Setting up a MIG TIG welder and its auxiliary equipment can become tedious. It affects all welding enthusiasts of different skill levels. The process of moving heavy equipment around, hooking up wires, checking gas pressures, and configuring the welding machine takes a considerable amount of time. All of these things have to be done before any welding takes place.
This struggle applies to all welding processes, which require filler metals and gas shields such as Metal Inert Gas (MIG) and Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding. These processes can be made more efficient with a welding machine that is easy to configure, easy to use, and can perform well at any welding process.
We're taking an in-depth look at the Lincoln Electric Power 210 Multiprocess (MP) welder and how it could make your life easier in your workspace so you can plug and play and enjoy a longer welding activity.
Unpacked: The Lincoln Electric Power 210 MP MIG TIG and Stick Welder
The Lincoln Electric Power 210 MP welder comes with more than just the machine itself. The standard package comes with MIG equipment, but other package issues include a TIG, Stick, or Flux-cored equipment. Let's check out what's included in the MIG package.
1 x 210 Welding Machine
This is where the power and configuration of the arc come from. It's hooked up to an outlet to produce the energy needed to create the arc for welding.
1 x Arc Welding Gun
A standard MIG welding gun. It can support a duty cycle of 25% at 200 amp and 40% at 100 amp. It also comes with spare components for the gun.
1 x Welding Lead
This cable lead is specific to the stick welding process. It connects to the electrode holder and the welder to enable Direct Current (DC) flow and the welding process.
1 x Work Lead
This lead clamps to your base metal, and the cable lead connects back to the machine. The cable lead completes the DC circulation from the torch, workpiece, and machine.
1 x 120 Volt Plug
This volt plug is explicitly used for 110-volt sockets. A plug-in cable is used in power outlets in your household and connects the machine to the 110 output which prevents a short circuit.
1 x 230 Volt Plug
Another plug is included specifically for 220-volt sockets just in case you're going to use the machine in an environment with a 220 output.
1 x Regulator
The regulators will be attached to your gas line and cylinder for measuring gas shields during MIG and TIG welding.
2 x Spool Consumable Wire (For)
There's one spool for Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) in case you need to do that welding process. The other wire is a 025 steel which is used for MIG 25 welding.
1 x Gas Line
This gas line connects to the gas cylinder you use and is compatible with MIG and TIG welding gas cylinders.
Features of the Lincoln Stick MIG TIG Welder Combo
Lightweight
The Lincoln Electric Power 210 MP only weighs 40 pounds. It's light enough to be carried anywhere.
Dual Voltage
The dual voltage is important because it makes the Lincoln Electric welder flexible in almost any indoor or outdoor environment as electrical sockets either have the 110 or the 220 voltage output.
Intuitive Controls
When you switch on the Lincoln MIG TIG Stick Welder, there's a screen that will show all the things you can configure, which makes setting up this machine intuitive. It lets you choose what welding process you want— MIG, TIG, Stick, or Flux-cored. The center knob on the machine used to select configuration is turned softly. It's also a button that you can push to confirm the action.
Automatic Machine Setup
You can set the wire size of the MIG torch and the thickness of the metal you're going to be working on, and the machine will auto-configure the voltage output and the wire feed speed for you. It also recognizes the voltage input you plugged it on.
Median Guide
The machine sets up a safe parameter of wire speed and voltage that you can use as a guide, so you don't go over or under depending on what kind of metal workpiece you have in front of you. The parameter is shaded in green on a spectrum bar.
Arc Setup
You can set how long your welding arc should last and how soft or how hard the arc should work. The arc setup would be beneficial in cases wherein you're going to spot weld two pieces of metal sheets together. You can also configure the arc's inductance depending on how mild or how strong you want your arc to be.
Direct Current (DC) Enabled
For Stick and TIG welding processes, a direct current setting is available. The direct current setting for TIG is touch-enabled from the center knob of the machine.
Who Should Buy The Lincoln 210 MP MIG TIG Welder?
The ones who will benefit from this machine are MIG welders at any skill level. Those who are just starting will find the Lincoln Electric Power 210 MP easy to use. For one, it already has every accessory necessary to get immediately started with MIG welding. Another thing is that the control panel is basic enough to be used even without reading the manual or thoroughly studying it. The machine offers an automatic setup on some essential aspects of the welding process. It also sets some parameters for beginners to follow.
On the other hand, you'll also find this machine convenient if you're an intermediate welder. Suppose you're doing a lot of MIG welding but you want to occasionally dabble on TIG, Stick, or even Flux-cored wire welding for learning and experience purposes. In that case, you'll find this machine sufficient enough to support you.
Lincoln Electric Power 210 MP Performance
The Lincoln Electric Power 210 MP will bring you efficiency and convenience. From the time you switch it on and hook up your MIG torch, you'll have to select the welding process, give it a few essential information, and it will be ready for you when you fire up that welding gun.
The automatic adjustment feature of the machine will give you precisely what you need to weld your base metal most cleanly and efficiently. If you have certain preferences, you can adjust it from the master knob, which will override the machine's auto-configuration.
It doesn't only perform clean welds on the MIG, it also delivers the same amount of precise welds for other welding processes, be it TIG, Stick, or Flux-cored welding. Just feed it with the right information and hook up the necessary tools for the welding process you're going to do, and it will do its job.
Pros
- You get complete control of the welding machine's configuration.
- You can configure the machine to four different welding processes (MIG, TIG, Stick, and Flux-cored).
- Intuitive enough for beginners to use.
- Complete MIG welding accessories that come with the machine.
Cons
- There's only a few TIG welding-related equipment included.
- It supports only rudimentary TIG welding processes.
- You have to disassemble the machine's front panel and install a kit for it to accommodate the TIG foot control equipment.
- The machine won't work on TIG aluminum metals unless you get a torch with an aluminum spool.
Final Thoughts: MIG vs TIG Welding Using The Lincoln
If you're going to choose TIG vs MIG welding with the Lincoln Electric welder, you'd better use this machine for MIG welding. Even though it's multipurpose, the Lincoln is designed to support the MIG welding process heavily as it makes it easy for a MIG welder to plug it, set it up, and use it as soon as it comes out of the box. It may even be convenient for you to use this machine for other welding processes that are almost similar to MIG, such as the FCAW.
If you're going to use this machine for TIG welding, you may have to invest in a few more pieces of equipment just to get started. You'll have to get a TIG torch, a foot pedal, tungsten electrodes, and filler rods, which could set you back for a thousand dollars or more. Some parts need to be integrated into the Lincoln welder first just for you to get comfortable using it with TIG welding. On the other hand, despite going through hoops to get this machine to TIG weld, it wouldn't disappoint you once you fire it up and start the TIG torch.
Overall, the Lincoln Electric Power 210 MP is a well-designed multipurpose welding machine that can be an excellent starting point for novice welders and impress the expert welders with knowledge on all the welding processes.
August 12, 2022