Buying new welder, MM 211?

[Great White]

I've recently come into a nice little bundle of cash. Most of it is spoken for, but I've got about 1000-1500 I can splurge on a treat for myself.

I have been using a dept store type cheapy for years and years, it's a rebranded century mig/wire feed. It's pretty limited with only a high/low setting and wire speed.
It works reasonably well with flux core wire for small outside jobs and it gets the job done for most little things, but I'm getting into a pretty extensive repair/replace/modify job with my 62 TBird soon and would like something just a little better. Well, honestly I'd just like something better all the way around. The cheapy is either hard to get good penetration on thicker stuff or hard not to blow through thinner stuff. In short, it's just cheap in every sense of the word and I'm just tired of struggling with it.

I'm also tired of tacking up the bigger projects and having the local shop finish em up.

I've gone back and forth a bit but I think I've settled on a MillerMatic 211 with a Miller 100 Spoolmate (to do smaller AL projects).

Main use will be mild steel, body panels and tube/plate.

I want the spool gun to do projects like brackets and occasionally tube (like CAC piping, etc). I find myself wanting to do more projects in AL, but I can't due to the cheapy MIG I currently have.

Other than a higher purchase piece and the need to run a couple 220 plugs in the garage (for thicker projects), I don't see any real negatives.

All the online reviews seem pretty good, except for comments about the purchase price, which I'm not that concerned about.

What I'm looking for is anyone that can give me things that I would need to watch out for when using it or negative points on the welder.

Once this money is gone, it's gone. I'll have to live with the welder for a long time, so I guess I'm looking for a "gut check" that I'm buying the right unit.

Cheers

[Jetfixr320]

I don't think you can go wrong with the Miller. I've heard good things about the Auto set function.
I don't have a Miller though.

I have a Lincoln 180 and have been very happy with it. Cheaper buy in and you can get a Spool gun for it. It doesn't have the Auto set function though.

Instead of running multiple 220v wiring and outlets, you may want to make or buy a heavy gauge extension cord so you can drag the welder around the shop or even outside. That's what I did.

Steve

[Great White]

I don't think you can go wrong with the Miller. I've heard good things about the Auto set function.
I don't have a Miller though.

I have a Lincoln 180 and have been very happy with it. Cheaper buy in and you can get a Spool gun for it. It doesn't have the Auto set function though.

Instead of running multiple 220v wiring and outlets, you may want to make or buy a heavy gauge extension cord so you can drag the welder around the shop or even outside. That's what I did.

Steve

Yep, that's an option and a good one.

I'd probably get 2 or three 220 plugs wired (once the electrician is in, it's not that much more) and still have a 220 extension cord made.

This money is spend it all now or it will get siphoned off to other household projects. The missus agrees I should buy a good welder, so I'm going to run that out as long and as far as I can!

[latoracing]

The Miller spool guns are so so. I had several issues with the wire burning back in the tips, especially if the welder didn't have the pulse on (Millermatic 210 Pulser by the way) The gun was finicky about the positions you could put it in, as the lines do not like to have hard bends in them. It worked fairly well on material up to 0.120" running 0.035" 5356 wire with straight argon. Splatter is a factor as the setup is different than the regular MIG. It likes a little more wire, at least with the machine I had. DO NOT DROP IT! it will end up in pieces. If you use it occasionally, you might enjoy messing with it. I used mine on several larger "production" runs, and ended up buying a Cobra push pull gun.

Having a 220V extension cord is so nice, not exactly cheep, but well worth every penny.

Miller equipment is one of the best lines out there, I have no regrets spending the money on them. You shouldn't have to worry about another welder any time soon.

[Build-It-Break-It]

If your century welder is Argon/c02 capable that would dramatically change the weld characteristics and quality. Flux core is usually for windy conditions outdoors. Even if you get your miller your still going to want to use gas. Maybe try a gas set up with your existing welder and save a little coin and if your still not happy then get the miller 211 and you can use the gas set up on it. If you end up liking using your century with gas I would save up and buy a tig welder for aluminum (not the miller diversion, they're over rated for the money ). Just a thought.

[Motorcitydak]

I was in the same boat as you and made the same decision, just bought a miller 211. The local welding shops all had good things to say about it so I picked one up. Bad thing is that I so far have not touched it so I cannot say anything about how it works, I am looking forward to the smooth start feature and auto set

[shmoov69]

I got one and I love it!! I'm no welder and don't have the spool gun but the auto set function is a life saver for me since I have no idea where to set it up at. And the dual voltage is awesome for the bigger stuff. Definitely get a nice 10/3 extension cord for it and you're set to run around the shop. You could just get some Romex for cheaper if you didn't want a really flexible cord.

[Great White]

If your century welder is Argon/c02 capable that would dramatically change the weld characteristics and quality. Flux core is usually for windy conditions outdoors. Even if you get your miller your still going to want to use gas. Maybe try a gas set up with your existing welder and save a little coin and if your still not happy then get the miller 211 and you can use the gas set up on it. If you end up liking using your century with gas I would save up and buy a tig welder for aluminum (not the miller diversion, they're over rated for the money ). Just a thought.

Sensible comments for sure, but my century is too limited and I have the cash in hand for a new miller.

The century is gas capable, but I'm tired of dealing with just a high/low amperage setting. Agree with the shielded core comments. Messy, splattery and needs too much work after a bead.

I had a fortunate turn of cash flow and would like to buy a nice quality welder before life intrudes and whittles my "welder fund" away.

Life's funny like that: as soon as you make some headway, "bills" seem to come out of nowhere to beat you back down again.....

[Blown73]

I have the 211 and I absolutely love it. Use it for my project all the time. Had it for over a year and have had zero problems. Auto set makes it super easy to use!

[jlcustomz]

Got the boss at work to get a 211 for our shop about 2 years ago. Wasn't able to weld the large long thick aluminum tubes together he got it for, but I'd buy one just like it myself for steel use, I got an old 135 at home. The 211's extra power comes in handy & I even got a few noodleheads at work to be able to weld steel with the autoset feature. Haven't tried it with stainless yet. Personally , I think any automotive grade aluminum & stainless welding should be done with a good tig, but that's another story & more than your budget for a good one. I'd save the money on a spoolgun & 2nd tank & get a decent auto darkening helmet . The110/220 volt plug deal is pretty cool. If you have a clothes dryer near enough, you could make a cord to use it's plug or at a waterheater, add a plug & a turn off switch to the water heater to use it separately.

I have welded 1/4" stuff with my now 10 year old 135 (new miller is I think a 145), but if you really want a good mig , then go for the 211 while you can. I insist.

[72BBSwinger]

Ive had a MM 210 that I bought 10 years ago and it has been trouble free. It has had probably 10 BIG spools through it. Lincoln are just as good though.

[showdog75]

I have a 211 as well. Do yourself a favor and just buy the damn thing. Lol