Help. I am thinking about getting a tig

[sgisler]

+another on the Everlast 250ex. Going on 3 years now without a hiccup. Hardest I pushed it was an angled joint between 3" square solid alum and 3" square 1/4" wall alum tube. Full 1/4" deep bevel, a little preheating then about 30+ minutes of multi-pass welding to fill the joints fully. It didn't even whimper.


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The job was the posts for theses sun shades.

 

[Rbeckett]

Hi
Just a quick few things to think about. Take a class at a VoTech school, or community college. There is a lot to learn about a TIG. You need to think about 3 things for the welder. Amps, Voltage and Duty cycle, get the max for all of them you can afford. Like everyone says if your going to well Alu you you will need AC and Hi Freq. Will want to get a water cooled torch ASAP, Alu needs lots of heat. You will need an Argon tank, gage and flow meter, TIGs suck down the gas. Large argon tank is about 300.00 for a 5 yr lease. I would go for a min 180-200 amps 16v, 30v is better, and at least 35-40% duty cycle. Miller and Lincoln have copper transformers. Chinese use Alu wire in the transformers. You'll be lucky if they last to the end of the warranty. Figure about $2500-3000 for good used more for new.:bitingnails: Ask me how know all this:thumbsup2: as I look over at the Miller 220v 320 amp and my new water cooled torch.
Good luck. This is the one I bought from the school where I took my course. Nice old welder.
CH

That is a good old solid machine that will still be sparkin for your great granchildrens children. Add a few "that would be nice to have one of those" things and it will be world class!!!!!

 

[Thoro]

Ok guys. If i did do it, I think Everlast for my budget would be the brand to go.

BUT..

I think a very good friend has talked some sense into me to not get it and I will explain why.

He asked me why I needed a tig. I said, well, I don't I just would like to learn how to use one. Ok he say, so you are in machining, that's expensive, and you want to throw tig welding in too, when you dont need it?! Your wife will make you sleep in the shop if she finds out how much money you will end up spending!
All that aside, which isn't really an issue, he convinced me that without a real need to tig, for the things I do with a welder a nicer mig than what I have with a spool gun would be much more suitable for me. And I agreed with him.

So for now, I thank all of you for your input, and I will step out of the tig pitt until I really need to go there.

 

[gi_984]

I'm going thru this right now. I thing CO machinist is spot on. I'm getting ready to take another continuing education class at my local tech school for TIG. Doing it on the recommendation from one of the guys in the machining class who took it. Lots of hands on instruction over the semester. Evening classes and lots of free steel for projects for about $200.
I'm looking for a nice used Lincoln or Miller.

 

[kd4gij]

If you just wan't to try tig for light welding. Do a serch for DTY tig from a ford alternator. There is severial plans out there. I plan on trying one my self. Harbor freight used to sell cheap tig gun don't see it now but ebayhas them.

 

[Malave16]

I would be carefull with them import machines. Not much because of quality, they have improved a lot within the past few years. But what guaratee you have that this company wond drop off the face of the earth next week. And you are stuck with a machine with no support. I used the everlast 200dx and is a good machine. It did everything i asked from it. And for personal projects it would have been just fine. I upgraded to a Dynasty 350 and didnt looked back. I know the machine is going to work every time and i know the company is going to be around for long.
When shopping for a tig go as big as you can. Once you start doing aluminum you will need the amps. And if you are not planning on messing with aluminum, then stay with the mig.

 

[brino]

Another very satisfied Everlast 250EX owner here. The torch unit is high quality, the pedal is heavy-duty, the flow meter is nice, all the connectors are high quality (gas, coolant and electrical), lots of consumables in the kit.

I have had the thing for eight months and it's been rock solid.
Jodi's review at www.weldingtipsandtricks.com helped me decide, and I have not regretted it.

The only problem so far is with the operator dipping the tungsten in the weld-pool.
TIG has a steeper learner curve than stick or MIG, so I'm finding it tough as a "weekend welder".
But I'm working on that.....

 

[jam]

this is what I have and I like it Miller Tig Welder Syncrowave 200 and a Coolmate 3 Coolant System the welder price new $ 4100.00 new
the Coolmate 3 Coolant System $ 720.00 = $4820.00 I found it used at a welding shop
the old man did not like it was to hard to use got it for $3000.00 he had it about a
week or two never used one all he had used was a mig if you get one get a good one
not junk I wish I had got a 300 or a 350 but this was to good to pass up
it took me a day or two to get the weld going go but after that it was like a walk in the park

 

[GarageGuy]

With any used welder, the warranty does not not transfer to the new owner. It kind of goes without saying, but most people don't think about it. Still, that sounds like a good deal on a great piece of equipment.

 

[rwm]

I have a Miller Dynasty that I absolutely love. I can weld above my skill level with it!
You really need to evaluate what your needs are. If the vast majority of your welding is steel just stick with MIG. It's cheap, easy and gives good penetration for strong welds. If you have to do aluminum then move forward with TIG. I have found that even though I have TIG capability, I usually prefer DTMS welding on aluminum (Drill, Tap, Machine Screw!) There is no chance of warp or discoloration of the finish. Obviously for some jobs TIG is essential.
R