Millermatic 180?

[Tim]

I've noticed Miller's parent company Hobart has come out with Handler 140's and 180's (previously Handler 135 & 175). Is Miller going to have Millermatic 140's and 180's? (I like the Millermatic 175's infinite voltage but want I want the Handler 180's amperage range (25-180 vs. 30-175) or do you guys think I wouldn't notice the low and high differences?

Thanks,

--Tim

[hankj]

Tim,

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure Hobart Brothers and Miller Electric were (and still are, in many ways) seperate entities. They are now both Illinois Tool Works companies, but I believe they still have separate product lines, each managed by it's own company.

Be well.

hank

[Paul Seaman]

Tim:
Welcome aboard, Miller and Hobart are more like brothers than parent and child companies. The 5 amps you ar describing is actually very little in difference for example if you change gas mix from75/25 to 98/2 the gas mix raises the overall weld temperature and hence makes better usage of the amperage available. I personally believe the welding machines are as similar as ford vs. mercury in cars.

I almost bought the ironman210 but with spoolgun and dual tank rack and regulators added in it was less expensive to buy the mm210.

Hope this helps,

[cope]

I would go with the Hobart. In addition to the small increase on the top end there is better welding on the low end. Unless tapped transformers are outlawed I will never buy another infinite adjustable one. I find taps much easier to adjust. Another plus to the Hobart is lower cost.

[Sberry]

pj,,, There is a big differene between the Ironman and the MM 210

[fun4now]

more to it then 5 amps

ther are more differances than just the 5 amps wire feeders are of better quality on miller as well as several small upgrades. true taped is easyer to work with. but dose not mean better just easy.as for the price in that range machine you can get a miller for the same or less then a hobart if you look in the right place i got mine on the net and payed about the same for my miller as i would have had to pay for a hobart.no it is not a rebuild or last years model (serial number will tell you)!
it is a preferance . yes i would like a miller 180 but would buy a miller 175 over a hh180. i believe little upgrades all add up to an overall better quality machine.you get what you pay for and i believe that spending a little more up front will save you in the end.
i wish i could tell you miller will soon have a 180 but miller dosent trust me not to tell enough to tell me (LOL i would tell) if they did i would have waited to get it insted.
i am verry happy with my miller and im shoure if you get eather one you will be happy as hobart seems to be a fine co.
happy welding

[cleaver]

silly question...but james do you work for Miller?

[fun4now]

LOL

no if i did i would have my dynasty 200DX now along with some other realy cool toys. no im retired and playing in my home shop hoping to get a little extra $ from playing with my toys. i built custom homes for 20yr's and know the value in spending a little more up front. especily if you will have 10 people standing around smoking and joking insted of working because a tool broke or trying to rescedual a crane for another day after it got there ( you pay for travel time) and you cant use it because youre generator broke and you didnt finish setting a beam to put the trusses on.i always spent a litle more for the best tool i could get so when my guys were smokin and jokin it was because we finished early and they were waiting for there bonis checks.if you intend to use a tool it is safer and cheaper to buy the best you can get (or aford)little things like the wire feed system upgrade on the miller may not ever matter?? or will it.miller thinks so.can you aford to find out the hard way?? i will never know as i got the miller but i have seen many small subcontractors lose work due to cheap tool causing delays and once you have that reputation all the good jobs go to me because my stuf didnt break so i was on time or early. time is mony and i dont care if home depo will take it back and give you another 1 you still lose a days work to go to home depto to exchange it. what is a days work werth?
quality pays for its self sooner or later. you have to pay one way or another
sorry so long an anser to such a short ???
happy welding

[cleaver]

oh..hahaha,its just I thought that you worked for miller!

[Tim]

Tapped vs. infinite

Thanks for the info.

In regards to "Cope's" reply -- what are the disadvantages of the infinite voltage adjustment? Is is not as reliable as a tapped transformer? I thought everyone would prefer more fine grain adjustment?

Thanks,

--Tim

[fun4now]

tapd VS infan

i believe what he is trying to say is that with taped you dont have as menny vareables to work with making setup easyer im shoure ther are thouse that hate taped and thouse that think it is best thing sece the lightbulb as a beginer ( if you are ) it will be easyer for you to setup and get simmiler results time after time. in reality bolth can be set up repetedly as bolth have numbers to wright down for referance. tapped just gives you less to have to figure out. as i said it is a preferance i started on a miller taped and have no regrets.
too each his own.

hope this helps

[cope]

Re: Tapped vs. infinite

Originally posted by Tim
Thanks for the info.

In regards to "Cope's" reply -- what are the disadvantages of the infinite voltage adjustment? Is is not as reliable as a tapped transformer? I thought everyone would prefer more fine grain adjustment?

Thanks,

--Tim

fun4now answered pretty much what I would have said. With stick I prefer infinite adjustment or a combination of tapped and infinite. I have had much better luck dialing in a tapped Mig. I think Dan agrees with me. In theory either once can be reset to a recorded value but its much easier if there is only one variable.

[Paul Seaman]

Tapped and Infinite :
I've used both, not a real big differance after you've been welding awhile. On a tapped machine you know exactly where you are every time but with digital readout you do also. The trick is to use it and make decisions for yourself and see what difference changes of this or that make in your welding. Don't just say that the cover says do this, so you do. Know what the changes do and you can pick up one with no numbers on the face and start on scrap and say more amperage or more wire speed or whatever, because you've experimented and know the differences!!!!

Weld well