Bought a new TIG Welder

[Doug71zt]

Well, I finally broke down and bought a new TIG welder - a Miller Syncrowave 180SD. I was hoping for something larger, like a 275 or so, but my shop power service is only 100amp, and wouldn't cover that size of TIG at full power. So - I won't be able to do much intercooler work, but everything else will be covered.

A question for the TIG gurus onsite - How much better are the inverter machines like the Dynasty series? I liked the much lower power consumption due to the power factor not being so far off like the transformer machines, and variable frequency, but they were too costly for me.

Second question - Is the optional Pulsar unit worth the cost for my machine? I have read up on the theory behind the pulsar unit, and it seems that it would make it easier to weld difficult joints like headers without burning through.

 

The Miller sure blows away my old unit, makes my welds look much better than I actually am. Practice,practice,practice. It seems to have more consistant penetration on the stainless, the inside of the pipe looks a lot better, with not a lot of salt. I'm contemplating a second argon bottle for back-shielding, or using Solarflux inside the pipe. Anyone tried that?

 

Cheers

 

Doug

[johnc]

A 100amp service should be enough to power a 275 if you've got 3 phase.

[Warren]

I too have the 180SD and have no problem doing intercooler work. You should be fine. Just remember, along with practice, practice, practice, comes CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN...

 

Warren

[Doug71zt]

Hi John - Unfortunately, single phase to my shop, with no hope of upgrading. Single phase also gives me the ability to be (semi) portable with this thing, I can work in anyone's garage, as long as they have a welder plug.

 

Warren - Do you pre-heat the IC cores when you weld tanks on them? When I did my core, I had to pre-heat the unit and then weld, and that was on a 250 amp welder. It was a pretty big core, 24x8x3.5, seems to suck up the heat pretty quickly.

 

Cheers

 

Doug

[Warren]

Doug,

 

I've never preheated anything aluminum...just make sure it's REALLY clean and the gaps are at an absolute minimum. Use the TIG slide chart that came with the machine to set the machine properly and you shouldn't have any problems. I use 2% Thoriated tungsten (red band)(against what some others may say, but my local Miller rep recommended them to me) and I've never had a problem with it. I've also experimented with Pure tungstens (green band) and haven't noticed any major differences. I've even modified my Griffin radiator outlet without preheating and it worked just fine. Others may have other experiences to share with you, and I can only tell you what's worked for me, so your mileage may vary. Just remember that cleanliness is PARAMOUNT.

 

Hope it helps,

 

Warren

[2126]

Drinking too much coffee can make stacking those nickles perfectly a bit harder to do!!!

[Jolane]

Congrats! I personally have a Dynasty 200DX in my garage. I chose it for a few reasons:

1. It is portable, very portable!

2. I can stick weld on 110V if need be.

3. I only had a 50A 220V plug available.

4. I wanted to be able to use a plug (30A) that was not super expensive.

5. Reputation. I wanted a machine more capable than I.

6. It takes up little space, and uses little electricity when in use.

 

I really like it, and feel I made the right decision. It was a little spendy, but for my application, I could not have lived with a larger traditional machine. I have used the pulser before, but an typically welding stuff that does not need it. The high frequency on the other hand is awesome! It makes a huge difference when I go from 60 HZ up to 150HZ (or whatever). It definitely helps shape the arc.

I have never used a traditional machine (this is my first TIG), so I don't know how they really differ otherwise.

BTW, the T/A 185 is about the same price, maybe a little cheaper, than the Syncro 180. It has gotten great reviews, and seems to be an excellent machine, incase you are considering an inverter. It does not run off 110V though, only 220V. The price includes the regulator, foot pedal, torch, etc...

 

Joshua

[buZy]

Nice welder Doug!

[Guest JAMIE T]

I have a miller Syncrowave 351. It's a MONSTER. For my home shop I'm looking at the Dynasty 200 like Jolane has.

 

FWIW guys, if money is no object, get a Lincoln PowerMIG 350 with a pushpull Python gun. This is the cream of the crop. It's a Pulse AND Pulse on Pulse machine. We have 5 of these wire feed welders in our shop. They can double as a TIG power source. I think ours are hooked to 50A breakers. I can lay welds down with it that rival the best TIG welders. The Pulse on Pulse feature allows you to weld under 1/8" thick aluminum with it. Fully digital and laptop programmable. When Lincoln develops a new wave or feature, it can be programmed into existing machines. I'l post a pic in alillte while of a weld I did with it while showing someone else.

[Doug71zt]

Hi Jamie - I was hoping you'd post. Do you weld up IC's in your shop, like fab the tanks and weld to the cores? It seemed to me that it took a pile of amps to lay down the bead from the tank (.095ish thick, I think) to the core. The shop that it was done in had an water cooled torch which had a broken line (so no cooling) and it was seriously smoking by the time the tanks were done.

