Favorite home TIG welder?

A DC only machine isn't going to do aluminum, or at least not well at all.

I cannot, but Ernie maybe can. It welds more regular thin things just fine.

I'm still interested in a synchrowave but I would pretty much have to build an enclosure for it or keep it outside, I'm out of room in my utility room. I have an old Miller TIG welder that can output over 400A with a water cooled torch ac/dc high frequency, etc. But it's inconvenient to use because it is in my shop 5 miles from my current residence and at 890lbs plus carriage plus water cooler, plus bottle of argon, it's probably 1000lbs or more total weight. My old Miller doesn't have synchrowave capabilities but it is capable of thick aluminum and high current if I wire it for 100A

Maybe if I find a synchrowave 250 for a reasonable price I could build a small enclosure on a trailer so that I could move it easily. That may allow me to get more welder with good portability for not much more money than a Diversion TIG 165 or similar.

I searched local advertisements, no bargain synchrowaves yet but I'm still looking. I may try a wanted ad in Craigslist. I know there was probably a dozen of these sold from the boat factory that closed, some may be in the area not being used.

RogerN

Didn't Ernie once have some tutorial or demonstration videos? I was wondering if they were still around.

If I can find a good price on a synchrowave 250 I'll probably buy one and then try to sell my old welder.

RogerN

What's that Lassie? You say that RogerN fell down the old rec.crafts.metalworking mine and will die if we don't mount a rescue by Tue, 27 Jul 2010 05:41:50 -0500:

Oh yes. Very good. And pricey! I got a Miller Dynasty 200DX and although it was a lot of money for something I use just for hobby stuff, I have no regrets. This thing is amazing! I hadn't done TIG since I took a class right out of high school, but it came back to me right quick. I played around with most all the settings for a few days and now use it for metal sculpture when I have the time.

It's great to be able to work with AL and SS now. And I have lots of it to work with out of the scrap bins at work(machine shop).

I can hook it up to 208v 3ph at work, or 120 1ph at home. It can handle any voltage between 440 an 80 for input power, not just

It's got a million settings for frequency, waveform, balance, sequencer, pulser, etc.

And the whole thing is as big as a bread box. Well, perhaps a little bigger. But you can just grab the handle, pick it up and carry it around. I got the kit that holds all the cables and foot pedal and stuff. I think the 80cf tank of Ar weighs more.

If you don't need AC, you can get one of the Maxstar series. Similar, but smaller, lighter and cheaper.

I saw Miller has a Diversion 165 TIG and there is a Hobart 165 TIG welder, they look the same the best I can tell from the small pictures. They seem to have the same specs, weigh 50 lbs, can be bought for $1299 or a little less. The only difference I see is that the Hobart comes with the foot pedal and the Miller comes with a "For Dummies" book and dvd. They claim to be able to weld 3/16 aluminum but the minimum amps on each welder is 10A. I don't have a real need to weld aluminum cans anyway :-) I realize the 165A is a limitation but if I need to I can use my big welder that goes up to

I thought using a small TIG for auto body I might be able to do better welds that need less grinding and have more control over the heat.

RogerN

I understand the urge to spend money on a problem that doesn't really exist, I bought a Miller 180 TIG and use it once a year. LOL But, for auto body work you should try ESAB's "Easy-Grind" MIG wire... it's made to produce smooth welds through "dirty" metal that you find in body work; and it's easier to grind and hammer without cracking. Easy-Grind:

That might help the body welding problems but it won't help me learn to TIG weld aluminum, steel, or stainless. I just gotta have a TIG welder I can use once a year too! I don't know why they just don't make a $500 TIG welder that is equal to the Syncrowave 250 but weighs 25lbs :-)

Is that Easy-Grind wire widely available or should I just plan to order it? When I don't have good access to use a backer plate and have to fill in a hole, I just hit it in pulses, this makes a big glob but fills in the hole. I'm hoping with TIG I could have better control and do a better quality weld and have less to grind.

Did you buy the Miller Diversion 180 TIG? If so, how do you like it? Or maybe I should ask if you remember how you liked it last time you used it? :-)

RogerN

I'm in knda the same boat as Roger, but without the big machine five miles away. I've been watching craigs list, and the only reasonable looking thing that has gone by is a Lincoln Precision TIG 185 for $1000 "almost new" Is that something worth looking at? It's been listed for over a month, so I'm thinking I could offer something less, but how much is reasonable?

There may be factories closing all over the country, but there is certainly no glut of used machinery (or welders) in Northern NJ.