Welder purchase advice? 👍

[Boostingaz]

Looking for advice on what machine to buy?

My Mom calls me today and says she wants me to buy my Dad a welder for Christmas. He can build (retired contractor) and or fix literally anything with the exception of welding. He has always said for years that he wants to learn so my Mom said buy him a machine, this is the year (well since it's for Christmas, the upcoming year is the year haha).

Mig machine. Budget is around 2k or under is always nice, but I would rather buy him a nice quality machine then some junk. He keeps his tools in super good shape and has some that are older them me so I'd like it to be something that has the potential to be around for a while. We both have shops with 220 available. It would be nice to be a standard 120 plug machine so that we could use it "anywhere" but if a little bigger is the way to go, so be it.

Since I am not a welder myself I really don't know what other details to give. But if there are questions that will help with this decision, ask away.

Thank you all in advance.

Hoping this will be a good Christmas for Dad!!

 

[boom_bap]

You have good options for 2k. If you wanted to get him a jack of all trades, master of none, type machine I'd get something like the Miller multimatic 220 (outside the budget). For a mig only Millermatic 211/252 like machine. I'm not a fan boy so get Miller, Lincoln, Esab, whatever is the best machine for the budget you've got. Lincoln has a good mig the 220MP, and they have a newer model as well that recently came out.

Definitely don't forget to budget for PPE and other needs. Autodark welding helmet, jacket/sleeves, gloves, safety glasses, grinder, abrasives, mig pliers, clamps.

If you want to go cheaper on the machine take a look at the AHP and CK, offerings, although those might be more tig. Some people have had good luck with everlast, but I haven't ever used one so idk what they're like.

 

[yatg]

Don't forget the gas.

 

[nadogail]

IMHO, What your dad plans on welding and his workspace and general abilities should influence your purchase.

I think Stick Welders are the most versatile; MIG welders are probably the easiest to learn.

 

[PugetDude]

Miller 211

 

[TurnipTruck]

Miller 211. The 252 is magical, but beyond your budget.

 

[Mas78]

I've got a miller 211 I bought around 2 years ago for $1350 and I thought that was plenty. looking just now they are up to $1935. I really do like imine but the price is getting a little out of control I think.

I got dad a Harbor Freight MigMax 215 on sale well over a year ago and it has been good as well. Biggest thing I notice is when it's cold the cables feel a little stiffer than my miller, probley cheaper rubber. Welds good though, and both of these are 120/240v

Not going to tell you what to do, however if this is the type of machine you are thinking about getting the Vulcan welder is $930 full price, plus the Vulcan 350lb cart, $120, 125cuft bottle for C25 will run around $400 now to buy where I go, then $50ish to fill. That still leaves $500 to buy a decent helmet gloves and jacket to stay in a $2000 budget.

One more thing with the miller, mine is new enough to use their MDX tips. In my area the only place to buy them is online or at the welding supply store. The farm stores and such around here don't carry them yet as they don't sell Miller so not sure they ever will. The Vulcan uses Tweco style tips so they can be had anyplace that sells wire that I've been to.

 

[sparky 1971]

The Lincoln 180 dual voltage 120 and 208/240 is right there at the budget. I don't have that machine, but I do have the 180 in 240 volt only. It's done everything I wanted and done it well.

I've heard nothing but good things about the Harbor Freight Vulcan welders, but the 90 day warranty along with being unable to source parts in the future scare me.

 

[quickfarms]

Don't forget the gas.

Gas?

Run flux core wire and don’t worry about the gas.

Mig is better for sheet metal but flux core gets better penetration with slag and a little splatter if you do it right.

The key to flux core is use lincoln NR211, or NR212 wire if going thick

The 120v machines are really only good for sheet metal and light gauge stuff. Get a 240v machine.

As with any type of welding and t is a skill

 

[tarmy]

Go on Cyberweld and look around at the Millers…good pricing and service. Things are crazy expensive right now…but the 211 is a good machine.

 

[steel 35]

Hobart 110 / 220 get all the goodie’s
Spool gun forAluminum both gasses.
Flux core for the 110 ; windy days

 

[ItsNemo]

Gas?

Run flux core wire and don’t worry about the gas.

Mig is better for sheet metal but flux core gets better penetration with slag and a little splatter if you do it right.

The key to flux core is use lincoln NR211, or NR212 wire if going thick

The 120v machines are really only good for sheet metal and light gauge stuff. Get a 240v machine.

As with any type of welding and t is a skill

Don't listen to this nonsense.

