Tig welding

[amd is the best]

I'm interested in picking up a tig welder to start learning. Can anyone point me in the right direction for used quality machine models to start out?

Any resources on tig for beginners would also be awesome.

[ringbearer]

Miller Diversion 180 is a solid machine that will last a long time.
I stepped it up and got a Synchrowave 200.

I spent around $1k for safety and supplies not including the tig. Used can be good but kinda risky.
I used Cyberweld, great prices and service.

[All_Euro]

A welder recommended a 220V to me, over the 120, siting steadier power supply so better/easier to work with.

Here's a beginner's guide from Miller - pretty good range of info… http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/te ... /TIG_tips/

[PRY4SNO]

x2 on the 220v.

Red-D-Arc machines have Miller internals and are cheaper/easier to repair (used extensively on industrial sites).

One of the main things to pay attention to with any welding machine is the duty cycle, get the highest rating you can afford.

[HT Motorsport]

Check out the Everlast 220v inverters. I used one recently and was uber impressed.

Particularly as they are $1500 brand new including the water cooler.

Note though that the supplied torch is massive and the pedal is crap so go for the optional Upgraded 9/20 size torch and better pedal.

H

[highlander69]

Check out the Everlast 220v inverters. I used one recently and was uber impressed.

Particularly as they are $1500 brand new including the water cooler.

Note though that the supplied torch is massive and the pedal is crap so go for the optional Upgraded 9/20 size torch and better pedal.

H

I bought a everlast 250 ex tig welder last year with water cooler, and I couldn't be happier with it for the price. The only thing is the torch is a bit bulky. I'm currently looking at a smaller torch.

Customer service is great, and they come with a 3 year warranty.

Cheers,

Craig

[amd is the best]

Thank you all for the responses!

What do you guys think about the Everlast 185 Micro? I looks like it's a very quality machine and can handle more than I'd ever think about doing. Looks like you can push it a bit further if running a helium mix as well if ever needed. For $850 shipped it seems like a great price for a complete newb to get my feet wet.

Any first hand experience with one of these?

[highlander69]

I don't have any experience with that machine.

I suggest you join the forum and read up.

http://www.everlastgenerators.com/forum ... 2b571a09a6

Bang for buck IMO it's the best way to get into tig welding.

Cheers,

Craig.

[Hank]

185 amps is not a lot of juice, especially in an inverter machine that only likes 40-50% DC. It will be fine for most of your automotive needs, but it won't be able to grab aluminum more than 3/8" thick, and that will even probably require a bunch of pre heat to pull off.

I have a little 15 lb suitcase TIG I use every so often for onsite welding, and it is pretty handy. Like others have said, these entry level units usually just have terrible pedal and torches right off the bat. A nice torch and lense will go a long way, as well as a pedal that can actually modulate with some sort of feel.

[ringbearer]

185 amps is not a lot of juice, especially in an inverter machine that only likes 40-50% DC. It will be fine for most of your automotive needs, but it won't be able to grab aluminum more than 3/8" thick, and that will even probably require a bunch of pre heat to pull off.

I have a little 15 lb suitcase TIG I use every so often for onsite welding, and it is pretty handy. Like others have said, these entry level units usually just have terrible pedal and torches right off the bat. A nice torch and lense will go a long way, as well as a pedal that can actually modulate with some sort of feel.

What do you use day to day in your shop?

[HT Motorsport]

185 amps is not a lot of juice, especially in an inverter machine that only likes 40-50% DC. It will be fine for most of your automotive needs, but it won't be able to grab aluminum more than 3/8" thick, and that will even probably require a bunch of pre heat to pull off.

I have a little 15 lb suitcase TIG I use every so often for onsite welding, and it is pretty handy. Like others have said, these entry level units usually just have terrible pedal and torches right off the bat. A nice torch and lense will go a long way, as well as a pedal that can actually modulate with some sort of feel.

Agreed but most car work is max 1/4" Al.

