holbart ironman 230

[brownbagg]

somebody was talking about a new welder, today in tractor supply i was looking at the holbart 230. yes I know its a mig and i have mention that i hate mig, but was thinking maybe its my mig i hate.

well, this holbart sure did look cheap. i know its made in united states but it had the quality look of china made. I know holbarts are a good company, being miller twin step brother.

have anybody use a ironman 230. I want something that got enough *** to weld up 1/2 plate. not that will ever weld 1/2 plate . the biggest i usually do is 3/8

 

[sberry]

By all reliable accounts they are very good and have way more power than the model indicates. I watch Hobart and another welding forum or 2 and guys that got them are not planning on trading any time soon. If I was buying a new one today it would be on my short list.

 

[mike93lx]

somebody was talking about a new welder, today in tractor supply i was looking at the holbart 230. yes I know its a mig and i have mention that i hate mig, but was thinking maybe its my mig i hate.

well, this holbart sure did look cheap. i know its made in united states but it had the quality look of china made. I know holbarts are a good company, being miller twin step brother.

have anybody use a ironman 230. I want something that got enough *** to weld up 1/2 plate. not that will ever weld 1/2 plate . the biggest i usually do is 3/8

no experience with that welder, but it is Hobart, not Holbart. might help you find more info on the web

 

[brownbagg]

it s not that i cant spell, its I cant type

 

[zkling]

Typical hobart, they cut cost by cutting astethics and simple packaging (not shipping). Make no mistake they are a very solid machine, just not as polished as their Miller brethren.

For the past ~15 or so years Hobart has more focused on the consumable and technical side of the welding field vs producing a large assortment of machines. Especially tig, stick and industrial size machines.

 

[customtronic]

I have a Hobart Handler 140 and it does great for what I use it for. I'm a ****** welder and should practice more but even with my lack of skill I'm able to get the job done. We're planning on buying a 220 volt welder also. By we, I mean my dad, son, and myself. We all use my shop so we each have tools and projects in it.

 

[jim whitney]

I have a 230 ironman and love it and yes it will weld 1/2 inch. The nice thing about the welder is the controls ,1-12 on the amperage Not low med hi . I would recommend it for sure!

 

[DUSTIN@STI]

I've got the 210mvp. I have no regrets. It's a great machine. I picked it over the iron man because of the price vs options. The MVP has the ability to run on 110 if needed.

 

[slice]

Had mine for years. Works great no issue. Hear Hobart is Miller home use machines.

 

[bobbyu]

I've been on the look out for one along that line to upgrade from my Lincoln weld pak 100. Seems everyone says they are a step down from Miller. Can't find hardly anyone who owns one that doesn't love it. I've been watching a210 MVP that's about 120- miles away. If it was closer I would be making an offer. He has it about new price though. Looks pretty dirty to.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/137092803137677/permalink/471140186399602/

Also check out this video. http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/hobart-welder-210mvp.html

These guys have a good price on a 210 MVP http://www.farmandfleet.com/products/678611-hobart-handler-210mvp-mig-welder.html

 

[Sandwillys]

I bought one with a spool gun and free shipping for $1800 from northern tool, awesome machine, if you can stand its not blue or red, get one. Just finished this gate , never missed a beat.

 

[IndyGarage]

Hobart Miller and Lincoln were three of the big name US brands for a long time. They all have made good welders over the years.

Illinois Tool Works, now ITW owns both Miller and Hobart and has for a number of years.

I think they still are operated as separate companies and compete with one another - Miller is the premium brand with all the features, Hobart is the lower cost line with fewer bells and whistles. For example Miller often has infinite range voltage where Hobart will have 8 or 10 voltage selections.

I think Hobart might also private label some of their machines - I've seen a couple other brands that look just like rebadged Hobarts.

I don't know for sure if Miller and Hobart machines share electronics or not - if they don't they certainly have similar specs, layout and size.

I used a Hobart 190 for many hours awhile back and it was a sweet machine. That 230 Ironman looks like a really nice machine too. I would like to have one.

 

[3 Gun Shooter]

Before you buy the Hobart, check out Cyberweld, they have a great deal on the Miller 211. At the same time check on the Hobart there too, they may have a similar deal going on.