If you're worried about dirty metal, go stick welding...flux core is an exercise in frustration versus GMAW.

 

[GeoBruin]

You're lucky in that a $2,000 budget will get you a nice red or blue machine and you don't have to listen to everyone here tell you to up your budget.

The Miller 211 is mig only but but a well liked machine and it will run on 120 and 240 volts.

The Lincoln Power Mig 210mp has just been replaced by the 215 mpi which has a couple of nice upgrades and it's still the same $1,999. It will allow you to do stick and DC tig if you find that valuable. It is also dual voltage.

As others have mentioned, by the time you get wire, gas, a cart, a helmet, gloves, etc, you're going to be into it for another $500 - $1,000.

If your dad is getting a welder for free, it may be no big deal for him to pony up for that stuff but if you want to get him everything he needs to get started, the Hobart Handler 210 MVP can be had for about $1,000 and gives you room to buy everything else within your budget.

There are others at or below that price point including some I'm not familiar with and including the Harbor freight models but again, many here would steer you toward one of the models mentioned.

Full disclosure, I have the Lincoln 210 MP.

Good luck!

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Pay for a night school welding course for him first. Then he can see what machine and or process he likes best

 

[dnschmidt]

The HTP Propulse 220MTS is the absolute bomb. It's made in Italy by STEL and these machines are world class workhorses. It's also synergic which helps a great deal with dialing it in. Also, HTP customer support is unbeatable. The machine does Aluminum MIG without the need for a spool gun which is another huge advantage. If you have any questions about the machine call Peter Zila at HTP. He's a world class welding expert and can steer you right.

 

[rsanter]

The miller 211 with autoset will make you think you are a good welder.
I love that machine.
Then add a decent cart and a good helmet

 

[ZRX61]

Another vote for the Miller 211.. altho I have the older 210

 

[quickfarms]

Don't listen to this nonsense.

If you're worried about dirty metal, go stick welding...flux core is an exercise in frustration versus GMAW.

It is not nonsense

Welding dirty metal is pretty much a exercise in futility

Flux core is used on most if not all structural welding and a lot of fabrication

Mig, GMAW, that is an exercise in frustration to get good penetration on anything heavier than sheet metal

 

[ItsNemo]

It is not nonsense

Welding dirty metal is pretty much a exercise in futility

Flux core is used on most if not all structural welding and a lot of fabrication

Mig, GMAW, that is an exercise in frustration to get good penetration on anything heavier than sheet metal

No, FCAW is probably the least used process of any welding professional. Structural usually sees stick welding, fabrication is usually GMAW or TIG.

You can easily do 1/4" plate in a single pass with GMAW on any decent 200+ class machine. You can do thicker with multiple passes and that holds true regardless of the process that when it comes to thick materials you're beveling the joint and doing multiple passes.

Now you are right that FCAW can have slightly better penetration and works better outdoors if there is a wind but the downside is it's messy, less easy to work with, and won't work as well on thinner materials. You can also change shielding gas mixes with GMAW to get better penetration if need be, go with a higher CO2 mix for instance.

What it sounds like to me is you have some bad personal experiences and don't really know what you're talking about. What welder is it that you own? Maybe it's just a case of you using a small 120v machine that didn't have the power needed for the materials you were working with. I personally own a Multimatic 215 and have had zero issues welding thick or thin with GMAW using C25 shielding gas.

 

[ZRX61]

Not going to tell you what to do, however if this is the type of machine you are thinking about getting the Vulcan welder is $930 full price, plus the Vulcan 350lb cart, $120, 125cuft bottle for C25 will run around $400 now to buy where I go, then $50ish to fill. That still leaves $500 to buy a decent helmet gloves and jacket to stay in a $2000 budget.

Most welding carts are complete piles of turd. I liked the look of the 500lb Vulcan cabinet until I saw how ******** small they are. If ya buy a welder that needs a cart, it's better to just build a frame that holds a toolchest to store all the gubbins & has structure on one end for the gas bottles... big enough for two (C25 & Argon for Mig & Tig) & hooks on the back for the leads etc.

 

[ZRX61]

No, FCAW is probably the least used process of any welding professional. Structural usually sees stick welding, fabrication is usually GMAW or TIG.

Yup, I did the LA City Structural Welding Cert class (AWS D1.1/D1.1M) about 12 years ago & all the test pieces were stick welded 1in plate. Still got my bootleg copy of the code book (because I sure as **** wasn't going to pay damn near $800 for a book I'd only need for 16 weeks).

