I'm finally ready to buy my first welder and after much debating with myself I am down to getting either the Millermatic 175 or the 210. This will be my first machine and I'm still not sure if the 175 is enough or if I should get the 210. I plan to get a Tig one of these days but I decided to start out with a MIG. My first question is will the 175 be enough to begin with or should I get the 210?
The second question is where should I buy the welder? I live in a small town and have a local welding supplier that has everything I need but they are about 100 bucks higher on the 175 by itself. They want a couple of hundred for a CO2 cylinder w/gas and thirty bucks for a reel of wire, and I'll have to pay 7% sales tax too. With a cart added the thing should be around $1,000 or more. So, should I buy it locally or should I get it online and have it shipped to me? Can I save enough by buying online to justify it, and where can I get what I want at the best prices, or should I get it here in town? The local shop will set it up for me as well. Do I get it from the locals and pay more or get it over the internet and save some money? Oh, and is $1,000 a good deal for a 175 with small cart, gas cylinder, and some wire?
Hawke