"Steve B" wrote in message
news

Looking around, I found a welder that looks interesting, a Millermatic
211. It will run up to 140A on from 120V or up to 210A from a 230V
supply. Sounds like just what I need, light duty running out to my auto
body and heavier duty shop welding. Plus it is ready for a spool gun (on
sale locally for $179). Everything sounded great until I looked at the
price, $949 on sale locally, sounds like a good price for this welder but
still pretty expensive. It would fill all my MIG needs in one machine
plus I could add aluminum spool gun capability. And it looks like a
bottle of Argon for TIG + MIG aluminum and a bottle of 75/25 Argon/CO2
would set me up with all the gas I need for about anything I'm likely to
weld.

Any recommendations on a favorite MIG welder for auto body sheet metal?

RogerN

That is a good welder, but the price is high for a used unit. Buy only
Lincoln or Miller. And don't buy from HD or those stores, as the
components they use have more plastic parts than a similar one you're buy
at a welding store. You get what you pay for, and a red or blue one will
weld all day long all week long. There are cheaper ones, but they have
more problems, and you can't make any money if your welder is not working.
I wouldn't worry too much about the aluminum, but to have the spare hole
to get one later is a plus. If you are going to do any heavy work, you
might want a 220v. unit. The 110's have a light duty cycle, and you will
have to spend time waiting for it to cool off. Not so much with the 220.
Red and blue are easy to get consumables and repairs for. The other off
brand names not so much.

HTH



Those prices are new from Praxair's special offers.

not sure this link works properly, should open a PDF brochure with "special
offers"
http://www.millerwelds.com/wheretobu...hp?id=OM020257

Also, instead of a bottle of Argon and a bottle of mix, I'm wondering how
hard it would be to set up with CO2 and Argon to select Argon, CO2, or mix.
I could use straight CO2 for normal steel MIG, Mix for auto body, and
straight Argon for aluminum or TIG.

RogerN