Lincoln 180 vs Hobart 187

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Which is better and why?  Which one has the least amount of problems? Looking at the Lincoln 180 at Lowes or the Hobart 187 from online.  Most of the material I will be doing will be 3/16 with some being up to 1/4.  The lincoln will do up to 3/16 with gas and 1/2 with out (what it says, so I guess it could be pushing it with both)The hobart says 5/16 they also both say they will do as low as 24 gauge which would be helpful for doing body work and other projects.  Thanks.  Any constructive criticism would be good.
Reply:I have the Hobart 187 and I love it. I can't comment on the Lincoln but I think either one would be a good choice.HH 187Miller Bluestar1EAHP AlphaTig 200X
Reply:Just my $.02, but if you can spend the extra money, get a Lincoln 180C for the continuously variable voltage setting.  I'm a hobby welder, but even I appreciate being able to tweak to voltage and wire speed to get a better weld.TeddCoHTP Microcut 400 & Invertig 160DC  Smith Dual Guard MD-510 OA Rig  Lincoln SP135+  Hobart Stickmate LX 235/160
Reply:I have the HH 187 it is a great welder, its not the first mig I have owned as I have had a Century 135 and a HH175. The HH 187 is easy to set up, and produces great welds with little spatter. I have also mig welded with a few other migs and find that I like the HH 187 more and more each time I use it.  The first mig I had was the Century 135 it had infinate settings on it which seemed like I always had to keep adjusting to keep it tuned in to weld. I really like the tapped settings a lot better and find it easy to set up. Usually the settings I use is pretty close to the recommended settings on the door chart. Hobart tooks some of the features that made the MM 210 so great and incorporated those features into the HH 187. Recently they have also came out with the HH 210. I hear reviews that it is an awsome welder also if you have a little more cash to spare.  Hobarts customer service is the very best you will find.
Reply:so what i'm reading is that if I go with the Lincoln I should go with the 180C and if not go with the hobart.  I've heard of both the lincoln and hobart having troubles with the plastic drive wheels and such.  Is this true?  Do they make steel replacements to keep that from happening or is this just one of those rare things that's just going to happen.  thankswhat about a miller 180?  i know a couple people with hobarts and they say they can't be happier with them.  one with the older hobart 180 and another with a newer 187.  they say they are great.as of right now i'm leaning towards a hobart 187
Reply:The HH187 has 7 taps, which EASILY cover the voltage ranges.  You will have no disadvantage here compared to a variable-voltage machine.Ignore the marketting.  They will weld the exact same thicknesses when loaded with idetical wires, gases, etc.  If you can find the fine print on the Lincoln claim, you might be surprised at what is involved to get that 1/2".The HH187 is far superior to the HH180, and yes, a lot of people liked that unit as well.In short, all three makes are excellent units with excellent warranties.  Dan, a user with more MIG experience and know-how than I can even remember has run them all, and is well qualified to discuss them.  He likes them all, too, of this current offering, but he will still give the small edge to the HH187.You get more customer service from Miller/Hobart, and they also have forums for asking questions.Unless you want to match some other existing equipment color in your shop, I'd get the Hobart without hesitation.Nobody makes a MIG with plastic drive wheels.
Reply:I have the 180c. I like it.  The top end is not an issue for me. I mostly use it for 11g and 16g stuff.  Most noticeable benefit is that it start hot with minimal spatter.  The machine is almost 100% dedicated handrail fab, hence with such short welds starts are important. The $200 spoolgun might be added incentive to go with a lincoln.  I do have the spoolgun.  It works well.I have never used the HH.
Reply:I will second a couple of things that Mac has mentioned, I have not welded with the Lincoln 180 but I do know that Dan has as he has one of the HH 187 and his son has the Lincoln. Dan has always found the HH 187 to be the better of the two. I also frequent the Hobart board and when someone has a problem with any issues with their welder it is not very long until someone with Hobart is helping take care of the issue. Sometimes it is just human error on the part of the person trying to operate the welder. Same for the people buying the reconditioned Hobart welders, I have seen them mention a problem with their reconditioned units and Hobart is jumping in and taking care of the problem. Hobart puts their forum out there for everyone to discuss the way they feel about anything welding. They do not ban anything said about a different brand welding equip.  I think it works out great for them as well, as they know what everyone would like to see and what is working well for others. They also do not put a product out on the market without doing a lot of research on it. Which includes extensive field testing, they weigh what they hear from these field test sites and if they hear suggestions or problems with the units that are needed they are taken care of, with more testing performed after making the changes. The field test sites are chosen from professional and Hobby users so they get a great all around test performed on the product before it is ever put on the market. Sometimes the product is not put on the market for what ever reason, but for those products that are produced you can be sure there has been a lot of consideration making it something that will perform well and that will hold up to about everything you can throw at it.
