Time for a New Miller

[clint738]

Well took some advice and posted my barely used 2007 model Millermatic 140 with auto-set on craigslist for sale. I posted it at around 2am and was getting emails about it within an hour.
Within 2 days I had it sold for $625 to a nice guy who drove 3 hours to pick it up.

So now I am welderless and need to buy a new one that will handle 1/4" steel with ease. Will be welding H-beams 0.170" to 0.230" thick and will be welding 1/4" plate to them for anchoring to the cement slab. Also considering putting a 1/4" plate at the top of the column and laying the H-beam across it and welding in place so more surface area to weld to. Not 100% if that will help much though.

Setup will be 8ft in the air. So for Mig, I will need to put the unit on a table or something to get enough lead length.

My background is with stick welding, but a new CST 280 will leave me with only about a $100 left over for materials and I need to keep about $600 for steel for my project. Plus the Miller deals right now are only on Migs.

Before I sold the 140, I was really planning on looking for a CST 280 used and went and bought new welding leads ground and electrode holder for a stick welder. So I just have those sitting in a box.

I was planning on getting a CST 280 sometime since it has the preset dig settings for 7018 and 6010 (my favorite multipurpose rod). I'm curious to see how much smoother an inverter welder like the CST 280 will run a 6010 versus a +30 year old Miller Dialarc (what I grew up using).

With Miller's 15% off special I am looking at the Millermatic 211 or the Millermatic 200. Not sure how these compare. I really like the option for the Spoolgun to run aluminum (something I couldn't really do with stick).

Is one of these 2 mig welders a much better Mig welder than the other?

Is the Millermatic 200 a subpar stick welder compared to the CST 280?

If the Millermatic 200 is not an ideal stick welder for 6010 rods, then it won't cut it for me to spend the extra $$$ for a feature not useful.

I've only tig welded about 5mins ever, but I spend a lot of time at work hand soldering stuff most people use a magnify glass to look at. So my hand eye coordination is pretty good and I play drums, so my foot coordination isn't too bad either.

Just need to find an awesome setup for thick and thin materials. Will wait to get the second welder later if needed, but want to take advantage of the Miller discounts while they are available.

Does the Millermatic 200 have dig and auto hot-start features?

Thanks!

[clint738]

Anyone know how a Multimatic 200 compares to Millermatic 211 as far as Mig welding?

Are they the same, one a little better/easier to setup or switch between setups?

Is the Multimatic that great of a stick welder for 6010 and 7018 rods?

Don't know if I should spend the money for the Multimatic or get the 211 and save for a REAL stick welder like the CST 280.

[tackit]

Put the project on hold until you save up enough money to get the welder you really want.... rushing into things never is the best policy... if the project can be put off I would do so.

[BD1]

As far as I am concerned, the 200 isn't a option for stick. The CST 280 is 150 amps at 100 %, The 200 at 150 amps is 30 %.
I don't think you can get a better stick machine then the CST 280. We got a bunch at work and are great not to mention mine at home.
Buy the 211 with rebate deal and save for the CST 280.
The 211 is 150 amps at 30 % and the 200 is 150 amps at 20 %. If duty cycle isn't a issue I guess you can flip a coin for it.
Talk to your supplier and see what he can work out on the 211 and the 280.

[Amc724]

Are you buying new?
have you ever thought about buying used?
you can get a used Xmt 304 cc/cv for about $1500 and a feeder for about $500
Just make sure the Xmt is 1/3 phase

[clint738]

Are you buying new?
have you ever thought about buying used?
you can get a used Xmt 304 cc/cv for about $1500 and a feeder for about $500
Just make sure the Xmt is 1/3 phase

I prefer to buy as new as I can unless the price is right and the welders condition is pretty good.

What is so good about a XMT 304? Looks like a lot more required to Mig with it.

[go2building]

I would just get the 211. The multimatic 200 is just an enduro of welding, not great at one task but will do it all.
Just my .02

[clint738]

I guess I was wondering about the multimatic 200 since it has the stick option and I would think I could maybe weld the structural H-beam 0.230" thick with 1/8" 6010 and 3/32" 7018 since it is limited to 150 amps on stick.

Just never heard of anyone Mig welding structural steel before, so I don't know if it will be problem for the Millermatic 211 running .035 wire as recommended by the chart here:
http://store.cyberweld.com/choosewire.html

[Cgotto6]

Mig is used each and everyday for structural. It's becoming preferred on large jobs due to the large waste caused by stick.

[clint738]

Mig is used each and everyday for structural. It's becoming preferred on large jobs due to the large waste caused by stick.

Can you give some examples.. and how big are the machines needed for stuff 1/4" thick?