[Camaro Dave]

I'm in the market for a welder for doing body work, welding panels, etc. nothing heavy duty. Which is the best type of welder and best brand for the job? ARC, MIG, TIG, Lincoln or Miller? What are you using?

[1969ss]

The millermatic 135 plugs into a regular outlet, mig with .23 welding wire and co2 argon mix.

The lincoln is pretty good also, but the wire drive wheel is plastic on the lincoln and metal on the miller.

Either one will weld anything on a car, including the frame.

Hobart is pretty good also, but I don't think you can fine adjust your controls as much as the other two.

I had a miller 110 mig sidekick for about twenty years, no problems with it, gave it to my boys and bought the millermatic 135, same machine just newer and smoother, after so many years will weaken a little.

Another thing with the 110's are the duty cycles, you have to stay within them where a larger machine you don't have to stop welding and wait.

My neighbor went to bodyshop technical school 3 or 4 years ago, there was 23 of them in his class, all they trained on was a 110 mig, the millermatic 135.

Some like a tig, but they say it's harder to learn how to tig weld. I don't know anything about them, good or bad.

Hope some of this helps you out.

Rob

[reelmcoy]

I have a Lincoln and it has steel drive wheels, not plastic. Any of the three mentioned above are good. I have a Hobart 135 that has worked well for me. I replaced it with a Lincoln 220 volt 200 amp for the duty cycle. I am in the collision industry and can't wait on a 110 unit.

[Daral]

I use a Miller 135. It is easy to adjust and for my limited use, I have never had to wait for the duty cycle.

[jet_car2000]

Dave if you can find a autoarc welder they are the same as a miller 135 and about 200 bucks cheaper and made by miller,,,,

[1969ss]

reelmcoy, you probably have an older lincoln, lasy years new lincoln have the plastic one, but the plastic one might be as good as the steel one.

Rob

[clwilcox33]

I think it's only the 110V Lincolns that have the plastic drive wheel. The larger 220V ones I've been told are metal. All of the Millers are metal.

[dsherw00d]

I bought a factory refurbished Lincoln SP-100T with the standard 3 year factory warranty. It was one of thier demo units. It works great - much better than me I bought it on line from a place that had free shipping and great support. One of my guages was broke and they sent me a whole new regulator with both guages next day. I didn't even have to mess with sending the broken one back.

-Dan

[ahowudoin]

I had a 110 and sold it and bought a miller 210 and love it. I also have a lincoln tig/arc.

[69vert]

Lincoln and Miller are just about the same. Miller uses metal drive wheels in their MIG machines. I would buy a TIG, just for the versatility, steel, aluminum, stainless, titanium

Bob

[Silver69Camaro]

Originally Posted by 69vert

Lincoln and Miller are just about the same. Miller uses metal drive wheels in their MIG machines. I would buy a TIG, just for the versatility, steel, aluminum, stainless, titanium

Bob

TIG is pretty tough for body panels! IMO, MIG is the only way to go for general purpose welding.

[Johnny B]

The lincoln sp135T is about $150 cheeper than the Miller 135. However, The Miller does have infinate variable voltage control where the Lincoln only has 4 voltage settings. Although, after you get used to the machine the pre-set voltage really isn't a problem. Either Mig machine (with gas) will do well for body panel replacement and fabrication. I own the Lincoln sp135T, but if I had to do it again I would buy a little larger machine like the Millermatic 175/220v or larger...Jb

[fladoans]

I vote Miller. Don't have much experience with the others, but I have a Miller 275 and it's perfect for the car. Will weld almost anything. It does have the metal drive wheels and I have had no problems in the year I have owned it.

[Camaro Dave]

Wow, Thanks for all the different opinions and great info you guys have on welders........it gives me something to consider.......price, usage, arc/gas, duty cycles, etc...... I was leaning towards a Miller........ still am. I have a friend who said that Miller is the best welder on the market. I guess it's a matter of opinion. It looks like Miller is leading in the poll which means they must be good. I'm sure Lincoln is good too, but Miller is more popular.

[HarleyD67]

If money is not an issue then I stand behind my Miller vote. But I have a Lincoln and in my opinion there the best welder for the money.