Reply:went with the hobart 187Tyler03 Jeep Wrangler, Lifted, Locked 36sHobart 187
Reply:I'm betting you will be very happy with it. It is a nice welder well worth the price.
Reply:Excellent choice!  Update us with how ya feel about it! Have a Jeep Cherokee?  Click Here!
Reply:Keeping your choice of unit between the HH 187, PM 180C, and MM 180, you couldn't have made a bad choice. Since you mentioned 1/4" , if you're going to be running solid wire, the higher top end power level that the HH 187 is capable of outputting over the Lincoln, makes it the better choice for this application. The Hh 187 is a real nice 3/16" unit. Just understand the settings provided on the door chart are just a Hobart employees opinion were to set the unit, and only then for whatever joint they were welding on to come up with that setting. Depending on the joint design, position of the weld, and how critical of stresses the joint will see, voltage taps 4 - 6 work well on 3/16".For 1/8" applications I, so far, tend to use taps 3 and 4. Tap 3 for butt joints and out side corner, and  tap 4 for laps and T joints. So far, my 1/8" project have all been the type that I've been able to position the joint into a flat or horizontal position. So I have no idea at this point if tap 2 would be need for vertical up applications.The 187 performs well with an .030 or .035 wire on 3/16" or 1/4".The 187 is also a real good light ga sheetmetal unit with an .023 solid wire and C-25.The Hobart design engineer did a real good job on this unit, the arc characteristics, and weld puddle wet out are solid throughout the units entire output range.I just want to point out too, that i am definitely not a Hobart Homer . I made a pretty good hobby out of bad mouthing the performance of their HH 180, that the HH 187 replaced.
Reply:well i'm sure glad it was a good choice.  I plan to build a cart in a few months for practice as well as something more rugged than the standard cart.  I do understand that the things on the door are more like suggestions.  Most of the welding will be 3/16 but occationally I will make a skid plate or modify my current transfer case skid plate out of 1/4".  I will also be hopefully doing body work on my 48 and 46 CJ 2a Willys in a couple months as well once the funding comes in for that.Tyler03 Jeep Wrangler, Lifted, Locked 36sHobart 187
Reply:I too am looking to purchase a MIG welder and have narrowed it down to the HH 187 or MM180, or the HH 210.  The above advice was very helpful.  Is this a Ford, Chevy thing, can I compare the options and be happy with either product or is one better than the other?   I just sold my Miller Thunderbolt arc welder which I was very happy with.   Open to new Ideas but the miller product I had was excellent.
Reply:I don't think you will go wrong with any of the three, and each of them probably have something about them that may be just a little better then the other two. I do have my favorite in the 180 class mig welder and that being the Hobart  HH 187 welder,  I have burnt a lot of wire with the HH 175, so far I haven't tried the HH 210 but hear that it is also a very nice welder. I will say that I think that Hobart customer service shines above all the rest. I feel like they go above and beyond. I know that Dan has burnt a lot of wire on the Miller MM 180, the Hobart HH 180, Hobart HH 187,  and the Lincoln 180. From everything he has said I feel like he gives the HH 187 a better report then the rest.
Reply:The HH210 will have an easy spoolgun option, and higher output and duty cycles over the HH187.  Other than that, not much different.  If you will never use the duty cycle, higher output, or spoolgun, than the HH187 will give you slightly more voltage control.
Reply:Originally Posted by gnewbySame for the people buying the reconditioned Hobart welders, I have seen them mention a problem with their reconditioned units and Hobart is jumping in and taking care of the problem.
Reply:Red is always better!DewayneDixieland WeldingMM350PLincoln 100Some torchesOther misc. tools
Reply:Post #9, the guy already bought a HH 187. Ya, don't you just love that red "diamond core" technology?John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:Originally Posted by MicroZonePost #9, the guy already bought a HH 187. Ya, don't you just love that red "diamond core" technology?
