Welder & Plasma Cutter for the Garage

[SCOTI]

Christmas is getting close & I'm going to try & get a welder and/or a plasma cutter for frame mods (c-sections, crossmember notches, & 'Z's).

I'm looking @ Millers stuff & like the Millermatic 210 & the Spectrum 375 'Cutmate'. The 210 is Single phase 230v & can mig up to 3/8" single pass & the '375-Cutmate' is single phase 240v & can cut up to 3/8" thick or do 1/2" shear.

Sound like overkill for the home builder/fabricator? Any recommendations from those that are already set-up?

[Tx Firefighter]

Scoti, ease on over here....http://www.millermotorsports.com/mbo...isplay.php?f=3

It's a forum run by Miller. You may have to do a search, but your answers are there many times over.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Scoti, ease on over here....http://www.millermotorsports.com/mbo...isplay.php?f=3

It's a forum run by Miller. You may have to do a search, but your answers are there many times over.

Thank you sir . . ....

[Shev]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Christmas is getting close & I'm going to try & get a welder and/or a plasma cutter for frame mods (c-sections, crossmember notches, & 'Z's).

I'm looking @ Millers stuff & like the Millermatic 210 & the Spectrum 375 'Cutmate'. The 210 is Single phase 230v & can mig up to 3/8" single pass & the '375-Cutmate' is single phase 240v & can cut up to 3/8" thick or do 1/2" shear.

Sound like overkill for the home builder/fabricator? Any recommendations from those that are already set-up?

I don't think that's overkill at all...I've got a MM251 and a Hypertherm 380c...I found out after I bought my Hypertherm that Miller actually makes Hypertherm's smaller plasmas, so I think my 380c is pretty much the same as 375 Cutmate...the thing I like about it is it can run both 110v & 220v without having to change anything. I was going to go with a MM210 but I figured I'd pony up a couple extra bucks and get a 251. I agree with Tx on the Miller board...I check it every couple of days and learn something new over there all the time.

By the way, I bought both my plasma and mig off ebay...my plasma came from Quimby and my MM251 came from Indiana Oxygen (IOC)...cheapest price I could find plus free shipping to my door...

Speaking of Christmas present for myself...I think I've been a good enough boy to deserve the tubing bender I've had my eye on for awhile...my b-day present to myself was Strongarms...I spoil myself...but I'm worth it...LOL...

[dwcsr]

Nothing is more aggravating than an under powered plasma cutter. I bought a Lincoln Pro cut 25 and its just too small for severing anything over 5/16 with any kind of neatness. I wish I had spent the extra and gotten the next one up. I’m thinking about trying to trade up next spring. It was great for any of the frame work but consumables are expensive and didn’t last anywhere near as long as they were supposed to.

The Lincoln SP175P welder I’m more than happy with. The Miller-matic 210 is also a very good machine 60% duty cycle and you can do body panels to frame work with it.

[SCOTI]

I was looking @ the 175 but thought I would do better w/the 210. We have a Miller mig @ work (250 I think) & I like it. I started using it for my crossmember notch but works been too busy to drag it back up & get it finished during off-peak hours. I also want to be realistic as I'll only be using this stuff on a part-time basis trying to keep the fabrication bills down on my few projects. Millers got a very good re-sale value should it ever come to that.

I didn't realize so many of the plasma cutters come w/internal air compressors now. I remember once upon a time it was only the best of the best. Seems to have trickled down to base model units & unfortunately adds to the cost.

[valleycustom]

I have a hypertherm 380 and it works great. I also have a miller 210 and miller 185 tig and they work great.

[Izzy]

The 210 is an awesome machine, I used it briefly after I had been using a 175 for a few years and the 210 is a breeze to use.

[AirMale]

I have the Millermatic 210 and it is wonderful. I bought the Airforce 625 but that may have been overkill for my garage at home. I purchased from Indiana oxygen on ebay and everything went perfectly. Show some pics when you get em'!

[SCOTI]

I've seen the 'Indiana Oxygen' ebay ads & they look to have decent pricing. I might just go w/the HyperTherm 380 & save a couple hundred bucks since it will do the job & everyone seems to like the quality.

[FirstGen]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

I was looking @ the 175 but thought I would do better w/the 210. We have a Miller mig @ work (250 I think) & I like it. I started using it for my crossmember notch but works been too busy to drag it back up & get it finished during off-peak hours. I also want to be realistic as I'll only be using this stuff on a part-time basis trying to keep the fabrication bills down on my few projects. Millers got a very good re-sale value should it ever come to that.

I didn't realize so many of the plasma cutters come w/internal air compressors now. I remember once upon a time it was only the best of the best. Seems to have trickled down to base model units & unfortunately adds to the cost.

I have a MM175 and a Miller Dynasty 200 AC/DC TIG. For doing frame work I think a 175 is plenty. The MM210 is a very nice unit, but it is just too big for my taste. If you plan on ever being able to move it like take it over to a buddies house to do a repair, get the 175, the 210 is almost impossible to move unless you have a buddy or two to help you load it and a truck. The MM175 on the other hand you can put in the back of a car trunk. It will still do up to 1/4 plate fine and even thicker if you bevel and weld on both sides. Keep in mind that most frame stuff will be 3/16 and thinner material...

I've done a ton of frame work with it so far and have no complaints...