I've been looking at these two welders, and the only difference I can find is that the Lincoln has infinite voltage control and the Hobart does not. Does this really explain the $100 difference in price? Or is there something I'm missing? I'm new to welding, BTW.
Thanks,
John McMahon
the voltage controls could be the only difference. as a welder I like infinite control of the voltage, but the 4 voltage settings on the Hobart offer a lot more simplicity for the beginner.
Go to the muffler shops in your area,and see what they are using.You will find the most beat up little Lincolns in them.Talk to the guys,because sometimes they have Miller in them also,which is a better version of the hobart.No contest,Lincoln will be in all of them,but Miller will only be in some of them.Also see which one the boss uses.I did the that very same thing.I have also owned two Miller 130s one was the xp model.I now own a sp175plus because it is the best in that class just like the sp135plus.Weld with them side by side then you will really see the difference.Thats the best way to tell,not how they look or fancy drive rolls,or the color of it.
Make sure that all the machines you are comparing come with a contactor and gas valve. Also, check the duty cycle versus amp output.
I like the Miller 135, I have welded with gas and without and the polarity is easy to change. Also, I had a heck of a time with a warranty claim on the Lincoln.
By wardaj
Date 02-26-2003 19:30
IM not an expert by all means. In fact, i was just asking these questions as a newbie about a month ago. I went ahead and bought the SP135 PLus. I Went to lowes and bought a spool of flux cored .030" wire, and was welding withing about 30 minutes. I still dont fully know what im doing, but it only took me about an hour to figure out the settings to use and everything. It seemed to weld 3/16" steel without a problem. I liked the infinite votlage control because i could turn it down just a little when i was burning through.
