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To all the welders out there....

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  • To all the welders out there....

    I have about had it with my miller 251. Now, I've been all blue for as long as I can remember but I have been having problems with this particular welder and I'm thinking about up-grading, or.....

    So, what type of welder do you use?

    Rather than read the response "lincoln, and I love it" please input what you like, dislike, what you use etc..


    I have used a miller 210 for years and loved it, but ever since I got the digital 251, I am just not happy. Plus the fact that if I want to get it fixed, miller charges up the ass for repairs...


    Discuss...


  • #2
    Re: To all the welders out there....

    what is wrong with the 251? I use one everyday and love it

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: To all the welders out there....

      I'm going to surprise you here...

      First off I've got a few welders... all are more then adequate.. my skill sucks.

      Lincoln 175 Squarewave Tig... it's simply fine...

      Lincoln SP135 Mig ... It's my third... two went to my business, this is a simple replacement and I love everything about it... to include it seems to be able to run in MUD... ( my business is rough ) I can weld 3/8ths plate in two or three pass's and sheet metal... no issue... ( remember I told you it wasn't going to be pretty )

      Here's the surprise... I'm at a point where I wish that I had forced myself to learn more about Gas and Arch welding... I've never used a stick welder much ( I've burned some stuff in with the Tig ) and I've become fascinated with welding aluminum with Gas... again I have no skill... but it's way to freaking cool... same goes for Steel and brazing...

      Keith

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: To all the welders out there....

        Originally posted by falcon
        I have about had it with my miller 251. Now, I've been all blue for as long as I can remember but I have been having problems with this particular welder and I'm thinking about up-grading, or.....

        So, what type of welder do you use?

        Rather than read the response "lincoln, and I love it" please input what you like, dislike, what you use etc..


        I have used a miller 210 for years and loved it, but ever since I got the digital 251, I am just not happy. Plus the fact that if I want to get it fixed, miller charges up the ass for repairs..


        Discuss...

        We had problems with our Miller 250X and replaced it with an Esab. The only issue we have ever had with the Esab is it EATS the contactors. Every 6-8 months we have to replace the contactor. We also have a Lincoln with the "Diamond Core" technology. I am not so sure I like it. I would rather have full control of the voltage and wirespeed....

        Now our OLD Miller is one badass machine. This thing looks like it came over on the Mayflower but man, does it work great!

        The best upgrade we made on all of our machines was to equip them with 15' leads. Now we can work all the way around the table without having to pull the welder behind us.


        Ron
        It's really no different than trying to glue them back on after she has her way.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: To all the welders out there....

          Using an Hobart HH-140 here. I like the fact I can plug it in anywhere and have been able to weld pretty much whatever I have wanted from headers to sheet metal repair to a roll bar (the roll bar was pushing it, but it was enough). I have even done some aluminum and stainless with it.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: To all the welders out there....

            If you go with a small lincoln mig, make sure it's an SP, they have their home-depot/lowes units that aren't very impressive quality wise.

            Cheap, slow, half-assed: Pick three

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: To all the welders out there....

              I grew up welding with a stick welder on the farm. Learned gas in metal shop in school. 2 years ago I bought the Lincoln SP135. Never having used a MIG before this little welder was a dream to use. It is amazing how easy it is to lear to use a Mig. I use it quite a bit sheetmetal to 1/4" stuff. One thing I would want is a little bit more control over amperage. This unit has fixed settings (like a buzz box). A TIG is on my list next, for aluminum but Kieth has convinced me to give gas a try. We forget that they were welding aluminum with gas long before TIG was invented.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: To all the welders out there....

                Lincoln, and I love it! :P

                I'd be lying if I said anything else..
                I have an SP175 mig. Good all-round welder. Use with or without Argon/CO2 (gasless).

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: To all the welders out there....

                  I have been thinking of buying a Welder too, this was some good info. Would also like to hear more on the subject. I am using mine just for Brackets and Rollcage work. To much to find someone to do the work, so I will learn how to Weld again, it has been a few years since the last attempts.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: To all the welders out there....

                    I have a Miller 140 AutoSet mig, it's a great welder. I like the quality but the AutoSet function is pretty much fluff. If everything I welded was perfectly clean and of a consistant thickness AutoSet would be OK, but in the real world it isn't realistic, I adjust it manually.

                    I love my oxy/acetelene torch, I thought about getting a plasma cutter but I've been cutting with gas so long I decided I could do without. I learned to weld with gas when I was a kid, stick too but I haven't stick welded in years.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: To all the welders out there....

                      I'm torn on the plasma.

                      A grand gets you a pretty awesome used bandsaw and the only thing I'd ever use a plasma for is floorpans. A bandsaw > Plasma for brackets, gussets, etc.

                      Hopefully, someday I'll have both when I'm not fighting with seagulls behind fast food restaurants for dinner.
                      Cheap, slow, half-assed: Pick three

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: To all the welders out there....

                        Originally posted by 6pakdakota
                        what is wrong with the 251? I use one everyday and love it
                        If I'm bead welding, I love it.. If I'm spot/stitch welding, I can't stand it..

                        I have replaced the leads, contacts, tips, wire, gas, switch and it still pops when I'm spot welding. it'll spot weld fine for a minute, then all the sudden it goes to shit.. I have cleaned every possible contact point in the welder. I'm to the point now where it has to be somthing on the circuit board/internal issue now.

                        I have a miller 110 also, awesome welder for its size, never had a problem. I also have my miller tig, love it also, but for some reason my 251 isn't what I think it should be. When I first got it, it worked great, but as of late when I use it, or other fabricators I know use it, we all feel somthing is wrong with it.

                        I suppose I should just send it in to Miller and get it figured out, but I'm just affraid that those guys will say its somthing I didn't do right, or somthign that isn't covered under warentee.

                        And not to mention I use it every day and to be with out it for a week + would not be fun, so I was thinking about upgrading to a newer/different model and when I get that, send mine in..

                        Comment

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