Guest TegRacer324 Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 I'm picking up a MIG soon to finally get a start on my car. I was thinking of getting a Lincoln 175+ or a Millermatic 175. I figured the 135's with the carts are only about 100 bucks less than a 175 without it and I'd never run into a problem with anything too thick for what I'll be doing. In talking to a couple guys at the local shops they said to not even bother with a 175 and that if I ever came across 1/4" stuff to just prep it. So should I take their advice and step down to the 135 or get the 175? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Some-Guy Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 personaly i would get the 175 just incase you ever need to do something alittle heavier can always turn the heat down and or put a smaller size wire in........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boodlefoof Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 I agree, always buy more welder than you think you'll need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaime240z Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 One more vote for the 175 series. It is always a good idea to buy a little big with welders. I got the 175 and now I wish I had went with the MM210, even if it is only 1 instance in which it would be an advantage. One thing the smaller machines have an advantage with is the input voltage. I don't know about you but I only have a dryer plug to power my 175 welder and there is 110v power outside the house readily available. This is more of a convinience factor than anything though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TegRacer324 Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 What kind of things have you guys run into that you needed more than the 135? Just outta curiousity. I'm kinda thinking the same thing too, but I dunno the guys at the shop are telling me different for some reason. Haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 The main issue for me was also the 110V vs 220V. Especially renting, can't really justify the expense of the 220 and the electrician to wire up the garage for it too. And as a side note, I bought my welder to weld on my car, and nothing I'll ever weld for the car will be thick enough to justify 220V power. It could be that in a year I'll decide I want to weld a trailer together or something, but I'm not anticipating running out of welder anytime soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boodlefoof Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 Things you might want to know your welder is up to: fabbing motor mounts, building a roll cage, welding on a trailer hitch, making a driveshaft loop, making subframe connectors, etc. Before I bought a welder, I "test drove" both the MM 135 and 175. I also thought the 175 struck a more consistent arc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 120 vs 220. I wired up a custom adapter for my dryer. It had the correct male for the 220 outlet on the wall and then it split into two connectors. One has the dryer female plug on it and the other has a standard three prong extension cord female. That way I could plug in a heavy extension cord out thorugh the door to the garage any time I needed the 220. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_hunt Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 It's not that you don't need 175, but if you do and you only have 135, what are you going to do. Kind of like having 8 inches and wishing you did! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 I have a 175 amp DC MIG, but have yet to turn the heat setting all the way up. Smaller amp welders usually have a low setting that is rated for thinner gage metal. I think getting a DC welder is actually more important than the max amp range. I like 220 V just because it doesn't dim the house lights like a 110 V unit can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad-ManQ45 Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 I bought a MM175, then ran a 220/240V circuit to power my air compressor in the basement and the welder in the garage. It was a no brainer for me - I was going to have to run a circuit for the compressor. I will say that the 175 handled the 1/4" and 3/16" tubing I made my rotisserie out of with no problems. I say go w/the 175 class machine and get a long extension cord. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 My Z hasn't fallen off of the rotisserie that I built out of a mix of 1/8" and 3/16" tubing either, and I just welded up my rollbar the other day. Put voltage all the way up and did some test welds, looked like it penetrated just fine, so I just zipped it on up. Hopefully I'll never have to tell you whether those welds held up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest el240z Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 Don't you get a longer duty cycle with a 220v machine. That might be a benefit for some. El Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 73TPIZ Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 It's not that you don't need 175, but if you do and you only have 135, what are you going to do. Kind of like having 8 inches and wishing you did! ROTFLMAO I know where i could rent the 175 if needed, but where would i rent the other thing for say a long weekend? Also, if i picked it up on a Friday afternoon and bring it back Monday morn, will they charge me for 1 day or 3? :) Gotta count on leaving them the damage deposit too, cause its gonna get banged up a little......... Funny stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 Check also whether the 135 uses a 15 amp or 20 amp plug. 15 has the traditional spades on the plug II just like that while the 20 has -I so it won't work in a regular household outlet. And if that's the case, go ahead and get the 175! You can always rig up adapter plugs, but be aware that you won't be able to get full power from the 135. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 73TPIZ Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 My Lincoln 135 has the normal plug. I kinda wanted a 175, but dragging the 220V around would be a PITA for my situation. Plus a friend has my old Millermatic 200 that i can borrow if i have to weld big stuff. If not for having the MM 200 close by and easily able to borrow, i woulda polly got a 175. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_hunt Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 I hear they can tatoo stripes on it to make it seem longer than it really is. Of course Thumper and On3go told me that after a 30 pack of rolling rock and Nawwwsssss. The smaller welders are fine, depends on what you plan on doing and how much you plan on doing. The smaller welders have a low duty cycle at their higher amp range as do all welders. I've got a 250 amp mig and I've had to use it at the higher ranges so it depends on what you plan on encountering. Better to be packing a big johnson than a little johnson IMO. That is if you have the right receptacle to plug in to. Ha-ha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest el240z Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 Are we still talking about welding. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TegRacer324 Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 Yeah I'm really thinkin it over. What are cages usually done with? 175+ I'm guessin? They're usually what 3/16"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evildky Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 I have a 135, I built my rotisaree and my lifting frame with it and all kinds of other crap, I run a pretty small wire, a it's much easier to use on thin sheetmetal, when welding thickers stuff speed up the wire and slow down the torch, I'd not had any weld brake in my years of welding, and in my 48 foot long garage I don' need a 220v outlet evert 10 feet, thats the problem I'v having with my tig, I'm gonna just get a decent roll of 6/3 and put no-binds at both ends to it's not stuck at one end of the garage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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