high frequency add-on for AC tig?

[Inflight]

I'm not much of a welder and even less of an electrial engineer, so please bear with me.


I have a Lincoln AC/DC tombstone buzz box welder with a scratch start air cooled tig torch connected using a power block. This setup works well for steel but sometimes I'd like the ability to weld Aluminum. I realize that I need a high frequency add-on but new units are out of my current budget.




Would it be possible to utilize a powder-coating power supply to add high-frequency on my current stick welder?

 

[Rbeckett]

Lincoln and Miller both offer an HF box. They are both very primitive and do not allow a foot or hand control to manage your amperage and cratering. By the time you build a suitable unit that is capable of the type of sontrol we hobby welders need you will usually have spent more money building it then actually just buying a diversion 180 or Tigmate from Hobart. Miller offers some nice entry level machines, Lincoln unfortunately does not offer a small machine at a very reasonable price point for the hobby user. The Imports do have a series of flaws especially on the durability side of things, but they have been consistently improving over the last few years to a point that I would consider buying one for the price and available power. The Everlast machines do seem to be catching up quickly and have a very soliid warranty. as long as you don't mind sending them back and forth. Sort of a costly proposition but Oleg is returning them freight prepaid so it is not too bad if you have the time to wait for them to repair or replace the unit. Oleg has been working very hard to overcome the prior bad image and has done a great job of continuing to submit product improvement data to the builders and insure that the issues are getting addressed. Hope this helps

Bob

 

[davidh]

about 25 years ago I had a Sears hi freq attached to a beautiful 300 amp buzz box that had a rheostat control and even with that welder it was a two man job to weld with. "gimme a little more, turn it down a little" constantly. I also had the same hi freq hooked to a 225 Lincoln buzz box like yours and there was never the sweet spot when clicking the control.
like above, get one that will work for you. . . . I ended up with a Lincoln square wave tig, ac/dc. yes quite expensive and I don't use it anymore. should sell it.

 

[Uglydog]

about 25 years ago I had a Sears hi freq attached to a beautiful 300 amp buzz box that had a rheostat control and even with that welder it was a two man job to weld with. "gimme a little more, turn it down a little" constantly. I also had the same hi freq hooked to a 225 Lincoln buzz box like yours and there was never the sweet spot when clicking the control.
like above, get one that will work for you. . . . I ended up with a Lincoln square wave tig, ac/dc. yes quite expensive and I don't use it anymore. should sell it.

davidh: how many amps does your Lincoln square wave TIG push?

Daryl
MN

 

[xalky]

I tend to agree with Bob. By the time you cobble something together, you might be better off just getting something else. If you keep your eyes peeled on craigs list and your patient , something will pop up. I have a lincoln DC-250 that I can mig aluminum with a spool gun and controller. I have a good source for a spoolgun and controller that might hook right up to your buzzbox if it has controller capability.

If you want to tig get a tig machine. I have an everlast powertig 250EX that I bought last year,that works really well. I haven't used it a lot so I can't speak on durability.