How much more for a miller 252?

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Pricing welders. Looked at a Esab 275 sill made in USA and also looked at a Miller 252 at the same supplier. Could pick up the Esab for about 400 less than the 252. Obviously the 252 has more bells and whistles where do you draw the line and say ones a deal or not.Millermatic 252millermatic 175miller 300 Thunderboltlincoln ranger 250smith torcheslots of bfh'sIf it dont fit get a bigger hammer
Reply:Well you have a miller now and I assume you like it?    From what I am see from your equipment.  You have all miller shop machines and all lincoln field machines.  Which is the norm for most companies.  Why throw a whole new machine in the mix. Is it really worth the $400 for the 252?  Yes, just for the customer service miller gives to you after the sale.  I had a problem with my first miller right out of the box. (bad gas valve, was leaking) One call to miller and they acted like it was my 100th machine.  Parts next day aired, free miller stuff, and a hand written sorry note.  They even offered to have one of their sales guy bring me a new machine within a day or stop by and install the parts for me.  They even called my dealer to make sure I was happy with the customer service.   Thats why it has been all miller equipment since for the shop.  The place I worked for before going out on my own had all esab equipment.  Since I left, all of the esab equipment had been replaced with miller.  I am not a big fan of thier welding machines.   Heck if you look closely.  Jesse james was sponsered by esab for a while during monster garage.  If you seen the pictures of his current shop its all miller welders now.Lincoln 300 Vantage 2008300 Commander 1999SA250 1999SA200 1968Miller Syncrowave 200XMT350MPA/S-52E/xr-15Xtreme 12vs Millermatic 251 w/30A  Millermatic 251 Dialarc 250 Hypertherm 1250 GEKA & Bantom Ironwokers
Reply:Thanks xtreme that was my thoughts. 400 bucks is alot of money but when something is expected to last for 5,10 or more years it doesn't take long to get it back. I too have had positive experience with Miller warranty  and I always said that would keep blue around. Just want to make the best decision and not be one of those guys who cant see anything but one thing.Millermatic 252millermatic 175miller 300 Thunderboltlincoln ranger 250smith torcheslots of bfh'sIf it dont fit get a bigger hammer
Reply:I would go with the miller myself, but how does the output compare?  I thought I had read somewhere that my 251 will actually hit about 300 amps.  I could be mistaken though, I don't need that much power anyway.My name's not Jim....
Reply:Miller 252:  30-300 amps.Good customer service = much less grief.  PricelessAlso think resale value.
Reply:Originally Posted by joedirt1966Miller 252:  Also think resale value.
Reply:when i was looking for a tig , i couldnt believe how well millers hold there value .thats when i knew i had to have all millers for the shop.  << that and ive used millers at my job for the last 10 years ...  very nice equitment .  id go blue for sure
Reply:Hello farmshop, I'll add a couple of other items, although they are likely pretty small in a lot of folks eyes. Take a close look at the drive roll system on the Miller and compare it to the ESAB, also look at the gun hook-up point for each of the machines, I believe hands down you'll realize that both of these areas are much better engineered by Miller and will yield better longevity, especially if the ESAB has a euro quick couple on it. Another reinforcement for Miller in this case is the fact that their drive rolls have remained basically the same part for probably close to fifty years or better, so they have great interchangeability with any other Miller equipment you might already have or purchase in the future. Good luck on your purchase. Best regards, Allanaevald
Reply:Buy Lincoln 255 or 350 the best in my book we have used 255's in a fab shop day in and out .045 Outershield 71 Elite no problems , my friend has a 350 , same thing plus stick and we gouged with it too . If your Miller is a AC/DC get a 12 VS or LN 25  and forget the mig !!!!   John
Reply:If your Miller is a AC/DC get a 12 VS or LN 25 and forget the mig !!!! John
Reply:ac only another mistake I made letting someone talk me out of the ac/dc when I bought this one. Been kicking the idea of a power source and a feeder also so many options so little money. If I had the three phase power I'd buy a used powersouce and a feeder in a heart beat. Big single phase sources are a little pricey to buy new and not to many used ones. Like the idea of a regular feeder and a suit case with flux core for outside. Decisions decisions. How would a xmt 304 stack up to the 252 running single phase. Starting to see some used ones around.Millermatic 252millermatic 175miller 300 Thunderboltlincoln ranger 250smith torcheslots of bfh'sIf it dont fit get a bigger hammer
Reply:Hello farmshop, if you can get your hands on a CC/CV capable XMT 304 there is no comparison to the 252. For starters, you could hook it up to an S 22 A feeder and run basically all types of wires through it with the exception of "reliably" running aluminum wire. You could also use it with just about any suitcase feeder, if you so desired. You could operate a 30A Miller spoolgun from it with very good results and all of this can be done with either single or three phase input power. It has the ability to be used with an Optima pulsing pendant if you prefer that feature for running stainless, aluminum, or steel wires with pulse. It can be used for either scratch start or lift arc tig with an option for foot/hand amperage control. It has arc control(force) when used in the CC mode and slope/inductance control when being used in CV mode. I believe it also has about 50 amps more output than the 252 at a higher duty cycle if I remember correctly.          So, if you can find one for a decent price, I believe the XMT, with a suitcase or other remote wire feeder, will offer you much more bang for the buck and increased expandability down the road. You can also have one machine that will handle a lot of processes that would otherwise require a number of machines. Just a little bit for you to consider. Good luck and best regards, Allanaevald
Reply:ESAB machines are great machines too,  but if you are using them daily, its a lot easier to find in stock parts and consumables for Miller.   resale is definitely higher on Miller, Thus there are some great deals on used ESAB stuff. which works out great for meTiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:The XMT's are great machines. I'm looking for a nice used XMT myself as an upgrade rather than get a 252. I've run a fair amount of mig on the XMT's, a decent amount of tig, and some stick and have been happy with the way they welded in all processes..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Do the xmt's have the plug for a spool gun or do you need a controller?Millermatic 252millermatic 175miller 300 Thunderboltlincoln ranger 250smith torcheslots of bfh'sIf it dont fit get a bigger hammer
Reply:Originally Posted by farmshopDo the xmt's have the plug for a spool gun or do you need a controller?
Reply:Look around for a Lincoln , Hobart  or Miller AC/DC single phase transformer , they were made in 250, 300 400,500 and 650 amp models run with 30 to 200 amp single phase circuts . Weld , Gouge , Tig with a Hi freq box , run a sub arc  and mig feeders . Got 4 myself for 200 bucks . Do everything , I found a Multiweld 350 to work with mine too Ebay 400 bucks .  John