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View Full Version : Buying new welder - Miller 212



ArloGuthroJeep
03-18-2008, 04:25 PM
So I am about to pull the trigger on buying a Miller 212.

My question is how thick of wire is appropiate to use when welding to the (WJ) unibody? The Miller 212 comes with a .030/.035 combo and according to a chart I found, .030 should be good down to 22 gauge - that accurate? Anyone know off hand how thick the "frame" rails on a WJ are (obviously thicker then 22gauge...)?

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-10832267511754_1992_13373952

Aside from some protective clothing, helmet, gas, and some practice metal - anything else I should be looking into?

Any recommendations on how big of a tank to get? "Bigger is better" I suppose but I have a workbench that I would like to slide the welder under (about 4ft of clearence) so with a tank that small am I going to be filling up monthly (yaya, depends on how much I weld)?

I'll be cutting out the wooden shelf to accomidate the welder on the left under the toolchest:
http://www.arlojeep.com/Misc-Pics/Garage-3-1-08/Weberized/IMG_5820_resize.JPG

BigDaveZJ
03-18-2008, 04:28 PM
Get an 80 cu ft tank. I've got a 40, and I'm almost done with my 2nd tank, and I really don't use it all that often. I think the spool of wire I've got in there right now is .023 or something like that, works just fine for welding to the unibody.

ArloGuthroJeep
03-18-2008, 04:43 PM
Maybe I am welder ignorant here, but can I put in .023 wire into the miller gun? I thought I saw somewhere that to run smaller size wire you needed a different gun (not psyched about buying another $300 gun) - perhaps I misread it and you just put on a different tip or something?

BigDaveZJ
03-18-2008, 05:46 PM
I just put a different tip on mine.

Ted_Z
03-18-2008, 06:01 PM
Swap the nozzle tip and you might also have to swap the feeder wheel (I'm not sure what its called, the wheel that spins to push the wire up to the gun.)

ATL ZJ
03-18-2008, 06:11 PM
Check your manual to see what diameters of wire your welder's components are good for. I put a new liner in my Hobart 180 this weekend (miller part) and there were actually 2 liners available in the store. One for .024 to .035 and the other for .030 to .045 if I remember right.

The feed wheel should have two grooves in it, one for .030 and .035 and the other for .024.

ArloGuthroJeep
03-18-2008, 07:06 PM
Per: http://www.millerwelds.com/pdf/spec_sheets/DC12-46.pdf




NEW! 15 ft (4.6 m), 250 amp M-25
MIG gun for .030/.035 in wire



Tips:

Contact Tips
#087 299 .023/.025 in (0.6 mm)
#000 067 .030 in (0.8 mm)
#000 068 .035 in (0.9 mm)
#000 069 .045 in (1.1 mm)
#187 117 .035 in (0.9 mm) heavy-duty tip
#187 118 .045 in (1.2 mm) heavy-duty tip

Drive Rolls

V-Grooved Drive Roll Kits (solid wire)
#204 579 .030 & .035 in (0.8 & 0.9 mm) Combination (Reversible)
#087 131 .023/.025 in (0.6 mm)
#079 594 .030 in (0.8 mm)
#079 595 .035 in (0.9 mm)

Liners:

Replacement Liners
#194 010 .023/.025 in
#194 011 .030 –.035 in (standard)
#194 012 .035 –.045 in

Looks like I'll need a replacement liner and drive roll and tip to run the thinner wire :(

ArloGuthroJeep
03-19-2008, 03:00 PM
Woot, talked to the local welding shop here and they said you can run smaller wire in a bigger lining w/o issue. Didn't know why you would install a smaller lining. Just tip and roll needed for the smaller wire:)

ATL ZJ
03-19-2008, 04:34 PM
Just curious, what makes you want to run .024 so much? You have a lot of sheetmetal work planned?

ArloGuthroJeep
03-19-2008, 05:11 PM
Two parts:
1) Just learning...
2) No, not a lot of sheet metal work at all, just two things planned:
--A) LA welding (or perhaps the .03/.035 would be more appropiate for that or not matter that much?)
--B) When I finish trimming my rear fenders I'll be spot welding the fender back together.

Criticize away - if you think it is worthless to go about getting the wire/tip for .024 say so:) Complete welder noob here...

ATL ZJ
03-19-2008, 07:12 PM
No criticism from me, just asking. .024 has its place especially with thinner gauge stuff. I tend to run .030 just because I switch back and forth between materials of different thicknesses often and get tired of changing spools.

ArloGuthroJeep
04-02-2008, 12:16 AM
Woot, welder got delivered today:)

http://arlojeep.com/Misc-Pics//Welder-4-1-08/Weberized/IMG_5919_resize.JPG

Just need some wire and gas, oh, and something to weld...
http://arlojeep.com/Misc-Pics//Welder-4-1-08/Weberized/IMG_5921_resize.JPG