Thermal Arc 181i

[undercut]

I worded my sentence all funny. I weld thin material so plugging into 110v is much more convenient for me. My 220v outlet is on the other side of the house and I'm not in a position to want to put in another circuit closer to where I weld. I'm still researching anyway. Not quite ready to pull the trigger.

 

[Rock knocker]

While the 181i has been around for over a year, the salesman pointed out that is much less than Miller and their inverter machines, which are now pushing 20 years. He is a fan of Blue, and his recommendation was a 140, 180 or 211 for FCAW or MIG, and buy an old used Bobcat or Tombstone for next to nothing on CL or an estate sale for SMAW.

He pointed out that the Millermatics and the Lincoln consumer wire machines are indeed heavier duty than the 181i. I'm aware of the reviews, and I'm still wondering what to do.

TA's 211i is dual voltage

But at that point, you're at Blue Green ($)

You mentioned weight, 58lbs for the 211i, 33 for the 181i so it is quite a bit heavier..

If you grew up using Miller SRH 333's, then they're all very light

 

[Shield Arc]

Rock knocker if you wanted to cross that big pond to the west of you, you can come over and give this a test drive.

 

[Rock knocker]

Rock knocker if you wanted to cross that big pond to the west of you, you can come over and give this a test drive.

Really! Thanks, I'll think about it when I have more time.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

While the 181i has been around for over a year, the salesman pointed out that is much less than Miller and their inverter machines, which are now pushing 20 years. He is a fan of Blue, and his recommendation was a 140, 180 or 211 for FCAW or MIG, and buy an old used Bobcat or Tombstone for next to nothing on CL or an estate sale for SMAW.

He pointed out that the Millermatics and the Lincoln consumer wire machines are indeed heavier duty than the 181i. I'm aware of the reviews, and I'm still wondering what to do.


But at that point, you're at Blue Green ($)


If you grew up using Miller SRH 333's, then they're all very light

The Millermatic equivalents and Lincolns are in fact less duty cycle, and thereby "lighter" duty but "heavier" in weight. The performance of the small miller matics have no inductance (wave form control) which adds a third dimension to the two dimensional transformer machines. And oh, they cannot weld stick or mig...and the difference between an inverter and a tombstone is night and day different. The little 181i will weld circles around it with a better duty cycle too.