miller 251 - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

extremetoy · 10-30-2006, 06:27 PM

Im in the market for one of these babies, whats the best price you have found em for?
- also feel free to post how you like/ dont like about it
Thanks Gary

AthlonAJ · 10-30-2006, 06:28 PM

Best price...oh man oh man...a few years ago Miller was giving a free spoolgun with purchase, killer deal. I doubt we'll ever see that again, they sold a ton of them.

Wicked_S10 · 10-30-2006, 06:49 PM

I paid about $1800 after taxes and trading in my little 80cf c25 bottle for a 165cf(? not sure, but the biggest bottle airgas had). I have put roughly 1000lbs of .035 wire through it, and it is a very good machine. Lately I have had a few rough patches with it, but it appears it is mostly taken care of. I had to replace the gun about 6 months ago, and I would highly recomend a high quality brass ground clamp, alot of my mystery problems stemmed from the fact that the crimped lug had burned through the cheap sheet metal clamp they provide, and I was getting a poor ground, I chased the problem for a long time before I found it.

Later,
Jason

Hackfabricaton · 10-31-2006, 04:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by extremetoy

Im in the market for one of these babies, whats the best price you have found em for? - also feel free to post how you like/ dont like about it

I think I'd look at the 210 unless you're working on heavy steel the 210 will get the job done. My son has the 175 and it's a damn fine welder. You can pick one of them up for around $835. He has limited experience and he can lay down some nice welds with it. You can get a 210 with spoolgun for $1941.00 on eBay. A basic 210 runs $1328. A basic 251 runs $1842. Pretty much the 'going rate' for these welders. You'll still have to purchase the tank/gas at these prices.

You might consider the 175 then use the rest of the money you would have saved on a Miller 375 ($1082) plasma cutter. For a couple hundred more than just the cost of a 251 you can have both, and unless you plan on doing a bunch of commercial stuff or plan on welding up aircraft carriers in your spare time, you're ahead of the game.

As I'll never (that I can think of anyway) have the need to weld/cut anything thicker than 3/8" the 210 welder and the 375 plasma suit my needs and budget well.

B-rock · 10-31-2006, 08:32 AM

Lots of info on here in the search this is a VERY nice welder

I have a 251, My reasoning was I wanted a VERY nice welder and i only wanted to buy ONE. This thing should last me the rest of my life. I highly doubt I will ever crank it up to it's high settings. It is a big machine, If you have the space i would consider getting it. The infinate adjustability is a nice feature over the 210 but not biggie.

On plasma cutters pretty much the ones to get are either the hypertherm 600 OR the thermal dynamics 51. get whatever one you have acess to consumables easily and cheapest. they are pretty much the same machine.

TANNERJENNINGS24 · 10-31-2006, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AthlonAJ

Best price...oh man oh man...a few years ago Miller was giving a free spoolgun with purchase, killer deal. I doubt we'll ever see that again, they sold a ton of them.

I got one at that time, I think it was $2200 out the door from airgas.
The 251 is the best welder I have ever owned/used.

JESSE_at_TLT · 10-31-2006, 01:16 PM

I wrote this article for Off-Road.Com about the MM251 a while ago. No pricing information, but you said you were also looking for some feedback. For the record, I love mine.

kortam · 10-31-2006, 03:18 PM

Make sure you pickup a unit with long enough cable. Small detail I overlooked while purchasing.

sucmah · 10-31-2006, 03:54 PM

i bought mine about 3 months ago and like it alot. I run .035 solid and it does all i ask it to. Best deal i found was through quimby welding supplies. Look on ebay, they usualy have a few for sale and their price cant be beat, i saved around $70 over the ebay price since they are local to me and they knocked off the shipping money.

no excuses · 10-31-2006, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sucmah

i bought mine about 3 months ago and like it alot. I run .035 solid and it does all i ask it to. Best deal i found was through quimby welding supplies. Look on ebay, they usualy have a few for sale and their price cant be beat, i saved around $70 over the ebay price since they are local to me and they knocked off the shipping money.

yeh like you know how to weld

James_Fendley · 10-31-2006, 04:22 PM

I think I paid 1789.00 last summer. Bought local so I had about 130.00 in taxes on top of that. Not a bad weld yet. Big jump over my HH 175.

extremetoy · 10-31-2006, 10:14 PM

well ive been using a miller 135 and its just not enough and i dont want to have to go through the process of getting a new one later if im going to need it. thanks for the responses. ive never welded w/ anything but the 135 we have. what is the most noticable difference with the bigger machines? is it easier to make a nice bead? less splatter? less "popping"? takes less time to weld the thicker stuff? stronger weld?

