some 1/2 plate. I then traded up to a used 240 volt Mig / Tig sold by snap on and I love it. (I have not tried the tig yet)

I would suggest that you buy the most welder you can afford, or ask your welding dealer if he will give you your money back on a trade up, mine did, so I really did not loose the money on the first two.
Jim

 

[rnd-motorsports]

I have the lincoln power mig 255 its been a great welder.

 

[harleyrkc]

I'd recommend buying as much welder as you can afford. Once you get the bug you'll be glad you did. At different times I've had as many as 5 different welders (at the same time) in my home shop.

 

[bones1]

I have a Thermo dynamics 210 mig Thermal Arc 100047B001 Fabricator® 210 MIG-Wire Feed Welder and Thermal Dynamics plasma cutter Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52 Plasma Cutter 1-5130-1 and a hobart handler 140 110v unit for light stuff Hobart Welders - Products - Wire Feed Welders - Handler 140 they work real well for me.

 

[Kohburn]

nice seup you have there bones, I've been surviving with a clark 110 welder for the last 6 years, it has served me very well. I'd actually like to get one of there newer 110 spool gun mig welders.

 

[gbooth]

Bought a Hobart 210 Handler last summer it came with a Free spool gun. It is replacing a 110volt Lincoln mig welder. The Lincoln welder just did not have the duty cycle when a lot of welding needs to be done. The new Holbart is assume, welds like a champ and does a great job.

 

[shovelheadmike]

I used to do quite a bit of wielding many years ago. Even worked as a wielder inbetween electrical jobs. Fast forward to the last few years, and I finally got tired of paying the local wielding shop to do work that I was never happy with. So, bought a Hobart 140 off of Craigs list for a decent price. It worked great, along with my full size oxy/acet. torch set fpr several years. However, when it came time to fabricate everything to mount my Warn 18K on the A3, I found it to be a bit too lite. (rather short duty cycle) Would really like to upgrade it to one in the 180 to 240 range. (if someone wants to work a trade). In the mean time, I got a good deal on an old Airco 300 (made by Miller). It does AC/DC stick or TIG. Even has HF start, and a liquid cooled TIG torch. Back when I would wield for a living, this was the absolute top of the line. Did I mention that it is HUGE?

Have been seriously considering just using the wire feed part of the Hobart 140, and power it from the Airco for better penatration on the thicker material. The Hobart 140 was streatched to its limit on the 3/8 plate used on the Warn 18K install. Note, MIG does not do upside down wields very well. They get real ugly real fast. Next time, I'll do that stuff with the Airco on reverse poliarity DC and 7018 rod.

Remember to use straight argon on AL, with argon/CO2 mix or straight CO2 on mild steel.

 

[466Navastar]

that airco unit could put the hurt on your mig gun if you go past its rated amps

 

[OL AG '89]

Welded before, but need to get back into it.
I'm looking at the Miller Auto 212. I like the idea of set and forget when welding.
I'm mostly welding mild steel, up to 1/4 inch thick.
Want something that's portable and will work off the bed of the truck. It can be 110 or 220 volt.
I also have some repairs to an old CASE tractor, but most of those will be stationary in the shop.
I need opinions, recommendations, suggestions on the Miller.
The price is decent, I think around 1K plus the typical accessories all total around 1.5K.
Is there a welder out there that will do the same work, for a better price? I realize I'm paying a premium for the Miller brand.

 

[466Navastar]

the airco wont work for mig ....a stick/tig welder is constant current....and a mig is constant voltage

 

[A/C Cages]

I have a Thermo dynamics 210 mig Thermal Arc 100047B001 Fabricator® 210 MIG-Wire Feed Welder and Thermal Dynamics plasma cutter Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52 Plasma Cutter 1-5130-1 and a hobart handler 140 110v unit for light stuff Hobart Welders - Products - Wire Feed Welders - Handler 140 they work real well for me.

Bones good choice there, I have a shop full of TD welders. My favorite is the Thrmodyne 251 ind MIG.

I do have the Miller plasma 110v with onboard air. Its a handy little unit for emergencies.

But Thermal Dynamics is lower cost, better warranty, and never had to have one repaired yet. Ive had every brand out there too. In my Fab Shop, I only keep the TDs around.



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