Miller welding equipment *&^&*%$^

Thomas T

Thomas T

Senior Member
:mad:G’ day to all,
I am posting this because I know that most of us old car guys have worked very hard for our "toy" money and need to spend it in the best possible way. Anyway, I just purchased a new Millermatic 211-Autoset Mig-welder along with a Spool gun to weld both steel and aluminum. Did a lot of research and read up on all the different models and choose the 211 because it claims to be able to weld up to 3/8" in aluminum. Bottom line it does a nice job on steel but at best SUCKS on aluminum. I have been welding aluminum for over forty years and this machine does not weld aluminum. Called two of Miller’s sales reps and one never called me back, the other guy told me to use Miller Brand of wire...oh come on now. Called the factory and was given no help. So I wrote a "nice" letter to Miller. Chris from the main office called me today about the letter and told me that " the 211 welds aluminum perfectly" and he and I talked for about forty minutes. During his conversation, (1) he admitted that the Spool Gun had a 20% differential in the wire speed setting which adversely affected the finish weld, (2) that the 211 did not do very good with 5356 wire and for me to not use it, (3) that an experienced welder like myself could "work with it and get a nice weld", (4) he also pointed out that there was a problem with supplying the proper amount of Argon somewhere past the solenoid, and on and on...... He had no solution and did not offer to have a Rep come out and check the unit. Bottom line fellows Miller will not stand behind their products. I am going to post this information on my web site and just hope this will save someone a bit of grief and a lot of money.
 
Sorry to hear about the welding woes there, I prefer Lincoln myself.
I bought the Lincoln 100 a few yrs ago and put the gas kit into it and I am happy with it, but I'm not trying aluminum either, just steel.
Wish you the best and hope you get things worked out and thanks for the heads up.
 
OK I'll go ahead and tell you what I know about welding. "It's not real, cannot be done and only produces, at best, lousy results". I've been welding, off and on, for about 50 years and am finally, at the age of 61, convinced it's not an art, a science or anything inbetween. I owned a 225 amp lincoln welder for 30 years and never ran a bead that didn't look like someone smeared bubble gum on the metal. My welds always break and when it comes to "penetration" the word has a totally different meaning for me and honestly I'm lousy at that too, no matter how you look at it. About five years ago my wife, well she was at that time, gave my lincoln welder to a 17 year old kid to get me to not destroy anymore steel. Now please understand I'm a trained and experienced machinist with 40 years experience. But alas I'm not a welder. I currently own a wirefeed welder with a tank system and all the bells and whistles. I've got a mask that can darken the minute the lights are turned on in the shop it's so sensitive. I use only the best argon with exactly the correct flow set up on it for the wire I'm using. I'm told it's really hard to create a bad weld with a wirefeed. And yet I'm very successful of putting welds on sheet steel that look more like birdsh_t than welds. So please forgive me if I don't offer any advice on the subject of welding. My lawyer and insurance company are threatening to give my welder to some 17 year old kid.
 
G' day Larry, I owned a 210 before I bought the 211 and it welded aluminum beautiful and had no problems with that machine. It had the #3035 Spool Gun with it which is a more heavy duty gun and I had added the higher amp nozzel. The 211 welds steel in the Auto-Set mode just great, but as you know to weld aluminum you need a lot more "umph" and the 211 is a much lighter built machine and is very over-rated by Miller. By the way your 210 is an up-dated version of the old model 200 which is one of the best machines every made. Hold onto that 210! When I set the 211 for welding 1/8" aluminum, at the start the weld is "cold" with almost no penetration. Then at the completition of the weld there is a "cavity", as a result of too much heat. I was told by one of the Miller main office experts. that the Spool Gun on the 211 has a design defect which allows as much as 10% plus or minus (20% total) for control of the wire speed. That is way too much, should not be more than 2% total. I have been welding aluminum for over forty years and have used just about every make of welder, and this machine just cannot do a proper job on aluminum and should not be advertised as being able to do that.
 
