jman54002

iTrader: (11)

Miller is one of the best out there...But I can make a 300.00 clake weld look great. It really comes down to skill. I have been welding for well over 20 years and the trend I see is the new welders are more and more computer set. Which means the welders does need to know or have any skill just pull the trigger. And I have hired alot of people and the skill they have is dropping fast. If you want a great weld with little training by a high end machine. Or get some schooling or alot training from a good welder and by a cheap one. Just my two cents

BADD SS

iTrader: (4)

True, but that pretty much only applies to trigger pullers. Stick you really cant cheat, and tig if you dont know what each function controls, or the combo, then you wont be laying down beautiful welds no matter what.

99345hp

I agree, if you don't know what the settings do you can make things worse than if it was a simple machine.

2000_SS

iTrader: (24)

we've fired every single 'tech school-educated "welder" that has hired on. Tulsa welding school is the worst. Maybe it's just the people we get, but it was the same way in two other shops i worked at. you've either got it or you don't, and the schools don't teach ANYTHING beyond the basics, based on MY experience.

As for $300 welders, yes you can make a weld, you can stick two pieces of metal together, but you simply do not get the deposition, penetration, or overall quality weld that you get with a higher end machine, especially with 220v or more juice going to it. you just can't get as strong of a microstructure. The arc won't be stable. You run a risk of gas leaks/contamination with cheaper parts. Wire feeding mechanisms fail. i would never own a 110 machine. i had to weld my torque arm brace together, which was 1/4" pipe to 1/4" plate and couldn't do it with a Miller 140, i had to borrow my cousin's Millermatic 251.

These welders i/we use everyday are NOT computerized or "turn-key" machines at all. We DID however just pick up a PipeWorx 400, which is a piece of welding ART...if you know what to do with it. Its RMD Pulse process is simply amazing, although we haven't qualified a process yet to use it in production.

I dunno, maybe i'm just spoiled....

Silverback

Ok, all this is great but it doesn't answer his question or address his needs....


Yes, the Miller 2xx series and bigger welders are great, but he's never going to buy one, not even a broken used one for >$400. The older 1xx miller welders are OK... well, I'll say they're good welders, but because of all the settings and the way the power curve tracks the feed settings I usually tell new welders to stay away from them, they end up with confusing results and if you don't know what you're looking at you'll never get it right till someone that knows shows you, and then I'm still not sure that a lot of people will get it.

The newer Miller "set it and forget it" boxes are nice boxes but you won't get one new or used for anything near the price range that you're talking about.

If you want the same quality in a much more usable welder get a hobart 1xx series, they are made in the same factory with many of the same parts (my HH135 came with a miller gun and other parts with miller logos on them)

Stay away from the older lincoln 1xx series welders... the power supply tends to "bounce" (you pull the trigger, vaporize the wire stick out, and then for a split second you have almost no power, it gets worse if you have it plugged into an extension chord or an overtaxed outlet), and their feed setup is some rube Goldberg contraption of bolts, springs, wing nuts and a cardboard reel.

OTOH, the newer Lincoln "power MIG" machines are actually decent little machines. I know people who've replaced their miller and hobart boxes with these for small portable migs and have been thrilled with them.

The Clark machines... I don't know if they're hit or miss or if it's a good welder vs a bad welder thing... I've never had a problem with them, but they're not as nice as the big names. The harbor freight machines are definitely hit or miss, my brother has one that he can't lay a bead with at all, I'm pretty good with a MIG and don't have a problem, but still don't like it (the biggest problem is that the electrode is live whether you're feeding or not, making it impossible for a newbie to line up the gun, drop the helmet and pull the trigger, instead you line up the gun with the right stick out and it arcs right away).

Ready welders... like some of the HF machines, they fit in the category that some of us that know what they're doing can lay down a bead with almost any power source/materials, but if you don't know what you're doing they're not as easy as they look.

My suggestion, depending how hard and fast that $400 number is is to look at new or used Lincoln Power MIG 140's, Hobart handler 140 or older 135's. Flux core works fine (there are things that you can do with flux core that you can't with gas shielded MIG, I can't think of vice versa), but newbies tend to have a hard time getting past the smoke, slag and increased penetration which makes learning a little slower.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

All that is 100% made up BS.

2000_SS

iTrader: (24)

based on what?

There's a reason we don't use harbor freight machines when we build powerplants. i never, at work or home, have a use for a 110v machine because i don't do any light duty mig work. if i come across some sheetmetal or thin-wall tubing, i use a tig.

since you obviously know more on the subject than me, why not enlighten us instead of making an immature remark and leaving it at that?

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

I choose not to argue with Miller fanboys.

