Opinios/Options Miller 211 welder

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B

bro460

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Oct 8, 2013
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So I am looking at buying a Miller 211 welder for myself for Christmas. I have researched and looked around at others also but personally feel this one is the right one for me.

At my work we have a Miller 140 and it seems okay for light work, not sure I would trust it for proper penetration on bumpers, cages and frame repair kinda work thou...

Basically asking for any opinions or maybe other options or a place to find a better deal on this welder. The local Helmig dealer wants $1375 for this welder... might be worth it but price is always all of our concerns.

I am rebuilding my FJ45 and need something that can do frame repair... reason I like the 115/220v option on the 211
 
I just bought a Millermatic 211 this summer and I think it was a good choice. I too bought it for the 110/220 feature as right now I don't have 220 in the garage so I have just been using it on 110 but I haven't really done anything too thick with it but I did weld uo a little hitch receiver with it and it worked well.

I am an absolute novice to welding so the other reason for the purchase was the autoset feature as well. Makes it very easy for a beginner to weld right out of the box.

73fj in Grande Prairie has one too and he posted in my build thread that he thinks it is a nice machine but that it works even better on 220 and he is probably right as sometimes I feel that it struggles on the first arc, but that could easily be me. But you might want to PM him as it appears that he has done much more welding than I in his lifetime.

I got mine at OxyPro in Edmonton for $1,490 including an 80 cuft tank of air (4 ft tall) and an el cheapo cart.
 
Thanks for the replies :) I have made up my mind and it will be a Miller 211 for sure!!! I will look at ebay but never bought from there ever in my life, I will check out the sights posted also.

Hey Hofflar, plug it into your drier outlet and burn on 220. It will be hard to want to go back to a 110. I was used to my old bosses Lincoln 255 (think it was 3phase also) and all I have to say was WOW!!! The Miller 140 at my work is decent, better than most thou. LOL

Keep y'all posted as to what I do in the end and what I ultimately paid for this unit. That price was a retail price, I'll see if my work gets a discount from them or not also. :bounce:
 
you will likely not be disappointed, they are great little machines. i have had mine a few years now and pretty much built this 40 with it. i weld for a living and found the auto set to be spot on in it's settings. so much so that it's all i use, i dont even bother trying to fine tune the settings because you just do not need to, its that good.
now i have not messed around with running it on 110v so i do not know how it runs on that voltage, but 220v is more than enough fire for it.
75/25 gas with .030 er70 wire and it's good to go from 16ga sheet metal to 1/4" and beyond.

13bumperH.webp
 
I got mine a few years ago for $900 which you can still do if you shop around and combine that with Millers 10% rebate. $1,375 is too much unless its coming with a bunch of accessories like cart and spoolgun.

I have run both flux core and solid wire through it and am very happy with it.
 
ERG80, you forget we are in Canada...Huge price differential for almost everything even though our dollar is almost at par. And if you try and buck the system shipping will usually kill the deal or there is a policy in place where US distributors cannot ship to Canada.

Bro460, would plug it into my dryer plug but that is on the second floor of the house. Maybe if I need to repair the washer, ha ha! I thought about putting a plug in the garage, but I'd rather move instead.
 
Tapage said:
Brian .. you made that blue cart .?
Click to expand...

brian said:
no, no i did not.
Click to expand...

Where did you get it at?

I love my M211. I got it for similar reason, no 220 currently but works great on 110 for misc stuff I have been fiddling with. I got the Miller bolt together cart, but I would much rather have something similar to the one you have.

I have been using flux core .030 wire and have been pretty pleased with it so far. I want to get a small tank to see how I can do with solid wire.
 
I've got a lot of trigger time behind a 211 and it was a good machine, versatile and probably perfect for most hobbiest. My only complaint and why I stepped up to a "real" machine is that I learned to weld on older (transformer) units and I always felt that the new hobbiest inverter units are great and fit a needed market. but the weld was always "harsh". I also felt that the transformer units did a much better job of welding sheet metal.

That said, it's a great machine. Autoset is good for beginners, but you should learn to setup the controls manually. You will be amazed at how just some little tweaking will make your welds go from good to great and it allows you get a better weld depending on situation. ie vertical welding, different sized materials

The short version.. Autoset is allowing more people to weld, but that doesn't mean it's actually a good weld.

Unless you're going to be doing a lot of sheet metal welding get the longest whip you can, (usually about 15'). I also suggest upgrading the gun. If you buy local sometimes they will throw it in for free or for just a little more. Run 75/25 mix instead of just co2, it gives a better weld. Buy a tank instead of rent and get the biggest you can afford. Refill prices between a 40cf and a 300cf really aren't that much different. Use .030 as it allows the most versatility in your metal thickness. Use quality wire, in a pinch the HD/Lowes lincoln branded stuff will work. 10 pound spools will run you less in the long run.

