Miller welder advice needed

[Firepower flyer]

I’m looking for a nice home/shop mig welder for body work and fab work. I have a older Lincoln SP 125 and a Miller 210 at work and like them both. There’s a Miller 185 for sale locally for 900.00 Not sure if that’s a good price? looks very clean. I also would be open for something new like maybe a Miller 211? Or a 215 with tig kit( I haven’t tig welded but would like to learn)Just not familiar with them. Any advice on what to avoid would be appreciated.
Joe


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[Bill Bowman]

The newer welders are more compact (not a bad thing) than the 185. If you're going to consider spending $900 on a 185, and would like to maybe learn TIG, go with a new Miller that's set up for both types of welds? JMHO

 

[Farmall450]

For less $ you can get a brand new Hobart 210 MVP (dual voltage) shipped to your door.

https://www.farmandfleet.com/products/678611-hobart-handler-210mvp-mig-welder.html

I plan on getting the Ironman 230 from them as a graduation present to myself this summer. Pretty sure there's free shipping rn and the welder is on sale.

 

[zkling]

The millermatic 185 is almost 2x the machine the Hobart 210 is....look at duty cycle. With that said, the 185 is going on ~20 years out of production I believe, and I think that is pretty high unless it is decked out with spool gun and in top condition.

 

[Farmall450]

The millermatic 185 is almost 2x the machine the Hobart 210 is....look at duty cycle. With that said, the 185 is going on ~20 years out of production I believe, and I think that is pretty high unless it is decked out with spool gun and in top condition.

Right, but we are talking heavily used vs new. it's unrealistic to compare used prices and availability in different areas.

Got a Miller 200 in good shape for $300. Doesn't mean that is the going rate.

 

[Firepower flyer]

Thanks for the input, unfortunately the 185 sold already That's they issue I was having was that it was older 1997 but very nice condition and the duty cycle is higher on the older machines, not that I will be using it to that extent at home,versus something new which is not always better. I would like a clean 210 machine if one turns up. If not I guess a new mig/tig combo may be the way to go.

 

[Mgdoug3]

Keep an eye on out for deals. My uncle found a Miller 250 through a friend for $300.

 

[mxdev]

I have a 211 and I love it. Perfect little machine for a home shop. Works great from body work up to welding 1/4" plate.

I watch classifieds like crazy around here and never found anything worthwhile over months of searching. Either crappy machines, or dreamers asking close to brand new pricing. So I ended up just going to a welding supply shop and buying new which didn't end up being too bad.

I decided to go with MIG only machine instead of a combo unit.

 

[sberry]

I have a 211 and I love it. Perfect little machine for a home shop. Works great from body work up to welding 1/4" plate.

I watch classifieds like crazy around here and never found anything worthwhile over months of searching. Either crappy machines, or dreamers asking close to brand new pricing. So I ended up just going to a welding supply shop and buying new which didn't end up being too bad.

I decided to go with MIG only machine instead of a combo unit.

They have your picture as a poster child for the 211. This class was made for a guy on this forum.

 

[matt_i]

So I haven't welded with the 215 but if you thought you wanted to get started into Tig welding as a hobbyist or home shop then I think its a great option. Its what I would do rather than what I actually did which was buying my way into 4 different welders over time (2 are left, 2 were sold)

If you decide you want to go further into it or use it A LOT then you can always upgrade to a more serious machine. The welder is not going to lose a ton of value if its cared for and not abused.

The machine can do all 3 main processes and all those have their days when its really the only thing you want to use.

 

[HotWire]

I had my sights set on a Millermatic 211 but ended up buying a Multimatic 220 ac/dc instead. I wanted to do a bit of everything.







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[HC33]

Get a Esab rebel 215ic It is a great welder mig,tig and stick . Its so easy to use and the welds are perfect in auto mode in which the welder controls all the settings and gas flow . i have owned lincoln,miller welders and the esab is the best welder i have ever owned or used.