Hi, Thomas Sorry to hear of your prpblem. That is really a bummer. So the welder starts out cold then gets to hot. Can you change the spool gun? The 211 is a newer model of the 210 is it not. If it is it should weld as good or better. Can you send this machine back. I mean if it will not do the job what is the point in having it around. Thanks, Larry
 
Hi again Larry, No the 211 is about half the size of the 210 and it will only handle one welding lead at a time. Where your 210 has a regular Goose neck gun for steel or s/s and also a Spool Gun along with hook ups for two gas cylinders connected at the same time, my 211 has only connections for one hook up at a time. The only Spool Gun that will fit the 211 is the Spool-Mate 100 and it is light weight as far as Amps go. The Spool-Mate 200 replaced the #3035 gun and it will not fit my machine, but probably would fit your machine. Miller and the dealer will not take the welder back and have made no effort to correct the problem or try to work with me at all. The local Sales Reps for Miller won't even return my phone calls. It's a real shame that a manufacturer like Miller will not stand behind their own product. This is why I have posted this information to help everyone else that is considering buying a new welder. I am getting ready to build the bed for my Field Truck, which is all aluminum, and will borrow a welder to complete that project. Thanks for your interest Larry.
 
I got a miller 150 about 12 years ago. For 30 days, I used it to the point of all I could take. What a piece of you know what. I was going to do some trading for a red one. I even had the Millers rep. try it, and he said, said Oh it works the way it should, and he left it at that. So I made one last phone call to the Factory, and they sent me to one of the guys on the proudction line. I told him of my problem, and he asked what gun, and wire feed I had, and said that was the problem, that Model was cheap junk. He pulled a new one off the line, and just sent it to me, they didn't look the same, or work the same. The thing almost welds by itself, and some times better, then if I help. Herm.
 
lincoln or hobart is the way to go. as far as the hobart floor model you can get a killer deal on one if you have a local tractor plus near by to by it from. the welder i bought 1400 out the door. infinate not preset wire speed and heat. I also have a nice autoarc... ie miller and it welds good at best.
 
thanks for the warning on the Miller 211. I am looking for a good aluminum welder, definitely wont be looking at any Miller products
 
Why don,t you just call the welding supply distributer you bought it from and have them show you how to weld aluminum. Are you using a long extension cord? This could give you a drop of voltage and cause problems. Also did you check the electrical outlet w/ a meter to see if you are getting a good 220v? Aluminum is a good heat sink and you need good voltage to weld correct.
 
Miller has been around for a long time and will definately stand behind their products. While involved with heavy construction, our piping welders always used Miller equipment with no problems. If the rep in your area is not cutting it, contact Miller Cust. Service or your welding gas supplier. One thing I noted with the 211 model is the 115V/220V application with 20% duty cycle. Not the best for Alum.. Also the gun and feed mechanism are specifically for alum and should not be combined for carbon steel welding. Alum. is much softer and requires less tension on the drive than carbon steel. Watch your Argon flow rate also. To much and to little will seriously effect the quality of your weld. If you know a certified welder in your area ask questions. I find that these guys know more than the reps anyway. Just my opinion. Good luck!
 
G' day fellows, In reply to iweld and t42 as I had stated in the original posting, a) I have contacted all sales reps who will not return my calls, b) I contacted the main office with NO offer to help in any way, c) Chris from customer service called and admitted several problems with the 211 and also offered NO help or resolve d) Miller will not take the machine back, e) the dealer will not take the machine back, f) neither will accept the machine on a exchange. The 230v outlet is brand new and commercially tested. I am using the Miller supplied connection cable. I have been welding aluminum for over forty (40) years, in a one year period my company fabricated over 15 tons on aluminum. I am approved by the US Coast Guard and hold a "MIC" ( that is Manufacturer Idenification Code ) issued by the USCG. I have owned and operated all major brands of welders and never experienced this much trouble with a welder. And by the way, all other manufacturers have ALWAYS resolved any and all problems within days. I did not post the message as a "bash" on Miller, but to help my fellow old car friends. Miller's actions or the lack of, speaks for itself.
 
It really is sad! All we have at work is miller and have always thought they were the "gold" standard in the field.that response from all parties is pitiful and unconcinable.Someone should step up at some point! Sorry for your bad experience and thank you for the heads up!
 
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