I got a few jobs coming up and some repeat jobs that will require me to have a decent mig in the shop. Has anyone run one of those Hobart Ironman 230-275's for any length of time? 60% duty cycle at full boat. I can get a 230 new with a spoolgun, 15ft gun, regulator and 5 year warranty for $1700, that is CHEAP. I think those are essentially just one of the old Millermatics (voltage tap) with different paint. Not fancy but those old Millermatics were very reliable and could weld just fine. I am also looking at an used Esab 300 with the "space shuttle board" (pulser, programable etc), I know they weld excellent but I am not sure about reliability. If I decide against either of those I reckon I will plunk my money down on a Miller 252. This is just for handrail and tubing stuff 90% of the time. Occasionally I will need to use some .045 dual shield on some heavy stuff.
Tapped transformers have little to go wrong provided nobody tries to change voltage under load.
The ESAB 250 with 8 settings and 3 ranges was a good machine for the money, but I think it is discontinued.
When it comes to a machine like that, IMHO, Miller is the only way to go, not just because of the good product but also considering the way they stand behind it.
Tim
i proably don't do as much welding as u do tommy, but i got a miller 251 wire welder and don't have any complaints with it
The 251 is an excellent machine, because it was only for a couple of years it might be worth more then a 252 down the road. I have heard a rumor the 252 has aluminum coils and the 251 is copper.
Tommy there is a guy on youtube goes by the name weldingtipstricks and he also has a website and he has a video of the Hobart Ironman and I think this machine does aluminum as well so it maybe worth checking out his videos and maybe shooting him a PM. This guy must be connected with a rep because he shows off a lot of new welding machines on his channel but what he speaks of is only the truth. Mainly saying how miller has such a great customer service which i must agree i have heard that from so many others.
Where i'm working at now they have a few mig machines and i really like the miller 250 or maybe it's a 251. Burns nice and hot.
Chris that is what I was speaking of.......the Hobart Ironman is basically a rebadged Millermatic 250. For 1700 and change you can buy it brand new with a spoolgun. Priced a spoolgun lately at the LWS? That is what makes it attractive.....besides I have run those old millers in shops and beat the living hell out of them and run em hard. About the only thing I have seen fail on them is contactors and relays.
The ESAB I am talking about is a 300I. It is a formidable machine with programmable settings and pulse capability. I have used these before in critical applications and they are bad to the bone. I am worried about the reliability of them though. I can snag one right now for $800 bux and that is a STEAL for one in running condition. Again I have seen many make there way to auction so I am unsure if they have good reliability.
The 252 is a no brainer, I know it will run hard and for a long time. $$$$
I picked up a Lincoln 200 about 9 years ago and have put it through h---. I like it, although I have never had much experience Miller.
Tommy cyberweld.com sells the hobart iron man 230 for I think it said $1445 on there website and from what I understand there shipping is supposedly FREE. Just checked and the spool gun is like another $449 so if you can get the machine and spool gun for 1700 thats pretty dang good.
Miller and Hobart are the same company, different color scheme.
Miller is made in Wisconsin, Hobart in Ohio.
OWNED by the same company.
What will the Miller 252 do that the Hobart 230 won't? And how does the Miller 251 compare?
Floyd
Floyd:
HI-230 and MM-252 are really 2 different classes of machine, so a fairer comparison would be with the MM-212.
The MM-251 is an earlier version of the 252, with a few less bells and whistles.
We have a lincoln powermig 215 and beat it like a rented mule with zero issues. However, every once in a while I see an old millermatic from the '70's on craig's list and covet it. Our excavating contractor had one that he bought brand new. It has a 100% duty cycle. I had to make a trip up to his shop a few years back and he was welding grouser extentions on to the tracks of his dozer. One right after another, across one side then back on the other. No problems. The welds held up, too. He used that dozer on everything from hardpan to mud. Probably the best mig welder ever built. I digress...
hey tommy don't forget i got that ln 25 i'll let go for what we talked about, if it will help you
Here comes the dinosaur with his comment.
Hey Tommy, the best mig I ever owned was a Lincoln sp200. I couldn't tell you what year it was made, but it was old, and it was set up with the commercial sized spool. I ran that bastard hardcore for hours and days and weeks with the original spool of hard wire that was on it when I bought it. It was awesome, and I bought it on ebay and picked it up in northern Utah from a guy that aquired them from an auction. It was used for years in a manufacturing plant, until it went belly up in the 90's.
It was cheap too. Think I paid 800, all told. I wouldn't tell you that just to hear myself talk. It was really a good one.
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