tig welder

[brownbagg]

anybody have a tig welder, I aready have a miller mig and lincoln stick welder, thinking about a miller 165 tig welder

 

[holdover]

no but I wish I did, I have a mig and a buzz box as well as oxy-act, there are a few projects I could use a tig for maybe when some extra cash is available. Years ago I taught welding and the only thing I miss about teaching is the tig welder!!

 

[PAToyota]

Syncrowave 250DX

 

[fflintstone]

anybody have a tig welder, I aready have a miller mig and lincoln stick welder, thinking about a miller 165 tig welder

For a few bucks more you could buy a Lincoln square wave 175 and then sell your stick welder, because it is also a stick welder,

 

[beee85]

miller maxstar 150.
Light, portable and reliable. I miss that thing.

 

[waltmcq]

yes, I have the Lincoln 175 and use it mostly for welding copper
I use my miller 252 mig the most.

the tig is very handy when I need it

 

[rsanter]

I have a miller diversion and like it
good price for a good capacity unit

bob

 

[Painter123]

Syncrowave 250DX

That's what I have, I was never a Miller fan until I started using it

You can pick a regular Syncrowave 250 (no DX) on E-bay for 1200 to 1800
and it's worth every penny

 

[Jackfre]

I just sold my Miller Synchrowave 180. Nice machine for stick and tig. Hated to let it go but I'm moving cross country this summer and at this point the place has no garage. Having made a living as a welder 30-40 yrs ago I had a heck of a time with the tig. The machine was excellent. Vision and hand eye co- ordination are the problems. No substitute for practice to run tig and do it well. I like Miller and Lincoln machines. When I get set-up out west I'll spring for a top quality mig machine with appropriate spool gun. I agree with the previous post. You would be real happy with the 250.

I'd suggest that you contact your preferred welding supply shop and see when they are having an open house. They will sometimes have assorted machines you can run and discuss with the local rep. It is a big enough purchase that you want to be sure when you pull the trigger on that purchase.

 

[JSGAuto]

I have a lincoln 175 as well.

Its a good compromise for Hobby use. Resionable size, not crazy input power, easy to run, and readily avalaible on the used market.


Jim

 

[OldCarGuy]

I have a 250 Amp Lincoln IdealArc in my garage workshop... It's an older model and doesn't have all the features of the newer ones of today. But still one sweet machine...

 

[tdkkart]

......and would you look at that rack holding the wire. Slick.

 

[tdkkart]

Miller SD180, first and only TIG I've ever used, but it does just what it's supposed to.
I've had a couple people look at my welds and offer me a job.

 

[gda659]

TA185 works for me. Would have been nice to go blue or red, but $$$$ for an inverter based machine (I don't have a lot of amps to spare around the house).

 

[Jackfre]

I just popped over to millerwelds.com and picked tig machines. They have a buyers guide which will be useful to you in your selection. Let us know which way you end up going. Always exciting buying a new welder.

 

[toolman1967]

Miller Syncrowave 200. LOVE IT!

 

[wilderacing]

I have a Miller dynasty 350DX and love it. Had a syncrowave 180SD before this one and it was a great unit also.

 

[PAToyota]

You can pick a regular Syncrowave 250 (no DX) on E-bay for 1200 to 1800 and it's worth every penny

Got my DX for $1800.

 

[dladcock]

I use a Dynasty at work. Sweet machine. At home I use a Miller Thunder Bolt AC/DC set up with a TiG water cooled torch. Welds as smooth as the Dynasty, just lacks the bells and whistles. Just a touch and go start.

 

[stafford]

I've got the Lincoln square wave 175 and it's fine for the lighter jobs, I enjoy using it but my eyes ain't what they used to be! Picked mine up used, but just like new for 950.00 4 or 5 years ago. I love the thing.

 

[BigMike782]

I've had my Red Squarewave for about 8 yrs and probably would have never needed more but when a Syncrowave 250 lands in your lap for damn near nothing you don't *****

 

[milkovich]

A Synchro 250 would be my ideal machine if I had the money to do it over again but the Lincoln 175 has done everything I've asked of it. I don't have any problem with it other then I could use more amps for thick aluminum (over 3/8") once in a blue moon. I haven't tried a helium mix yet though and probably won't bother.

I would suggest a transformer machine over an inverter (like the diversion welders) for reliability but that's just me. The boards costing 75% as much as an entire welder seems shady.

 

[1949 caddyman]

I have a miller diversion 165 tig and love it. I have a small shop and 50a welder outlet, the diversion fit the space and power requirements. Havent tried to weld alum yet, but welds steel nice. The torch did not get hot either.

 

[brownbagg]

I would love the 220dx, I would love a big industrial machine, but money the problem, there is no way I could afford thousands in a machine. I,m just a hobbist. It going be rough pulling off 1300 for the 165. oh yea CL. no way I,m buy anything electrical off CL.

Cl in my area are pawn shop, thieves and scammers

 

[milner351]

I had looked around and used Tigs for years and finally decided a new one was the only way to go. At the Miller booth at the SEMA show they were showing off the diversion machines - they are small and light and can run on 110 or 220. After talking with a local miller store and my brother in law who's a full time weldor - I decided for a couple hundred more I'd get the syncrowave 200 - I will have it for the rest of my life, so the bit more $$ started being less of a concern the more I thought about it.

It's a fabulous machine.

I will keep old reliable - my lincoln SP-200 mig - it's never failed me - $400 very used and not a single hiccup with it.

I really enjoy the TIG process - the control it allows and the fine work you can do when you step down to a 1/16 or finer tungsten.

Check out www.weldfabulous.com before you buy - and for all your consumables and safety gear - I just got a load of tig rods from them - saved a bundle compared to the miller store.

 

[1949 caddyman]

I bought mine as a factory reconditioned unit that was a display at a trade show. The welder had never been used, was bought at a local weld store for $1100. Its hard to find these on CL as they are new to market.

 

[toolman1967]

Milner351, I had a chance to use a Syncrowave 200 side by side with several other machines. The smaller inverter machines didnt seem to be as smooth as the larger syncrowave. I am glad I bought the bigger machine, even if it doesnt run on 110.

 

[milner351]

Toolman - thanks for the input - I'm happy with mine, when I told the miller guys that I'd occasionally have a need to weld on cast aluminum intakes / heads / etc - the told me the inverter machines wouldn't hack it.

I learned something interesting the other night - I need to buy some more clamps and 90 degree jigs - you can't use a magnet with DC tig - the magnet pulls the arc all over the place. The new welding clamp line at Summit looks interesting - strong hand I think.

 

[zmotorsports]

Currently I have a Miller Dynasty 300DX in my home shop and I weld with a Miller Synchrowave 250 at work. Both are set up with liguid cooled torch (Weldcraft WP20) and both great machines.

Prior to the Dynasty at home I had an older Miller ShopMaster 350 amp machine that was an all-in-one machine and I purchased relativley cheap from a vocational school. It did MIG and TIG ok but neither great. I prefer having stand alone/single purpose machines to the all-in-one setup.

Prior to the Miller ShopMaster I had a smaller Lincoln Squarewave 175 amp machine. It worked great for smaller and light weight projects but would be up against it's duty cycle for heavier jobs. If you were not using it for long periods of time or high amperage settings it is a great machine overall. Mike.

 

[beltfeed]

anybody have a tig welder, I aready have a miller mig and lincoln stick welder, thinking about a miller 165 tig welder

First a few questions for you. What do you plan to do with it. Material types and thicknesses to be welded. And last what is your budget for this item.