Another "which welder" thread

[JoeOef]

I've been shopping for a welder for some time now, and now that I'm about to pull the trigger, I've got salesmen pulling me every which way. I had originally been about to pull the trigger on a Hobart 210MVP, and an Everlast Powerarc 140 tig/stick. Then I thought I was talked into buying a Miller 211 and skipping the tig option for now.

After a bad experience at the local Airgas, I went to another local welding shop where I am looking at a Thermal Arc 211i with 80ft tank, cart, 33lb spool and a tig torch out the door for $1600 with a free welding mask. The 211i seems like a fantasic piece of kit. LWS is throwing in first fill with the tank (purchase, not lease) and I could likely get them to throw in a welding seminar.

I've welded for a total of perhaps 4 hours in my life. It's a skill I am serious about adding to my toolbox, and I want to spend once. Dual voltage is important to me, having the ability to learn mig/tig/stick is important to me, and quality and customer care are important to me. COO is important, but less so. Thoughts?

 

[ejm1961Tbird]

This, and get the spoolgun too if you anticipate welding aluminum.
http://m.cyberweld.com/mi211migwewi.html

 

[JoeOef]

OK. Why would be helpful.

 

[zkling]

If you really want to do mig and stick/tig to their fullest capabilities you will need two separate machines. The TA211 is nice, but it is a DC only machine. You will not be able to tig weld thin aluminum with it which requires AC output.

Dual voltage is important to me, having the ability to learn mig/tig/stick is important to me, and quality and customer care are important to me. COO is important, but less so. Thoughts?

I noticed that price is not important to you? What is your total budget? What type of projects do you plan on welding? Please be specific.

 

[ejm1961Tbird]

The Millermatic 211 is an excellent MIG welder. Cyberweld has very good prices and provide great service.

 

[JoeOef]

The TA package runs $1600 OTD which is the most I absolutely want to spend for machine, cart, gas etc.

Welding a lot of scrap for practice, trailer repair, motorcycle parts eventually, patch panels on older vehicles, general hobbyist stuff.

 

[zkling]

The TA package runs $1600 OTD which is the most I absolutely want to spend for machine, cart, gas etc.

Welding a lot of scrap for practice, trailer repair, motorcycle parts eventually, patch panels on older vehicles, general hobbyist stuff.

In that case, I would forget the tig for now. Agree that the 211+spool gun would be a great fit for you.

 

[JoeOef]

Well guys, my wife bought me the Thermal Arc PowerArc dc tig and stuck set-up for my birthday and I just got back from the Shop picking up my Miller 211 with tank and spool gun. No buyers remorse yet.

 

[FriendOfYours]

Take them back and get the 211i!

It is an excellent machine and will do way more than what you now have, for cheaper

Your Miller 211 is really only 150a at 30% duty cycle

The TA on the other hand will actually do 210a at 20%

I have both btw. The 211i hits the cutoff at max a couple minutes after the 211 and penetrates deeper

 

[JoeOef]

Dang where were you three days ago?

The salesmen said the same thing, only that the miller was more reliable.

 

[ejm1961Tbird]

Congrats! I think you will be happy with the Miller 211.

 

[stonewellmark]

Congrats on your mm211!! I just got a TA 211i....gotta tell ya it welds super smooth, with plenty of heat ( at least MIG ). Fan is a bit loud, and it is by no means a realistic "portable" machine especially with a 33+ pounds spool o' wire in it. Best of luck with your new welders!!

Mark

 

[Tunajoe]

Following this thread closely as I'm in the market for a beginners welder.
The miller 211 seems to be the ticket for me.
What is the advantage of the spool gun?

 

[Rezarf]

Following this thread closely as I'm in the market for a beginners welder.
The miller 211 seems to be the ticket for me.
What is the advantage of the spool gun?

Spool gun makes aluminum welding possible.

 

[Tunajoe]

Spool gun makes aluminum welding possible.

Thank you

 

[theknurl]

Spool gun makes aluminum welding possible.

so you mean all those 10 lb boxes of aluminum rod I've used and have still, went to waste......

because I don't have a spool gun????

really?

sure welded a lot of aluminum without a bulky spool gun

 

[pipsters]

so you mean all those 10 lb boxes of aluminum rod I've used and have still, went to waste......

because I don't have a spool gun????

really?

sure welded a lot of aluminum without a bulky spool gun

A stick welder is different than a MIG welder. With a MIG welder you use a wire fed from the box to the gun. Typically the wire for aluminum is too soft to feed through the gun so you have to feed it out at the source, hence the spool gun.

 

[Mitchw123456]

I chose the 210 mvp after a long debate between it and the 211. I wasnt a fan of all the autoset and extra stuff to break on the 211 and stumbled across a sale at blains farm and fleet for $900 with spool gun shipped to my door.. Couldbn't turn it down and couldnt be happier

 

[#1SomeGuy]

Auto-set is optional, you don't have to use it. The biggest benefit of the 211 is continuously variable voltage rather than stepped.

 

[sberry]

I like the 210 and one of the reasons is tapped voltage. So easy to set and repeat

 

[zkling]

A stick welder is different than a MIG welder. With a MIG welder you use a wire fed from the box to the gun. Typically the wire for aluminum is too soft to feed through the gun so you have to feed it out at the source, hence the spool gun.

Yes, but in industrial settings and even some home shops spool guns are not as economical (small spools of wire) or nimble as a standard mig gun. Thus there exist push pull systems (constant wire tension) to feed full size spools of mig wire through a standard length mig gun. Can you do it without push pull system? Sure, but when you combine a small all in one unit, low amperage thus running small wire--> lower column strength + tights bends + trying to run from a small spool (small initial bend radius) and a steel liner like most try. Then the results are usually not going to be fun.

I like the 210 and one of the reasons is tapped voltage. So easy to set and repeat

 

[pipsters]

Yes, but in industrial settings and even some home shops spool guns are not as economical (small spools of wire) or nimble as a standard mig gun. Thus there exist push pull systems (constant wire tension) to feed full size spools of mig wire through a standard length mig gun. Can you do it without push pull system? Sure, but when you combine a small all in one unit, low amperage thus running small wire--> lower column strength + tights bends + trying to run from a small spool (small initial bend radius) and a steel liner like most try. Then the results are usually not going to be fun.

Yes, because clearly this guy is going to be using this new welder in an industrial setting.

 

[sberry]

Hh210

 

[03protege]

NVM op already purchased.

 

[theknurl]

so you mean all those 10 lb boxes of aluminum rod I've used and have still, went to waste......

because I don't have a spool gun????

really?

sure welded a lot of aluminum without a bulky spool gun

A stick welder is different than a MIG welder. With a MIG welder you use a wire fed from the box to the gun. Typically the wire for aluminum is too soft to feed through the gun so you have to feed it out at the source, hence the spool gun.

pipsters;
I use 36" rod with a Lincoln 300/300, bet I haven't stick welded anything in 25 years

now, I've used stick rod with the coating cleaned off for hard facing etc, with TIG
cleaning the coating off is less trouble than changing the cables

and I have a 200 amp MIG machine with, what are they 33lb rolls?

been welding for 58 years