# New (realy Old) Welder



## Charley Davidson (Jun 1, 2015)

I haven't actually taken possession of it yet but I have bought an Airco 300  Squarewave tig/stick welder complete wit pedal/torch/leads it is a 3 phase but setup for single phase. Got it for less than 2 tanks of gas in a Ford Ranger. Can't wait to get it to my shop and play with it. I already have a like new water cooler and torch. Any of you have any experience with these welders? Good or Bad? Tips on it's useage? I'm assuming it's scratch start and I have no experience with that at all on tig


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## T Bredehoft (Jun 1, 2015)

TIG is push the pedal and draw off an arc, feed (by hand) the filler rod.  It is similar to torch welding, but easy.  I haven't used a TIG welder for 35 years, and wish now I could rationalize one, but no, its not to be.


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## Ulma Doctor (Jun 1, 2015)

Airco welders are generally solid, i have not had the pleasure of tiggin on that powerplant, but i'm sure you'll be just fine with it.
Does it have high frequency???


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## brino (Jun 2, 2015)

Hey Charley,

For TIG inspiration check out the videos by Jody at :
http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/

(As long as you don't get discouraged from someone else making it look really easy) 

-brino


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## Ozwelder (Jun 2, 2015)

G day Charlie,
If you can oxy weld with filler wire,you will be able to tig. 

It is the basically the hand manipulation same, except you swop the gas heat source for an electric one. Keep in mind that the molten pool is what melts the wire filler and you are off to the races.

The wire filler should be kept within the cover gas envelope to avoid oxidising the tip.

I would be surprised if it did not have an HF start. from the few I have seen Airco stuff was built like a brick dunny and you can expect longevity from it.

Enjoy your new toy mate!

Ozwelder


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## Charley Davidson (Jun 2, 2015)

Ozwelder said:


> G day Charlie,
> If you can oxy weld with filler wire,you will be able to tig.
> 
> It is the basically the hand manipulation same, except you swop the gas heat source for an electric one. Keep in mind that the molten pool is what melts the wire filler and you are off to the races.
> ...



I can tig weld (somewhat) I've never used a tig that I had to scratch start. I haven't checked into whether or not it high feq or not.


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## bcall2043 (Jun 2, 2015)

Charley, be sure and check amperage requirements when using your new machine on single phase. I suspect it could be high and cause more toasted wires/breakers in your shop.


Benny


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## royesses (Jun 2, 2015)

The Airco may be a Miller manufactured machine with high freq. start. Best to join the millerwelds.com forum and ask there on the welding discussions forum:
http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/communities/mboard/


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## FOMOGO (Jun 2, 2015)

Looks like you will need 100-120 amp breaker to get full output on that machine. If it is like the one in the pic it HF capable. I have a Linde HF 250 that is very similar and is rated for 100 amps in, but works fine for most things I do on a 50 amp circuit. Mike


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## Terrywerm (Jun 2, 2015)

Nice score, Charlie.  I used to do a lot of TIG welding, working on stainless steel process equipment. I would love to have one of my own, but cannot justify the cost, unless of course I can stumble on a deal like yours. So, I'll just stick with my Miller Thunderbolt for stick work and my Hobart Handler for MIG work.


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## larryr (Jun 3, 2015)

nice old welder. hope you have lots of power to run it. check the input current tag. some of those old transformer machines took upwards of 100 amp circuts to get max power.


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## joconnor (Jun 3, 2015)

If you can post the serial # I can cross it to the Miller model that it likely matches. I may have a manual for it also if you need one.


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## Charley Davidson (Jun 4, 2015)

So here's what I got, gonna load it tonight and bring it to my shop tomorrow. It does require 100 amps for full power, this monster weighs 736 pounds


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## kvt (Jun 4, 2015)

That is a beast,  but is should make some nice welds.   DO you know of a good miller board or anything,   I have an old miller gas powered welder,   that has a Tecumseh engine, that has a module out.   And I cannot find one.


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## joconnor (Jun 4, 2015)

That machine is Miller built and compares to a Syncrowave 300. If the bad module in the gas drive is the idle control module it can probably be rewired to use a Miller legend module.


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## Charley Davidson (Jun 5, 2015)

I'm wondering/thinking it might be best to sell/trade this machine for a smaller more efficient/practical tig welder. Advice?


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## GarageGuy (Jun 7, 2015)

That machine isn't nearly as old as I was expecting.  It looks like it has digital displays, high frequency, gas, water... it looks like an awesome machine!  Did it come with a foot pedal and leads?  Any other accessories?  I would keep it and use the heck out of it!

GG


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## Charley Davidson (Jun 8, 2015)

Came with everything & I already had a nicer torch and a water cooler. I'm just thinking it's a bit large for my shop both in size and power requirements


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## Ulma Doctor (Jun 8, 2015)

Hi Charley,
that's one hell of a welder, if i lived closer i'd buy it from you!
you can most likely use it for all but the thickest of materials on a 50 amp circuit
i would imagine you should be able to weld at 150 amps without significant problems


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## Charley Davidson (Jun 8, 2015)

I'm gonna try and get it wired up this week and check everything out, then I'll make a rational decision on what to do with it


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## astjp2 (Jun 8, 2015)

Run it!


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## Charley Davidson (Jun 8, 2015)

I also have this freshly rebuilt water cooler I bought a while back with another tig welder, Benny is gonna come over one day this week and help me wire it up and check it out


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## Uglydog (Jun 8, 2015)

That is alot of welder.
Heed bcalls warning. TIG draws (demands) more amps than other processes.
Regardless, it will only draw as much as you ask.
While it may brown out your entire neighborhood if you floor the pedal, if you are careful you will have many years of successful bead come out of her.

Daryl
MN


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## KBeitz (Jul 3, 2018)

Naa... Thats not old.... This is old...


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## joconnor (Jul 3, 2018)

It was built by Miller in 1979 and is comparable to a Miller Syncrowave 300. It does have HF, and is a great machine.


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## Silverbullet (Jul 3, 2018)

Hope she's working real well, great machines are hard to come by. My father told me once when I wanted to sell something bigger then I thought I needed , quote ,,, if you sell it you'll be sorry someday... and oh my god I was such a fool then . Don't sell it...


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