I would like to buy Tig welder for home use. I already have a Hobart handler 140 been using it for 10 years. My question is would I be better served saving up more and buying the Hobart Tig 165 or just buying a Ahp 200, or a Vulcan 200. Mostly want to weld aluminum nothing thick small projects and equipment repairs.
Tig welder options for aluminum
- Thread starter TexF18
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txvwnut
Well-known member
AHP you won’t be disappointed. I use mine to weld aluminum cylinder heads and have no issues.
joe_padavano
Well-known member
Another vote for the AlphaTIG 200. I got mine earlier this year and love it.
Bigblue&Goldie
Well-known member
With aluminum you want the most amps you can afford. I won't give a recommendation other than to buy a brand that will be supported down the road; inverter machines aren't as reliable as the old solid state stuff.
I'd look for a used syncrowave before buying that Hobart.
Can you (will you) drop $5k for Miller's 200amp inverter?
The alpha tig's are great performers for the money, but should be considered disposable IMHO. Friend of mine has a full time welding business and uses one, buys a new one every year. Gets it paid off in a few days of work. Jokes that he spends more on argon a year than the machine cost.
Can you (will you) drop $5k for Miller's 200amp inverter?
The alpha tig's are great performers for the money, but should be considered disposable IMHO. Friend of mine has a full time welding business and uses one, buys a new one every year. Gets it paid off in a few days of work. Jokes that he spends more on argon a year than the machine cost.
Between the two options go with the AHP... 200A and a better Duty Cycle and the ability to Stick weld as well... I use one of two Alpha TIG machines every day and they work great. I have a Miller as well and the first AHP was purchased because that Miller was in for repairs, was impressed enough with that AHP that I bought a second one, got the Miller back from repair and had to BUY a new pedal for it because that was not covered under warranty... they replaced the machine, and a week after it came back it was down again for repair, again... came back AGAIN... and it is currently loaned out to the shop next door... and I am STILL a Miller man... But the AHP has impressed me...
dr_clyde
Well-known member
I run a pro welding shop, so my views on equipment are a bit different than most guys on this board.
Downtime is expensive, and I have redundant machines because of that. My main TIG is a Miller Dynasty 200DX, and if it died, I would buy a second one in a heartbeat. I'm actually looking to upgrade to a bigger Dynasty as soon as the work allows.
A while back I bought a Lincoln SW TIG 200 as a backup, great little welder for the money. Less than $1500 out the door, and came with everything you need to run. Made in china, yes, but has the warranty and service that comes with having a name brand that the LWS services if needed. I ended up selling it to a friend, he wanted a TIG for his shop, and I needed some cash to upgrade my MIG welder.
For a new welder, I wouldn't want anything less than that Lincoln. I won't buy any machines that my LWS won't service, and they handle Lincoln, ITW (Miller and Hobart), ESAB and Fronius.
If I was in your shoes, I would look for a used Syncrowave 180, 200 or 250. They can be had very reasonable used, and there is very little to go wrong. Simple, bulletproof welders that have stood the test of time.
Downtime is expensive, and I have redundant machines because of that. My main TIG is a Miller Dynasty 200DX, and if it died, I would buy a second one in a heartbeat. I'm actually looking to upgrade to a bigger Dynasty as soon as the work allows.
A while back I bought a Lincoln SW TIG 200 as a backup, great little welder for the money. Less than $1500 out the door, and came with everything you need to run. Made in china, yes, but has the warranty and service that comes with having a name brand that the LWS services if needed. I ended up selling it to a friend, he wanted a TIG for his shop, and I needed some cash to upgrade my MIG welder.
For a new welder, I wouldn't want anything less than that Lincoln. I won't buy any machines that my LWS won't service, and they handle Lincoln, ITW (Miller and Hobart), ESAB and Fronius.
If I was in your shoes, I would look for a used Syncrowave 180, 200 or 250. They can be had very reasonable used, and there is very little to go wrong. Simple, bulletproof welders that have stood the test of time.
