MILLER DIALARC or Lincoln equivalent DEAD OR ALIVE

Gave up on the Syncrowaves that everyone is hoarding?

Pete C.

Nope.

Curious why you specify a Dialarc HF rather than, say, a Synchrowave. I had one guy tell me he'd once worked in a welding shop where the boss replaced the Dialarcs with Synchrowaves, and the welders didn't like the new welders. Said one of the welders could routinly make leak-free aluminum tanks with the Dialarc HF but not with the Synchrowave. I figured maybe they just didn't know how to use the Synchrowave, but I've never used one myself so that's just a guess.

Actually Don, I am looking for either.

I don't have any experience with either, either.

I have heard good things about both but you know how that is.

k

I have a Dialarc HF and am happy with it. The Synchrowave and some others may retain a stable arc at lower currents than the Dialarc does, but I don't have any trouble at all welding 1/16" aluminum with the Dialarc.

I have had one of each. Both are good machines.

The Dialarc is a good DC machine, for steel and stainless they are fine. AC is OK.

The Syncrowave does a better job at low currents and the square wave AC is much better for aluminum work.

One of the things I really like about the Syncrowave is the thermostatically controlled fan, the Dialarc fan was on all the time and was pretty loud. With the Syncrowave, the fan only comes on after some fairly heavy work and it's a lot quieter. It's a funny thing to comment about something that trivial, but after spending a full day welding it makes a difference.

Good Luck, Bob

Appreciate your comments Bob.

As you probably know, the fan would be extremely easy to control by just setting a bi-metallic thermostat on top of the transformer with some thermal grease and one wire of the fan connected in series with the thermostat. Normally, open, of course.

Can one not weld aluminum easily with the Dialarc h.f.?

k

I routinely weld aluminum down to .050" with my Dialarc HF, have done .030 aluminum with it. Other machines would probably be better if you plan to do very thin aluminum, but .050 and above are easy with the Dialarc. I've also repaired broken aluminum castings, like a pressure washer manifold and a trolling motor mounting clamp. I'm just an amateur, but my welds look OK and they seem to hold up in service.

I am absolutely thrilled to see this thread. I just bought a Dialarc HF on ebay (#7590655192) and this is my second day playing with it. I did have to drive a couple of hours to get it. I have never even seen tig welding done before, and I am making passable fillet welds without filler. Of course, yesterday was a different story. I forgot to turn the coolant on after a break and cooked the hoses to the torch. Now I'm glad I didn't cheap out with a Chinese machine, as the local Miller dealer had the parts on the shelf.

Ron Thompson On the Beautiful Florida Space Coast, right beside the Kennedy Space Center, USA

hobby pages are here: Severe stupidity is self correcting, but mild stupidity is rampant in the land.

-Ron Thompson

I see that your machine came with pure tungsten and 2% Th tungstens. If you're doing aluminum, I heartily recommend lanthanated tungstens. They made a big difference for me.

I went with the 2% La (blue). I read somewhere that the 1.5% formulation exists because it runs most like 2% thoriated so folks won't have to re-calibrate their automated processes. Hell, I re-calibrate my "process" everytime I pick up the torch, so I went with 2% figuring more is better.

They do work well for me. They retain their shape much better than pure tungsten does using AC on aluminum, so the arc stays stable.

Ron,

I am absolutely deflated to see that you got it and I didn't. It was too far for me to drive and the freight companies must be owned by Trump.

Anyway, congratulations. I am excited for you and am glad to see that you are having good success with it. Maybe, I will, too, if I find one.

k.

I have to join and say congrats. As for trucking companies, check out AAA Cooper (aaacooper.com).

One guy bought a hydraulic electric forklift from me

and shipped it from IL to TX for $250, and that included pickup from my house. No kidding.

i

I will second what Don has said about the Dialarc, you absolutely can weld aluminum with it. It's what I learned to weld aluminum with.

Still, the square wave provided by the Syncrowave does a better job cleaning the weld area and I get better tungsten life with it.

As for adding a thermostat, it never occurred to me until after I got the Syncrowave how nice it was.

Good Luck, Bob

know> Appreciate your comments Bob.

Ig,

Thanks for the tip on the shipper but I went there and it says it is under construction.

k

try

instead of aaacooper.com. It works. I have no connection to them, other than being astonished at how they shipped a forklift to TX for $250, with liftgate pickup from me.

i

Ron..do yourself a favor..and either plug the collant into the welder (most have a utility 110vt outlet, or install a 110vt transformer and a plug across the contactor output) so when the welder comes on..so does the coolant.

It solves a LOT of these kinds of problems.

Btw...you can use steel coathangers angers for filler .

Gunner

Gunner

"A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

- Proverbs 22:3