Millermatic 210

Hi everyone,

I am almost ready to purchase this welder. Millermatic 210. There is a Miller promotion going on right now, and this welder is better priced than the Air Liquide, Hobart etc Therefore I am leaning towards this unit at this time. The local dealer is offering it to me for $1759 Canadian. plus tax. From what I have read to date, it appears to be quite a machine. And Miller has upheld an excellent reputation of being the "Caddilacs" of all welders.

I have been arc welding for many years, but have only tried MIG welding a few times, quite some time ago, therefore I really don't know what I am looking for.

What I intend to use the welder for:

Fabrication of offroading gear. Bumpers, roll cages, frame welding etc. Ocasional sheetmetal welding as well.. Mostly will be welding 2" DOM tube.

Is this welder considered overkill for my needs? From what my local Miller dealer tells me, is that the Millermatic 210 is twice the machine that the Millermatic 175.

Is arc welding not good for tube welding?

Looking for any kind of feedback. And thanks a bunch!! :0)

Gord,

Reply to
GDC
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Buy the 210 and never look back.

I had its predecessor, the 200, for ten years, and only changed guns on it. Not one down day.

The difference between the 175 and 210 is that just that one time every few months, when you really need the amperage, it is there. What you can weld is almost limitless.

If you are stick welding now, you will welcome the ease of MIG. It's a metal hot glue gun. Your costs and clutter will go down, too.

Pay attention and don't run it too cold, or you will get cold lap on important welds. For ornamental metal, it will hold fine, but for structural or car applications, run it as hot as you can for penetration.

Use what you know about root preparation, both for cleanliness and having some opening on critical welds. For ornamental, pieces can be butted and it won't make any difference.

Arc welding is OK for tube welding, but when you have to build a lot of fence, it will save a lot of time. There is no comparison in looks. Time is money, and in doing repetitive welds on ornamental metal with both processes there is NO comparison. You can crank out stuff in far less time, or make a lot more in a day.

I have always been a fan of, and a supporter of, OVERKILL. Lots of guys get a small machine and outgrow it as soon as they get any proficiency. Or, they run into something that needs extra amperage, and it's not there, so they try multipass. And that either distorts or don't stick.

The 210 will cover a lot of stuff. You won't be looking for another machine for a long time unless your production goes up, and then you will get another 210. For heavy stuff, you just get out the old reliable 7018 and burn it in.

Buy this machine with confidence.

Steve

Reply to
SteveB

I never considered a Miller to be a Cadillac, but they rank as a solid Crown Vic. I say go with the 210, you're going to hate it if you go small and don't have adequate fire. The 210 should do all you need.

Always clean your work meticulously before welding, quality and appearance both require this.

Come on back when you plan on doing some frame work, there's ways to do things that are right, and others that are pretty wrong.

I saw a 4wd a kid I know built up, he's a pretty good welder and I don't have any idea how he got the idea to do as he did; he hung a transfer case on a crossmember that was taller than his frame- cut the ends of the crossmember and fit them to the edges of the flanges.. big ol' welds holding it all together, I didn't even say anything..

John

Reply to
JohnM

Gord, I have a 210 and it's one of the best, hard-working machines on the level you are looking at. The big plus is this- I got mine with a spool-gun, two regulators, a M25 MIG gun and it works without complaining. The drive system is really decent and the simple fact it accommodates the two independent cylinders with each one having it's own logic and solenoid for the inert gas you opt to use is a real time saver. The only thing I did to mine was put a quick-connect on the gas line for the spool gun and a DINSE on a pig-tail so I can store the spool gun in a case when not in use so it does not get damaged. I also put a Roughneck gun on it because I needed to get into odd angles. (HTP Now has a way better flex-neck I plan on getting but that's another issue) I got mine for a lot less than 1759$ (In US) I got it on special for $1200.00 or so, new from a Miller dealer here in Chicago, the home of high prices. Check E-bay. BR Welders, and a few others have the package and it's worth calling around. Get it with the spool gun as it's a $600.00 bonus. The only thing they sting you on is the twin cylinder running gear (Cheaper to make your own honestly). I do tube and pipe as well as some long frame parts and I have nothing but good things to say about my machine. I wore out the rollers before I even had the box in for PM and there was nothing to fix but a new liner in the gun and that's after two

  • years of hard use. of .035 and a lot of AL.