 

[Aaron_W]

The Miller 211 is a solid suggestion, I have a Miller 220 3 in 1 machine but the MIG side of mine is essentially the 211 and it makes me look like just a bad welder, instead of the terrible welder that I am.

Only problem is prices on Miller and Lincoln have blown through the roof the past few years with prices increasing 25% or more in the past 3 years, so the machine alone will be pushing your budget of $2000.


The suggestion above for the Hobart 210 would be a good alternative. Hobart is owned by the same parent ITW that owns Miller so should be similar quality, although it is a simpler machine than the 211 which could be good or bad. Hobart prices have remained stable, I considered this welder in 2019 and it was only about $100 cheaper at that time, vs the 211 which is about $600 more than when I was shopping.

At around $1100 this would leave you enough to buy a tank of CO2, PPE and misc consumables so he would be all set to start welding.

The Lincoln 3350 is a popular auto darkening helmet. Around $300 but I found the vision quality significantly better than the budget ($120) helmet I started with.

Either the Miller 211 or Hobart 210 gives you a dual voltage 120/240v machine with enough power to weld up to 3/8" steel.

 

[Retroman]

I began welding this year as I have always wanted to learn as well. I started with a Hobart Handler 140. Didn't seem to have enough power to get good penetration. In truth it was probably me not knowing how to weld. I sold it within a month of buying it and bought the Miller 211 and have been very happy with it. A better than good helmet is a big help I spent around $400 on a Optrel 2.0 its nice to see what your welding clearly. Point being buy then best you can first time around. I would spend your budget on a welder and buy the rest of the gear on top of that.

 

[ATC]

I'm a fan of the blue machines. I love my Miller 180 Autoset. I had a Miller Syncrowave 200 tig runner before that (stick/TIG). I should have kept it, because I've had the itch to TIG some stuff.

But, I couldn't beat the price of the 180:

 

[AffableCurmudgeon]

But, I couldn't beat the price of the 180:

When did you get that?

 

[danski0224]

If you do not want to pay the Red or Blue tax, but want to avoid outright Chinesium (Red and Blue have hidden Chinesium), then look at HTP welders. USA Weld is the distributor.

 

[cannuck]

One post suggested a welding course first and that MIGHT be a good idea. Unless he knows, and has told you WHAT he wants to do, welding is a very wide range of materials, equipment and skills that no one machine can cover. If he is likely to just be putting a bunch of steel together in home shop, the Miller 211 is a fantastic choice. I have 5 different welders covering all processes, but my 211 has been the most impressive of all. It will easily do the work of an old transformer unit weighing 10x what it does. It is the ultimate in portability.

 

[GeoBruin]

If you do not want to pay the Red or Blue tax, but want to avoid outright Chinesium (Red and Blue have hidden Chinesium), then look at HTP welders. USA Weld is the distributor.

It's funny you mention the "Red or Blue tax" but the propulse 220 mts is actually slightly more expensive than the equivalent Miller and several hundred dollars more expensive than the equivalent Lincoln. What am I missing?

 

[theoldwizard1]

Mig machine. Budget is around 2k or under is always nice, but I would rather buy him a nice quality machine then some junk. He keeps his tools in super good shape and has some that are older them me so I'd like it to be something that has the potential to be around for a while. We both have shops with 220 available. It would be nice to be a standard 120 plug machine so that we could use it "anywhere" but if a little bigger is the way to go, so be it.

A either a 240V or dual voltage machine is a must ! My buddy is also !earning. His little 120V MIG did not have enough power to penetrate the steel he was trying to weld so it failed. MIG is secong best for welding aluminum.

Miller and Lincoln are the best, but expensive. Lots of other brands, but careful research is required.

 

[MoonRise]

Lincoln has 'updated' their 200-class PowerMig to the PM215. List is $1999. A little more power than the PM210 and a few more bells and whistles.

Lincoln Power MIG 215 MPi Multi Process Welder (K4876-1)

Order the Lincoln Power MIG 215 MP Multi Process Welder (K4876-1) from Welding Supplies from IOC and be the first to own Lincoln's new multi process MIG, TIG and Stick Welder.

www.weldingsuppliesfromioc.com

But they (Lincoln) are offering a promotional rebate on the PM210 of $400. That drops the price of the PM210 down to $1600 ($1599 actually ).

