Leaning toward the 210

[allyn e]

Many thanks for the warm welcome and responses I've recieved from everyone .

From the testimonials, it looks like the 210 will meet my requirements plus provide a little reserve for the occasional bigger projects. I was a little concerned about getting the 210 and finding that I should have went up to the 251. I wanted to be pretty certain I'd have the ability to weld up to 1/2 inch material, not all day long, but just have the capacity to do it.

Incidently, I do occasional stick welding at work using Miller machines, so going blue was an easy decision. Being unfamiliar with wire welding makes selecting a mig machine for home not quite so easy. Everyone's experience is a big help !

Thanks again,
Al

[hankj]

You'll love it.

3/8 coupon with C-25.



Hank

[timw]

I've had my MM 210 over 3 years now and I am still impressed everytime I pull the trigger! I have used 250 class machines for years, red and blue and my 210 would have handled 95% of what I welded. I worked on Semi's and truck equipment. For 4 years I have had my own business repairing construction equipment, I paid for my 210 in the first 3 months I had it.
Your results may varry.

[Bulldog]

Al,
If welding 1/2 occassionally is what you need then the 210 will do it with ease! I build molds for the concrete block industry and I use the 210 to weld 1/2" hot and cold rolled steel all the time. I build molds and work on construction equipment every day of the week and the 210 hasn't let me down. I also have a 251 and I still use the 210 alot. If you check out some of my threads you see plenty of pics of welds that my son and I have done with the 210. My son is only 10 yrs old and he uses my welders all the time. I don't know which one he likes better the Bobcat 250 NT or the MM210.
Bulldog

[Danny]

I have a MM 210 and a MM 251, and if I wanted/needed to weld 1/2" steel, the MM 251 would be my first choice. If you max the MM 210 out and use multiple passes it has the potential to produce a sound weld on 1/2" steel. However, I would much rather use the 251 since it offers more power to weld this thicker material plus the MM 251 wouldn't be strained as hard as the 210. However, if your budget can t handle a 251,and your volume of welding on 1/2" isn t real high, the MM 210 will work. BTW, with either unit on most joint designs I d more than likely resort to multiple passes. Also, in my world when you're discussing welding 1/2" steel with a wire feed unit, I m either using spray transfer or a Gas shielded fluxcore wire in most cases. Admittedly though maxing the 210 out and using C-25 would also produce a sound weld, however, there wil be a fair amount of spatter. Anyway, if you can afford it, and want the better of the two units for 1/2" my vote would be for the MM 251.

[Bulldog]

Dan is of course correct if you have the money buy a 251... Hands down it will handle 1/2'' a little better. Now that being said...The MM210 will make a sound weld on 1/2 plate and it will do it with ease. I know it's rated for 3/8 and the 251 has a bit more top end but rest assured the MM210 will handle 1/2" plate.
Let me explain what the molds have to endure that I build. A concrete mold weighs in the neighborhood of 2-3000lbs and on each side there is a 50 lb weight (0 lbs on one side and 50 lbs on the other) that spins at 3600 rpm to help the concrete mix to fill the mold. (The mix is called a dry mix - 0 slump) Anyway due to the extreme vibration the mold bends and flexes and after the mold is filled a head (2500lbs) comes down and compacts the material bringing it from 9.25" down to 7.625"s. All the while under this vibration. The vibration only stops during the strip cycle.The company can produce 400,000 to 500,000 blocks out of one of these molds and most molds make 3 blocks at a time. That's alot of cycles.
I have only had to repair one mold. Seems the fork lift operator was putting a mold in a rack and he missed. He dropped the mold 11 feet. The mold was twisted and would not make square blocks. Oh by the way... No welds broke
... The molds sell from $20,000 to $30,000 each and I have a ton of work.
I also work for a company called Radiation Shielding Systems and everything that I build for them needs to be X-rayed. No failures!
Now I bought the 251 because I didn't want to push the 210 to the limits all the time.
This thread was started because a guy wanted our opinion on what welder HE needed to weld in HIS shop and his requirements are to be able to weld 1/2 material not every day and not all day long. He just wants a welder that is able to do it. Sounds to me that the MM210 is the perfect welder for him. My opinion.
Bulldog

[Bulldog]

Hey Al,
Have you made any descions? By the way I just noticed your location! Alpena! Wow, I have been to Alpena a bunch of times. I went to Besser College. The molds that I build are all for Besser Machines and I just interviewed a man for a job out here. His name is Gary Teal. He's from Alpena also. I'm sure you know the Besser Company. I build alot of equipment for plants that use Besser equipment. If you get a minute e-mail me at [email protected] and we won't have to take any more space here on the Miller site.
Bulldog