Finally found a MIG!

[VPT]

After much much searching and missing out on a couple deals I finally found and got a MIG machine today! The only machines I considered are miller or lincoln 210-255 and had to be spool gun capable. There was a lincoln 255 local to me but would have cost quite a bit to make spool gun capable plus buy the spool gun yet, asking $1400. Then there was a lincoln 210 with spool gun for $1300 which I called about right away but the guy said someone is coming for it within the hour (2.5 hour drive from my house). After an hour he calls back and said it was sold... I was quite upset I missed out on that one! Then this morning at 11:30 a guy listed a millermatic 250, first $1000 takes it. I was there 2 hours after he listed it and have it home, all cleaned up, and ready to go. Wrong plug! Have to wait till tomorrow to lay the first bead with it. No spool gun yet, came how it is in the pics but a little dusty. It has been awhile since I looked at them, any of the (I believe they are called) spoolmate 2's work for this machine? Any recommendations for a spool gun to use with this machine?

Finally I can "just throw metal at it till it sticks" instead of TIG welding everything.

[weldermike]

Awsome machine, used one for the last 8 yrs at work. always ran dualshield and straight co2 through it, and always a workhorse! Good luck with it, great machine!

[duaneb55]

Equipped with the 10-pin/14-pin module, the current Spoolmatic 15A/30A or Spoolmate 200 are a direct connect to the 10-pin and the older Spoolmatic 3 is a direct connect to the 14-pin.

http://www.millerwelds.com/products/...gun-chart.html

[VPT]

Thanks much!

After some reading I see some models have a hot start feature some people don't like and a couple other dislikes by regular users but they all say they are great work horse machines and will just keep going and going.

I pulled the serial number off the machine hoping to find more info but having a hard time finding anything. It seems I can't search millers forum without being a member either. I did see you post there though Duane.

Serial number is: KE732206 if anyone can shed some light on year and possible mods for this model I would greatly appreciate it!

[Wstmrlnd89639]

Ive got one identical to it. The arc is a little harsh, and its quite picky on settings in short arc. However, when you get it dialed in it does just fine. It does very well in the upper amp settings which is where I use mine the most. Ive welded everything from stovepipe to 16 in. i beams with mine.

[VPT]

Originally Posted by Wstmrlnd89639

Ive got one identical to it. The arc is a little harsh, and its quite picky on settings in short arc. However, when you get it dialed in it does just fine. It does very well in the upper amp settings which is where I use mine the most. Ive welded everything from stovepipe to 16 in. i beams with mine.

I do mostly car work, lots of exhausts, some panel work (what I am working on now) and chassis/suspension work.

I honestly wanted the MIG ASAP to finish welding the tubs in my brothers car. I did everything so far with the TIG but I didn't want to crawl in the trunk to try and get the last of the spot welds with a foot controlled TIG. Cages also suck big time with a foot controlled TIG!

Many exhausts are just "fix its" in which case the TIG is way over kill and a hassle. Many many times I have been fixing junk exhaust on a cheap car and was thinking to myself "This could have been done half an hour ago with a MIG."

I dug around the shop last night and found the power plug I needed on an extra extension cord I had. Pu tit on the welder and ran 3 2" welds wit little to no gas in the bottle. I am going today to find out about getting the bottle filled. All of my other bottles are leases that I just go and exchange. I never actually owned a bottle that I have to get filled. I am pretty good friends with the manager at the local welding supply store so I am sure he will help me out.

[Oldendum]

That serial number is from the latter half of 1994.

http://www.millerwelds.com/service/s...reference.html

1994/July KE668695
1995/Jan. KF780420

[VPT]

Originally Posted by Oldendum

That serial number is from the latter half of 1994.

http://www.millerwelds.com/service/s...reference.html

1994/July KE668695
1995/Jan. KF780420

Nice! Thank you! Glad it isn't from the 80's.

[Guardrail]

67 or 68 Camaro???

[VPT]

Originally Posted by Guardrail

67 or 68 Camaro???

Sorry I didn't see this before. It is a 67.

[VPT]

Did a quick fix after work today on the new mig.

In this pic from the day I got the welder you can see the hose support is broke right at the plastic coupler.


So pulled the hose off and pulled the pieces of the old support off the hose. I found a nice snug pipe to stick in the support so I could put it in the lathe and match the original recess in the support.




And all back together. I am sure this will help prevent bird nesting some and possibly gas flow?



And a pic of the inside I didn't get before.

[killdozerd11]

That's a very nice machine

Enjoy

[VPT]

The welder has 4 volt input settings. 200v, 230v, something else relevant and likewise. With normal residential 220v which setting do you set the welder to, the 200v or 230v?

