[AthlonAJ]

Read a ton of good info using the SEARCH, it seems these welders are generally underrated for power and will do more than advertised. What I would like to know is what heat settings are most of you using for 3/16 and 1/4 steel in general? And have any of you had it shut off welding steel in that range? I do quite a bit of welding with a good 75% of work being done on 3/16" steel, rarely thicker than 1/4" and I have a 225 buzzbox as a backup too for thicker material.

 

[bad76ih]

Miller 175

I had the miller and was very happy with it. It cut off sometimes on the highest settings. I got to were I could usually stop before it went off. I sold it and bought a millermatic 251 - I needed something to weld thicker metals. I love it. Bought it from a company I found on ebay, they paid shipping. 90% of the time I used the settings miller suggested and it worked fine. I don't remember what the settings were specifically.

 

[ZUK]

AthlonAJ--what do you mean you do "quite a bit of welding"? You mean that you use the 225 amp buzzbox for welding up the tractor parts or the cornbinder bucket? You weld on a daily basis?

 

[morpheus]

I have a hobart 175 and it has 4 power settings, I normally weld with it in position 3 for 3/16" or 1/4".

Most Miller/Hobart welders are different than say a Lincoln for example which will quit in the middle of a weld once you hit the duty cycle. A Miller/Hobart will let you finish the weld and then not allow you to start back until the machine is ready.

- jack

 

[camo]

i have a miller 175. i use the miller recomended settings. i have build alot of stuff including a complete tube buggy and never had mine run out of duty cycle. i have also owned the bigger box millers but traded mine in on the small box to make taking it to competitions easer. i don't miss the larger unit. my 175 works for my needs

 

[uglyscout]

i have a miller 175. i use the miller recomended settings. i have build alot of stuff including a complete tube buggy and never had mine run out of duty cycle. i have also owned the bigger box millers but traded mine in on the small box to make taking it to competitions easer. i don't miss the larger unit. my 175 works for my needs

There is something to be said for portability. When my club goes wheeling - we bring everything and the kitchen sink. And one of the guys brings his Miller 175 - way easier than trying to load the other guys Miller 250... It has welded hundred - seriously - of vehicles at the trail head and never needed more power. All it won't do is make decent 'Miller Lockers' For that we bust out the Big azz arc machine that is loaded with a crane on the back of one guys trailer...

Some guy may need more power but if your range is 3/16 to 1/4 go with the 175 and buy some cool toys with the left over money.

 

[rodzzilla]

You mean that you use the 225 amp buzzbox for welding up the tractor parts or the cornbinder bucket?

Spoiled my surprise unvailing of the Farmall M crawler. :flipoff2:

 

[Shrock]

I use:
V=6 / WS=75 for 3/16"
V=8 / WS=80 for 1/4"

Mine has never shut off. V goes to 10 and WS goes to 100, so you are not maxing it out when welding 1/4".

 

[biggnome]

I use:
V=6 / WS=75 for 3/16"
V=8 / WS=80 for 1/4"

Mine has never shut off. V goes to 10 and WS goes to 100, so you are not maxing it out when welding 1/4".

Are you running shielding gas when welding or are you using gasless flux core?

 

[AthlonAJ]

AthlonAJ--what do you mean you do "quite a bit of welding"? You mean that you use the 225 amp buzzbox for welding up the tractor parts or the cornbinder bucket? You weld on a daily basis?

:flipoff2: BWAHHAHA Yeah yeah yeah, I know I'm surrounded by livestock and crops here but the only tractor mods I'm doing is on the Lawnchief. "Quite a bit of welding" is that as a side job I've been building XJ and ZJ rockrails,bumpers, whatever.. and just have always used a buzzbox since that's what I learned on and used at a previous job. Just tired of chipping slag so if I could use a MIG for the bulk of the work it would be great. Plus there's a lot of thin sheetmetal projects I have for myself and it's tricky using a stick welder.

I'd say fawk it and get the 210 but since most of the welding is in the 3/16 range it would save me a chunk of $$$ to just get the 175. Need that money to go buy some Amish baked goods down the road.