If you occasionally need more go you can use a hot gas mix instead of pure argon.

[Hank]

185 amps is not a lot of juice, especially in an inverter machine that only likes 40-50% DC. It will be fine for most of your automotive needs, but it won't be able to grab aluminum more than 3/8" thick, and that will even probably require a bunch of pre heat to pull off.

I have a little 15 lb suitcase TIG I use every so often for onsite welding, and it is pretty handy. Like others have said, these entry level units usually just have terrible pedal and torches right off the bat. A nice torch and lense will go a long way, as well as a pedal that can actually modulate with some sort of feel.

What do you use day to day in your shop?

Miller dx250 Syncrowave. Been a great machine, but it ought to be at nearly 5000$ new with all the options. Put me through college though, so I won't complain

Besides intercooler piping Haydn, I can't think of much welding that would be less than 1/4" in A/C. Forget an intake manifold, motor mounts, tranny mounts, intercooler endcaps, fixing aluminum heads, serp brackets, ect. What a pain it is to hotgas though, as you really don't wanna be paying for mixed helium-argon all the time. I suppose you could have a mini bottle on the side that is for those hot jobs.


What I don't understand is that all of these inverters come with WP25 torches that are rated to 250 amps. I wish they would just put inexpensive WeldCraft wp20 torches on them. Not like a inverter 185 is going to overpower it anyway.

I really want a wireless pedal. It will probably be my next upgrade on my setup.

[cuatrokoop]

I've only used a bigger Lincoln TIG (275), but at work we have two Miller Dynasty 200's and a Lincoln that is, I think, a 375 (it is older). The guys prefer to use the Millers because of the size and they handle 1/4" material. If they do thicker, they have to use the Lincoln. If you are going to be welding at a bench, I'd recommend a foot pedal. If you weld while working on a part that is installed, I can see where a thumb-control would be handy.

[highlander69]

Hank what torch would you recommend for the stainless exhaust stuff.

I don't mind the wp26 for the heavy aluminium stuff, but what a pain in the ass for the lighter stuff. Even my wrist hurts after a while holding the bloody thing. I'm assuming you also use a gas lens ?

Cheers,

Craig.

[gtn116]

I recently began TIG, I've got an OLD Lincoln TIG 300/300 AC/DC unit. I LOVE it. It's old, but it works. It's got more power than I'd ever need too.

[Hank]

Hank what torch would you recommend for the stainless exhaust stuff.

I don't mind the wp26 for the heavy aluminium stuff, but what a pain in the ass for the lighter stuff. Even my wrist hurts after a while holding the bloody thing. I'm assuming you also use a gas lens ?

Cheers,

Craig.

I have tried 8-10 torches in the last 10 years, and this is by far my favorite for sub 250amp applications. It is nice because the head is flexible for different angles. If you over flex it, the water copper portion fractures. Anyway, depending on what hoses you have, you can just get the torch head for 75$ and a handle for 10$. Get the lenses and cups for that, and you will love the lightweight torch.

http://www.arc-zone.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13_727_18_25_30&products_id=5

I also got a front loading torch recently that is really nice too. It can only do 150 amps, but it can weld the inside of a 1" tube. Really handy when you are building headers.

Hank

[HT Motorsport]

I use the same format of torch but its a CK flex head wp20 water cooled. I run a gas lens.

I really want one of these ck swivel heads.

http://youtu.be/4ICnwI3StbY

[amd is the best]

I'm now leaning more towards this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/PowerTig-DX-200 ... 4ab2a72128

Comes with a foot petal and some consumables on top of being more amps. This is a better deal, though more money.

[Hank]

I can't stand the gas saver pyrex lenses. Maybe if I would have learned on one it would be more natural, but i find myself resting my cup a lot on the workpiece, so the clear cup throws me off. Plus the size of the cup just makes it hard to get into workpieces. It would be awesome for doing stainless countertops, or if you were doing a bunch of Ti.

