What welder?

[CFH1919ETERNAL]

Hey guys, as you can tell im definately new here. And to tell you all the truth, new to welding as well. I have had great interest in welding since i was a young child, and im now finally in the position to take it up. im 18, and in college as an athlete, and i finally got around to taking a welding class. But i want to purchase my own welder. Ill be using it to build motorcycle frames, offroad roll cages, fixing tractors at the ranch, etc. Lot of stuff like i just listed. Ive done a little research and pretty much came down to the MM 210. I think this would be a perfect rig for me. althought it might be too much for me at this point, id rather have more than i need when i dont need it, then need more and not have it. Plus since a welder is 1000+ id rather get a machine i can grow into as opposed to buying an entry level one only to need a bigger one later. What can you guys tell me? Any thoughts, or questions? thanks in advance guys!

[Sberry]

The 210 isnt too much machine, it is ideally suited for work like this, anything smaller would be a dissapointment.

[fun4now]

Mm210

you are purity smart, for a college boy .
yep you got it right the first time, stick with the MM210 it will serve you well for many years and should handle any thing you throw at it.it is a great welder with lots of very happy owners both here and on the Hobart board, its really hard to go wrong with the MM210 as a final choice. you might want to add the spool gun for aluminum but you can always do that later.

[Rvannatta]

Hey guys, as you can tell im definately new here. And to tell you all the truth, new to welding as well. I have had great interest in welding since i was a young child, and im now finally in the position to take it up. im 18, and in college as an athlete, and i finally got around to taking a welding class. But i want to purchase my own welder. Ill be using it to build motorcycle frames, offroad roll cages, fixing tractors at the ranch, etc. Lot of stuff like i just listed. Ive done a little research and pretty much came down to the MM 210. I think this would be a perfect rig for me. althought it might be too much for me at this point, id rather have more than i need when i dont need it, then need more and not have it. Plus since a welder is 1000+ id rather get a machine i can grow into as opposed to buying an entry level one only to need a bigger one later. What can you guys tell me? Any thoughts, or questions? thanks in advance guys!

don't worry about it being too big. About the first thing that will happen around the ranch is someone will dig up this plow that they have somehow managed to break in half and want you to stick the pieces back together.

[hankj]

MM210. You'll be happy. It is a sweet machine throughout it's range. Get some C-25 shielding gas, some ER70S-6 .030 wire and don't look back!

Hank

[fatfrank]

. im 18, and in college as an athlete,

Don't forget to be a student also, and get an education while your there.

You won't regret the MM210.

[klsm54]

.......... I think this would be a perfect rig for me. althought it might be too much for me at this point, id rather have more than i need when i dont need it, then need more and not have it. Plus since a welder is 1000+ id rather get a machine i can grow into as opposed to buying an entry level one only to need a bigger one later. .....

Pretty wise words. You don't need much help... ..You've said what a lot of old-timers would tell you, already.

The 210 is an excellent choice, anything less will be a disappointment down the road.

[CFH1919ETERNAL]

wow, quick replies. Thanks a lot guys. Another thought, i spent about 3 hours last night reading this forum well into the early morning (i know, im a loser hahaha) anyways, i started to see the mm 251 coming up a lot, and it also was being compared to the 210 a lot as well. kinda seems like the old fashioned little brother vs. bigger brother comparison hahahaha. Whats the deal on that one. If i could afford that welder, would it be better to go that route? Or should i just swallow my ego and get the 210 hahahahaha. What do you guys think about that? Thanks again in advace guys. I hope to learn a lot here.

[CFH1919ETERNAL]

Don't forget to be a student also, and get an education while your there.

You won't regret the MM210.

Of course, im majoring in construction science. Sometimes id rather have my major than ever be a professional baseball player. hahahahahahaha.

[fun4now]

you may well be getting caught up in the TIM Tailor Tool Time (grunt grunt) syndrome now. both are great welders, steeping up to the MM251 is really up to you. it wont hurt but odds are the MM210 will do ya fine, if ya have the extra cash and want to go for it , then do it but its not like choosing between the MM210 and the MM175, as you are already in a purity heavy duty rig with the MM210. if there is a lot of farm equipment work in your future it might be worth upping to the MM251, if not then the MM210 should do ya fine.if its all about the ego and ya got the $$$ then again go for it.

[CFH1919ETERNAL]

you may well be getting caught up in the TIM Tailor Tool Time (grunt grunt) syndrome now. both are great welders, steeping up to the MM251 is really up to you. it wont hurt but odds are the MM210 will do ya fine, if ya have the extra cash and want to go for it , then do it but its not like choosing between the MM210 and the MM175, as you are already in a purity heavy duty rig with the MM210. if there is a lot of farm equipment work in your future it might be worth upping to the MM251, if not then the MM210 should do ya fine.if its all about the ego and ya got the $$$ then again go for it.

aside from the farm equipment, i have a lot of offraod truck rigs that id love to add onto. and my goal in life is to open a welding/machining/fabricating shop. So thats also why im lookin bigger.

[fun4now]

if that is where you are headed then jump up to the MM251 for the extra amps.;

[jbmprods]

i have the mm175 and it has not been a disapointment but i respect it's limits(most of the time ) and use a stick for big stuff. as said by all here the mm210 is a great machine in their oppinion and i believe their wisdom but my next one will not be to replace the 175 but to ad to the arsenal and that will be the mm251. on big stuff now i tack with the 175 and finish with stick. it would be to nice tack and burn with one machine big enough to not have to wonder. any money you spend is an investment. the money saved will be in future returns. just my oppinion. good luck in school and lets us see some projects. and a pic of a college bikini babe sitting on a new blue would go nice on our shop walls

[fun4now]

jbmprods has an excellent point about $$ spent being an investment. if you intend to open a shop later on, it would be a good ideal to go large as the $$$ of the same MM251 in 5 or 6 years will be much higher.having the extra amps now wont hurt. add a spool gun loaded with .023 wire for the thin stuff and .030 or .035 in the box for the big stuff will keep you from having to switch back and forth all the time, and the spool gun greatly increases your reach