Tig Welder

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BKahler
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Tig Welder

Post by BKahler » Wed Nov 02, 2005 5:35 am

Lavoy,

I was reading through the ytmag.com tools forum looking for information on Tig welders. I ran across some posts where you were looking for one. Did you ever get a Tig welder? If so what kind? Are you happy with it? Any comments as to what you might do different if any?

Lots of questions!

Thanks,

Brad

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Lavoy
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Post by Lavoy » Wed Nov 02, 2005 10:24 am

Brad,
I did get a 100 (might be 150) amp DC, 110 volt inverter style TIG/stick machine. It turned out that for the project I bought it for that a spot welder ended up working better, so I only used it a couple of times. The brand I got was ARC-ONE. It is a really small unit, about the size of a hand toolbox. I think if you are going to buy one, get an inverter style unless you need a lot of amps. The one I bought is not recommended for aluminum I guess, for that you are supposed to have an AC machine (or other way around if I messed that up). I would never do aluminum, so that was not a concern for me, and I was way more partial to the $500 or more I saved.
In the long run I decided that I needed a plasma cutter worse than a TIG welder, so I got one of them instead. I am going to sell the TIG welder if you or anyone else is interested.
Lavoy

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Jimmy in NC
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Post by Jimmy in NC » Wed Nov 02, 2005 7:55 pm

Brad-

We have a Lincoln 185 Tig/Stick machine. Works great for anything we need to do, and it will do great on aluminum. Only hold back is the lack of water cooling in the torch. If you plan on doing lots of high amp tig work it's a must or lots of aluminum (again high amps). Other thing that you should look for if you aren't experienced with TIG is to get a foot pedal that varies the amperage. It is essintially a throttle for the current. I've seen them with a foot on/off pedal and then the trigger type.. will do the job but it is harder to back down in the middle of a bead.

Just my $.02

Jimmy in NC

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JD40c
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Post by JD40c » Wed Nov 02, 2005 10:21 pm

Another thing. Older non-inverter style welding machines aren't nearly as efficient, electrically speaking, as inverter machines. If you check the specs on an older Lincoln Idealarc TIG/Stick machine, at 300A out, they pull over 90A in at 220VAC.

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Post by sandman2234 » Sat Jun 17, 2006 2:11 pm

My Miller 330 A/BP is one of the oldies, but goodies. Draws 105 amps at max draw on 220 household current. It will allow you to weld most anything that doesn't get nailed down. Works especially well on 5/8" plate aluminum, and steel doesn't even get it warmed up.
I paid a whopping $237 for it, but had to drive almost 75 miles to pick it up. Came with a foot control that didn't even have the paint worn off it.
I guess most of the Crawlers on this board are purchased for their economical operation (lol)
David from jax
Have gun, will travel

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JD40c
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Post by JD40c » Sun Jul 02, 2006 7:18 pm

Some of the older non-inverter machines also idle at 80A or so, drawing tremendous power when not actually doing any work. The newer inverter machines are MUCH more efficient.
1955 John Deere 40C 4-roller

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Lavoy
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Post by Lavoy » Mon Jul 03, 2006 7:15 am

I played with the one I bought a little bit using it as a stick welder, and it was the smoothest welder I have ever used. I could not believe how smooth it was to weld with. I do very little stick any more, but as smooth as it was, I am kind of looking for a 150 amp machine just to use for stick.
Lavoy

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wwattson
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Post by wwattson » Sat Aug 12, 2006 8:55 pm

I got an opportunity to use both the Lincohn TIG 185and the Miller 180SD when I was up at the EAA Fly-in a couple years ago. Both will weld virtually anything you can put your hands on; steel, stainless, aluminum, titanium, etc. The thing that really impressed me was how quickly I could get to a great result with very little effort. Th quality of both of the welders (the 180SD has now been replaced with the 200 Synchrowave) was amazing. I've gas welded and done some MIG and stick but as soon as I've got the money to step into an AC TIG like either of these, I'm there.
Bill Wattson

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spooler
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sandman2234 economy

Post by spooler » Sun Aug 13, 2006 12:15 pm

lol at the economy of the crawlers on this board?

My old 420 burns about one gal of gasoline / hour and about one tube of grease every 8 hours...she cost me 5,000 bucks and the parts I recently purchased were about half the cost of 450 parts...seem's like low cost operating to me.

my .02

Spooler
I dont know much about welding machine's. So I bought a Hobart MIG glue gun..an old gray one...works for me.

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