I think that's everything for now.

B
 
brian said:
you will likely not be disappointed, they are great little machines. i have had mine a few years now and pretty much built this 40 with it. i weld for a living and found the auto set to be spot on in it's settings. so much so that it's all i use, i dont even bother trying to fine tune the settings because you just do not need to, its that good.
now i have not messed around with running it on 110v so i do not know how it runs on that voltage, but 220v is more than enough fire for it.
75/25 gas with .030 er70 wire and it's good to go from 16ga sheet metal to 1/4" and beyond.
Click to expand...

Good to know the Autoset is bang on... at my work with the 140 it has a Autoset but I like to run it at 5 5.5 and 60ish for exhaust and such little stuff. I found the Auto won't burn hot enough. Could just be that it is a well used old machine also. I will give the Auto feature a new lease on life with my new machine when I get it.

I really miss my ol bosses Lincoln 255... that was the!!!! HAHA
 
HoffLarr said:
ERG80, you forget we are in Canada...Huge price differential for almost everything even though our dollar is almost at par. And if you try and buck the system shipping will usually kill the deal or there is a policy in place where US distributors cannot ship to Canada.

Bro460, would plug it into my dryer plug but that is on the second floor of the house. Maybe if I need to repair the washer, ha ha! I thought about putting a plug in the garage, but I'd rather move instead.
Click to expand...

Definatly a dollar diff between US and Canada... so much for freetrade!!!! The shipping and duty on this welder would jack the price over what I would pay just buying at 1375 locally. I personally would like to find this welder for 1100 locally.

Also the welder I am reffering to does NOT come with ANYTHING but the welder. No 10% and no accessories of any kind. Dude said a cart is 100 and a small bottle of gas (I would own the bottle) is 250 then tack a helmet and gloves for another 300. Dissapointing bill but... once I own it it's mine for life!!!

I will grind him down, and hopefully he takes it. My company I work for spends ALOT of money with him so fingers crossed ;)
 
climber8483 said:
I've got a lot of trigger time behind a 211 and it was a good machine, versatile and probably perfect for most hobbiest. My only complaint and why I stepped up to a "real" machine is that I learned to weld on older (transformer) units and I always felt that the new hobbiest inverter units are great and fit a needed market. but the weld was always "harsh". I also felt that the transformer units did a much better job of welding sheet metal.

That said, it's a great machine. Autoset is good for beginners, but you should learn to setup the controls manually. You will be amazed at how just some little tweaking will make your welds go from good to great and it allows you get a better weld depending on situation. ie vertical welding, different sized materials

The short version.. Autoset is allowing more people to weld, but that doesn't mean it's actually a good weld.

Unless you're going to be doing a lot of sheet metal welding get the longest whip you can, (usually about 15'). I also suggest upgrading the gun. If you buy local sometimes they will throw it in for free or for just a little more. Run 75/25 mix instead of just co2, it gives a better weld. Buy a tank instead of rent and get the biggest you can afford. Refill prices between a 40cf and a 300cf really aren't that much different. Use .030 as it allows the most versatility in your metal thickness. Use quality wire, in a pinch the HD/Lowes lincoln branded stuff will work. 10 pound spools will run you less in the long run.

I think that's everything for now.

B
Click to expand...

YOU NAILED IT!!! Thank you and even gave some pointers for saving extra cost in the long run with supplies.

The Miller 211 will be my welder, just need the right price or some extras thrown it. Most likely gonna build my own cart with the welder I would have just purchased and I didn't like the fact I would only get a baby bottle for 250. Also don't need the flux-cored wire EVER with this welder package so maybe he will discount more if he keeps it.

Got some negotiations to do :doh: It'll work out I'm sure
 
On the AutoSet, I tried it out, but I found that even on mine right out of the box, I just didn't feel like it was where it needed to be, so I quickly left the AutoSet for manual setup. I will agree that it will let a beginner stick two pieces of metal together, but if you have any experience at all (and it seems that you do) you will probably quickly abandon it for manual controls.

Good info about upgrading the gun, I will keep that in mind myself. Recommendations?
 
I'm a big fan of Bernard guns, I've got two. Even the gun on their full sized units is better than the one on the small ones. Sometimes your LWS will have "take-offs" from the people upgrading or refurb'd units.

B
 
Another positive vote for the 211, love mine. I've done everything from 20 ga sheet metal repair to 3/8" plate, and it's been a great machine for me. I'm not a pro, don't really use it a lot, but I'm very happy with the purchase. I typically run 0.030 wire, but I keep a spool of 0.024 wire on the cart for sheet metal work.

Best endorsement I can give: I took it to work and showed it to the guy that teaches our welding courses, he went right out and bought himself one for home when he retires in a couple of years.
 
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