Ricki Bobby
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I'm in the market for a small welder for small jobs around the acreage. Any recommendations?
Mig Welder
- Thread starter Ricki Bobby
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team dirt
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- brooks ab/seymour arm
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- www.sledseymourarm.ca
Miller 185 is an amazing machine. I have done a ton of work with mine. 14years old and never missed a beat.
the_real_wild1
Active VIP Member
I have had a few and suggest the miller. Get the biggest welder you can afford and try to get something that is 220v. Trust me, don't cheap out if you want good welds.
Stompin Tom
Active VIP Member
I have run miller for many years, always loved them, currently have a 251 millermatic and 305 trailblazer.
As other have said, if at all possible go with a 220 volt machine, 185 millermatic is great although I have heard they have a couple new machines out in that range that are inverter types, draw less amperage and work great.
110 volt machines are pretty much good for exhaust and body work, after that it really pushing them.
Nothing wrong with Lincoln, but avoid the costco, canadian tire, homedepot Lincoln's, they are not the same quality as mainline Lincoln's.
As other have said, if at all possible go with a 220 volt machine, 185 millermatic is great although I have heard they have a couple new machines out in that range that are inverter types, draw less amperage and work great.
110 volt machines are pretty much good for exhaust and body work, after that it really pushing them.
Nothing wrong with Lincoln, but avoid the costco, canadian tire, homedepot Lincoln's, they are not the same quality as mainline Lincoln's.
Cdnfireman
Active VIP Member
220v for sure, 185A minimum, IMHO Lincoln, esab and miller in that order. Go with a shielding gas machine as flux cored wire is messier to use and generally doesn't produce as good results. As was stated, buy the machine from a proper welding supplier to ensure you're not getting a de-contented consumer model. Both Lincoln and miller have affordable spool gun systems for their 185A line of welders (esab probably does too) that make a smaller machine very versatile and able to weld aluminum and stainless.
Inverter machines generally start in the 200A range and are more expensive than the 185A transformer machines. They use less electricity than the transformer machines and have many more customizable settings that you may or may not need for basic welding tasks.
Inverter machines generally start in the 200A range and are more expensive than the 185A transformer machines. They use less electricity than the transformer machines and have many more customizable settings that you may or may not need for basic welding tasks.
Stompin Tom
Active VIP Member
Took a quick look at millers website, I have no idea of how much this unit costs but if I was in the market I would take a long hard look at it.
https://www.millerwelds.com/equipment/welders/multiprocess/multimatic-200-multiprocess-welder-m00361
seems like quite a unit.
https://www.millerwelds.com/equipment/welders/multiprocess/multimatic-200-multiprocess-welder-m00361
seems like quite a unit.
the_real_wild1
Active VIP Member
You can find prices on the kms website
daddys girl
Active member
so why a mig welder,why not a small stick welder,then you don't have gas bottles to deal with.
Stompin Tom
Active VIP Member
there are jobs where a mig is far superior, just as there are a jobs where stick works much better. Neither is perfect, only the person buying the unit really knows what applications they need it for.
JayT
Active VIP Member
I've got a Millermatic 211 with autoset, you can run 220 or 110 with it which can be very handy sometimes if you don't have 220 where your welding. it does a great job it's perfect for around my acreage
ABMax24
Active VIP Member
I've got a miller 211 myself, 210amps with a spoolmate 100 spool gun for aluminum. So far its built a sled trailer, a small flatdeck trailer out of steel as well as various aluminum pieces for my boat and is still going strong. Its nice having the 110 and 220 plug in option, and it welds fairly well with flux-core wire on steel, in fact its all i have ever welded steel with on this machine.
If welding much aluminum is a concern you'll need a much larger machine to run 5356 wire, I found out the hard way that these smaller machines will only weld with 4043 wire, they just don't have enough power to run 5356 cleanly.
If welding much aluminum is a concern you'll need a much larger machine to run 5356 wire, I found out the hard way that these smaller machines will only weld with 4043 wire, they just don't have enough power to run 5356 cleanly.
neilsleder
Active VIP Member
Lincoln is the brand I would go with. New millers have lots of board issues! If stuck on a miller go buy a Hobart it's the same welder as Miller just different colours. I have a Hobart handler 210 mig. It's a nice welding mig! I got the spool gun and it works ok not great but gets the job done. It burns 5356 wire but 4043 welds nicer forsure. Just don't go and buy a gas less wire feeder! Junk
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Stompin Tom
Active VIP Member
kinda funny, most guys recommending Miller on this board, only guy to push Lincoln claims miller has board problems. Whats it gonna be, a Skidoo, Polaris, arctic cat call me down feud? Hobarts may externally look like a miller but internally they are a 2nd level machine, thus the price savings.
Miller makes a great welder.
Probably cuz he welds for a living and isn't a hobby welder.
neilsleder
Active VIP Member
I run a welding shop with 30 or more welders at the busiest point. We have mostly Miller welders but switching over to Lincoln as we have far less issues with them! So I would say I been around the odd welder lol. Go to a pipe line and tell me how many blue welders there are out there? Not many cause Lincoln welders way nicer and last way longer.
As for the Hobart thing may be true for large welders not hobby welders! My Hobart mig whip has Miller on it. Take the tin off and all say Miller under there. The Miller sales man told me this!
Stompin Tom
Active VIP Member
spent some time in the industry myself, smart enough to get out before my lungs gave out. Pipeliners claimed the only machine on the face of the earth owning was a classic 300D, bush welders claimed the only machine worth owning was a trailblazer. Lincoln has gone chinese manufacturing on the lower end units, Miller has stayed US manufactured. Some guys like Ford, others Chev, the odd guy likes a Dodge. The big manufacturers all make some good machines.
neilsleder
Active VIP Member
No welder that welds on the back of his truck will ever recommend a trailblazer! That Subaru motor is loud hard on fuel and no power. Try to role out a 4"XXH weld burning 1/4" 7018 with it lol. Good luck! Lincoln 305G will do it all day long! Trust me
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