[duaneb55]

230V which is the nominal voltage with 220 and 240 being synonymous.


And what's wrong with an '80s machine? I'll put my '81 MM200 up against any machine of comparable output.

[VPT]

Originally Posted by duaneb55

230V which is the nominal voltage with 220 and 240 being synonymous.


And what's wrong with an '80s machine? I'll put my '81 MM200 up against any machine of comparable output.

Nothing wrong with an 80's machine if your the one that has owned it since new or knew the owner. Just a better chance that the 90's machine has less hours and owners on it.

[weldermike]

Dead on bro, I have a MM185 that I bought new, gotta be close to 20 yrs ago and that thing looks and runs flawless. Just a heavy bastard for side work so I recently bought a MM211, which is my new little hot rod of a mig, and very portable. Don't have the thump of Ol betsy, but not a tap machine so very tunable. Love em both equally!

[Drf255]

Originally Posted by duaneb55

230V which is the nominal voltage with 220 and 240 being synonymous.


And what's wrong with an '80s machine? I'll put my '81 MM200 up against any machine of comparable output.

+1

I have an '83 MM200 that works great after Duaneb55's help. Absolute beast of a machine and I believe, quite identical to yours internally. 200 amps @ 60% duty cycle (the way they used to rate them) with a 280 max output which IIRC is the same as yours. I have nearly no electronics in mine, so repairs are cheap and easy-though I can't say the machine has cost me more than some emery paper to clean the contacts.

Some say the older machines were built better because manufacturing costs were more flexible back then.

Congrats on the machine

[VPT]

Originally Posted by Wstmrlnd89639

if you want any suggestions on volts / wire speed with a given thickness shoot me a pm. I tend to run on the hot side of things, and every machine will vary a little,

So far the chart on the lid has been working out pretty good. I'll come looking for help if I am having some trouble though. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Drf255

+1

I have an '83 MM200 that works great after Duaneb55's help. Absolute beast of a machine and I believe, quite identical to yours internally. 200 amps @ 60% duty cycle (the way they used to rate them) with a 280 max output which IIRC is the same as yours. I have nearly no electronics in mine, so repairs are cheap and easy-though I can't say the machine has cost me more than some emery paper to clean the contacts.

Some say the older machines were built better because manufacturing costs were more flexible back then.

Congrats on the machine

I like the simple, always work machines! I can't believe how quiet this machine is. After it warms up some it gets so quiet I forget it is on and actually had to look at the light to see if it was on or not. It makes me question though, how much welding does one have to do before the fan kicks on? I did quite a few spot welds and a few shorter stringers today and the fan never came on once.

[killdozerd11]

Heck we still have a Miller Matic 35 White face it still does the job

It was about $1200.00 when Glen bought it new

it was re vamped in 1999 or 2000 with a new drive motor and contactor by miller and that is the only thing beside a new liner that has been done to it

[VPT]

Well, all wired up and set right, got a small loaner bottle till my bottle comes back tested and filled (hopefully). Welder hums just nicely (little strange not to hear a fan running all the time), laid down a few beads and played with the power and feed. Came in the house and read some stuff on MIG welds. Went out and tried some more settings and beads. I am simply amazed how fast you can move along with a MIG! Going to try a couple joints and a couple spot welds today and then go back to work on the car. I can see I will enjoy this MIG for a long long time!

Now the question is does a guy just throw out or get rid of the little pos flux machine or save it for something? Any kind of projects or "other things" that can be built out of an old wire feed? Set it up with solid wire and use it as a feeder for the TIG?

[VPT]

Found out tonight that the curly CFL bulbs don't like being next to MIG welding.

[Wstmrlnd89639]

if you want any suggestions on volts / wire speed with a given thickness shoot me a pm. I tend to run on the hot side of things, and every machine will vary a little,

[Drf255]

It takes quite a bit to get the FOD to come on. It's actually kind of rare to hear it.

[VPT]

Got the fan to come on three times today, glad it works!

Picking it up pretty quick. Pretty much jumped into some of the worst welding positions possible. The sheet metal gets pretty thin in spots where it was bent or formed or rusted. Then t-joint welding that to just under 1/4" square tube, overhead. I obviously burned threw in a few spots that I will go over again after grinding everything down nice. I am thinking of making and adding in a few more support/gusset pieces at the back side of the connector.

Loving the new MIG!

First, not sure if ever mentioned here, a little tip to keep your TIG torch hand off the hot metal.





The steep learning curve weld, you can see a couple of the spots I blew out the thin stuff.




Backside of the weld.

[turk]

ditch the old flux machine for a couple bucks on craigslist, and buy some spare consumables.