BOUGHT A TIG......OPINIONS PLEASE?

Hi folks,

I just bought an OLD LINCOLN IDEALARC HIGH FREQUENCY TIG 300 AMP WELDER ARC, Ebay # 7597638071 for $500.00. It has not torch or tank. Did I get taken badly or is this a dog or, or......?

Thank you.

Reply to
knowone
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Hi

I have the same welder. I had to make my own pedal for it. I have trouble making good welds with aluminium, it always leaves black marks. Let me know how yours works on aluminium. I don't think you did too badly if it works, a torch will not cost too much on ebay. I don't have a manual but I have fiddled with the gap electrodes that create the high frequency. I wouldn't mind knowing how to set these properly.

stan

Reply to
sbaer

Thanks Stan.

Well, this thing has no tank. I am ASSuming that the water-pump and radiator is contained inside the welder. That may be wishful thinking.

I looked on Lincoln's site but couldn't find a book.

If I am disappointed with this machine, what do you think I could re-sell if for, assuming I could find another sucker just like me?

After I get it, I will let you know how it works on aluminum. Have you tried it on stainless?

Reply to
knowone

Is this what you bought?

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Richard

Reply to
AMW

I think that you did very well. Congratulations!

i
Reply to
Ignoramus27983

No, Richard. You can see what I bought on Ebay if you search for the # listed below.

Thanks

Reply to
knowone

Thanks, Ig. I am not so sure since it is so old and missing the coolant tank but I appreciate your comments.

I have no standard really, to reference the price against.

k.o.

Reply to
knowone

There is no standard. Prices are all over the place depending, for heavy things, on location and lack of willing buyers who want to take a 800 lbs monster. One guy bought a TIG welder for $9.99, for example (3 phase). But, all in all, getting a functioning TIG welder for just $500 is a good deal, I think.

I do not think that $500 is "excessive price", as such. I saw a similar one sell for $800 locally near me.

Basically, I learned in life that one can find almost anything at almost any price if one looks hard enough.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus27983

you don't really need the coolant tank if you use an air cooled torch. As long as the chinease don't start selling ac inverter tig welders you should be able to get your money back out of it (you could in this neck of the woods anyway). I am waiting for the price of ac inverters to come down to replace mine.

stan

Reply to
sbaer

It's the earlier version of the machine I own. There is no cooling provided, only the valve (solenoid) that controls the coolant. It's part of the machine. You'll have to provide a water source, be it a cooling tank or fresh water that you run to waste. That's the cheapest and easiest way, assuming you don't use the machine on a regular basis, and your water isn't killer expensive.

If the machine is anything like represented, no, you didn't get taken. As far as I know, they're a good work horse and quite reliable.

Harold

Reply to
Harold and Susan Vordos

The listing clearly says no "cooling tank". You can translate it to mean no cooler, no pump, no radiator, etc.

Whew, it is really old! 1960's, probably.

Black marks is not likely to be a problem with the welder. A "square Wave" machine gives you more control over the +/- balance on AC, but the black stuff is likely due to insufficient (or wrong) shielding gas, or the wrong electrode material. Or, the wrong aluminum alloy, as some of them don't weld at all. If you haven't used a gas lens on your torch, the improvement of the shielding is amazing.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Elson

I paid $1300 plus shipping (about $320) for a Lincoln Square Wave TIG

300 with a good water-cooled torch, Miller cooler and a brand-new regulator-flowmeter and Argon hose. It was on a massive cart that I guess is sold by Lincoln for this model. It had the fingertip remote control, which I built a pedal adaptor for. It also had a stick electrode. Of course, the SW TIG 300 is a much more advanced machine than the older unit you got. At least it has remote control, though.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Elson

Thanks for the tip. I think I will buy some new electodes and give it a try. I have a tank of argon. I paid $150 fot the machine at an auction and use it mostly for arc welding and jump starting cars with dead batteries.

stan

Reply to
sbaer

Reply to
wayne mak

I believe this is the correct manual for it.

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Best Regards, Keith Marshall snipped-for-privacy@progressivelogic.com

"I'm not grown up enough to be so old!"

Reply to
Keith Marshall

I believe this is the manual for it:

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Best Regards, Keith Marshall snipped-for-privacy@progressivelogic.com

"I'm not grown up enough to be so old!"

Reply to
Keith Marshall

Thanks for that link. The manual is quite complete although I did not see a schematic. I will put a bit more effort into getting this thing to work properly. I might buy a proper pedal, I think part of my problem is that my pedal is a bit crude.

stan

Reply to
sbaer

EVERYONE: THANKS!

I read all of the replies and got something from all of them. I got the .pdf manual, too. I thought that I had paid a bit too much for a mosheen without torch and tank and very old but, I guess it will be okay. I was hoping that I could have found a Syncrowave for around $800 and, like someone said, if you wait, you will. It is interesting that if you wait, you can find the same item that you are looking for with prices all over the board.

Anyone have any suggestions for the tig torch and accesories that I should get - cheaply? I won't be able to get this machine until around 1.5 weeks so, it would be really nice to have everything ready to go.

Again, thanks, guys.

k.o.

Reply to
knowone

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