Reply:Supposedly, it helps stabilize the system under load. The brand spanky new Lincoln 255 I used a few weeks ago was nice but compensating for the unit compensating was awkward.John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:The Power MIG® 255C sets the standard for MIG and flux-cored welding in industrial production, job shop fabrication, maintenance or repair work. Diamond Core Technology™ delivers a wide voltage sweet spot across the welding range, low spatter levels and a forgiving arc on steel, stainless and aluminum – even for demanding out-of-position work.The unit I was using for a few weeks, using 2 - 30lb. rolls of .035 wire, actually seemed like it made MORE spatter on small 16ga. material. Was the weld better? I don't think so. I'll post a pic of the sleeve on my weld jacket...just from welding 16 ga. material...good lord!John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:The ranger 250 I got has some kinda **** like that on it, whatever, wrap it up and charge me for it.DewayneDixieland WeldingMM350PLincoln 100Some torchesOther misc. tools
Reply:The heaviest thing I've welded were control arm brackets to my axle tubes.  I don't anticipate welding anything heavier than that.  That's why I was thinking HH210.  Most of the work I've done and anticipate doing will be with 0.125 to 0.25 or smaller.  I'm talking myself into the HH187.  I just don't want to leave myself short one day when I need it.expand on "slightly more voltage control"
Reply:Originally Posted by WeJeepThe heaviest thing I've welded were control arm brackets to my axle tubes.  I don't anticipate welding anything heavier than that.  That's why I was thinking HH210.  Most of the work I've done and anticipate doing will be with 0.125 to 0.25 or smaller.  I'm talking myself into the HH187.  I just don't want to leave myself short one day when I need it.expand on "slightly more voltage control"jkmola, you asked about where to do a search for reconditioned welders at try Tool King.com several have bought welders through them and have heard good comments about the buy there. They rate the reconditioned welders A,B, or C condition. You might read over the info as to what each means if you are interested in one there. They may not currently have the welder you are looking for, but they are always getting in more.
Reply:Well that pretty much clenches it, the HH210 it is.  The MM212 is almost twice the price on sale at ABCO for $1540 today.   A whole different class of  welder.  You guys have a lot of great information posted here.  Thanks.
Reply:Thanks.  I'm on it!!! Originally Posted by gnewbyjkmola, you asked about where to do a search for reconditioned welders at try Tool King.com several have bought welders through them and have heard good comments about the buy there. They rate the reconditioned welders A,B, or C condition. You might read over the info as to what each means if you are interested in one there. They may not currently have the welder you are looking for, but they are always getting in more.
Reply:My Hobart 187 is being shipped today.I have several plans already including... making a heavy duty "offroad" welding cart with larger tires because the drive way isnt smooth so plastic wheels won't cut it.  The cart also may have extra room below for either a plasma cutter down the road or a shelf for other tools.  Also thinking about putting a table on top to make it more of a multi use product.  Also going to modify pre fabbed Poison Spider Tube fenders (got a really good deal on them) by cutting and moving a tube to enlarge the wheel well about 2-2.5" back to keep my tires out of the fenders.  My other project includes extra braces for my front bumper as well as light tabs for my rear bumper for extra reverse lights as well as making a swing out tire carrier.Last edited by JeepRocks86; 11-29-2007 at 12:23 AM.Tyler03 Jeep Wrangler, Lifted, Locked 36sHobart 187
Reply:Sounds like you are going to be keeping the welder pretty busy for awhile. You will really enjoy it, you are probably going to be finding all kinds of other things you are going to be buying to go along with it. Myself I think I have one 4" and about  4 - 4 1/2" grinders, one 7" grinder, a lot of different clamps. Best to buy quality clamps the first time around on the clamps. The cheap ones I tried soon found them selfs being used to fill the bottom of the trash can pretty shortly.
Reply:I have a 4.5" angle grinder.  Has worked great on other things so far.Tyler03 Jeep Wrangler, Lifted, Locked 36sHobart 187
Reply:187 came in today.  It's at the lady friend's awaiting chirstmas.  I got to see the box and look at the outside but didn't get to open itTyler03 Jeep Wrangler, Lifted, Locked 36sHobart 187
Reply:Go with the Hobart 210. You won't regret it, for a bit. Love welding?  http://industrial-tools-equipment.com