The Great Debate

[MX Quad Dad]

My son and I went down to the local welding supply store to purchase a MIG welder. I did a bit of research on the net before we went to buy. I noticed that Lincoln Electric was a sponsor of ARCA and I believe NASCAR. After talking to a few people I sponsor good welders, I couldn't find anyone to say one is better than the other. So since Lincoln put out some support to A sport I enjoy I set off to buy me a red welder. While I was in the store, I figured I would ask the salesman about the difference between the Miller and the Lincoln. He said they both weld good, about the same price and warranty was the same, also that both manufactures stand behind their warranties. He said it just depends if you like red or blue......................... and then he slipped in or if you want made in America. I looked back at him and asked if I heard him right. and he said, yep. The Miller is made in the USA and the red one is assembled in Mexico. As I was asking a few more questions about Getting warranty service, he began to tell me that everything gets handled thru the Ohio Main Headquarters, and at that time the secretary came out to the showroom and heard the conversation and corrected him and more or less said they don't even deal thru the Main headquarters anymore. He asked her something about where. all she would say is she didn't think it was handled in the USA because every time she called it was hard to understand because of the accent.

[jesshamner]

So did you buy one or not?

[UpsMan]

Miller Electric. Another fine Wisconsin product.

[MX Quad Dad]

Yep; Brought the Blue one home. I have an old Montgomery Wards Buzz box (100% duty cycle). Its a good welder but I'm not. I tend to have more problems with the thinner stuff. I get along pretty good with the MIG at work, so we got a MIG 140 which is 115v. we really wanted to get a 115v machine. It does weld nice. I haven't tried the spool-gun yet, but that was another plus for the Miller. Their spool-gun looks a lot nicer and will do more than aluminum, the lincoln spool-gun only does aluminum, at least the one for the 115v machine does.

You know I have worked in a few different shops over the years and either the people there don't know how to use a MIG or they aren't willing to help coworkers. I learned so much by watching the DVD that came with the rig. Now I will go watch them and find out if they were holding back or if they just don't know. Also I found if I ask somebody a technical question that I know the answer to I can determine if I should take their advice on the questions I don't know the answer to

[MX Quad Dad]

QUOTE (UpsMan @ Feb 7 2008, 11:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Miller Electric. Another fine Wisconsin product.

YEP. I thought they were both made by neighboring states (one to the west and one to the south) but I thought wrong. the one to the south WENT SOUTH!

[cannondale27]

Boy thats really disappointing to hear.I have a SP110 Lincoln about 10 years old and just love it.Was bought in my old Banshee and 250rMX days out of necessity. Someday I will get a TIG welder and it will for sure be a Miller knowing this.

[Nickc711]

you better watch with Lincoln...my welding teacher said a while back they tried making some welders somewhere else and used alum windings instead of copper....he said the melted into a puddle...just look in the side ..copper or alum..

[mydreamride]

I'm also a big Miller guy. I currently have a AC/DC Syncrowave TIG that is probably about 10-15 years old and it can still weld super thick aluminum without a problem. And where I work all we have for welders are all Miller both MIG and TIG. Two of the four TIG are even 25-30 years old and work like a charm with little to zero problems, even with all the aluminum dust everywhere at my work. Take into acount that the welder almost run 5 days a week and 8 hours a day.

[MX Quad Dad]

QUOTE (cannondale27 @ Feb 8 2008, 04:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Boy thats really disappointing to hear.I have a SP110 Lincoln about 10 years old and just love it.Was bought in my old Banshee and 250rMX days out of necessity. Someday I will get a TIG welder and it will for sure be a Miller knowing this.

My neighbor has an older SP100 (at least thats the number he told me) and he has abused (run it well over the claimed 10% Duty Cycle) it for quite a while and said it works flawlessly, He was also shocked to hear Lincoln defected.

When I was looking on the web for welders I found a TIG conversion for a stick welder. was really reasonable. I was thinking about picking one up.

[wayneschofield]

Same goes here.... just about everything you pick up is made in China. It's pants quality and will be broke within a year. Trouble is, all the retailers just look at the mark-up and don't bother stocking anything but Chinese ka-ka.

People buy it because it's half the price of a British or European product but don't think that they'll have to be buying another in no time. Short term bottom line is all that seems to matter. That everyone will be out of work in twenty years seems not to figure in their, or our government's, thinking.

I do my best to buy a quality product from a proper country but it is getting harder and harder.

Next time you're on the 'Snap-On Tools' van have a look around at how much stuff is made in China or Mexico..... most of it on our vans. Another quality product name getting washed down the drain for cheap, quick profits.

It stinks. Our respective governments should stop imports from countries that don't operate to the same minimum wage and the same health and safety standards as our manufacturers have to. We have to meet all these different and strictly controlled work ethics and yet they'll allow tons of imports from countries that employ kids and have their people working in terrible conditions for pennies a day and we have to try and compete in the retail market.

Crazy!