Miller or Lincoln? help me decide...

[dozer dude]

I was set on buying a Miller 210 until I found this deal on a Lincoln 215 power mig. They are almost the same price.

Lincoln 215

Miller 210

[Cannon Motorsports]

I'd never buy a lincoln again due to terrible customer service. Go with miller.......the internal components are much much better and its built better. Millers parts are also easily purchased and most of the time in stock.

[coupleaxjs]

I personally haven't had any problems with Lincoln but I've never own'd one. I can tell you that Millers are great though and I'd recomend that over any other. The 210 is a good size to get. Capable yet not to damn expesive.

[rokdog03]

we bought our miller 210 at christmas and it has tackled every job we have thrown at it. i cant imagine ever needing to upgrade. it also hasnt given us a bit of trouble since we got it. i havent used a lincoln but i dont think you could go wrong with the miller

also its cheaper; seems like a no brainer

[AthlonAJ]

I've used both brands, my .02 would get a Miller. Parts for me are more accessible around here and I've had really good experience with their customer service.

[jeeplord]

I've never had a problem with my Miller, I have had my Plasma cutter in to be serviced, the local Miller reps are great. Very knowledgable.

[dozer dude]

Thanks for the input. Guess I will go with blue.

That Lincoln really seems like a good deal though. A little more pwr and a few extra bells and wistles at almost the same price. I suppose better to buy quality first.

[MattyL13]

i have a little Hobart here at home and i like it for how small it is, (only a 110v) it lays a real nice bead even on 5/16 with two passes. at school our shop is set up with a few AIRCO's i also like them, theyre beat to hell and have not been maintained very well but still lay a good bead. i also love ESAB

Lord

[RFB]

Originally Posted by dozer dude

Thanks for the input. Guess I will go with blue.

That Lincoln really seems like a good deal though. A little more pwr and a few extra bells and wistles at almost the same price. I suppose better to buy quality first.

Had to buy 2 new migs for our shop a couple years ago. The local welding shop has both Lincoln and Miller and after seeing them side by side, I went with the Lincoln, got a 215 and a 255. The design of the wire drive sold me on the Lincoln, beefy and in line with the wire comming off the spool (if you look close, the mig connector comming out of the front of the machine is pointing toward the floor) Haven't had any problems with either welder in 4 years of daily use. IMHO

[HeyBeerMan]

In my shop there are two extremley talented fabricators. We just bought a brand new Lincoln 250.

They both will use the 12 year old Hobart 250 when ever possible.

Take it how you want.


beerman

[Bill4rest]

Miller= Made in USA

Lincoln= Made in Mexico



BTW I have a Miller 210 and love it

[woody99]

I went for the Lincoln because of the great finance rates. 1.9% at the time. Another year and it is paid off

http://www.lincolnelectric.com/produ...comparison.asp

[weldpro]

I use both Lincoln & Miller exclusively , and I will tell you that Lincolns' service just straight sucks.

I had a procut (Lincoln) 55 machine die on me it took two fawking months to get it back!!!! WTF I was of course pissed off for sure. Now my dealer (airgas NCN) let me use a brand new machine off of the floor till mine came back otherwise I would have had to buy another - fawking lincoln.
Also if you look at my Ready Welder thread you will see I ordered parts to convert the front end pieces to a flux core type ceramic set up which just happens to use lincoln parts it took ATLEAST a month to get the parts again WTF.............I will NEVER EVER buy lincoln again as I cannot afford to own machines that take forever to get the parts to fix!

Now Miller on the other hand....
I had a engine driven welder fail , and it went back to the repair facility (not owned by Miller) , and they had it for two weeks (my breaking point) , and then I decided I am going straight to Miller..........within less than 24 hours I had a brand new machine on my truck!!!! Come awn now thats keeping the welder in business!!! Miller is the king no doubt.

It is unfortunate that Lincoln seems not to care as I do like their products but like I have already said with service like that I have received could make me lose alot of money. Its difficult enough of a game as it is already , add in shitty , slow service forget it.

[vamos]

MILLER 210 All the Way! Love it.

[chumly2071]

I deal a lot with my local supplpy house, and they recommend Miller hands down, because of the good customer service. They HATE dealing with lincoln because theirs is SO BAD.... I have a miller 210, and the only thing that will replace it is a 251 or new 350.

[byen00]

I thought the Millermatic 210 had the better "build" than the Lincoln:

------------------------------from arcdawg
miller makes good quality machines as does lincoln, i have run lincoln migs, miller migs, miller tigs and lincoln tigs... i have only ever run miller engine drives and i think that they are very good machines, and as far as lincoln goes (my opinion) is that they cut corners with the build quality of their machines. where when i run any miller machine i feel that it wont let me down, built tougher but miller is defentily loosing out ie that new 185 tig that lincoln has...... and the POWERMIG 300 IS A WELDERS DREAM....IF I ONLY HAD THE $$$$$$$$$$$
------------------------------


I just got this in from another BBS:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
dont get the 210...after looking at welders for a while, welding for a while, and going to buy a welder today....get the lincoln 210. it is build more sturdy than the miller, the auto wire feed for starting new spools is sick, and the internals a really ruged. also, the angle of the gun cable output from inside the welder is at an angle..not straight out..this helps put less stress on the cable and the internals of that cable thus giving ita longer life. go to a welding shop and look at the differences. it is actually pretty big. everything on the lincoln is just build stronger/better. as far as duty cycles..unless u are welding with it all day everyday at really high settings(u probably wont unless its for a welding buisness and the material is pretty thick) then you wont exceed the duty cycle on either one.
--------------

If you want zero down-time, go with the Miller (outstanding customer service).

Otherwise, you might want to take a risk with the Lincoln

[stihl036]

Miller service seems usable to me. Didn't have to use CS with my little Lincoln though.

Both are good in my opinion.

Check out my experience.

http://www.hobartwelders.com/mboard/...5&pagenumber=2

WW

[BootsntheJeep]

At the metal shop I work at, we have all miller machines. The sheet metal side has two or three 185s, in the frame shop we use 250s and a couple brand new 251s. We have one AirCo that I really like welding with, its older than dirt but it lays a gorgeous bead and for some reason I can weld beautiful overhead with it all the time. We have an ESAB plasma cutter and a huge Thermal Dynamics plasma that will pierce 7/8" plate. But we're definetly a Miller shop.

And when I decided I had to have a welder for home, I bought a little 175. Very pleased with it. Miller from here on out, hands down.

Boots

[planet x]

About the made in "mexico" thing, for a fact the Lincoln Powermig 215/255/300, invertec 350/PT275 are made/assembled in Cleveland! I did not ask about other machines in Lincolns line-up.

I suggest that even though Lincoln choose's not to capitalize on the 'flag' like Miller- open up a MM251 & PM255. Start looking around at countrys of origin of the inards, oh start at the 'on/off' switch, you may be suprised at what "made in USA" means.

Which ever way you go- look at the 'amps-for-$$' ratio.

If Lincoln is so chintzy, then why do they give you a female outlet to match the machines male plug?

[James_Fendley]

For where Miller is made check out this link from the Hobart Board. But to be honest my next welder is going to be Miller of Esab.

http://www.hobartwelders.com/mboard/...ighlight=china

[ray balcom]

I'm looking for that all around mig welder that does beautifull welds and can easily tackle overhead and down hill welding either new or old technology (with two reels) for both aluminum and stainless/mild steel ....with push/pull drive system ...tired of bird nests/changing spools/re-setting tenisions/changing gase bottles...an early airco model was mentioned ..anyone try the MM pulser?