Help me pick a mig welder

   / Help me pick a mig welder #11  
if your budget is in the $500 range, then you're going to be looking at something new in the 120v/150a max range (or less). if you look at refurbished / discontinued / used units, you may get something closer to a 240v/210a max range. to get that same class of welder new you're going to be getting closer to the $1000 range. if you want something in the 210a+ range with a duty cycle over 20%, then you bump up to $1500+.

there's a lot of welders available in that $500 price range, and to be honest, i couldn't give any useful advice, since i've had an old century unit that fits that description for about 15 years - i haven't had any interest in looking at new ones.

in the 210a range, there are a couple of popular machines at the current time: the hobart 210 and miller 211. the hobart can be had from northern for $899 including a free spool gun ($200+) value and free shipping. the miller can be found for about $950+ and the spool gun is another $200. there is a current promotion that gets you $100 back for buying the welder and spool gun, so you could be into it for around $1050 with a little luck. the noticeable differences in them are that the miller has swappable 120v and 240v plugs, while the hobart is 240v only. the miller also has infinite current control, while the hobart has 7 steps. other than that, there are always rumblings about the miller having metal drive parts in places where the hobart has plastic. i can't verify this, or determine whether it matters. i'd think that both of them are good units and i've done a lot of research and i can't say i've seen any real complaints about either machine. only thing is that the price may be a little more scary than a lot of homeowners want to swallow.
 
   / Help me pick a mig welder #12  
Cord, I've got a lightly used Millermatic 175 that I'd like to sell. Comes with an 80 cu.ft. cylinder of 75/25, cover,& cart. It will weld up to 1/4" steel on a single pass. Heck, I'd even throw in a new set of gloves, weld sleeves and a 30 ft. length of input power cable that you can make an extension cord with.
Asking $700.00

Your profile didn't say where you live. I'm in the Wichita, Kansas area.
 
   / Help me pick a mig welder #13  
I have used the Hobart handler 140 at my work for the past 6 years. Although it isn't designed for heavy industrial use, it has taken a lot of punishment. We have even used it with a portable generator. Around me the Hobart welder's are very popular and any of the consumable parts are easy to get. The 140 welds mild steel and stainless but not aluminium. If you plan on welding aluminium then I would go with the Hobart 210 with the spool feed stinger. The 210 from northern tool seems like a great deal. To me it seems like a lot of these small mig welders look the same, just painted different colors. Thats just my opinion.
 
   / Help me pick a mig welder
  • Thread Starter
#15  
Well, I pulled the trigger on a welder... got a ESAB 250 with spool gun for $1700.
 
   / Help me pick a mig welder #16  
You got to splain this horazontal thing,,come on,,you can weld flat as well???
 
   / Help me pick a mig welder
  • Thread Starter
#17  
It's a limitation of my welder and the rods that I'm using. A 7010 rod, although listed as multiposition really isn't much but a horizontal rod. When I turn the machine down to pull some heat out, then the arc becomes unstable. A fast freeze rod would probably do the trick, but I haven't tried them with this welder. Using a 5/32" rod to lay down 3/8" beads is what that welder really lives for.
 
   / Help me pick a mig welder #18  
I wonder what Miller has done to cheapen up the 210 so it can be sold for less than $1000. I paid over $1100 for a 185 over 10 years ago. It has been a great machine. Look at output voltage, current, and duty cycle carefully.

kj
 
   / Help me pick a mig welder
  • Thread Starter
#19  
250a @ 50%, 27v
 
   / Help me pick a mig welder #20  
Cord,,,I want you to take this the right way,,,its the welder,,not the rod,,if somebody else can do it....

A 7010 rod is about same as 6010 maybe a few more snaps/sparkes,,,,,it is an all postion rod,,I have welded over head with it,[alot],like 6010 better,like 6010 plus a lot better[6010+],,but ,,,,,what kinda rods have you run??Why have you been using 7010 rods,,they are called hipy rods,,[high yield point],,hippy rods ///high yield point rods,,,get it???,well,,they are pipeline rods,,why are you using 7010 rods???

You need to get you some 6010 + rods,lincoln,,good rods,,

You turn your machine up,not down to make arc more stable[if you are having trouble sticking or maintaining arc],,,wish I could show you,but I can't.
 

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