Hope this helps,

Rob Fraser

Fraser Competition Engines Chicago, IL. Long Beach, CA. ( Soon!)

"GDC" wrote in message news:kI2Me.7823$ snipped-for-privacy@news20.bellglobal.com...

Reply to
RDF

For more info on this welder, go to this forum:

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and use its search function to search for MM210 and MillerMatic 210 . You'll find a lot of discussion of this welder. Bottom line is I think you'll find that the 210 is the way to go for what you're doing, a 175 sometimes will leave you short of power.

Good luck-

Paul T.

Reply to
Paul T.

I always wondered why Miller and Hobart are the same machines under different paint and both owned by Illinois Tool Works. Anyone know why this is? Business separation or something?

Rob

Reply to
RDF

About 15 years ago ITW started a buying spree. They owned Miller and went to buy Hobart.

Lincoln cried foul to the SEC, claiming that ITW would own an unfair majority of the US welding industry. Hobart was then chopped up and the only parts kept by ITW were the welding machines under 300 amps and the filler metals division, which is all they really wanted in the first place. The machines larger than 300 amps went to Prestolite. Not the Prestolite tha makes air-acetylene torches, but the Prestolite that makes electric forklift batteries and chargers.

Prestolite was then acquired by Thermadyne, and the welding machines were handed over to Termadyne's Thermal Arc division.

Hence why if we need parts at school for one of our Betamig 200's or Handler 120's, we go to Miller, but for our Megamig 300's and 450's we have to contact Thermal Arc.

ITW got their revenge on Lincoln a few years ago. Lincoln tried to buy ESAB and ITW cried foul. The SEC said that Lincoln had to find somebody to buy ESAB's filler metals division. Lincoln failed after 6 months and ended up paying ESAB $21,000,000 in fines for the attempted purchase. Lincoln did however acquire all the welding companies being held by Pentair. These would be Marquette, Century, Solar, and Lincoln Automotive.

The big players in the welding world now stand as ITW, Thermadyne, ESAB and Lincoln.

Between those 4 you have about 90% of the worldwide welding industry.

To see something impressive check out ITW's website and look at the list of companies they own.

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Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) designs and produces an array of highly engineered fasteners and components, equipment and consumable systems, and specialty products and equipment for customers around the world. A Fortune 200 diversified manufacturing company with more than 90 years of history, ITW's 650 decentralized business units in 45 countries employ nearly 49,000 men and women who are focused on creating value-added products and innovative customer solutions.

Something like that. Wow. I worked for a large one over 100 countries business units - No longer - out of that rat race.

Martin

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

Thank you everyone for your feedback.... I have placed my order this morning, and she will arive tomorow :0) Thanks again for the quick responses!!!

Reply to
GDC

Would have loved to go with the 210 but ended up with the 175 instead, I managed to get the 175 (floor model) with cart, Tank (I own and filled), helmet, 4 spools of mig wire and a few other toys for $1400 CND with tax. Haven't ever had a problem with it but I use it for hobby.

Reply to
HotRod

You're going to love it, and you won't outgrow it.

Steve

Reply to
SteveB

I ended up with a Miller Challenger 172 (the precursor to the 175).

Recently I needed to weld some 5/16" plate, which normally would be beyond the capacity if this welder.

I heated the plate (11" square on my propane brewing stove until it was nice and hot, then welded a piece of thinner square tube to it. Worked like a charm.

Wish I had a 210, but the 172 is a fine machine for most of what I do.

Jeff Dantzler

Reply to
Jeff Dantzler

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