Ask your distributor to demo both machines and use 100% CO2 for the demo. Then step back and use the 75% Argon & 25% CO2. A good test is worth a thousand opinions.
Blue or Red doesn't really matter too much, they are both good machines. Pick the one that has the most features that you want and the welding you intend to do. Also, make sure you have a great blue or red dealer around that can help you when problems come up. If you get a red machine, but the only decent techincal help in your area is for blue, you might have picked the wrong one.
KaKnight,
I own the Lincoln 180c, But weld with Miller at my college welding school. I like both and am lucky enough to have 4 distributors within a ten mile radius that sell and service Either Miller or Lincoln welders. be sure ...as was previously mentioned, you purchase one from a dealer that also has techs to service it. As for hobart...in my area, the only place i've seen them being sold is at the local Farm&Fleet, right next to the Clark welders.
The Hobart that I bought had Miller paperwork packaged with it, along with a few extra Miller tips.
BOC makes a good machine as well. The old ones anyway when there was blue underneath the red.;-)
i have also herd that millers sometimes have trouble with the wire feed. sometimes it jams up for no reason during welding. can anyone tell me more about that?
98% of the time it is gun liner issues. If the wire bird nests after the drive rolls and before the gun- its time for a new liner. Be careful that you don't cut the liner too short (it should butt up in the base of the diffuser), if you cut it too short the wire will doleg into that gap and kick back at the tip.
Since the liner looks and acts like a choke cable, it gets kinked and full of wire shavings. Everytime you pull the tigger the shavings inside the liner stand up and drag the wire as it passes. Wipers and nozzle clean do not stop this problem.
Hobart is another brand you should try. Below 250 amps its made by Miller. Above 250 its made by Thermal Arc. Its like Chevy, Ford and Dodge. They all have their quirks. Our shop has Miller and Hobart wire welders.
i have useed both but pefer miller. the best i have ever welded with was millers black box. both on fluxcore and bare wire. Never really had a problem with it.
Of these machines I suggest You go with the larger ones, brand not so much of an issue as sufficient power. The 170-180 class machines ude 230volt input. While the machine model # indicat only 40 more amps output, look at the spec plate, You will see that those "140" machines only have 90 amps @ 20% duty cycle. The 230 volt machines have twice the output power as they have twice the input power. This may not be reflected in the spec plate, but for short circut transfer You need that burst of amperage to properly clear the short circut.
If You can swing the cost My suggestion would be to go with a 200 amp @ 60% or 250 amp @ 35-50% class machine from Miller, Lincoln, Hobart, Esab/Linde/L-Tec or Airco/BOC, even if it means a used machine. In new machines of these brands the Esab 250 for about $1800 is the most powerfull for the lowest cost. I have an old Airco Dip-Pak 200, and for most work it is hard to beat.
Dave for me it's not really the fact that the larger machines have more umph, but that they have better adjustability, finer adjustments mean you can dial them in a touch closer, whereas the smaller machines have only a few selections to pick from, which makes fine tuning them in a little rough. Sometimes you need to be able to adjust inbetween those few dial selections on the smaller machines.....
Miller indoors, Lincoln outdoors.
jwright, good point, My Airco 200 has 24 voltage settings while My "little crapper" Craftsman has only 4. I did use a friends Century, I don't know the model number, but it is the most powerfull 115 volt machine they offered and had "infinate" voltage controll. It woked a bit better than My Craftsman [probably a Century also] but still not impressive.
I'm from Cleveland, so Lincoln all the way.
By Keplinger78 
Date 03-14-2008 11:57
Edited 03-14-2008 11:59
Hello,
Just as the others have said get one you can find the parts for. I have a Lincoln SP 175,great little welder no problems just can't adjust to it's sweet spot.I have a Snap-on YA 212 great machine welds better than the Miller 200 vintage in Dads shop...But the nozzle and the lead parts are 5 times more than Lincoln/Miller parts.But I'm a Lincoln fan so I'm going to vote RED,But we have never had any problems from the Miller 200.We did have a Miller Cricket that ran off 110 volt that was a pile of crap....we GAVE it away....LOL Stay away from the 110 machines and get a 220 model I vote the Lincoln 180,then you can get a spoolgun off ebay for less tha $200 for it.
Later Tom K.
Thats a good point John and I couldn't agree more , Go big or go home I always say.
