TIG Welder

Hi,
I'm in the market for a tig welder....I have never tig welded.

I only want to buy the unit once, so I want to buy the right one.


Here are the questions:

What capacity do I need to buy?

What's the best brand?


Let me know what you think.

Thanks!!
Mike L.

 

biggest question is how think of aluminum are you going to be welding?
thats what needs the amps.
miller syncrowave 200 would work fine for thinner aluminum but the syncrowave 250DX would be a better choice for thicker aluminum

 

Tig

I have a nice miller dialarc hf for sale if interested

 

No way from a beginner point of view I bought a Miller. Very touchy on welding alu. Hands down from a beginner stand point a Lincoln precision tig 225 is way better. It's smoother all the way around and with a helium tank you can weld blocks and heads. I gave away my miller to get this Lincoln. Die hard miller guys don't have an answer to this welder. I'd never buy a miller again.

 

I own 4 tig welders 5 wire machines and I will say I don't like the Lincoln I will take my miller any day..I tig on the average of 3 plus hours a day the tig I always use is my syncro 250 water cooled tig welder..Dave

 

We have 4 Miller Syncwaves....200-350 at my shop, and 4 Miller Dynastys. Also have 3 Lincolns ranging from 225-350. I like the Miller 250 water cooled. Just personal preference i guess.
Darren

 

welders

I also have syncro 250 water in the shop and a dynasty dx in the trailer they are all standard of the industry no finer running machines .I have been welding over 55 years these are some the best.

 

200 amps on Argon is borderline on an air cooled machine welding .188 thick Aluminum, and that's assuming it's a small project----- like the previous poster noted most 150 to 200 amp machines are more than enough for any common steel welding job ---- the thicker Aluminum is where it all changes --$$$$$$

The Millers are great , the Lincolns are good too. I would go with the newest one you can afford and get parts for easily , locally .

 

Welder

Mike,
We use Millers but I don't think you can go wrong with Miller or Lincoln. The best advise I can give you is find someone who knows how to weld well,(preferably someone who teaches welding for a living) and hire them to give you some instruction. Weld for a while on non critical items and have them come back and work with you some more....... Just make sure your instructor REALLY knows what he is doing. Not just someone who thinks they do..... Rusty

 

lesson

You are right schooling is the best thing for the right way to weld---a good machine does not make good welder ---but a good machine helps

 

just a hobbie welder but i used the blue and red machines. the biggest bang for the buck is a thermal arc 185 ac/dc .1/3 to 1/2 the price of the to other machines. love mine

 

Well..I have to chime in here.....I only own 17 Welders...Red/Blue/White (Hobart)....The RED ones have the smoothest Arc Control...(IMO)....But EVERYONE has an OPINION!! ahahaha To be HONEST....ANY will get the Job done and the old Hobarts atr the OLDEST ones I have...bought new in 1995 and used ALL DAY...EVERY day.....not a single PROBLEM!!!! As far as "durability....reliability" They ALL are "GOOD" machines!! I jyst like the Red ones!! The 120V Invertors for use in the Trailer have INCREDIDIBLE smooth arc!!

 

arc me

the only thing nobody has addressed is how do you power these? I have a miller syncrowave 350 tigrunner package, and it needs 130 amps 220v. well, running it out of a normal house breaker with welding aluminum has its problems!
you can buy a 35kw generator to power it, but if you want to run it at your house, the wires going to the transformer get nice and red when using high amp machines with the throttle down! another one of my problems I found working on cars at the house! BTW I LOVE THIS MACHINE, it welds everything from a tin can to a railroad tie at 400 amps arc welding. don't buy a dialarc hf, its a piece of crap. I had one and hated every minute I welded with it. the new technology with squarewave is the only way to go.

 

Yes!!! Huge difference!!

 

Mike
I have 3 blues, 1 Red, 1 yellow and 1 white
Best money you can spend right now is go get someone to teach you first
you may find it may be best to learn and then decide which to buy
having the best one made will not do you any good if you don't know how to use it