Art & Inspiration Welder recommendations?

I am a hobbyist welder at best, but my Miller 200 MIG is the best investment for a tool I have ever made. I paid around 800 off craigslist and it is literally as old as I am (‘83) but it will do more than I will ever need. New stuff is out of my price range.

As others have stated, I think availability and price might trump red/blue. Check estate sales and industrial auctions, too.

I used my old man’s HTP 140 for a long time. For small stuff / hobbyist, it may be adequate. I wanted a larger machine for myself and just happened on the Miller. Again, I am just a garage welder.

 

Just to reiterate:

Used is totally fine, just bring someone to test it.

Your local welding supply houses likely sell used and demo ones too.

Auto-set, and digital features are cool, but millions of miles of bead have been successfully laid without them.

 

VERY happy with my Miller 211.
It replaced a Red 110V FCAW/MIG welder that had served me well for 15 years.
The difference in performance was quite amazing; I became a better welder overnight.

 

I just bought a Hobart 210 MVP from Northern tool for 849.00 plus tax shipped. It still has a transformer with a 5 year warranty on that. I like it, no regrets.

 

That's a pretty impressive machine...anybody have one???

 

I’d like to, they’ve only been available for a couple of weeks now here in Canada.
Not sure about down south.

I’ll get one a year or so from now.

 

That's how I felt when our college shop bought us a brand-new Miller Synchrowave250. Before that we had this ancient Union-Carbide TIG, was water-cooled but had to be tied into a stationary water source, had a huge torch, iron foot pedal with a sweep of copper contacts.... We made due with it since it was all we had. When we got the Synchrowave it was life-changing. Anyone who says there is no difference in welder performance has rocks in their head.

 

Another vote for Miller!

 

Hobart 210. It will do up to 3/8" thick. Good parts availability if you need it someday. I've had mine about 15 years.

 

silly question. everyone knows all the best stuff can be found at Harbor Freight.

 

Hey, 49.....you're getting better at disguising your sarcasm during normal conversation. You musta been practicing.

Thanks for the replies, guys. I'm seriously considering a 211 from a local source, but also have a lead on a used welder. Just need to get more details from the seller.

Roger

 

I have only stick welded, never used MIG or TIG. I want to buy a MIG. It looks like some don't need the gas canister. I plan to use mainly to patch body panels. What's a good moderately priced welder? thanks

 

You absolutely need the Argon-CO2 gas bottle and .023 solid wire to do a decent job with MIG.
Some of the gasless MIG welders use a self shielding flux cored wire but they weld poorly at best.
So, make sure the machine you buy has gas capability.
Take a look at some of the small machines from Miller ,Hobart or Lincoln.
Stay away from the really cheap garbage offered at Harbor Freight or even online.

 

I have always used Lincoln welders, never had one quit on me. I wouldn't be afraid to get a Miller though. Just get one big enough to weld what you want. I have a 110 Lincoln that I use with gas for automotive (light) (1/4" or so). It's not expensive, does a great job and portable.

I also do a lot of heavier welding, 3/8"-1/2" if you plan to do a lot of that get a 220 V welder.

I also weld aluminum but for that you want a 220V machine with a spool gun. How much are you willing to spend? I personally would prefer to stay with either Lincoln or Miller for reliability

 

not saying it is better, best or the only, but for general body work/repairs, i don't ever want to be without my lincoln sp 135.

 

Miller 304 here for most stuff.
Home made 200amp AC/DC I made from scratch in trade school, dedicated to aluminum/magnesium TIG.

 

Cant speak about the 240v models
But I love my used Millermatic 115
Does everything I have ever needed to do around my home shop.
Chappy

 

Blue

 

chopd top, I tried to send you a "Conversation" and I got an Error message, the article in the "Sticky FAQ" about the self adjuster upgrade has lost all the pictures this last week wanted to reference them to a member.

 

I've had large commercial Lincoln mig that's about 30 years old. Has been used to box 100's of pairs of deuce rails without anything except routine maintenance. I got a new Miller syncro tig a few years ago and love it. The guy that finish welds my chassis swears by it and it does a beautiful job. My welding days are about over but they both have served me well.

 

Ask yourself these questions:

Where is my local welding supply house?
Does it stock parts and/or can they service what I choose?

 

And if they answer with HF, then they haven't been paying attention.
Do you see yourself waiting on the dock for the next load of replacement parts for your "it's all I could afford at the time" import welder.

 

Another vote for Miller 211 with auto aet. Its a 110/220v welder that, for the money (about $1700 with gas etc) is the best you can buy. Perfect for sheetmetal and good for anything you might weld on an old car. Ive had mine for 3 years and have run 55 lbs of wire through it and it runs just like it's new.

 

Another vote for HTP. I have both Miller and HTP mig welders, and prefer the HTP hands down.

I also have an HTP tig welder. Quality machines.

I wouldn’t pay attention to HTP bashing from someone that doesn’t own one or compares it to the cheap Chinese imports from back in the day.

 

If there is a problem with it, who services it?

Not bashing, just asking. Don't believe that you will never have a problem.

 

When I taught adult ed wood shop 30 years ago that was my stock answer when a student came in with an ad for some cheap piece of off shore equipment.

 

Don't get me wrong, HTP welders are not Chinese crap. They are really good.

I have just never encountered a welding supply house that will service one.

 

Admittedly, it will have to be sent back to Illinois to be dealer serviced. That's obviously not an optimal arrangement. However, I look at it this way; if I buy a quality piece of equipment, it shouldn't need servicing or parts. I'm a weekend warrior, an avid-DIYer, and I'm not running my equipment hard day in and day out. It stays covered in a heated shop. So a quality machine should last a really long time in my shop without being messed with. Hell, even the first welder I ever bought in 2002, a Lincoln Mig-Pack from Home Depot, has never needed service. I'd consider the HTP machines to be higher quality than that, so if I get the same 15-20 years of trouble free operation out of the HTP that I got out of my old Lincoln, I'd be perfectly happy. Especially since the HTP cost literally half of that of the comparable Miller.

By and large, I figure if I'm going to need anything, it's going to be basic consumable stuff. MIG gun liners, TIG torch gas lenses.... of which they're generic parts, like the CK20 series torch, or I'm going to get some fair warning that the liner is going bad when the wire starts to jam, and I can order a new one and have in a couple days. I'm not losing any money having my welder down for a couple days.

 

i had an old millermatic 35 for 10 years, and just gave myself a christmas present of an old millermatic 200. what a nice welder!!!! go to the miller forum and you will see many folks saying the 200 is the best machine miller ever made. the other plus of these older machines is to a large degree you can diagnose and fix it yourself. many of the components inside are off the shelf electrical parts you can buy anywhere. two of my friends sold they're trusty old millers a few years back. bought new esabs and within a couple years had 500 dollar electric boards fail, only available from esab. the miller 35 is 150 amps, the 200 is 250 amps. both will out live any modern inverter type welder

 

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