Millermatic 211 vs. Hobart Handler 210MVP

[WADFL]

The Hobart is a heavy copper transformer machine...

The Miller is a inverter machine meaning it uses solid-state devices to convert "mains" AC voltage to low voltage DC through a lot smaller transformer...

IF welder is on a cart or wheels why is "weight" a issue....

I have a HH140 also and trying to justify moving up to a 210MPV... Wished I had gotten a 210MP for my meager welding needs, but at the time I didn't know what I really wanted when I bough the HH140.... But the HH140 had really met all the demands I have made of it....

Yeah, same here. I didn't know anything so I went with the HH140. It's worked fine so far, but I want to have a better machine to be ready.
I'm looking for a 20+ year machine so one that's lightweight will be appreciated over time.

 

[Teachu2]

Yeah, same here. I didn't know anything so I went with the HH140. It's worked fine so far, but I want to have a better machine to be ready.
I'm looking for a 20+ year machine so one that's lightweight will be appreciated over time.

I'm old school, distrustful of the long-term durability of solid state electronics. I have a Miller Dialarc 250P that's about 40 years old, a Lincoln AC/DC tombstone that's about 30, and a MM210 that's about 20. All work like new. None are lightweight machines. I don't know if the inverters will last that long.

 

[dfkrug]

After 15y, my Hobart IronMan 210 still works great. I prob should change the tips more often, and use that anti-stick goo. Anyway, yeah it is heavy, but the wheels roll freely. I have a big 240VAC extension cord for the rare times that I weld more than 10' outside my workshop. I have successfully run .035 Al wire thru the feeder without a spool gun. I run big rolls (25#?) of ER70s .035 wire pretty exclusively now. I still have the Al and SS wire, just in case.

Only wishes: lockable wheels, and a place to hang the cables

 

[BukitCase]

DF, those look like regular stem type casters, should be able to replace 'em with the locking kind?

Lead storage - my mm252 came with dual tank running gear, but only ONE lead holder - I got tired of having to separate ground, power and mig gun from the 30 foot spool gun leads (I use the auto gun switch a fair amount) so I sorta copied the factory lead hanger. My slip roll project is still just a project, so I bought a couple of these

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EOMCKJO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

a couple pieces of 1-1/4" square tube and couple metal screws, and now the spool gun lives on its OWN side - much less frustrating... Steve

Here's the casters I've used (except I use the plate mounts mostly)

WoodRiver - 3" HD Caster - Double Locking - Swiveling - 3/8" Threaded Spindle

Put your entire shop on wheels with WoodRiver® 3" Heavy-Duty Casters! Easy rolling, non-marring, polyurethane tires will not "flat spot" during long periods of remaining stationary. Swivel and wheel ride on ball bearings for smooth rolling and turning. Double brake locks both wheel and swivel...

www.woodcraft.com

Not cheap, but I've yet to have a failure in over 20 years, and I probably have close to 20 sets of 'em in service...

 

[newbury]

OP - Have you looked into refurbished Hobarts? Right now they list a 210MVP for $820.

 

[WADFL]

I can buy a HH210MVP right now for $858 shipped to my front door. I just feel that besides the additional power options its the same thing as the HH140 I have right now, which is a good machine in it's own right.

Called around to a couple welding shops today. One had the MillerMatic 211 in stock, one could get it tomorrow, and another suggested the Lincoln Powermig 210MT instead.

The Lincoln looks like a great all around machine but I just don't want a welder with a LCD display for settings.

The shop closest to my house has the MM211 at the same price as CyberWeld, but CW throws in a free helmet. Will drive down there and see if they'll sweeten the deal next week, as I'd prefer to buy local.

 

[Sberry]

The Hobart is very good and welds very well.,. wouldnt scare me abit and lots cheaper and while its still likely to be running 30 years from now the money you save today would replace it then.

 

[Smokeydog]

My LWS shop beat all internet deals ten years ago for a Miller 211. Been a good reliable welder. Any welder best to improve the ground cable and clamp before your first arc. Switched to 15’ handset lead with no trouble. That little blue accuset light has me hooked. Most times spot on. Sometimes just needs a little tweak to improve the bead. Really spoils this old man.

I don’t know if the new mm211 has cooling fan on demand like the 252. A feature I wish I had. Reduces noise and dust drawn in the machine.

 

[BukitCase]

Smokey, I have the inverter MM211 now, sold the transformer version when I found my 252. The newer 211 does have fan on demand, but I've yet to figure out why NONE of the three units pulls cooling air in from the REAR, instead of sucking crap in from the MORE LIKELY SOURCE of it...

My "bandaid" was to take a piece of scrap T1-11 siding and cut a slot in it, just large enough to let the torch/ground leads through - any time I have more than a quick tack or two, I put that piece over the leads and LEANING against the welder/cart, so there's plenty of air coming in from the SIDES, but NOT DIRECT from the crap source.

The newer 211's "advanced autoset" has about 3 TIMES as many choices as the previous version; solid wire, flux core, stainless, aluminum (spool gun only), all three common wire sizes instead of only .030 and .035, C25 OR CO2 (IIRC, only tri-mix for SS)

The cart I built for the new mm211
Cart 4 mm211
makes it about as mobile as it can be; took awhile, but well worth it for MY situation... Steve

 

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I have an open garage. Cement floor on one side and crushed stone on the other side.
It is subject to every bit of moisture that the ambient humidity throws at it. I may have little leg to stand on with this statement considering the electronics in cars now a days but I join the camp of not trusting inverter welders subject to that type of moisture content.
I chose the Hobart for that reason.
My Longevity inverter gives me fits at times.
The Hobart 190 is smooth all of the time.
This may or may not be the result of the moisture content and might speak more to how they built the Longevity but give me copper windings any day for my situation.