Welder Choice

[EdM]

I am about to retire and get into my recently acquired 73 Mach 1 and who knows what else (dear wife is creating a short list). I welded some in engineering school and a bit after installing a couple of exhaust systems many years ago. I do not know what this might grow into, certainly sub-frame connectors but maybe patio furniture... I have landed on the Millermatic 211. Thoughts?

 

[Luke]

Very Nice machine. Miller or Lincoln and you cant go wrong. If you where still in Aus I would say cigweld. These are all machines that gave the lest trouble and best results when I was still a boilermaker/welder, Blokes that do a lot of body work may suggest different.

 

[turtle5353]

The millers are very nice machines!! You wont go wrong with that machine at all. But I have been running Eastwood welders for about 4 or 5 years now with great luck. I bought the Eastwood Mig175 for about less than half what the miller cost and it comes with an aluminum spool gun. I do more welding than the average guy, a lot more. And I have really liked mine! Did have a couple issues after over 3 years of hard welding. The button on the trigger went bad and I called them up and they sent me a new torch assembly, FREE! Then after almost 4 years the cooling fan bearing started making noise. Called them up and then sent me a whole new welder FREE!!! Their customer service is awesome and their warranty cant be beat. Also another thing I like about the Eastwood was the adjustment setting were infinitely adjustable. The Lincoln my brother has is only adjustable by clicks in heat and wire speed. The eastwood has a dial that can be fine tuned.

Also my buddy just picked up a new Eastwood MIG200 that is a nice mig welder and has a DC stick welder built right in! It runs NICE! Can run 1/8" rods all day long. So you can get a mig/stick welder combo for around $500-600 depending if you catch a sale. And they all come with a 3 year bumper to bumper warranty!

You wont go wrong with the Miller by no means! But if you want to save a few buck or are on a budget the Eastwood welders have served me well!!

 

[Omie01]

I own and operate a professional welding shop, I have used all sorts of welding equipment, and I have used all the little wire feeds out there. The one thing I can say is: If its under $500, it probably doesn't work very well. I use a Miller Auto set 120 for my mustang. Comes in close to $1000, but it is so worth the money!! You can maybe find a used one on ebay. And remember, use gas instead of core wire. Core wire sucks and doesn't work right. The bonding effect of core wire is only about 60%, using gas, you get 100% deposit of your weld. And remember, welding, like anything else is all about prep work!! My 2 cents............

 

[Don C]

(dear wife is creating a short list).

HA-HA, how many pages long???

 

[EdM]

The millers are very nice machines!! You wont go wrong with that machine at all. But I have been running Eastwood welders for about 4 or 5 years now with great luck. I bought the Eastwood Mig175 for about less than half what the miller cost and it comes with an aluminum spool gun. I do more welding than the average guy, a lot more. And I have really liked mine! Did have a couple issues after over 3 years of hard welding. The button on the trigger went bad and I called them up and they sent me a new torch assembly, FREE! Then after almost 4 years the cooling fan bearing started making noise. Called them up and then sent me a whole new welder FREE!!! Their customer service is awesome and their warranty cant be beat. Also another thing I like about the Eastwood was the adjustment setting were infinitely adjustable. The Lincoln my brother has is only adjustable by clicks in heat and wire speed. The eastwood has a dial that can be fine tuned.

Also my buddy just picked up a new Eastwood MIG200 that is a nice mig welder and has a DC stick welder built right in! It runs NICE! Can run 1/8" rods all day long. So you can get a mig/stick welder combo for around $500-600 depending if you catch a sale. And they all come with a 3 year bumper to bumper warranty!

You wont go wrong with the Miller by no means! But if you want to save a few buck or are on a budget the Eastwood welders have served me well!!

(dear wife is creating a short list).

HA-HA, how many pages long???

Where are the Eastwood machines made? They appear to be a relative bargain.

 

[turtle5353]

Not sure where they are made but I have had great luck with mine. Probably overseas somewhere. But the liners, tips, nozzles are all tweco style that Lincoln and miller use. So the consumeables are easy to find at most hardware stores and welding shops.

 

[Go Time]

I have an Eastwood Tig welder, I've had it for 2 years. I also have a 120 v mig with a snap on label my son traded a snomobile motor for. I enjoy the Tig use it far more than the mig by choice. Mig is so mush faster though, I just really enjoy tig welding and the quality weld of the Tig. I have ran 6 - 4' high argon tanks thru it this past year. He has recently repossessed his mig because of his own projects and If I am going to replace it, it will be with the Eastwood Mig Turtle referred to. Mainly because of cost and use. Im not going to use it a lot so cost is huge. Now with that said, If I were welding every day or didn't mind the extra cost I would get a miller in 240v because they are better machines, But the Eastwood machines meet my needs very well and so does the cost. I've had a couple small Issues and they were resolved easily through Eastwood customer service dept. Dennis

 

[mdan575]

Love my Millermatic 135 great for small time work and body stuff. When I get settled in someday to my own place I will worry about a larger one.

Craigslist is your friend. I got mine cash in almost brand new barely used condition with an almost full bottle for $400 with multiple spools and autodark helmet.