Anyone have an Eastwood 135 MIG, they're about $200.00 leass than Hobart's 140 and have a 3 yr warranty. Hobart's is 5yr, but 3yr seems pretty for the price.

Whaddda you Eastwood owners think?

 

I would look at the rollers that feed the wire, what are they made of? If they are plastic I would move on till I found steel, and then I would make sure it's from a source that will be around in ten years to offer replacement parts.

I would rather have a used miller or Lincoln than a new Hobart or other imported rehashed unit. Iirc Hobart is the down line for Lincoln?

 

I have the Eastwood 185 with spool gun for aluminum and have no complaints so far.

 

I thought Hobart and miller were the same manufacturer? I would keep an eye on hobarts if that's the case. I would buy something that welds a min. 1/4" too. You may out grow it fast if you get into metal work.

 

Hobarts are Millers "budget brand", they are close to the same machine with the exception of some of the wear items, (yes the rollers are plastic).

I got a Miller 185 some years back and it has provided excellent service with lots and lots of use. It is a damn good machine and good to weld up to 5/16, it struggles with 3/8 though.

I imagine that the next welder I buy will be a Miller as well.

 

I bought a Lincoln 175 over 12 yrs ago. Its the same transformer as their big welders, but in a small pkg like their 110v welders. There's nothing it hasn't done from welding up a car hauler frame to stitching thin sheet metal.

I've built 3 trailers, 1 ramp bed, 2 late models, a modified and done all the sheet metal work on my truck and my van as well as welded up plant hangers and horse gates, plus all the maintenance on the race cars.

I don't know that a budget welder would have held up. I knew I'd use mine a lot and figured the little extra the Lincoln cost was would be worth it. My local dealer bundled a gas tank, regulator, helmet and extra wire at the time I bought it so I got a discount on that stuff. Don't know if they can bundle on the Hobart/Eastwood. Also, a welder is heavy 35-40lbs easy. What will shipping cost from Eastwood?

 

Shipping is free.Comes with everything except the bottle.We tried mine agianst my brothers Lincoln 175 and there wasnt much of a differnece in welds.

A LOT of people are giving opinions THAT DONT HAVE ONE.Typical of forums.ive had for a few months and even left it at my brothers and he tried it over and over and claims its just as good as his Lincoln 185.Havent tried the spool gun yet though.

 

I think people suspected that the OP may be in for a wait for a direct answer to his specific question. I cannot remember having seen the unit in mind mentioned here or on any of several other forums where people get into DIY automotive fabrication).

So I'd consider that the Eastwood hasn't been roundly bashed as at least being not a bad sign and that the general advice given was helpfully intended.

Plastic rollers are probably good enough for occasional use - I think my Lincoln 155 rollers are, and they have. But I wouldn't expect them to hold up to continuous day in day out production work.


Norm

 

but as usual, people giving their .02 when that have ZERO experience with what he asked about.MY Eastwood welder doesnt have palstic rollers, so im not sure why its assumed that it does.This is the wrong forum to ask about welders since 80+% of the members do not weld

 

My hobart has steel rollers. Millers are great welders but out of my price range. Ive had the hobart 5+ years still works great and its been well used in the 5 years almost on a weekly basis year round. No complaints with the hobart from me.