Mike.ASC
Well-known member
I bought a HTP Invertig 221 a few years ago and it has worked flawlessly. It's probably the best value bang for the buck available.
rmack898
Well-known member
I agree, doesn't change the fact that the AHP impressed the hell out of me, and that particular Miller failed to impress me even a little bit, I'd get another Miller without question though, if I had another $5k to throw at it... don't even want a Synchorwave even a little bit though... Sorry. Good machines don't fit for ME...
+1 for the Lincoln Tig 200
I've had mine for 2 years and its a great machine. I've seen them sell less than a year old and practically brand new locally for 1,000.
Only complaints
Fan Always runs at single speed, (Loud in a small shop)
Post flow is set duration so it wastes more gas than needed sometimes.
dr_clyde
Well-known member
The AHP is probably a fine machine for a hobby shop. I have no personal experience with one, probably never will. But for the price point, its really hard to beat. I agree.
I still stand by my statement that whatever you buy, be sure you can get parts and service locally. I would never buy any of the internet specials due to this, as my LWS won't deal with them. Some welding supply shops will service whatever walks in the door. A quick phone call before a purchase can save you lots of headaches.
MOST of the time, you'll be fine. But the times when its not fine, its very, very nice to have a local service company where you can talk to the tech in person.
I understand that a hobby welder needs to be inexpensive, but the race to the bottom can only end up with a lot of machines made with sub-standard parts, service, assembly quality or company ethics.
It really boils down to what you want to spend, how much you're going to use the welder, and how much hassle you're willing to put up with when something DOES go wrong. Because things go wrong. They just do.
For those reasons, I buy professional grade equipment. Even when I was a hobbyist, before I opened my shop, I ran pro grade welding gear. I bought my Lincoln Invertec V300 PRO with an LN-7 feeder and Dynasty 200DX, both used, both on eBay roughly 2010 or 2011 or so.
I think the Lincoln package was like, 800 bucks and the Dynasty may have been 3 grand. I still have and use both machines professionally. I know the Lincoln was in a community college welding program, so it was used HARD for at least a decade, as that school rotates machines every 10 years. I had a voltage regulator go out on it last year, cost my less than $100 for the LWS to fix it. The Dynasty I bought off a random seller on ebay, with like, 2 pictures. Has run flawlessly for the last 8 years.
Again, these are just my experiences. Your mileage may vary.
joe_padavano
Well-known member
And while everything you say is true for a commercial shop that loses money when equipment is unavailable, the same does not apply to the home hobbyist. A commercial shop can depreciate the cost of a new, expensive, high-end machine. The hobbyist cannot. That alone makes a huge difference in selection criteria. I've had used brand-name welding equipment. The fact that the unit is blue or red does NOT mean that it has been maintained properly or won't be prone to breakage. I have not had a problem with my AlphaTIG so far, but others who have report excellent and rapid customer service. AHP's customer service organization is US-based.
I've had both AHPs for two years now... never an issue... I think I have probably gotten the $700 worth out of them and when one of them DOES go **** up I will probably get a nice Miller (like I say I am a die hard Miller Man) I've used the hell of out of a dynasty.. I am currently using the AHPs "Professionally" whatever that means these days... the Miller that had issues was still under the 3 year warranty... but the pedal which was supposedly the actual problem was not under warranty it was only covered for 1 year, Strangest thing not a soul within 20' of it, it was ON the torch was laying on the welding table, the pedal on the floor and nothing ON it... suddenly initiated an arc and all on its own increased current and then the magic smoke came out of the box... Miller tech replaced all the boards in the box twice and they smoked again... so miller replaced the box... but not the pedal... Tech tried to keep my flowmeter and give me a POS flow reg instead... Tried to keep my CK torch and leads and give me a heavy lead and a WP-17... I won't pay the money for an Everlast or Longevity or a Vulcan but the AHP has been solid so far... I had limited funds and HAD to get something to keep working... After the new Miller came back had to get a new pedal so SSC, then after that it quit doing anything again so back to the tech, they replaced the box again... and it has been working ever since... if the question was between a dynasty and the AHP I'd say Dynasty (buy once cry once) but that little Hobart is a POS compared to the AHP, the AHP has a 60% Duty Cycle at 200A, the AHP has more bells and whistles... the NEW version is supposed to have an adjustable PRE-Flow though I am not worried about that one, tap pedal, post becomes pre... The Shop next door needed a TIG and I loaned them the Miller... its been doing OK but they don't use it THAT much... It occurs to me that I have quite a few tools loaned out right now!
