I have a miller 180 that has seen better days and was looking to upgrade and keep the 180 for use with .023" wire. Does anyone have experience with the Lincoln 255XT or the Millermatic 252? Those are the two i was looking at.
Lincoln or Miller?
- Thread starter mminter1973
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Cruiserdrew
On the way there
Just get the rebuild parts for the 180. Pretty sure everything is still available.
The 252 is a sweet machine, but in the end I think Lincoln and Miller are equivalent.
FJ40Charles is the welder expert-send him a PM.
The 252 is a sweet machine, but in the end I think Lincoln and Miller are equivalent.
FJ40Charles is the welder expert-send him a PM.
fj40charles
SILVER Star
I can't comment much on the Lincoln since I have not used that model. I've heard the Lincoln's have a harsher arc which some people prefer. Personally, I like the soft arc.
I've owned a Millermatic 251. MM 252 is the newer version of the same thing with a few extras (pre/post flow and spot timer). However, the arc quality should be the same soft arc.
Customer service/support advantage goes to Miller.
Power/duty cycle advantage goes to Miller:
Lincoln is rated for 250 amps, 26 VDC, 40% duty cycle. Miller is rated for 250 amps, 28 VDC, 40% duty cycle. The extra 2 volts is a big deal if you plan on doing lots of spray transfer or welding thick metals.
Lincoln uses potted boards which are supposed to be more reliable. I've never had any issues with Miller boards going bad so I don't see that as an advantage, but rather a disadvantage from a repair standpoint.
Warranty is 3 years for both welders. Miller is one of few companies that may honor you warranty after it has expired by a couple of months. This is not the official company policy, but I've seen it done many times.
Lincoln is supposed to have a better drive motor/feed motor assy than Miller. Again, never had any issues with 2 drive roll setup on my Millers with 15' mig guns.
Spool gun. Miller uses the 15 or 30A spoolgun. This is well built spool gun and generally preferred over Lincoln.
I think either welder will be fine and serve you well. It comes down to personal preference and what type of arc you prefer.
Couple of threads about which welder to buy:
Weld Talk Message Board and Online Forum - Hobart Welders
Look at post #9 on this thread.
http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=36644&highlight=255xt
Price comparison from fleabay vendor. Miller cost is $60 more than Lincoln.
Lincoln
LINCOLN POWER MIG 255XT MIG WELDER PKG K2701-1 - eBay (item 390136612421 end time Jan-04-10 12:11:52 PST)
Miller
MILLERMATIC 252 MIG WELDER COMPLETE PACKAGE 907321 - eBay (item 360222894682 end time Jan-09-10 17:55:36 PST)
I've owned a Millermatic 251. MM 252 is the newer version of the same thing with a few extras (pre/post flow and spot timer). However, the arc quality should be the same soft arc.
Customer service/support advantage goes to Miller.
Power/duty cycle advantage goes to Miller:
Lincoln is rated for 250 amps, 26 VDC, 40% duty cycle. Miller is rated for 250 amps, 28 VDC, 40% duty cycle. The extra 2 volts is a big deal if you plan on doing lots of spray transfer or welding thick metals.
Lincoln uses potted boards which are supposed to be more reliable. I've never had any issues with Miller boards going bad so I don't see that as an advantage, but rather a disadvantage from a repair standpoint.
Warranty is 3 years for both welders. Miller is one of few companies that may honor you warranty after it has expired by a couple of months. This is not the official company policy, but I've seen it done many times.
Lincoln is supposed to have a better drive motor/feed motor assy than Miller. Again, never had any issues with 2 drive roll setup on my Millers with 15' mig guns.
Spool gun. Miller uses the 15 or 30A spoolgun. This is well built spool gun and generally preferred over Lincoln.
I think either welder will be fine and serve you well. It comes down to personal preference and what type of arc you prefer.
Couple of threads about which welder to buy:
Weld Talk Message Board and Online Forum - Hobart Welders
Look at post #9 on this thread.
http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=36644&highlight=255xt
Price comparison from fleabay vendor. Miller cost is $60 more than Lincoln.
Lincoln
LINCOLN POWER MIG 255XT MIG WELDER PKG K2701-1 - eBay (item 390136612421 end time Jan-04-10 12:11:52 PST)
Miller
MILLERMATIC 252 MIG WELDER COMPLETE PACKAGE 907321 - eBay (item 360222894682 end time Jan-09-10 17:55:36 PST)
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I have used both in a heavy industrial sheet metal shop. I can say I personally have Miller in my own shop, but I think Lincoln is every bit as good. The angle that the whip plugs into the machine on the Lincoln is actually superior to Miller. I don't know why Miller doesn't angle the whip down for a better flow of wire.
fj40charles
SILVER Star
Millermatic 212 and 252 has drive that points the wire down like the Lincoln.
Nice, I just checked those welders out.
That properly angled whip is more efficient.
