Products

[WELDER1]

Is anyone familiar with any one of the three mig welders, Lincoln Power Mig 255, Milermatic 251, or Hobart Ironman 250?

[Aftermath]

i have used the millermatic 251..thing is worth the money. awesome welder!!

[WELDER1]

I own 5 machines now, and I am trying to decide which one of these three to buy. I dont want to be disappointed.

[Mike Sherman]

I own some Power mig 255's and some Miller 251's. You will not be disappointed in either of them. I suggest you buy the one that your local dealer can service and stocks parts for. They are equal enough that this is the only criteria I would worry about. I do not own, nor have I ever used a Hobart mig. Since they are made by the same company as Miller, I would not be afraid of it.

[cope]

Originally posted by WELDER1
I own 5 machines now, and I am trying to decide which one of these three to buy. I dont want to be disappointed.

What machines do you have? I don't know anyone except Mike Sherman who has that many machines.

[Aaron]

I have a MM251, and I absolutely love it. It is an awesome machine. My local lincoln dealer actually recommended it over the red one. That certainly helped make my decision.

Also, as I remember, the board's resident anti-blue member ScottV seems to think the red machine is outclassed. Of course, he also says that about the MM251 when comparing it to the Esab, so who knows....

Truth is though, the Hobart is not equal to the MM251. Read over the specs again very carefully. I've never owned one, and I'm sure it is a nice machine, just not in the caliber of the MM251.

[Mike Sherman]

Cope, I bought another machine last night at the annual AWS Christmas auction in Cleveland. I got home about midnight and it is still in my car. I believe it is the Lincoln V130-S. I paid $200.00 bucks for it with a ground and a stinger. It weighs about the same as my lunch bucket and plugs into a 220 single phase. It will weld .125" E7018, no problem. I would have to go out and count, but I think I have around 21 machines now. That's 3 for every employee I have. It just is convenient to have the right machine for the job at your disposal.

[cope]

Originally posted by Mike Sherman
Cope, I bought another machine last night at the annual AWS Christmas auction in Cleveland. I got home about midnight and it is still in my car. I believe it is the Lincoln V130-S. I paid $200.00 bucks for it with a ground and a stinger. It weighs about the same as my lunch bucket and plugs into a 220 single phase. It will weld .125" E7018, no problem. I would have to go out and count, but I think I have around 21 machines now. That's 3 for every employee I have. It just is convenient to have the right machine for the job at your disposal.

Mike, I will cover your investment plus shipping. Do you want to send it to my home address or work?

[bluesman2a]

Originally posted by Mike Sherman
I would have to go out and count, but I think I have around 21 machines now. That's 3 for every employee I have. It just is convenient to have the right machine for the job at your disposal.

Must be nice to have a boss-man who thinks like that... Can I get you to talk to my loser-boss and tell HER that one?

[bluesman2a]

OH, back on topic, I own the MM251 and have yet to find a situation where the machine's capabilities do not meet or exceed my own meager skills.

[Sberry]

At rated output the MM251 is 2 volts better than the 255 and 4 better than the Hobart. For real proffessional use I would rule out the Hobart and if you were going to do spray arc I would think the 2 V would come into play,, I say, go Blue

[Aaron]

S-

I'm not far away, and neither is Bob. Get ahold of one of us if you feel the need to try a MM251 for yourself. I think you'll be impressed.

The skeptics can say what they please. I like my MM251.

[Scott V]

Aaron,I think the Lincoln 255 has kind of a ropey weld bead from what I seen.I really like the way the esab bites in.I would say the Miller is in the middle.Try some .045 with 90/10 gas,and in spray you will see with machine has the most real world voltage.

[Aaron]

Scott,

I have tried 90/8/2 (airgas steelmix extra) w/ .035" wire. The MM251 will spray, but not without cranking it all the way up. I kinda expected it though, as I had been told that the helium would do that.

I now run 98-2, and I am quite impressed with how well the machine sprays. I am still unwavering in my belief that I have never seen or used a better short-arc machine (w/ C25).

Truth is, I leave the 98-2 hooked up, and I spray virtually everything. It makes for very little cleanup.

[Scott V]

Aaron,I bet 98/8/2 sprays at a lower voltage then 90/10.I tried some 95/3/2 a couple of times,and it really did,but I was using the esab so it did not matter at all.


I am still unwavering in my belief that I have never seen or used a better short-arc machine (w/ C25).

Aaron,that could be true for you,but try it with .023 wire on thin metal,and see if you like the control.The 250X welded funny with that setup.I think the 251 in general is fine if you stick with .035,but the esab run will different wire sizes better.It also is very nice with the co2 tap.I don't think there is a whole lot of difference between a 250x,and a 251.Meters,and a run in that is on the board on the 250x.I think I will go play with the 250x again that a guy traded in at the welding store.The reason?he had the 250x at home,and a esab 250 at work,and just could not take it any longer.So he bought a new esab 250 plus.