Lincoln Power MIG 210 MP Multi Process Welder (K3963-1)

See what all the demand is about!

www.weldingsuppliesfromioc.com

 

[boom_bap]

It's funny you mention the "Red or Blue tax" but the propulse 220 mts is actually slightly more expensive than the equivalent Miller and several hundred dollars more expensive than the equivalent Lincoln. What am I missing?

HTP used to be pretty affordable, however people really went to town advertising for them / they gained a lot of popularity. Their machines are good, but the prices have gone up to reflect that.

 

[cannuck]

Miller and Lincoln are the best, but expensive. Lots of other brands, but careful research is required.

Just one more thing to think of if one considers "off" brands: A good welder is darn near a lifetime tool. I can get replacement parts and service on my old Licoln and Miller machines, but my VERY expensive ESAB push-pull is now impossible to support. I expect a brand new anything made of Chinesium will be completely impossible to support even when brand-damn-new.

 

[Terra Nova]

Hobart Ironman 240 could be a solid choice if he will get into heavier stuff. It's basically a Miller 252 without digital readouts. It's an old transformer design machine that should last a very long time. Spool gun capable as well should he want to venture into aluminum.

HTP Propulse looks to be a good machine, pulsed spray transfer is an interesting capability.

 

[PugetDude]

Playing with the 211 today.
Handrails for my neighbors front porch.
I love this welder; best tool investment I have ever made.

 

[toolenthusiast]

I think Stick Welders are the most versatile

I’m sorry, what?

 

[danski0224]

It's funny you mention the "Red or Blue tax" but the propulse 220 mts is actually slightly more expensive than the equivalent Miller and several hundred dollars more expensive than the equivalent Lincoln. What am I missing?

I was not aware that their prices had gone up.

Still a good idea to look around.

 

[seber]

Miller, Lincoln, Esab. Unless you think he will only use it for learning and then move on, I'd stay away from any other brands. Those three will be supported indefinitely. Something like HF will be supported until the warranty runs out, then forget it. Lincoln tends to make units that are easier to use for beginners, but all three make solid units. I like the lightweight frequency converter style but I have to admit, they don't weld as smooth as a heavy transformer system.

 

[will335i]

Welders across the board have gone up in price significantly in the last 2 years. When I got my Vulcan Omnipro 220 I was able to get the welder, the auto darkening helmet, and gloves for $850 out the door. Now just the welder is $1150.

Dedicated machines are going to perform better than multi-process ones. That said I have been happy with my omnipro and would recommend it even at the new price but since it is a Christmas present, wait for a sale. I would also agree that the leads are on the stiff side and if your dad really gets into welding you could always upgrade them with ones from usaweld.com.

So here is how I would look at it. Dual voltage 240/120 is a must. If you know he only wants mig or tig then get a dedicated machine but if he wants to try it all a multiprocess is a good starter. If you want to spend the whole budget on the welder then go Miller or Lincoln. If you want some money left for accessories then Hobart or Vulcan.

I have found that bakergas.com has good prices on PPE too.

 

[Boostingaz]

All great advice and suggestions here. Thank you all.

I already had the Miller 211 on my very short list so it's good hearing that machine a lot. I know with fear and accessories it will likely be over budget but I'm ok with that.

Full disclosure on my budget decisions. We are actually building another house on my property for my parents and my brother and his wife are buying my parents house. So whatever machine I buy will in a short time "live" in my shop anyways lol. So yes first and foremost it is a present for my Dad, but I also will have the "can I borrow that" work out pretty easily. For that reason I'd rather buy a quality machine that is serviceable and has parts for years to come.

I talked to my buddy who is a full time welder as his profession and his first answer was Miller 211. He also said I can go to the supply house in town and buy it and anything else on his account and get his discount. I am not sure what that is exactly but anything is better than full price right

 

[AA/FC]

I took welding over 30 years ago at the local vocational tech school. My welding instructor told me the hardest part about teaching a monkey to MIG weld, is teaching the monkey to keep his welding helmet on. Your dad does not need a welding class.... especially nowadays with google and YouTube. He'll be fine...

DO NOT listen to the guy in this thread who recommends welding with flux core wire! That is utter nonsense! maybe include a spool of flux core wire for emergencies when he runs out of gas on a Sunday and NEEDS to weld something back together when the gas supply house is closed. Other than that, don't use flux core wire. lolol. Also, be sure to include a tank of shielding gas for your dad so he can go into the garage on Christmas day after opening his gifts and be making sparks 30 minutes later. Also be sure to include the basic accessories like welding gloves, welding jacket, helmet, wire, etc.

Great gift idea!