BigMike782
Well-known member
Wouldn’t turn my nose up at a 330 ABP or a Dialarc HF.
Red 300/300 would work too although I despise Lincoln as a company.
Stone Age simple, no bells and whistles just flat out work.
I like how inverters weld but when you find a Syncrowave 250 water cooled for under 500.00 I snapped it up.
Red 300/300 would work too although I despise Lincoln as a company.
Stone Age simple, no bells and whistles just flat out work.
I like how inverters weld but when you find a Syncrowave 250 water cooled for under 500.00 I snapped it up.
Slackerzinc
Well-known member
that’s an easy fix, just run a torch with a gas valve. You can turn it on before you weld and then off when your done
sqznby
Well-known member
Well said. Can't agree more
If an inverter is not necessary I'd definitely look for a transformer style, like said. Syncrowave are great machines and can be had for very little money compared to an inverter, Dynasty.
A guy I helped out has (had) a Everlast 300 or whatever model it was as a back up for his Dynasty 300 and 350. Went to use it one afternoon and it literally blew up. Was fairly new and had very little time on it. Opened it up and it had pieces scattered though out the boards.
AngryBeaver
Well-known member
Well said. Can't agree more
If an inverter is not necessary I'd definitely look for a transformer style, like said. Syncrowave are great machines and can be had for very little money compared to an inverter, Dynasty.
A guy I helped out has (had) a Everlast 300 or whatever model it was as a back up for his Dynasty 300 and 350. Went to use it one afternoon and it literally blew up. Was fairly new and had very little time on it. Opened it up and it had pieces scattered though out the boards.
cool story. Everlast machines are the only ones that offer a no questions asked 5 year warranty.
I would have never thought about buying one had I not ran into a welding certifier for the NE ohio area. He told me the Green machines are Pro built machines and have better components in them than all of the smaller inverter machines on the market. The lincoln 200 for example... all chinese built, very few adjustments. no parts or boards are stocked at any lincoln dealer...youre literally paying for a name.
he is also a welding consultant to two of the largest semi trailer manufacturing firms in ohio. they have both switched to Green machines. in 380 machines running three shifts, hes had one failure.
that got my eyes open as i was dead set on buying a lincoln 200. buddy runs a fab shop. builds custom race car chassis and aluminum and SS turbo kits. after his inverter miller died, he bought a 200 DV everlast. beat the hell out of it for 4 years and bought a 300 water cooled unit. got to run the 200 machine and was impressed.
bought the 255DX without the water cooler. went this route so I could add the water cooler down the road if need be. got both air and water cooled touches, upgraded pedal, upgraded torch leads and a better machine than I could have gotten from red or blue for 1K less.
I love the people that talk **** about them, with no experience with them.
the everlast is a pro grade machine and literally blows the AHP out of the water. add on upgrades to an AHP 200 to make it to everlast 200 standards and you get a machine that cost more, with less warranty and less duty cycle.
so many people buy the ahp to get started, then spend thousands upgrading down the road. I did some research and bought better to begin with.
sqznby
Well-known member
you have some cool stories as well.
If I didn't experience this myself personally, I wouldn't inform others. While it ran fine when it did work. I have used many machines and have never had one literally explode. I was, as well as his partner were rather surprised by what happened.
We each have our own reasons to purchase the machines we choose. I am not brand loyal just happy with the results from the choices I have made. When the time comes, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Dynasty.