Smallest 220V Mig

[RHINO]

should be a good choice,,, pay attention to duty cycles. the main reason i decided to spend more money on a full size machine was the 100% duty cycle at the power i would be using most.

 

[fj40charles]

(look up the specs for the Lincoln 175 -vs- Miller 175 -vs- Hobart 180...all are exactly the same...same amp outputs at the same duty cycle, etc...atleast they were when I was looking...some people prefer one over the other, feel it's smoother, or whatnot...alot of personal preference, discussion can degrade all the way down to whether blue (Miller) is superior over red (Lincoln) choosing purely on color, yeah arguments get that dumb at times)
-Mark

Mark,

There are differences in how each welder welds. The specs may seem the same, but there are some differences. I believe the Lincoln 175 does not have the top end as the HH180. HH180 has more amps at max output. Is it a big deal? No, but just wanted to point that out.

Personally, I would not buy a HH180. Hobart did not make these very long because the arc quality was not very good when you wanted to weld 1/8 to 1/4" steel. It is said to produce too much splatter. Hobart quickly replaced the HH180 with the HH187 which is MUCH better in every way. Very stable and nice arc and more top end.

I used to think all mig welders were the same, but I know better now. The different choke designs will determine the level of inductance which affects how nice (or not nice) the arc will be. Hobart got it right with the HH187 and HH210. HH187 is even said to have a better arc than the Millermatic 180 which is more money.

My personal mig of choice is the Millermatic 200. Very nice and soft arc and 250amps of power. Miller quit making these in early 1990's.

 

[Azrocks]

Thanks for the info. I want to do an SOA with 3/8" tabs and such. I should be able to burn in on both sides for the most part.

Do you think the Hobart HH210 is up to the task? I've welded a lot over the years, mainly with a Miller that I sold like an idiot when I moved a couple years ago. I just want to make sure I get something that is up to welding critical suspension parts. I'll also be adding bracing bars to roll cages.

 

[Hugh Heifer]

Suprised no one has mentioned the Miller Passport...

110v/230v, built in gas tank, or capability for external.

The size of a large briefcase.

A buddy just picked one up. Neat package. Not for me.

Yeah, but at what price?? I am sure that was much more expensive then the less portables. (and no, I have not searched mysaelf.)

 

[CruisinGA]

Yeah, but at what price?? I am sure that was much more expensive then the less portables. (and no, I have not searched mysaelf.)

It's nearly twice as much as the Miller 175, which has the same output current. But, if portability and versatility is a necessity it certainly fits the bill.

 

[bsevans]

Suprised no one has mentioned the Miller Passport...

110v/230v, built in gas tank, or capability for external.

The size of a large briefcase.

A buddy just picked one up. Neat package. Not for me.

I really like my Passport. The electronics are optimized for CO2, giving good penetration and very little splatter. I've welded 1/4 inch plate in one pass. I normally connect it to the CO2 tank that I use for OBA. The other nice aspect of this welder is that it auto-switches between 110V and 220V. I've used up an 8" spool and the only draw back is the duty cycle compared to larger floor models. It has done the work and not broken down. This is just a personal preference, but I would only buy a Mig welder that used current inverter technology.