That flex head is pretty neat. I might have to give that a try. Haydn, you should ad a front loading pencil and 45 degree flex front loading torch to your armory. It is one of those tools you don't know what you did without it once you have it.

[ringbearer]

185 amps is not a lot of juice, especially in an inverter machine that only likes 40-50% DC. It will be fine for most of your automotive needs, but it won't be able to grab aluminum more than 3/8" thick, and that will even probably require a bunch of pre heat to pull off.

I have a little 15 lb suitcase TIG I use every so often for onsite welding, and it is pretty handy. Like others have said, these entry level units usually just have terrible pedal and torches right off the bat. A nice torch and lense will go a long way, as well as a pedal that can actually modulate with some sort of feel.

What do you use day to day in your shop?

Miller dx250 Syncrowave. Been a great machine, but it ought to be at nearly 5000$ new with all the options. Put me through college though, so I won't complain

Besides intercooler piping Haydn, I can't think of much welding that would be less than 1/4" in A/C. Forget an intake manifold, motor mounts, tranny mounts, intercooler endcaps, fixing aluminum heads, serp brackets, ect. What a pain it is to hotgas though, as you really don't wanna be paying for mixed helium-argon all the time. I suppose you could have a mini bottle on the side that is for those hot jobs.


What I don't understand is that all of these inverters come with WP25 torches that are rated to 250 amps. I wish they would just put inexpensive WeldCraft wp20 torches on them. Not like a inverter 185 is going to overpower it anyway.

I really want a wireless pedal. It will probably be my next upgrade on my setup.

The 250 is a great machine, I went with the 200 so I could afford it and I won't use it as much as you do. Do you use any of the pulse settings? I'm about to start playing with them, looks like it helps keep the heat down.

[Hank]

Nope, my pulse happens with my foot

[ringbearer]

That works too

[cuatrokoop]

Okay, I don't understand why you guys are water cooling your torches. I work at a 54k sq ft fab shop, and we have ZERO water cooled welding equipment and we weld A LOT, I would think probably more than anyone on this thread combined in several years. We even build aluminum tanks upwards of 6000 gallons and use a Cobra spool and the Lincoln TIG (sparingly) for that work. I've had AmeriGas in a few times to make sure we are using the correct torches, machines, filler and procedures. We weld anywhere from 1/8" to 3/8" aluminum and 1/4" to 1/2" stainless and mild steel on a daily basis. I don't understand how your duty cycles can be that high to require the cooling, even when welding on the thicker cast manifolds.

[Hank]

If you are welding with ginormous torches that have ginormous leads (heat sinks), you can sacrifice comfort and mobility for complexity. For industrial pipe and for things that require enough juice to do a 1/2" stainless pass, you don't need the small torches needed for making downpipes or headers.

You couldn't make what I make with your welding setup though. Too big of torches to fit in the confined spaces I have to get a torch. no WP20 sized air cooled torch is going to cut it with the volume of welding that I do. I have tried before, and you literally can not hold onto the torch.

I do non automotive jobs where I am doing 90% DC for 4-5 hours at a time.

[Hank]

Watercooler does not equal industrious work, it means small confined spaces that require small torches. In order to get away with smaller torches, they must be watercooled.

You also save a bunch of gas by using a watercooled torch. Postflow is to keep the weld undershield as you cool down, but it also to cool the tungsten so no oxidation occurs. These watercool torches are cooling the collet jacket, which is directly responsible for cooling the tungsten. If you have 300 startups and stops on a tubular header like I do, and you are able to lower post flow from 15 seconds on an air cooled unit to 8 seconds on a watercooled unit, you are saving 7 seconds at 14 cfm. This ends up being 40 minutes of gas time at 14cfm for a healthy 560 CF of argon, or about 20$ worth of gas wasted per manifold, not to mention the extra 40 minutes per manifold that is spent waiting at 90$ per hour.

I learned on an aircooled only machine. It was fine for 95% of the work. For hobby, it is not a big deal at all to be aircooled. I would never get away with aircooled in my line of work.