My First Mig Welder is on the Way

Hey! I'm pretty pumped. I just bought a Miller 211. It is my first MIG welder. I decided on the unit it using the principals of
1) Buy American when possible
--There isn't always an option
-- Sometime it is unjustifiably expensive
2) Buy the best you can afford
3) Take care of it and it should last a long time-- and ideally be repairable

I spent the better part of the weekend researching machines and was really torn between a Hobart MIG, The MM211, and an Everlast PowerTig 250 AC/DC unit. I know the Chinese TIG is an odd running mate, but I fundamentally wanted to buy a TIG and on paper you get a TON of machine for less $ than a fairly basic MIG.

I did a lot of internal debating and went with the MIG thinking that if I'm only going to have 1 machine for a while, the MIG was less expensive and well suited for automotive work.

Hopefully I don't end up with buyer's remorse going with a MIG unit. I've done limited gas and TIG work and even less MIG, but I always enjoyed welding... I actually enjoy gas welding the most, but it isn't exactly practical.

I'm rambling because I'm exhausted and stoked.

Now I need to figure out an extension cord I can run to the laundry room for 240V... 8/3 is so f-n expensive!

Cheers!

 

Nice man. Im currently in the market for a mig machine myself. Hopefully well see what this estates auction brings next weekend hopefully its not to big or small.

 

btw when you plug it in dont hold onto the prongs lmfao it will make your arm tingly

 

Congrats! millers are great machines! as for extension cords, check out harbor freight, they have 50 and 100' 10 guage cords for rv's, I have been using a 50' that I have swapped the ends over to a 240v style plug that I have been using with much success. I do plan on eventually going to a 8 guage cord. I have never had the cord get warm even with the machine cranked all the way up and running for 20 min almost consecutively.

I have been been running a thermal arc fabricator 181i, and it has been a great little machine! I haven't used the tig side of it yet, but the mig and arc work great.

 

I'll check out the RV plugs. I'll have to keep an eye out for the cost of 6-50 ends. I'll also need to make a pigtail to convert the 6-50 to my dryer outlets (10-30). Maybe the home store will have what I need...

Good night!

 

Im a lincoln guy but ive used the millermatic 350p and like the pulse mode... other than that i use lincolns haha

 

I wouldn't want to compare mig with tig, but to be honest you will probably end up using a mig more often. Its just easier and faster. Tig welds look awesome but for automotive stuff and home projects, MIG looks good enough and its probably just the easier option. I want to buy a mig welder. I would buy a tig but I suck at it and dont want to take the time to learn it haha

 

As much as i love mig and have a lincoln 180t mig i use stick welding more on a daily basis, pretty sure im one of the few on here who uses stick on a regular basis haha

 

I have the baby 135 and feel the need to get " MORE POWER "
Need a 220 volt model!!

Miller is good stuff!