Lincoln Precision TIG 185 - any user reports yet ??

Cancel the order and buy a Thermal Arc Prowave 185TSW instead. Same money, but it is an inverter. More features, weighs about 40 lbs, and uses only 30 amps, instead of

60 amps, or 220 v single phase.

Took your advice Ernie, sent an E-mail off to WeldingMart, and hopefully they will cancel my order first thing Monday morning (since this was a online order this weekend).

So do you have one of these 185STW jobs? (somehow I thought you were a Syncrowave 250 guy). The only thing I worry about with the TSW is the reliability/repair, but most all have 3-year warranty, so maybe I'll take the inverter plundge instead)

Thanks, I'll let you know what happens.

I have one and it is fantastic. The Lincoln 185 came out after my purchase so I didn't consider it. Have a look at Hobart's forum

for plenty of information on this machine (no, it isn't made by Hobart). I bought mine from after several recommendations from that forum. Around $1650 including the accessories. It was the best price I could find. I had to call their telephone number as they didn't have the model I wanted on their web page at the time. If you decide to get one, understand that Thermal Arc sells two packages--one with just the welder and nothing else, and a "ready to weld" package with the welder and a whole bunch of accessories. Keep this in mind when comparing prices.

Yeah, I recently found this out - the "package" vs. just the machine. (which does make it more expensive than the Precision TIG 185). Anyways, I called up WeldingMart, and canceled my Lincoln order, and the lady was real nice about it. The above website still doesn't list the 185TSW, so I will have to call tomorrow when they are open. Any other places that handle this at a good price ? I'm somewhat excited, but coming from a power electronoics background (at Westinghouse), I'm still a little apprenhsive about reliability, and failure rate (and failure mode! - depending on design, a pole fault can clean out even the control electronics). Andone have/heard about failure experiences on this particular model (the 185TSW, not the PeeWee etc) ?

Thanks again!

I have a syncroweave 250DX and a Maxstar 200DX, but I know a good value when I see it.

Thermal Arc is currently beating HTP, Lincoln and Miller by a $1000 on the small AC/DC inverter market.

Rochester Welding supply

Indiana Welding Supply on eBay

Thanks Earnie - I went with this second guy, Greg from Indiana O2 company. Called him up, he's a real stand up guy, and a real proud bunch. should have purple box early next week.

Glad to be of help.

BTW No "A" in Ernie.

"Earnest" is an adjective meaning to be emphatic or forthright about something.

"Ernest" is a name.