LSfan70s

Where is the thread where I can find that answer?

Who has try them out?

I'm looking for one that can weld a Z06 chasiss.

LSfan70s

I am seriously considering the Hobart due to price.

But I have no idea of the quality on any of those brands.

Miller 211

Handler 210

Please help, this will be my 1st welder and dont want to go stupid.

z28mccrory

iTrader: (7)

Thats a tough call.

I have a Miller 210 that i purchased a few years ago, and when i was shopping around i looked at all brands. I found that the Hobart were also fine welders, but just weren't built as well... parts that are metal on the Miller are plastic/composite on the Hobart, etc.

That being said... i dont think either one would be a bad choice. For casual use the Hobart would probably do just as good of a job... but the Miller is going to be built a little better.

LSfan70s

Oh wow !!! Verry good info. Thanks so much.

Do you still have the Miller 211? How much you want for it?

z28mccrory

iTrader: (7)

Its actually a Miller 210... probably just the previous model from whats out there now.

I purchased it and a Lincoln TIG at the same, and i use them on a regular basis.

They aren't for sale... but if you are local you are welcome to try either one of them out just to see how you like them.

LSfan70s

Ok

Now you mention the TIG machine, I am so new at welding, actually I'll have my 1st welding class by a friend this sturday, what do you use the TIG machine for? I was thinking about getting a TIG insted of a MIG, but I've got recomneded to start with MIG.

Also, do you know if Lincoln makes a MIG compared to the Miller 210/211? Their website get too technic when start searching.

And thanks for the invitation to check the machines out, but I'm like 10 hours away by plane.

z28mccrory

iTrader: (7)

MIG you will get used to in no time. Its basicly point and pull the trigger... as long as your settings are close and you have some basic instruction on how to lay a bead, you can pick it up very quickly.

TIG takes a lot more practice, but it has certain advantages (but also disadvantages)

If i had to choose one welder, i would get a MIG. Its the workhorse welder that i use for most things. The MIG can do just about anything, though in some instances it wont look as nice as a TIG.

Things that i use MIG for:
Mild Steel Tubing (roll cages, suspension parts, etc)
Exhaust
General "around the shop" projects... like i made a welding cart out of some angle iron... MIG was perfect for it
Anything that i need to tack in place for fiting it (you can tack with a TIG, but its a bit more tricky)
Anything big and thick (welded some 1/2" steel plate for my grandpas tractor) etc
Body work (tig in general puts more heat than you want, and warps the sheetmetal... a mig can just run a small "dot" at a time and not put much heat into it)

Thing that i use a TIG for:
Anything stainless
Anything aluminum
Anything that i need to be very precise and clean (a TIG wont throw sparks like a MIG does)
Anything chromoly (rollcages, etc)

Granted what i just said isn't the end-all "you can only do it this way" list... its just what i've experienced.

Lincoln makes excellent welder also... i would say they are about equal with a miller in quality etc. They seem to be a bit more expensive that miller, but not by a lot. I haven't looked at the current model line up, but when i was shopping it seems like Miller made the MIG that i liked the best, and Lincoln made the TIG that i liked best (more features on the tig... more bang for your buck). Im sure i would have been happy with either brand of either style welder though.

Normally its hard to find a place that will let you try out a welder unless you find a really big shop. I bought mine at the local welding supply place and they only had one of each model in stock, and i highly doubt would have let me try them out.

I would just look over the features of each. The thing that attracted me to the Miller mig was its simplicity... plus i had used them where i worked at the time and we had great luck out of them. The thing that attracted me to the Lincoln TIG was that it had a few more features than the Miller.... it had a built in pulser where the Miller you had to buy a seperate accessorie for the same function... etc. It was just little things like that.

LSfan70s

Awsome information!! Thanks so much z28mccrory!!!

I'll stick up with the Hobart 210, cuz even if I'm able to try them all out, I bet I won't notice a difference due to my lak of experience.

I just want something easy to use and not too expensive that may help me build (or blow in peaces) my first car project ever.

By the way, on my 1st post on this thread I meanton I'll be working (destroing) a Vette aluminum chassis (Z06). These 210/211 machnes will do the work right? Ont he specs said they weld up to 3/4 aluminum. Just my last question.

