VOTE: HOBART vs. MILLER

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after doing a good deal of research here and on line, i've decided to "go blue" ...rather than "red" ... only because my local suply shop is a miller dealer and didn't want to deal with any customer service issues in the future.  i just can not decide which one to get... Hobart Handler 140 ($500ish)Millermatic DVI ($1,000ish)Millermatic 210 ($1,300ish)???? (????) things to consider:i haven't welded in over ten years (when i first learned how to weld).. so i this is a "my first welder" situation.i currently do not own my home, so adding 220v outlet in the garage is not an easy upgrade for now.i plan to weld the following: axle housings (trusses, spring perches, shock mounts, etc.), frame work (custom t-case crossmember, ifs box mount support, gusset spring perches, shock mounts, etc.), tube work (bumpers, tire carrier, rock sliders, roll cage, etc.)any advise you can offer would be appreciated. if you own or have used one of these let me know what you think it can/can't handle.thnx in advance,~roland
Reply:You won't have an easy time welding any of the stuff you've described with the 140.  The DVI is a neat idea, but I don't know of anyone that has found it to be all that useful.  That leaves the MM210.-Heath
Reply:how about the HH180.. 230V for about $600?
Reply:I would say go with the 180 and wire the outlet.  Do you have a 240v dryer outlet?  If so, is it near the garage?  Is your breaker panel near the garage?  Yes to any of these will make things easier.If you honestly plan to do bigger things later on, you might even go with the 210 (which has a really neat spool gun connector option that you might find handy later on).The DVI is a waste of money and the worst of both worlds, underpowered and overpriced.  Miller is trying to fill a niche between getting a 175 amp welder and using 120v, but it might be a niche that should not be filled.  I will bet you that this machine disappears in the near future and is not replaced.  I think miller is trying to give the appearence of 175 amps from a 120v outlet, which is not what the thing will do.  I know they arent saying that, but marketing is a funny thing.  Effective marketing makes people put things together in their mind that is not actually there in front of them in the ad.  The 175-180 amp consumer welders are pretty popular for a reason.  Good prices and more power, just not a great duty cycle.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:Originally Posted by smithboyI would say go with the 180 and wire the outlet.  Do you have a 240v dryer outlet?  If so, is it near the garage?  Is your breaker panel near the garage?  Yes to any of these will make things easier...
Reply:The HH180 is tapped, so it only has a few voltage settings.  The MM175 has continuously variable voltage, but I'm not sure how useful that is.  The MM175 also has wire speed tracking, which is a concept that I don't buy into.  People love the MM210, which is also tapped, but if you don't need the duty cycle then it's probably not worth the money.If your panel is near the garage, it might be relatively inexpensive to pull a 240VAC circuit from it.  If you already have an unused circuit elsewhere in the house, then it's even easier.  This could be a DIY job, but exercise good judgement.  If you're not comfortable working in a panel and pulling some where, then see about getting an electrician to do it.-Heath
Reply:If you don't have a huge issue springing the cash I would go for the MM210 and never look back. It will do everything you have listed with no problem. I know you mentioned you don't own the home, but the 140 is going to be too small for some of the things you listed, if you could spring for the 210 you would never have to wish later you had gone with a bigger machine that could do more.
Reply:i understand that it's best to buy as much tool as you can afford from the start, so you will not regret it when you out grow it.. but the MM210 is double the smaller two.i think i have to decide between the HobartHandler 180 vs. MillerMatic 175...HH=tapped amperage range from 25 - 180 vs. MM=infinite control of 30 - 175.HH@$570 vs. MM@$680orange vs. blue i may be over thinking this, but i need someone to talk me into or out of one of these..  please
Reply:Really, the Handler is the best fit, the Miller is the exact same machine yet the variables of the non-tapped heat control can make it quite difficult to find the sweet spot for the best weld. I am a hobart owner and absolutely love the machines' performance (hh140) JoeyStangnetShop Full Of Stuff. Joey
Reply:The Miller has continuous voltage, not amperage.  Current on a mig welder is set by adjusting the wire speed.  If someone can verify that the Hobart does not have the wire feed tracking, then I would personally be inclined to get that one.-Heath
Reply:Dang Halbritt,If you could perfect that duplexing idea into a device (like a two-plug extention cord with breakers built in and a test for being on the correct leg), I could see a big time market for that.  Home hobby welders and anyone needing 240 anywhere they had two outlets on two different legs.  This would be much better than the simple 120-240 choice.Last edited by smithboy; 08-25-2005 at 09:26 AM.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:i think i am going to end up gettin' the HH180.. ..the miller was so similar in specs that i decided that the tap controls, versus the infinite adjustability might actually work against a beginner like me.and i know, that the bigger machine right now would save me cash in the long run.. but for more than double the cost i had to get the most bang for my buck.. HH180@$567..77 to my door was the best i could do right now.thank all of you who took the time to chime in here.
Reply:I'm sure that the HH180 will make you a great machine. I have the HH175 myself. I recommended the 210 actually because I took the same routine as many others. I started out with a Century 135 mig, when it wouldn't weld much of what I wanted to weld satisfactory I purchased the HH175. I still have an old Forney Stick welder for a backup if I want to weld up something thicker than I feel comfortable with on the HH175. I just keep thinking if I had put the price of the 135 & the 175 together I pretty much would of had the coin for the 210.I went pretty much the same route on aircompressors. 1st one was a 1 horse, 2nd one was a 5 horse power rotary type I wouldn't wish one of those on my worst enemy after having it. Now I have a 7 1/2 horse Coleman with 60 gal. tank. Its great, very little noise and lots of air, makes a lot shorter time on my projects. The 5 horse was so loud I hated to have it even running.