Millermatic 175 Question

[Tau44]

Hello,

I am relatively new to welding. I was wondering what the correct amp setting should be on a mig machine if you were going to weld 1 5/8 OD x .134 mild steel tubing and then what the setting should be for 1 3/4 OD x .134 We are looking to building a roll cage for the local dirt track and that are their requirements. Will a 180 machine do this welding properly with one pass? Or am I pushing the limits. I am looking to purchase a new mig welder and I can't decide between the Hobart 180 or the Miller 175. I want to safely make this roll cage? I was also wanting to purchase a Berrier Dunn Buggy frame that is tack welded and then finish it with this machine. Will they do the job safely?
I plan on taking some class first before I try to tackle roll cages. I know I need to gain some more experience first. I guess my real question is will either of those welders handle what I want to do safely. Am I pushing the limits of either machine?
Thanks,

Tau

[nnn0rau]

query

FYI - most folks that hang-out on this forum, also visit the Hobart site... where your same questions were asked, and responded to. Both are great forums visited by much the same personnel.

[Paul Seaman]

Tau44:
Rule is .001 of thickness =1 amp so .134 material =134 amps. This is not an exact science just a general rule, there are so many variables that play a part you have to find the sweet spot for your hand and speed of operation.

My only beef against the mm175 is its lower duty cycle. My mm210 has twice the duty cycle at that amperage.

Peace,

[ASKANDY]

Tau,

Either unit would do you fine. Both the Hobart and the MILLER are used quite a bit for this type of work. With .030 wire and a 75/25 Arg/Co2 mix, that machine will make easy work of your roll cage. As far as setting the machine, it goes by volts and wire speed instead of amps that you were referring to. The wire speed will translate to amperage in the sense that the more wire you are trying to push into the material, the more amps the machine has to put out to burn off the wire. On both units there is an easy to use cart on the inside door cover to give you a good starting point for any given material thickness.

Good luck

Andy

[Tau44]

Well, I ordered the Millermatic 175 today with the package deal (cart and running gear). I just thought in the long run I would like to be able to select the setting instead of the tapping on the Hobart. I know that you all said that it would be harder to learn on the Miller but I think in the long run, the selecting will be better on tractor sheet metal.

THanks,
Tau

[nnn0rau]

Congrats on the MM175

U will be VERY happy with the MM175. The learning curve is higher but, you will have vertually full control. At first, I took Dan's advice (Hobart site) and set the volts per the panel chart and played only with the wirespeed. If that didn't work to my satisfaction, I'd start over and re- adjusted the volts and and re-tweaked the WS. After awhile, you'll get the "feel" of it.
THIS IS A GREAT machine!!!.
Russ
To all, Please excuse the multiple sign-ins, when the website(s) changed, I had difficulty logging in with the same name so I just came aboard as the other.
NNN0RAU (navy callsign) on this site.
KC8DZV (Amateur Radio Operator callsign) on the Hobart Site.