2000_SS

iTrader: (24)

ok then

Mike52

iTrader: (1)

It's not an argument when you can backup what you're talking about, it's plain, simple facts. Do you have any facts to backup your one line replies? I'm curious to hear what you've got to say.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

There's no argument that Miller makes a good welder. Every Miller I have ever welded with has been great. However, when you are a Miller fanboy you think Miller=god, Everything else=crap. I have used a bunch of different welders, and I dont follow the Miller fanboy mentality. I personally own a Lincoln 135 110V. I bought it for portability, not for all out power obviously. Not one thing I have thrown at it in 3 years of owning it, has it not been able to handle. And I weld a lot around the shop. I also know what it can handle and what it can't. I run with no gas on thicker material for the extra heat. Its a very capable machine for a home garage. Everyone seems to **** on 110 machines and I dont think they deserve it. Hell I have used HF 110 machine and yes they weld like crap but one could easily fabricate an entire exhaust with them with relative ease. They are very much worth their $150 pricetag for someone who wants to do exhaust and the like. Around the garage we arent talking about x-ray welds here. "Adequate" penetration can be achieved in 99% of around the garage welds with a 110v machine. I personally have a dedicated heavy line running to mine with a 30A breaker, bc it will blow 15a and 20a all day. Knowing proper joint fit up/prep and/or preheating can get you through the thicker materials that you *may* run into around your garage.

sjsingle1

iTrader: (1)

in all my yrs of welding........i have never owned a welder....but some of the places i have worked just wont maintain their machines.....i have always thought about a small unit for the house but never knew how a little machine would stack up to what i would want it to do

side note........there are no welding jobs in this area

certified 1G.3G.4G fluxcore

Jcl_96TA

iTrader: (1)

I have been welding for 12+ years for a living, and there is no doubt that miller makes a nice machine. But if it were me i would buy a power mig 255 for my shop. They are cheaper, run smooth as glass and have a digital readout. If you want professional looking welds you need to run a good duel shield wire. If you don't have neighbors and are looking for a handy portable machine get a ranger 10,000 and a lN-25 wire feeder if your not good at stick welding. It has a 10,000 watt generator witch u can run your house off of if your power goes out. that's a good chunk of cash for that setup though.

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

I have a Miller arc welder ... a cracker box as its called.

Bought a 110V Hobart 140. It worked great at first. But after a while I kept having to crank up the gas flow to get a decent weld. I also wore out a set of nylon pinch rollers.

A friend bought a Lincoln weld pak from Home Depot. It's a 135(?) with 4 presets. Seems like I was always too cold or too hot.

I bought a Miller 135 and it served me well. Never had a single hiccup. Consumeables were easy to find and reasonably priced.

Last year, I realized I outgrew the 135 and bought a Miller 212 Autoset. It makes a hack like me look like I know what I'm doing.

My dad was a trade welder for 50 years. Miller was all he would use.

BusDriver

As an anecdote, I have a Hobart 140 and it's done great duty so far on sheetmetal and minor frame stuff (78 Firebird, fluxcore is plenty enough for anything on this car).

They can be had factory reconditioned with full warranty from toolking.com if budget is an issue. It's where I got mine and it was flawless.

I can't recomend it enough for the budget minded garage/hobby welder that will not need to do heavy stuff.

I do recommend springing for a bottle of gas if you plan on doing a lot of sheet metal.

GAKz28camaro

iTrader: (3)

I use a SAM 400(lincoln)every day. I have hard faced for weeks at a time running that machine wide open 400amps burning 5/64 flux core,burned 1/4inch 11018 the same way and never had any trouble. Find me a miller that can handle that type of abuse. Get off the wallet an buy a real machine.

cambirdracing

iTrader: (4)

A friend of mine has a Lincoln Weldpac 100. I used it for everything on narrowing my rearend and frame. It handled everything so well that I went yesterday and bought me a Weldpac 140. Most of the cheapo Harbor Freight welders are not as adjustable as a name brand. I can use flux core wire or gas and solid core wire with the 140. It's 110v and totally portable. Two deciding factors on me buying this is 1) I used my friends 100 and 2)I had a 10% off coupon for Home Depot and 6 months interest free payments.

WS6Drop

iTrader: (10)

I am no where near the ability level any of you are, but my millermatic 140 autoset works great for me. As others have stated definitely want a dedicated circuit with 20+amps if you are using a 110v welder.

00Wildcat

I'm hobbyist welder who has welded for a living in the past. My parents bought me a Millermatic 200 new in 92 for ha graduation. I just replaced the gun last year, it has been flawless. I wouldn't trade it for a new microprocessor equipped machine. I've welded everytfrom 20ga sheet metal to 3/4" toe steel on dozens. I also have a Miller Dialarc Hf for a tight machine that serves me well. If portability isn't an issue look for an older Miller35 or 200. I'VE been considering a new light duty 200 machine like a 185 Lincoln or miller. Anyone have any experience with what Eastwood sells?
Hey 2000_matic ss any chance you've worked with Greg Bell from Nixa? He's work in power plants and industrial boilers in the past and works at Springfield city utilities machine shop now. He's a fabrication Picaso. Ps: not one of those trade school pros but did place 2nd in skills 1991 SW MO district highschool votech competion. LOL

orange88ls1s-dime

it doesnt matter what welder you use if you got it you got it
Beaudacious Fab