I know this post was done before but cant seem to find it . I am looking to purchase a new welder I want to do some floor work , brackets, possible cross members nothing real heavy typical hot rod stuff. What do you like ?
After much collecting of info from my friends and fabricators I know and advice from the hamb I bought a new 220 V miller 175 last week to do just what you are talking about. I am using 75/25 gas with it and .030 wire. It has infinite wire speed and heat range. It will weld anything from 24 ga. sheet metal to 1/4 in. steel. You could buy a 135...110V and probably do the same work but you would have to bevel the heavier steel and make multiple passes. Everyone knows I'm too lazy to do that!!! I've experimented wit it a little this week and I think it's gonna be a kick ass machine!!
Miller, they are popular for a reason. Do not buy Century or and thing similar with a different name stuck on it. Neal
I have a Miller 175 and it kicks ass! I have said it before on other posts, but here we are again. I think in the long run a 220 machine will serve you better, whatever brand you go with.
Yes I agree 220 is the way to go, you never have to get worried about penetrating a weld you can all ways turn it down but you cant all ways turn it up............
After buying a 110V welder I am a firm believer in buying a bigger welder than you think you'll need. I just got an HTP 2400. Remember. Drive a Lincoln, drink a Miller, but weld with HTP.
I really like my Lincoln SP175T. It's a 220V machine. Works like a champ! Don't waste your money on a 110V machine.
miller,hobart, lincoln all produce quality welds. The most critical element of any welding machine is the operator. Your welds will only be as good or strong as your skill set.
I bought a Hobart 180 at Tractor Supply because it was on close-out. If it hadn't been for the great deal at the time, I would have gone Miller - same, but better.
I've used both Miller and Lincoln welders, I went to school 2 years for metal fab/welding. Millers are probably the best welders availible, the only ones I dont' like are the Crickets that don't have gas hookup, totally useless if you ask me. All others have performed great for me. I have a 110 Lincoln myself and I've never needed anything bigger. Keep in mind, even car chassis aren't 1/4" thick, and your welds depend much more on your welding skills and pre-preperation than they do on your welder. But a 220 would be nice. If I had the money, I'd buy the Miller, but Lincoln puts out a very good product too, and they're usually a bit cheaper. I've also used ESAB welders and they're quite good. Just don't buy any cheapie non name brand units and you'll be fine. A welder you'll have for a lifetime so get a good one right away.
I have a Lincoln SP175T and it works like a champ. I use 25/75 gas. I bought mine off Ebay & got a really good deal. Buy a good machine because it will last a lifetime.
hobart, miller, esab, are all the same now all owned by ITW. lincoln is the only loan wolf out there. i have an older esab dip pak 250 mig that is the best mig i have ever used! i tried a bunch out before i got mine. i think you would have to get a pulse mig to get any better. my dad has a miller matic 250. its ok but it does not work as smooth as my esab. the miller works sraight off the the transformer. thats my 2 cents!
So far i've been thru mig, tig, stick, and oxy-fuel welding at school, and from my experence for mig i had the best quality/ease of use with the lincons i've been using for aluminum, flux-core, pretty much any application. For tig/stick i've found that the millers seem to work the best on any matereal i've welded. And for oxy-fuel i've been using victor torches, and they kick ass. The one brand i would stray from is ESAB, out of all the machines i've welded/cut on they are the most problematic. On tig they're a pain in the ass to strike an arc, in mig they're a bitch to set up, and their plasma cutter burn up tips like nothin. I hope this helped you a little in making a decision!
Miller and Hobart are the same, Hobart has some parts that are plastic that would be metal on Miller but I havent heard any complaints about Hobart. I bought a Miller 175 and it's a good welder, but I have been hearing good things about the new Hobart 185 that came out. Only reasoning for buying a Miller over anything else for me is it was the only name brand welder available in my area at the time. Lincoln, havent heard any real complaints about them, never ran one though. HTP I've heard good things about them and good things about their customer service. For my next welder purchase I am gonna look into them further. I've got a Century SuperStar welder and it's a good welder, the only problem with Centuries is Lincoln bought them out, they dont make them anymore, and you cant get parts for them at all. I'm even having trouble finding a liner for the Tweco gun that comes on it.
Exact same machine I have and I love it. It does everything I've ever needed to do & has the capability to do much more! I bought mine right after they came out, it was a new 220v machine in a 110v sized-box. The salesmen mentioned it was built to compete with the smaller Hobart. The local welding shop was running a promo, I paid $550. I like the Lincoln, but I don't think you'd go wrong buying a Hobart or Miller either. ESAB's kickass from what I've seen, but I haven't worked with one all that much.
Go to: http://www.hobartwelders.com/mboard/index.php and click on Welding Products and look around some of these guys are on both boards . I just bought the new Hobart HH187 with cart from Northern Tool for $649.99 with free shipping. Hope this helps. LosLobo
I think for the little home shop mig welders about any of the major brand machines would be fine. I'm a little predjudiced toward Millers as that is mainly what I've used over the past 30yr. welding for a living. For the last 23 yr. I've been a leadman/weldor in a manufacturing shop where we use 400 amp Millers burning 1/16 fluxcore pretty much continuosly 8-10 hrs. a day. Considering the use and abuse these machines see day in and day out they are close to bullet proof. Having said that, out in the garage I have a little baby Lincoln 155 mig, which is fine for what it is, and a old-old-old behemoth 300 amp Sureweld tig, that I'm sure will NEVER die.
I use a miller 210 mig, It works nice but I can't turn it down enough for real thin bodywork, I also have the aluminum spool gun that has never worked worth a shit. I hear alot of people say thier spool guns work great, but mine sucks.
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