- Thread starter
- #7
Thanks for the info guys, I prefer Miller products also but i can get the Lincoln for $1700 where the Miller costs $2000, but i am just not sure yet which one to pull the trigger on. 
i was told by the weld dealer when i bought my miller " what color do you like better?" Dont know if he was joking or what but all my research showed that you couldnt go wrong with either
I can't comment on Lincoln however I bought a new MM252 last summer as an upgrade from my MM170. Its a phenomenal welder! Pure joy to use from thin to thick. Haven't used the spoolgun yet but thinking about a little aluminum project so hopefully soon.
bought a brand spanken new MM212 a couple years back, just after they went from 210 to the 212 and it was pretty ok, upgraded to a used mm250 and love it....i really like the digital controls so i can ajust my welder just the way i like it, i dont have to put it in one of the 4 or whatever ranges...cant comment to much on the lincol machine, used a lincoln multi process while at college for welding and it never really gave me any problems but i think that i will stick to miller machines...have had great luck with them so why tempt fate when i got a good thing goin right?
I have the Lincoln
Hello,
I have a Lincoln 255. I like it and think it is quite rugged. I also like the dials and digital display for both wire speed and voltage. The ease of hooking up a spool gun is nice too. The downward pointing feed cable is nice, it eliminates cracking of the cable over time and deformation that could cause feed difficulty.
I haven't used it too much in the last couple years due to moving. If you have any questions, pm me.
Bill
Hello,
I have a Lincoln 255. I like it and think it is quite rugged. I also like the dials and digital display for both wire speed and voltage. The ease of hooking up a spool gun is nice too. The downward pointing feed cable is nice, it eliminates cracking of the cable over time and deformation that could cause feed difficulty.
I haven't used it too much in the last couple years due to moving. If you have any questions, pm me.
Bill
Had a bad experience with a Lincoln, never have with a Miller.
Really happy with my Miller XMT 304 and 175 Mig.
Really happy with my Miller XMT 304 and 175 Mig.
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In the smaller machines, like the older 172 series Miller, the comparable Lincoln is not anywhere near as good - a friend, Dayton, who is a welder by trade had the smaller Lincoln, and I have the Miller 172. When the two machines were side by side on the work bench, it was the Miller that always got used.
If you picked up the two machines, you'd know why: the Miller weighs at least twice as much.
For larger welders, I have an Air Liquide 250 Amp machine - which welds beautifully, but is tricky to get adjusted just right due to the sensitive wire feed dial. The machine next to it is a Miller 250, but it's not mine so I don't play with it.
Personally,if I was going to get another one it would be a higher end digital Miller.
~John
If you picked up the two machines, you'd know why: the Miller weighs at least twice as much.
For larger welders, I have an Air Liquide 250 Amp machine - which welds beautifully, but is tricky to get adjusted just right due to the sensitive wire feed dial. The machine next to it is a Miller 250, but it's not mine so I don't play with it.
Personally,if I was going to get another one it would be a higher end digital Miller.
~John
LC_Hamma
The Anti-Leafer
Had a bad experience with a Miller, never have with a Lincoln. I burnt my widdle finger 
Really happy with my Lincoln Powermig 255.
Seroiusly, you can't go wrong w/ either. I've seen just as many, if not more, Lincoln Rangers on big heavy duty equipment trucks than the blue one's.
Really happy with my Lincoln Powermig 255.
Seroiusly, you can't go wrong w/ either. I've seen just as many, if not more, Lincoln Rangers on big heavy duty equipment trucks than the blue one's.
I doubt you'd go wrong with either, but I would say service and parts availability would probably go to Miller.
I have a shop chock full of Miller Dimension 652s, misc. smaller welders, and even a half doz or so 1000 & 1500 amp machines. The 652s are the workhorses though. They are rated at 650 amp 100% duty cycle and we have consistently sucked 800+ amps out of those machines for days on end with no problems. My machines get used and abused WELL beyond what the factory rates them at and they always come up swinging. I love those machines.
The lincolns that I have are mostly basic 1000amp machines that get used for scarfing and not much else but they do that well.
In my garage I have an old lincoln sa-200 that is simplicity at its best and it's a great machine for light-medium duty work. I have a Miller 252 that I love the beejeezus out of and it's about half the footprint of the old lincoln. Real light duty stuff is handled just fine by a Miller 135.
Maybe it's just me but I've grown pretty fond of blue.
I have a shop chock full of Miller Dimension 652s, misc. smaller welders, and even a half doz or so 1000 & 1500 amp machines. The 652s are the workhorses though. They are rated at 650 amp 100% duty cycle and we have consistently sucked 800+ amps out of those machines for days on end with no problems. My machines get used and abused WELL beyond what the factory rates them at and they always come up swinging. I love those machines.
The lincolns that I have are mostly basic 1000amp machines that get used for scarfing and not much else but they do that well.
In my garage I have an old lincoln sa-200 that is simplicity at its best and it's a great machine for light-medium duty work. I have a Miller 252 that I love the beejeezus out of and it's about half the footprint of the old lincoln. Real light duty stuff is handled just fine by a Miller 135.
Maybe it's just me but I've grown pretty fond of blue.