ATwelveSec02Z28

iTrader: (17)

The hobart 210 will come with a miller torch.... I was told by the Keen gas guy that theyre owned by the same company.

I did my welding learning the bassackwards way, learned TIG first then started with MIG... If youre going to weld Aluminum, TIG is the way, but you can do it with MIG but I believe you may need to use a spool gun.

MikeGyver

iTrader: (5)

3/8" not 3/4". You would have to spend more than $12,000.00 to get a welder that can weld 3/4" aluminum in one pass, but you don't have the three-phase power needed to run it. I wouldn't count on 3/8" either, unless you preheat the metal. Even if it welded 3/8" aluminum, it would only be at 30% duty cycle (3 minutes actual welding in a 10 minute period).

Mikey 97Z M6

iTrader: (37)

I'm not 100% positive on this, but I heard that Hobart is made by Miller. It's their "less expensive" lineup therefore it doesn't surprise me to find cheaper consumbables in the Hobarts. As long as your not doing heavy production type work, the Hobart should last a long time and be a fine machine.

If I had the money, I'd buy a Miller or Lincoln. Can't go wrong with either of those MIG welders.

Mike

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

Converting a MIG rig from steel to aluminum and back again is a PITA.

For that reason, I bought a Miller 212. It has hook-ups for both a steel wire lead and a spool gun. And with a dual tank rig, it will automatically select the proper gas depending upon which trigger you pull.

A spool gun is almost a necessity. Aluminum wire just doesn't have the tensile strength to get pushed through 10' or more of lead, especially if it has several bends in it. A spool gun has the wire right at the torch.

Looking at my old Miller 135 and a Hobart 135 at Tractor supply, the controls, lead, gun, feed all look like a Miller. But the drive mechanisim was made from pewter and nylon instead of machined steel like in my Miller.

I've been true blue for years as was my Dad before me.

MikeGyver

iTrader: (5)

The 211 is spool gun ready. This is from Miller's website:

"Spool gun ready out of the box! Finally a reliable and economical way to weld aluminum. Hooked up to a Millermatic® 211 Auto-Set™ with MVP™, the new Spoolmate™ 100 Series spool gun allows you to weld from 18 ga - 3/8 in aluminum."

scrapecc

miller makes hobart. its thier economy line. they work ok if you dont need to use it everyday.

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

True it is compatible, but it's either/or not both. 212 allows both guns to be attached and ready for use.

MikeGyver

iTrader: (5)

Oh. I thought that's what spool gun ready meant. What a rip!

Kevin15

You probably already decided by now, but here's some info just in case.

H 210 vs M 211

What's the same?

The Hobart 210 and Millermatic 211 have identical output, duty cycle etc..., at 230 volts and use the same drive mechanisms. The feel and weld quality should be virtually identical.


What's different? (Most significant first.)

1. The Millermatic is a dual voltage machine that can operate on 230 or 115 volts. That means it would be easy to take it to a buddy's house and weld lighter materials by plugging into a standard 115 volt circuit(20 amp service).
I don't know about you, but the dual voltage operation was enough to sell me on this welder. It is meant to be a "PORTABLE" welder so the power source flexibility is a big plus.

2. The Millermatic will be of a slightly better build quality since Miller now owns Hobart and sells the Hobart as a lower cost alternative to the Millermatic line. They don't usually skimp where it counts though. Things like the drive mechanism will most likely be identical.

3. The Hobart doesn't have autoset, which is a convenience feature so you don't have to adjust wire speeds and voltages for mild steel. This is good for beginners, but doesn't mean a whole lot to anyone who really knows how to weld.


Millermatic 212

Portable welders need to be light. Efficiency, durability, and features are sacrificed in favor of the portability. The 212 is not a portable welder. It also costs twice as much as the Hobart and half again what the 211 costs. That being said, it doesn't make the sacrifices the portables do. Do you need a portable welder? The 212, while being more expensive, will weld thicker materials better and faster. It will also last longer than the portable models.

Gordon0652

iTrader: (4)

Miller owns Hobart, they are basically the same welders buts different cases and maybe some different internals.

If you can not afford the Miller, go with the Hobart, they are great welders!

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

I sprung for a MIller 212 Autoset.

It makes a hack welder like me look like I know what I'm doing. It's an amazing machine.