Wicked_S10 · 10-31-2006, 11:14 PM

I too had a MM135 before I bought my MM251. The main reason I bought the 251, was because trade in on my 2 tear old MM135 was only like $200, and I have paid $900 for it w/ gas. I didn't want to be in a position where I needed a bigger machine in 4 years and be stuck with something worth basically nothing. The price difference between the 210 and 251 was only about $250 (not talking list price, this is what my airgas guys quoted me at the time), I couldn't see not buying the mm251. Between the 135 and the 251, there is absolutely no comparison. Longer duty cycle, smoother welds, surperior feed control, more wire capacity, faster welding if you know what you are doing. And the list goes on, you will not regret it.

Later,
Jason

B-rock · 11-01-2006, 09:08 AM

of all the tools I have in my garage my 251 is my favorite! Night and day difference in weld and quality.

TANNERJENNINGS24 · 11-01-2006, 09:24 AM

One thing I like about the MM251 is the fan does not run all the time it only runs when it has to,so you don't suck all that crap in to the welder.

scottz · 11-08-2006, 11:27 PM

I just tried one of these out today and was really impressed with it. I welded an apron panel (thin sheetmetal unibody structure) back into an 05 scion. I was amazed by how fine the adjustment was and how I was easily welding sheetmetal with a machine that will also weld 1/2 plate in one pass. Best welder I have ever used.

extremetoy · 11-09-2006, 10:06 AM

good to hear since were picking one up today

X-Rated · 11-09-2006, 10:37 AM

I went with the 210, like it alot, sometimes wish I could tweak the power like I can with the 251 at the shop.... But I dont regret saving the 600 dollars.

I paid 1200 for my 210

KYOTA · 11-10-2006, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AthlonAJ

Best price...oh man oh man...a few years ago Miller was giving a free spoolgun with purchase, killer deal. I doubt we'll ever see that again, they sold a ton of them.

thats when I bought my MM 210 w/ free spoolgun and free shipping off ebay, cyberweld I think it was

10-30-2006, 06:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
extremetoy Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Member # 21887 Location: pleasanton ca Posts: 2,300	miller 251 Im in the market for one of these babies, whats the best price you have found em for? - also feel free to post how you like/ dont like about it Thanks Gary __________________ Sit down lawn mower

10-30-2006, 06:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
Wicked_S10 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Member # 14848 Location: Midland, Mi Posts: 1,750	I paid about $1800 after taxes and trading in my little 80cf c25 bottle for a 165cf(? not sure, but the biggest bottle airgas had). I have put roughly 1000lbs of .035 wire through it, and it is a very good machine. Lately I have had a few rough patches with it, but it appears it is mostly taken care of. I had to replace the gun about 6 months ago, and I would highly recomend a high quality brass ground clamp, alot of my mystery problems stemmed from the fact that the crimped lug had burned through the cheap sheet metal clamp they provide, and I was getting a poor ground, I chased the problem for a long time before I found it. Later, Jason __________________ 2006 JCORF Buggy, 60's,Locked F&R,42" TSLs,EFI460,C6,Atlas5.0 Comp Case 1988 Bronco,in progress

10-31-2006, 08:32 AM	#5 (permalink)
B-rock Wheeler Join Date: Apr 2002 Member # 11056 Location: Vancouver Warshington Posts: 368	Lots of info on here in the search this is a VERY nice welder I have a 251, My reasoning was I wanted a VERY nice welder and i only wanted to buy ONE. This thing should last me the rest of my life. I highly doubt I will ever crank it up to it's high settings. It is a big machine, If you have the space i would consider getting it. The infinate adjustability is a nice feature over the 210 but not biggie. On plasma cutters pretty much the ones to get are either the hypertherm 600 OR the thermal dynamics 51. get whatever one you have acess to consumables easily and cheapest. they are pretty much the same machine. __________________ 93 YJ, SOA. 37's locked '08 6.7L 4 door 4x4 LB. Mineral gray. Lorenz bilstein leveling kit. SRT hood. AFE CAI. Mag-hytec's. SMARTY ME. 120HP injectors. II stage 2 turbo.

10-31-2006, 01:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
JESSE_at_TLT fishingwithdynamite Join Date: May 2004 Member # 30721 Location: on the road Posts: 3,186	I wrote this article for Off-Road.Com about the MM251 a while ago. No pricing information, but you said you were also looking for some feedback. For the record, I love mine. __________________ GatosBros · Crux Studio · Trails Less Traveled

10-31-2006, 03:18 PM	#8 (permalink)
kortam Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Member # 35715 Location: NJ Posts: 122	Make sure you pickup a unit with long enough cable. Small detail I overlooked while purchasing. __________________ Tellico Post #437. KEEP OUR TRAILS OPEN!!!!

