Time for a modern TIG machine. What do you like?

[pontiac428]

I have had my trusty early-1970's white face Miller Dialarc HF and water cooling setup for... decades. Actually, I love the big transformer welder. The arc is sublimely stable and DC welding is a treat. AC leaves a lot to be desired though, since it has no wave tools (like balance) and the pure sine takes more of the machine's amperage capacity to drive than square wave welders. To add perspective, this is a 700-lb machine that does not hit 100% duty cycle until a meager 125 amps. I have had no issues getting parts for the welder, having had to replace the rectifier and HF start relays some time back. And also, big surprise, I'm running out of space so a smaller footprint will help.

A modern welder with a switching power supply and more parameter control is what I'm after. I've only ever owned blue, having grown up among some real old-school Miller careerists. That also meant cool stuff like getting a tech-refurbished Millermatic 35 power tap welder for my 20th birthday. Dad spotted the Dialarc in his sales territory and dragged it back to me way back when, too. I don't have any connections anymore for dealer pricing and what-not, which was nice when I wanted a modern MIG. So I'm paying retail or buying used.

So far I have found a deal on a new Dynasty 210, but that's a lot to pay for a 200-amp machine. The duty cycle isn't very robust, and the added cost of a cooling unit makes the bottom line a bit too rich for my blood.

I would be happy with a Syncrowave 250 DX, if and only if it came with all the wave tools and timers. 90% of those machines came in vanilla trim for production. They are out there though, and the price is very nice compared to a new entry-tier Dynasty. Of course these are scattered all over the country, so I'd have to buy sight unseen, just like buying used iron. Maybe that's not bad, but it could backfire big time if a board is burnt or something like that. There are no new boards.

Our resident fanboy @General Zod's posts on his gushing love for HTP welders has got my attention. I think he waits 'till game day, paints HTP on his chest, and chases cars up and down his street shouting HTP! HTP...! I figure that kind of spirit has to come from somewhere, maybe they are good welders... I'm eyeballing the Invertig 301 system. I've never run one, but they look good on paper. They're made in Italy, who may have gotten their noodles from the Chinese, but they're still an EU company when it comes to manufacturing. The price is good for a new welder. I don't know if HTP will have the longevity of the blue, red, and yellow welders out there. It's hard to put into perspective the difference between a 5 year old company and a 100 year old company if I have plans to own an use their product for the next 30 years. I need more reassurance before I jump.

I have some trust in ESAB (has owned Tweco, Victor, Thermal Dynamics, Jackson, etc. for some 20 years). They've been bought and sold by conglomerate holdings corporations during the long run, but still have provided service continuity for out-of-production machines. I just don't think ESAB has me in mind right now, I don't need portability and automatic global input voltage capability, I want power, control, and versatility out of the features I'll have to pay for.

There are also hobbyist brands that I have never heard of or never heard anything good about. Anything that looks like a version of a harbor freight welder is in the prior category, Everlast falls in the latter. Change my mind if you've run something that you liked!

So that's it, I'm looking for a better, more modern commercial TIG machine than the one I have. What TIG gives you a warm happy tickle when you dial it right?

 

[WobblyHand]

I've been pretty happy with my HTP InverTIG 200. I've had it now over 10 years. Pretty easy to dial in. I splurged on a water cooler and water cooled torch and really like it. At least when I bought it you could get decent length leads and ultra flex cables which helps quite a bit. HTP consumables seemed to be fairly priced. HTP also used to stock other companies consumables if I recall correctly.

Bought my TIG rig when I decided I wanted to alter my 304 stainless exhaust system. Welded on quick disconnect flanges and slightly altered the exhaust geometry. Got dual flow meters so I could run a purge on the back side. Didn't want solar flux in my exhaust system.

 

[Aaron_W]

My only experience is with Miller, I have a 220 3 in 1 which has done everything I can ask of it, and I used a Dynasty 210 or 280 in class. The Dynasty is a nice machine with a lot of features but well out of my budget and as a very novice welder I couldn't take advantage of half the features anyway.

Many of the name brands have shot up in price, my 220 has increased in price by 1/3 in the 3 years since I bought it, and it appears the other models have as well. ESAB and Lincoln seem to have had similar price increases.

No personal experience with other brands but I hear only good things about HTP and there are many positive reviews of some of the cheaper import brands. Prime Weld and Everlast seem to offer very well equipped machines for very reasonable prices. Even the Harbor Freight Vulcan and Titanium welders get mostly positive comments, but the users commenting on the imports tend to be hobby guys, not sure how they would hold up to heavy use.

 

[Reddinr]

I lucked into a deal on a Miller 325P (350P?, I forget) MIG maybe a dozen years ago. It is a power-house that I've barely cranked up beyond 250A. I got it for about 1/3 price so I bought it even though I didn't need that power. It is a realiable beauty with a lovely blue color.

I have an Everlast TIG, 250A that has been reliable the last couple of years I've owned it. It is a better welding machine than I am a welder.
I have welded on a Miller TIG and my welds were no better (or worse) than with the Everlast. It is not blue but I would buy it again.

 

[Abrasive]

I had been 100% Miller since 1999 or so, but I picked up an HTP Invertig 221 a few months ago and am really impressed. It lights off super smoothly even at the lowest end of the range. Normally great low end performance costs a lot more…. (Hello, Dynasty.)

The Invertig is a great machine, and the people at HTP are super nice folks.

 

[C-Bag]

I’m only putting my 2c in so I don’t lose track. I’d started looking at a small tig setup and several mentioned Everlast but the one that got my most attention was the Primeweld 225X. There are a bunch of reviews on YouTube that just love it and say it’s more than a hobby tig. And for less than $1000 with what seems like all the bells and whistles it’s $300 cheaper than the HF Ac/dc tig and seems a much better machine. But I’m not a tig welder and having to do a lot of research to make up for experience.

 

[NCjeeper]

I have an Everlast TIG, 250A that has been reliable the last couple of years I've owned it. It is a better welding machine than I am a welder.

Me too. Although I don't have much torch time with it so can't really comment on durability.

 

[Toro5xi]

Htp Invertig 221. Just using an air cooled torch but works great for my needs.
Got to say if looking for something basic and not doing aluminum I had a Miller Diversion 180 before the HTP. Really worked well and great for someone new to tig.

 

[C-Bag]

Just out of curiosity and probably to kick myself, but what do you think of a Syncrowave 250DX?

When my brother was moving he begged me to take his but I didn’t know anything about tig, and the thing looked as big as a house with all the cables and boxes. I’m not sure but the added killer was it was 3ph, or that was my impression. He got it as a settlement and said he’d had it on CL for months and nobody wanted it.

 

[TBinKC]

I've had an Everlast 255ext tig welder for about 3 or 4 years now and it has been rock solid. I thought I had a problem once when the HF arc wouldn't start but after a quick discussion with a tech and a little closer look at what was going on, my foot pedal was in precisely the right position with an extension chord not allowing the pedal to be properly depressed. Totally embarrassing moment all on me. I have since purcahsed a MIG setup from them too with equally good results. I own a Miller Engine drive and other equipment.. but use the Everlast(s) for most of my indoors shop work.