TIG: would you trade min amps for max amps, or vise versa?

[dieselshadow]

How often do you use < 10A? I'm having trouble coming up with a use-case.

For me it would be about small repairs, start and end current so you don't blow a hole in piece. For me and in my shop, I've never needed more than 225 amps anyway.

 

[Ironken]

One thing to consider is the higher the amperage, that you actually use, is going to crossover into the water cooled touch arena if you are going to do a lot of high amperage welding.

Go over and see what Jody has for info at weldingtipsandtricks.com. He has all kinds of tig, Mig, stick info.

Personally I wouldn't look for the lowest bidder/seller and would stick with Miller or Lincoln. You only cry once about he price.

I agree. I have never seen the green machines in industry.....that speaks volumes. As for the output, more bigger is always more better. I've never said to myself....damn, I wish my machine was smaller.

 

[Franko]

When I purchased my first TIG I was told by the local welding 'expert' in the welding supply store that low amperage machines won't provide the steady current required to weld thin materials. I have no idea if that is true or why, but that's what he said.

 

[kmmk86]

I personally like the low amps better. It seems a lot of times I'm welding something that is very thin or brazing something very thin. Recently had a brake line on my truck spring a leak and was able to successfully silicon bronze braze it.

 

[kmmk86]

I personally like the low amps better. It seems a lot of times I'm welding something that is very thin or brazing something very thin. Recently had a brake line on my truck spring a leak and was able to successfully silicon bronze braze it.

I know, right. Hey it hasn't leaked yet and it's been over a year.

 

[GeneT45]

One of the things that attracted me to this series was a video weld.com posted on doing thick aluminum with the 325EXT.

The only reason I'm not considering the 325EXT as well is that something must be different with the DC power supply, it says not to use it with 6010 rod.

I have a 325EXT that I like very much. You won't have to replace the torches - they're indistinguishable from CKs except that they don't have the CK label on them. The footpedal (another thing you'd replace with a lot of welders) is great too.

Many (most?) inverter welders don't work or don't work as well with 6010 - https://www.weldpundit.com/why-inverter-stick-welders-cannot-burn-cellulosic-electrodes/ If that's a requirement for you, make sure you get one that specifically says it will. (Better yet, buy a dedicated transformer stick welder - cheap used). When I bought my 325EXT my old Synchrowave 180 became my dedicated stick welder (which means it pretty much just sits there...).

GsT

 

[G-ManBart]

Zombie thread from six years ago.