I like the Miller machines, all three are fine machines. I'll not knock the others but I own a mm210 and have used all three. Longevity and extended use long term quality goes to the Miller. My opinion, not facts and figures.
I would get the Miller 251. I don't know anything about the Lincoln but I do know that Miller service can't be beat.
The Hobart unit really isn t in the same class as the other two units. The MM 251 and PM 255 are capable of outputting quite a few more volts over the Hobart on the the top end. The 251 and 255 are going to be much better spray transfer and gas shielded fluxcore unit because of this. Plus, the 251 and 255 are variable voltage units where as, the Hobart is a tapped unit. This wouldn't be an issue, if the Hobart unit had more then just 7 volt taps to choose from. Something more in the ball park of 20 taps would have made the unit a much better designed unit.
Anyway, I haven t ran a PM 255 so I can't help you there. I do however, own a MM 251. Overall, performance wise, the 251 is a pretty darn good unit. It has a very smooth short circuit transfer. The arc is very soft on this unit. Some days its a little to soft for my liking, but overall, i am very pleased with the performance of the unit. Oh yeah, the spray transfer arc on this 251 is excellent.
The arc is very soft on this unit. Some days its a little to soft for my liking
I know what you mean in some days. It's like somedays
your mood just wants that agressive type arc !!!
Kind of like the MM350P has at a 35 inductance setting. :)
By DannyD
Date 07-17-2005 07:44
Scott, I am just going to have to take your word on the type of arc that the MM 350 P has. It will probably be at least another year before I can even consider one. :( My BOSS (wife) has made it very clear that selling the MM 251 isn t an option. Guess i shouldn't have nicknamed her horse MM 251 a few years back. :) Anyway, at this point if I'm in the crisper short arc mood, I reach for the M -10 gun on my MM 175. For my inductance control, I hook up my poor man inductance control ( #4 welding lead wrapped around a 10" long piece of 1" solid RD stock) in series with the gun lead.
BTW, Last weekend I set the 251 with a roll of .035 Radnor wire. With this roll of wire the unit lost some of its real soft arc. I'm going to go out to my Dad's here next week to check this out some more just to make sure that i was imagining something.
Jim,
I have to agree with the other opinions.I have a mm250, I have used it about eight years,with no problems. I have three more welding machines they are also Millers.I also do the welding in a machine shop
those welders are also Millers ,one of which is a mm251. We have not had any problems with any of those machines.
gawelder
I run a repair shop for welding equipment and, from my exposure, the Lincoln is the hands-down favorite. We have yet to repair a single Diamond-Core Lincoln but the shop is always full of Millers and Hobarts.
