buying a welder finally.. Whats your choice?

I have the Miller 211. works great

 

Just to add a quick note,miller and hobart are great also, which ever you buy , i would go with a 220 volt machine, i have used them all and i believe the 110 volt 125 and 140 amp machines are too sensative, really touchy to use. i like the versatility of the 220 machines

 

i just bought a new 212 miller, its a great welder all the way around. i have a 140 hobart i use for sheet metal its very good, i think the 187 would be a good all around machine, but if you can afford it buy a miller no matter what size you get, you wont be dissapointed. i have also had a lincoln and a century, no comparison.

 

You may as well have asked who made the best v8.

Buy brand name, and you'll be happy. Miller, Hobart, Lincoln, and ESAB all make good machines. There are some other quality American machines out there too, they are just smaller companies.

 

Congrats........ now get to welding damn-it !!!

 

Miller DVI
http://www.millerwelds.com/about/news_releases/2004_archive/articles116.html

http://www.millerwelds.com/about/news_releases/2004_archive/images/Millermatic_DVI.jpg

 

just a little follow up on things (for anyone that cares or beginners thinkin about makin the move like i did)... Really got to play with my new miller 211 and cant say one thing bad about it... I know its not the cheapest of the bunch, but i considered it a investment and a good one at that...

 

I got this one last year and LOVE it! Does everything I want and is portable too!

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200306073_200306073

 

hobart 187

 

Anybody have one of Eastwood's welders? The 220V one in particular;

http://www.eastwood.com/mig-welders-175-amp-mig-welder-w-spool-gun.html

The reviews on the site seem pretty good, but no guarantee those are real, and the price can't be beat.

 

glad to hear you're enjoying it... i'm like you, a beginner. i've had mine for about two years now, and no complaints at all... i actually use mine more on 110 than 220 too...

 

I have the Hobart and it works fine. Be sure whatever rig you get that you also get a gas bottle, makes for cleaner welds than flux wire.

 

About 20 years ago I decided I had to have a wire welder. Place where I bought gas and rods had a Miller 90 on sale and it was all I could afford at the time with a mixed gas regulator and bottle of mixed gas. I have worked the dog piss out of that thing many times over and it just keeps on ticking. I can afford a better welder now but the dang thing just wont quit and will weld up to 1/4 inch which emcomposes about 95 percent of a light to medium duty auto. Never had to spend any money on it other than normal comsumables.

 

My welder contact told me that Miller bought out the welding equipment part of Hobart. Hobart continues to make industrial generators and lots of other equipment, but sold out their welding line.

He has never steered me wrong, and the autoset on the Miller had just come out when I bought my mig. He has always put me into Lincoln for welders and Miller for my plasma cutter. I would not be afraid of a miller welder, I learned on one. I recently bought my tig welder, also a lincoln, and it doubles as a stick welder, so I think I got all the bases covered. Good luck on your purchase, and enjoy the freedom of welding shit up when you want to, instead of asking friends to do it for you.

 

Esab migmaster 250 with an Aluminum spool gun

Old arc welder and oxy/acetylene torches