 

[WhoWhatNow]

I had my sights set on a Millermatic 211 but ended up buying a Multimatic 220 ac/dc instead. I wanted to do a bit of everything.







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I haven’t seen too many reviews on the 220. Do you like it?

 

[HotWire]

I haven’t seen too many reviews on the 220. Do you like it?

I love it so far. Had it about 6mo. I haven’t found anything I’d change except maybe a longer MIG whip and more robust TIG rheostat connector. It’s a great all-in-one for me. It make me a better aluminum welder, too with its cleaning cycle. Lol




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[WhoWhatNow]

I love it so far. Had it about 6mo. I haven’t found anything I’d change except maybe a longer MIG whip and more robust TIG rheostat connector. It’s a great all-in-one for me. It make me a better aluminum welder, too with its cleaning cycle. Lol




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Good to hear from an actual owner. I have a very small shop and getting rid of a Lincoln buzz box, Lincoln mig and an Eastwood Tig and replacing them with one unit would free up tons of room.

How is it with stick welding?

 

[HotWire]

Good to hear from an actual owner. I have a very small shop and getting rid of a Lincoln buzz box, Lincoln mig and an Eastwood Tig and replacing them with one unit would free up tons of room.

How is it with stick welding?

I’ve not run Stick yet. I’ve used MIG and TIG quite a bit.


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[bob15]

Right, but we are talking heavily used vs new. it's unrealistic to compare used prices and availability in different areas.

Got a Miller 200 in good shape for $300. Doesn't mean that is the going rate.

What is wrong with your MM200 that you want to replace it?

 

[andyvh1959]

I acquired my 80's vintage Millermatic M35 from my dad. My dad retired from Miller, so there I have a bias for Miller. The M35 runs fine. I'm replacing the weld gun cable liner, and probably replace the old GA15-C torch since Miller no longer supports parts for it. If anyone has contact tips for the GA15-C, I'll buy them. Right now I'm running .025" wire. I have a separate 220v power line to my M35, and still have a the old CO2 tank on it. The tank is mine and I may get it refilled with Argon/CO2 blend for cleaner welds.

Sure, it's over 40 years old, and has the old manual 6-port am setting and manual adjustment for wire feed, but its just a matter of learning the range of settings for sheet metal up to 3/8" stock (multi-pass).

Release the crackle!

 

[dffay]

Hobart is Miller through ITW as I recall. Smart shopping for features and prices should get you in safe territory for quality.

 

[andyvh1959]

Correct, Hobart and Miller are both companies under the ITW parent company. So there may be some welding technology shared between the two. However, since Hobart is readily available through most any retail hardware outlet, I assume Hobart is the retail products arm under ITW, while Miller is the commercial products arm under ITW. I would not assume Hobart and Miller products to be of equal quality and durability. In other words, I would not assume a Hobart welding helmet sold at Fleet Farm or Tractor Supply to be of the same quality as a Miller welding helmet sold through a Miller distributor.

 

[a390st]

I ran a ton of sticks through a Miller Thunderbolt XL and had good results with that box. Several of the best welders I knew were completely sold on Esab welders, but I never used one. They really liked the tig features over other brands. I have to give the disclaimer that is has been a number of years, and things may well have changed.

 

[jonesg]

I have a 211 and I love it. Perfect little machine for a home shop. Works great from body work up to welding 1/4" plate.

I watch classifieds like crazy around here and never found anything worthwhile over months of searching. Either crappy machines, or dreamers asking close to brand new pricing. So I ended up just going to a welding supply shop and buying new which didn't end up being too bad.

I decided to go with MIG only machine instead of a combo unit.

you will never regret buying quality, unless you never use it.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Add on TIG will never be as good as a model with it builtin.

 

[fourjeepin]

I have a 185. It’s a solid machine but overkill for me. My first was a Century flux core that I bought used. It was undersized and I frequently hit the duty cycle so I went overboard when replacing it.