Millermatic 211 or Thermal Arc 211i

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I'm planning to pick up a new welder on Monday.  Had decided on buying a Millermatic 211, but then started reading up on inverter welders.  I'm largely burning mild steel, usually 1/4" in a home shop hobbyist setting.  I don't know how to TIG, but wouldn't mind learning.  How do the two welders compare?  From reading reviews here and elsewhere, it seems like the TA is a really great welder that may have a more forgiving arc than the 211, but Miller is, well, a Miller and potentially higher quality.  Advice?
Reply:I love my passport plus- inverter designNot real happy with the MM211TA is a quality brand, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase the TA 211iEd Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Originally Posted by Broccoli1Not real happy with the MM211
Reply:Originally Posted by MoltenMetalBroccoil.... What don't you like about your MM211? Just wondering... I bought one last week and it lays down what I think are pretty amazing beads, but I'm no expert. At 220 it welds really fast and operates nicely compared to my old Clark crap. No comparison in build quality.
Reply:can't talk about the 211i, but i do have the 181i and the mm211. i like welding with both machines. the 211 seems to have a softer arc than the the 181i. i dislike the auto set on the 211 and never use it. the chart settings on the 211 seem low and i usually tweak them up. the chart settings on the 181i are pretty close to what i like. i bought the 211 without the spool gun because i have a 30a on my mm252. i did buy the spool gun, tig torch and pedal for the 181i just because a toy without all it's parts just doesn't want to play right can't tell you how the spool gun or tig works on it since those parts of the toy are still in the box. the mig works great and the stick works equally well when using 7018, 7014 and 6013 but sucks with 6010/11  if i was a hobbyist or an adventurist newbie welder with dreams on a limited budget or shop space and wanting to do more than just glue metal with a mig i would buy the most powerful TA my budget allowed. the only downside is when one welding process goes down they all will most likely go down. the plus side is that the price for what you get gives a lot of wiggle room when scouting for stand alone welders on the used market as the wallet and space fattens. good luck.225NT bobcatAEAD200LEScott 125mm175, mm252 w 30A, PT225mm211, TA 181iHyper Therm 380, cut master 529100X & XX, Digital Elite6 Victor setssmith little torch, meco midget kalamazoo band sawsteel max saw evoulution circular saw
Reply:The TA 252i three in one is the unit that runs 6010 well. More so than the 181i or 211i.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:I wish I had the money for a 252i.  Really struggling with which to buy between the 211 and the 211i.  I like the lower cost, easy parts availability, Miller name and the fact that the 211 has a great reputation and broad use.  But inverter MIG and the ability to TIG (after another $500 investment) are tempting.
Reply:Originally Posted by jbmprods... the 181i ... sucks with 6010/11
Reply:I have the 211i and it had a crisp arc in both the 110/220 ranges. I run quite a bit of 6010, 7018 and 6013. The only problem I have with it I do not like the Tweeco MIG guns, will upgrade to a Bernard soon. I have not tried the TIG function yet but a friend has and he likes it for a lift arc only machine. Wish it had the HF startThermal Arc 211iVictor torchesLots of grinders
Reply:Being a dc only machine, I see no reason to add hf start to the Thermal Arc 3 in ones. Adding HF start will jack up the cost of the machines and i prefer lift arc start over HF start for dc tig welding.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720