Tig welding

[ironman_gq]

Some of you guys talk about tig welding around here and I'm looking for some I put on buying a new tig machine. Right now I have a Lincoln 175 square wave machine. I'm looking at a miller dynasty because of the light weight and flexible power options. I'm trying to keep it less than $3000 for the machine.

So I'm wondering what you guys have for machines, torches and such

 

[schmuck.k]

i have used the miller dynasty and there a nice machine but ya spendy to buy.
the adjustibilty on them is a key feature jest push a button and go

 

[cliff-1972]

I have a Miller Syncro Wave 180.I bought it used and it is great for your average home/light profess kind of work.It is none water cooled,so arc stability at high amps is not the best.But 1/4" aluminum and below it is the cats meow.We have a 250 of the same model at work that is water cooled and it welds awesome.I also have a Lincoln 350 Square Wave that is watercooled w/pulse tig feature thats in my shop at work.This is by far the best one.

Now for my other machines.Like I said above a Miller 180 Syncro Wave,Miller Matic 185 w/ aluminum spool gun,Miller 375 Plasma arc and oxy/acetl set-up.

 

[bullittman281]

Hello,
I've got a Synchowave 200. I'm no master but it seems to weld just fine. At school I think the synchowaves had the edge over the precision tig 175's. I wasn't too convinced about the Lincoln auto balance. I'm also a fan of digital read out versus vague makings on the adjuster knobs. At school we also had a a pair of dynasty 300s. The dynasty was very adjustable but difficult to make it sing as well. Defiantly more for a pro user. The inverter stuff is nice because of its lack of size and weight and power draw but they are pricey. I don't know what your plans are and how much power you need but something to look at is the new miller diversion. Stupid name I know but here is the link. http://www.millerwelds.com/products/tig/diversion_165/ Its inverter based and kinda gutless but the price is good if it meets your needs. It also will only tig weld. Most/all of the bigger tig welders will also stick weld should the need to weld heavy plate arise. Looking over your post again it looks like the diversion is a step in the wrong direction but I don't know.

Your gonna have a tough time finding a new full feature inverter set up. Ebay for machine only you might find a deal. Good luck and keep us posted.

Bullittman

 

[ironman_gq]

The dynasy's are all over for about 2800 machine only. I've already got a millermatic 251 mig and a spectrum 375 xtreme plasma cutter. The tig I have has very poor low amp control and weighs 200lbs and draws 75 amps at full power. The inverter machines can do more and use a lot less power as well as being fairly portable.

 

[sloch24]

I have a Thermalarc inverter welder (Pro Wave 300tsw)

It's a 300 Amp welder with all the bells and whistles. High Freq., pulse, etc....

It's about a $5000 machine to buy new. I bought it straight from the manufacturer through a deal at a school that I was going to. I've only used it a couple of times since I bought it a few years ago. I really need to get out there and use it, or sell the darn thing.

The only other machine I've used is a Lincoln Square Wave, so that's all I have to go by, but I think it performs on par with the Lincoln.

This model was replaced by the 300ACDC, but the distributor told me (and I looked online) that the only difference is the name, and the panel layout. It's basically the same machine, just named different.

 

[brncreeper]

I’ve got the Dynasty 200 and really like it. It does a nice job on ¼ inch aluminum, but I’ve got a water cooler. The amperage control on the stinger is a neat option, I never have liked the foot controls.
Miller’s website used to have a video of the Dynasty 200 welding two pieces of aluminum foil. Try going from 1 amp to 200 amp welding with a Lincoln.

 

[cliff-1972]

The Syncro 200 is the new version of the 180 I have.Also if you got a DC stick welder already just buy a tig rig and argon bottle and you are set to weld steel and carbon base alloys.If you got a AC/DC welder you can buy a high Frequency to attach to it and weld aluminum.Also aluminum can be welded with oxy/accetl using Aluminum oxide powered.This is a lost art for sure but does weld very good.It alls comes down to what you really need.

 

[820wards]

Some of you guys talk about tig welding around here and I'm looking for some I put on buying a new tig machine. Right now I have a Lincoln 175 square wave machine. I'm looking at a miller dynasty because of the light weight and flexible power options. I'm trying to keep it less than $3000 for the machine.

So I'm wondering what you guys have for machines, torches and such

I have an old AIRCO AC/DC Heliwelder that I bought used in 1977 used for $1500.00. It is still in use today and the only things I wear out on the unit is the tungsten's. This machine has the ability to do stick welding or add a hand held mig spool gun. It has been a great machine for many years.

jerry-

 

[ironman_gq]

I really like the fact that you can stick weld with almost all tig machines just by attatching a stinger to it instead of a torch and switching the polarity

 

[820wards]

I really like the fact that you can stick weld with almost all tig machines just by attatching a stinger to it instead of a torch and switching the polarity

Being able to switch fro AC to DC rod is nice. I use this feature when I'm welding big ugly metal together. I also have a smaller AIRCO AC machine That I can take with me up to our cabin when I need to weld something. I have a line on a second AIRCO TIG machine a friend wants to give me. If I get it I'll be taking it to my cabin. The best of both worlds in my two places.

jerry-

 

[chub]

I have a Dynasty300 I love it ,but I bought it before the 200 came out,and the 110v feature would be nice and the portability. If your looking at the Dynasty 200 then also look at the thermal arc 185 not sure if it has 110 capibility though. You never said if aluminium was a factor [I assume it is because of your current machine] but if its not consider the maxstar series from miller. If portability is not an issue I would get a syncro 350 or a used Dynasty 300,the inverters will give you some great features mostly on aluminium. Chub

 

[ironman_gq]

aluminum is the biggest reason for me having a tig. My next project might be building a cnc plasma machine as a fun project.