10-30-2006, 06:28 PM	#2 (permalink)
AthlonAJ Potted Meat Join Date: Mar 2002 Member # 10462 Location: Iowa Posts: 948	Best price...oh man oh man...a few years ago Miller was giving a free spoolgun with purchase, killer deal. I doubt we'll ever see that again, they sold a ton of them.

10-31-2006, 03:54 PM	#9 (permalink)
sucmah Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Member # 50949 Location: washington Posts: 572	i bought mine about 3 months ago and like it alot. I run .035 solid and it does all i ask it to. Best deal i found was through quimby welding supplies. Look on ebay, they usualy have a few for sale and their price cant be beat, i saved around $70 over the ebay price since they are local to me and they knocked off the shipping money.

10-31-2006, 04:22 PM	#11 (permalink)
James_Fendley Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Member # 15281 Location: North Carolina Posts: 290	I think I paid 1789.00 last summer. Bought local so I had about 130.00 in taxes on top of that. Not a bad weld yet. Big jump over my HH 175.

10-31-2006, 10:14 PM	#12 (permalink)
extremetoy Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Member # 21887 Location: pleasanton ca Posts: 2,300	well ive been using a miller 135 and its just not enough and i dont want to have to go through the process of getting a new one later if im going to need it. thanks for the responses. ive never welded w/ anything but the 135 we have. what is the most noticable difference with the bigger machines? is it easier to make a nice bead? less splatter? less "popping"? takes less time to weld the thicker stuff? stronger weld? __________________ Sit down lawn mower

10-31-2006, 11:14 PM	#13 (permalink)
Wicked_S10 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Member # 14848 Location: Midland, Mi Posts: 1,750	I too had a MM135 before I bought my MM251. The main reason I bought the 251, was because trade in on my 2 tear old MM135 was only like $200, and I have paid $900 for it w/ gas. I didn't want to be in a position where I needed a bigger machine in 4 years and be stuck with something worth basically nothing. The price difference between the 210 and 251 was only about $250 (not talking list price, this is what my airgas guys quoted me at the time), I couldn't see not buying the mm251. Between the 135 and the 251, there is absolutely no comparison. Longer duty cycle, smoother welds, surperior feed control, more wire capacity, faster welding if you know what you are doing. And the list goes on, you will not regret it. Later, Jason __________________ 2006 JCORF Buggy, 60's,Locked F&R,42" TSLs,EFI460,C6,Atlas5.0 Comp Case 1988 Bronco,in progress

11-01-2006, 09:08 AM	#14 (permalink)
B-rock Wheeler Join Date: Apr 2002 Member # 11056 Location: Vancouver Warshington Posts: 368	of all the tools I have in my garage my 251 is my favorite! Night and day difference in weld and quality. __________________ 93 YJ, SOA. 37's locked '08 6.7L 4 door 4x4 LB. Mineral gray. Lorenz bilstein leveling kit. SRT hood. AFE CAI. Mag-hytec's. SMARTY ME. 120HP injectors. II stage 2 turbo.

11-01-2006, 09:24 AM	#15 (permalink)
TANNERJENNINGS24 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Member # 50730 Location: Bennett, CO Posts: 484	One thing I like about the MM251 is the fan does not run all the time it only runs when it has to,so you don't suck all that crap in to the welder.

11-08-2006, 11:27 PM	#16 (permalink)
scottz savage Join Date: Sep 2000 Member # 1730 Location: Rio Linda, Ca Posts: 1,835	I just tried one of these out today and was really impressed with it. I welded an apron panel (thin sheetmetal unibody structure) back into an 05 scion. I was amazed by how fine the adjustment was and how I was easily welding sheetmetal with a machine that will also weld 1/2 plate in one pass. Best welder I have ever used. __________________ "they've lowered the speed limit to zero and banned reverse"

11-09-2006, 10:06 AM	#17 (permalink)
extremetoy Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Member # 21887 Location: pleasanton ca Posts: 2,300	good to hear since were picking one up today __________________ Sit down lawn mower

11-09-2006, 10:37 AM	#18 (permalink)
X-Rated Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Member # 72707 Location: Norfolk VA Posts: 1,807	I went with the 210, like it alot, sometimes wish I could tweak the power like I can with the 251 at the shop.... But I dont regret saving the 600 dollars. I paid 1200 for my 210

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