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For TIG welders, most multiprocess machines have always had a critical flaw: They cannot TIG weld aluminum. When working with that type of material, AC TIG must be used in almost all cases. But for more than a decade, Lincoln’s multiprocess machines have only ever been able to DC TIG… until now!
For serious TIG welders, Lincoln’s new Power MIG 220 is the first machine that can truly be your all-in-one welding solution. Capable of MIG, stick and AC/DC TIG welding, it can fuse steel, aluminum and stainless steel. These capabilities put the Power MIG 220 in direct competition with machines like ESAB’s Rebel 205 and Miller’s Multimatic 220. But how well does this new Lincoln machine stack up against its competitors?
Beyond the Name
Lincoln does something a little strange with their consumer multi-process welders. Each machine has “MIG” as part of the name, even though they aren’t just limited to that one process. For instance, don’t be fooled by the name: “Power MIG 220.” This mechanical beast is capable of so much more. In fact, while the Power MIG 220 is an excellent MIG welder, its TIG capabilities are what truly set it apart.
When plugged into a 240-volt outlet, the Power MIG 220 can TIG weld up to 210 amps. Lincoln doesn’t give an official TIG welding max thickness, but at that amount of power, you should be able to weld 3/16” to 3/8" material in a single pass (possibly even more depending on your technique).
Unlike any other Lincoln multi-process machine, the Power MIG 220 is able to AC/DC TIG, MIG, Flux-Core and stick. Rumor is that they even tried to add thermite welding as an additional process, but Lincoln’s engineers got too burned out trying to make it work (cue dad joke drum sound).
What this means is that from a practical standpoint, you’d need at least 2 high-end Lincoln machines to replace the abilities of this one. Simply put, if you MIG and TIG weld, the Lincoln Power MIG 220 will save you money and space compared to your alternative options.
Why does TIG welding aluminum matter? Chances are, this skill is only going to get more and more important over time. Right now, aluminum usage is rapidly increasing for everything from construction to cars. Unlike steel, which rusts when exposed to atmosphere, aluminum is naturally corrosion-resistant. It’s also lighter than steel. This means it’s more cost-effective to transport and gets better gas mileage when used in vehicles and trailers. If you can’t weld aluminum, it’s time to figure out how.
Our Top Favorite Features: Ready.Set.Weld
You know how parents always say they don’t pick a favorite child, but they secretly do? Well, the Power MIG 220 has so many cool features, we shouldn’t pick favorites, but we definitely already have.
First is Lincoln’s Ready.Set.Weld technology. This is the big red brand’s answer to autoset technology. Instead of having to search through reference guides and then carefully adjust your settings, all you have to do is input a few details, and the machine does the rest. For instance, when TIG welding, it’ll ask you what type of TIG you’re doing (AC or DC high frequency or normal). Then it’ll ask you if you want pulse settings, your wire type, your tungsten size, gas type and finally your material thickness. Once you answer those questions, the machine will automatically set itself to the ideal starting parameters. Of course, you can always tweak those settings based on your preferences.
The reason we love this feature so much is that you would not believe how often we see even experienced welders guessing at their settings. And we get it, using reference charts and slowly tweaking your parameters is such a pain. So when welders find settings that are “good enough,” they often try to reuse those for every situation with only a few minor adjustments – not realizing it’s impacting the quality of their welds.
There are some welders who have spent decades perfecting their ability to find the ideal settings on their own. For these welders, you absolutely have the option to set your parameters manually if you prefer.
Our Top Favorite Features: ArcFX Technology
Ready.Set.Weld will give you the ideal starting settings, but often you’ll want to tweak the characteristics of your arc depending on what you’re welding. Sometimes you might need deeper penetration or maybe a wider arc cone than normal. Lincoln’s ArcFX will display a visual representation on the Power MIG 200’s screen, showing how your current settings will affect your arc. As you adjust your wire speed or voltage, the image will change to match.
For example, if you adjust your wirespeed to be faster, you’ll see the ArcFX graphic’s penetration increase. So even when you’re manually tweaking your MIG settings to fit your welding situation, you’ll always have a good idea of what to expect when you strike your arc.
Both the Ready.Set.Weld and ArcFX work well thanks to the large 7-inch, full-color LCD display used in the Power MIG 220. Heck, a screen that big is how people used to watch Sunday Night Football in the '70s. This is a huge step up from the old analogue knobs and buttons that made up the control panel of previous Power MIG machines.
MIG and TIG Ready
While the 220 significantly adds more functionality to the TIG side of the Power MIG multi-processor series, it doesn’t sacrifice any of the excellent MIG capabilities that the Power MIG machines are known for. This is apparent even with the equipment included with the Power MIG 220. Along with the machine, you’ll get both a MIG gun and a TIG torch. We absolutely love this. It shows that Lincoln knows this multi-processor machine will be most useful for welders who both TIG and MIG (or fluxcore).
Is the Lincoln Power MIG 220 Right for You?
Up until this moment, Lincoln fans did not have the option of a multi-process machine that could TIG weld aluminum. This meant you needed a dedicated TIG machine (like the Square Wave 205) and a separate MIG machine if you wanted to cover all your bases. With the new Power MIG 220, you get all that functionality for half the price you’d be paying before. For welders interested in this type of functionality, the 220 machine is a complete no-brainer.
Of course, the biggest no-brainer is to always check Welding Supplies from IOC before purchasing your equipment. We’ve got the best prices and customer service on the web. To see for yourself, check out the Lincoln Power MIG 220 here.