 

[bobbyu]

Yea Cyberweld does have a pretty good deal going on the 211. Their price on the 210 mvp is not near as good as Blain's Farm & Fleet, where it is $795.00 shipped.

 

[3 Gun Shooter]

I've been using Miller welders since '72 when I bought my TIG. I have no problem with Hobart welders, good basic machines just not all the extra features of Miller.

I've really never cared for Lincoln, we had the old AC/DC tombstones where I went to high school, they were ok, but never cared for all the current welders from Lincoln.

 

[sberry]

I've got the 210mvp. I have no regrets. It's a great machine. I picked it over the iron man because of the price vs options. The MVP has the ability to run on 110 if needed.

Most of the garage Journal crowd are poster children for this class of machine. They have enough punch to allow the work to be done and in my small welding shop it is what I use about 95% of the time. I am repair and maintenance. One off incidental work make the cost irrelevant.
The 230 will really shine when any time and consumable cost mean money. A big bottle with gas half price with a welder that puts out 2x for same gas with wire coming off a spool full size at 1/2 or less add up fast as does operator time or time spent waiting on welding.
The difference in purchase cost can go by the wayside in a hurry and can really add up over time.
Even though I only use my 250 occasionally it pays for itself over what I could liquidate it for.

 

[sberry]

I welded up a booger the other day where fixing it all would have been a real time and difficult deal, with a bigger wire feeder spent about 15 or 20 minutes and just welded up a huge fit that homogenized it in to a glob 10x as strong as the original.
I have pics of a couple similar jobs. In pic 3 here is the location, overhead along the floor. I had a sheet of cardboard and lay under it with the mig gun for a few minutes and simply weld up over missed and broke stuff, worn till its solid again. No one but you guys w2ill ever see this joint.

 

[wagon]

little history - ITW bought Miller in the early 90s.

ITW later bought Hobart. To get approval from regulators (worried about conditions leading to a monopoly), they had to get rid of all of Hobart's heavy duty machines. You can find old Hobart engine drives that are huge machines, full on industrial welders. Anymore, they share a lot of components with Miller machines, but lack the polish and some of the features, like fully continuous control of amperage/voltage.

The smaller Hobart engine drive machine like a BlueStar 185 has a Miller label on its generator, but features a Briggs & Stratton engine (rather than a Kohler) and has a few other differences.

Hobart became the homeowner/ light duty ag line, and Miller the high end premium brand. Also ITW's filler metal brand along with McKay and TriMark, which were/are being rolled into Hobart branding.

fun fact, the big Hobart freezers were part of the same company. They also used to make steel houses. There is a cul-de-sac in Troy, OH (iirc) that is full of those houses. They used to make everything.


=====They're good machines.

 

[wagon]

I welded up a booger the other day where fixing it all would have been a real time and difficult deal, with a bigger wire feeder spent about 15 or 20 minutes and just welded up a huge fit that homogenized it in to a glob 10x as strong as the original.
I have pics of a couple similar jobs. In pic 3 here is the location, overhead along the floor. I had a sheet of cardboard and lay under it with the mig gun for a few minutes and simply weld up over missed and broke stuff, worn till its solid again. No one but you guys w2ill ever see this joint.

they aren't pretty, but they look like they'll hold that thing together in a shredder at a wrecking yard.

are you cleaning out the silicon islands between passes? The brown stuff in the toes of the weld is silicon from the wire.

 

[tmunsch]

I have the Hobart 230 I bought from Tractor Supply about 5 years ago, has never missed a beat. I would buy one again....


T,

 

[sberry]

No I didn't clean between passes, this was on the floor and overhead in a spot no one will ever see. I piled it on in 10 or15 mins. I barely stop, back and forth till it was enough.

 

[sberry]

We can make em nicer too but no one cared.

 

[pennsylvaniaboy]

We can make em nicer too but no one cared.

what that a 210 or 230? I am between these 2 machines.

 

[sberry]

The first 2 are 210 and the 3rd is an old Lincoln that doesnt have much of a fan club,,, my Bud says the 230 is much better.
If you are doing a lot of welding or any place where time is money the 230 is for you. Its 2x the machine a 210 is.