If I didn't already have a MIG, I would have got the smaller Lincoln PowerMIG that functions as a TIG also. A spoolgun would be great to have. I have a Millermatic 175, traded down from a MM210 a couple years ago. The 210 wasn't very portable, and I never used it's full output. The MM175 is a nice size and a great little welder. My next TIG will probably be a Dynasty 300 or comparable, when I learn how to weld with this one. Hard to take courses when you're always on the road.....

 

Cheers

 

Doug

[Guest JAMIE T]

I do weld IC's. And, my torch IS water cooled. You are correct that it takes ALOT of power to weld aluminum. It just dissipates heat faster than steel. Heating it does help though I've never needed to on an Intercooler. Maybe a cylinder head, but never something involving sheet aluminum. Also remember , the TIG I'm "Used" to is freakin' huge! I can weld thicker than 1/2" plate with it. It's on a 150A circuit! The plug is about the size of a football!

[johnc]

I just finished doing a lot of modifications to an Arizona Z Car cast aluminum oil pan and I had to pre-heat it. But, as Jamie posted, I've never had to preheat aluminum sheet under .250" thick. I would be afraid to for fear of distortion.

 

I use a Lincoln Invertec 205 TIG welder which can do 180amps on AC. I do have to preheat more frequently then most because of the lower power but once the part's hot it welds very well. I also used the 2% Thoriated and with an inverter I can sharpen it and run a vary small ball on the end. I tried the pure Tungsten (green) and had problems with weld pool contamination from the Tungesten. Don't seem to have that problem with the 2% Thoriated.

 

And, as EVERYONE has said here, clean, clean, clean, clean! Physically clean the aluminum parts using a dedicated stainless steel wheel or brush and then chemically clean the parts with Acetone just before welding. Also, get some stianless steel wool and use it to clean the filler rods just before welding.

 

If you sand the parts to clean them, go back over the weld area with a stainless wire brush and don't ever sand aluminum parts using Aluminum Oxide paper.

[Doug71zt]

Thanks for the tips guys, just to clarify on the IC, I wasn't preheating the tanks, but the 15 lb chunk of bar and plate core. I guess that it's made to transfer heat, and it does a great job of that.

I have been using Castrol Superclean to clean the aluminum that I have been messing with, it works quite well and will etch the aluminum quite quickly. I have a dedicated stainless brush for Alum. and one for stainless also. Good tip on cleaning the filler rods, I didn't think of that.

 

Has anyone used Solarflux type B when welding stainless, to backshield the inside of the pipe? Burns Stainless sells it, I'm just looking for some feedback on it. I had my first downpipe done by an aerospace welding outfit, and there was no salt on the inside of the tube at all. I'm getting some, less than with my old welder, but I'm contemplating making a couple turbo headers and want to make sure that there isn't anything left in the pipe that could come loose and wipe out a turbine wheel.

 

Cheers

 

Doug

[johnc]

I just backpurge with Argon using another line off my regulator. Masking tape or bronze wool seals the tube openings.

 

Always remember to use non-clorinated solvents to clean anything you weld. Chlorine gas is very toxic. Acetone is the least toxic of readily available and effective solvents.

[SHO-Z]

I have used Solarflux on SS piping. It is not near as nice as purging but can stop sugaring of the SS pipe on the inside. I welded using this procedure on drain lines on a Budweiser Brewery in CO. From what we learned, mix with water instead of alcohol. Mixing it with water the flux had less tendency to flake off of the wall. Solarflux is not for open butt welding, it is for fusion welding and forms a glass slag cover on the weld. This slag can and will flake off over time. On these welds I always walked the cup, and watched the silicon swirl to know that I had 100% penetration.

[(goldfish)]

When helping my dad look at tigs, nothing could compare to the options and ratings of the ThermalArc welders (controls are a little complex). the dynastys seemed to have short duty ratings compared to the similar powered units.

[Jolane]

Just to comment on the Mig's that also act as TIG power supplies. I believe, and correct me if I am wrong, that they output DC TIG only, no AC, so no aluminum.

I definitely would like to have a big MIG though with Pulse on Pulse, what awesome welds those put out!

Joshua

[Mike C]

I have a Lincoln PT 275. At full bore it's 105 amps, without the power factor caps. With it is only 85. 230V single phase. Congrats on the new welder though, before I found my PT275 on clearance I was seriously eyeballing the 180 SD. Nice machine.

[Okimoto]

Just to comment on the Mig's that also act as TIG power supplies. I believe' date=' and correct me if I am wrong, that they output DC TIG only, no AC, so no aluminum.

I definitely would like to have a big MIG though with Pulse on Pulse, what awesome welds those put out!

Joshua[/quote']

 

I've read somewhere that you could use helium with the DC output and not worry about contamination? Is this true?

[johnc]

I've read somewhere that you could use helium with the DC output and not worry about contamination? Is this true?

 

Nope. Helium does not provide the cleaning action that Argon does when GMAW welding aluminum. Helium is used to increase penetration at the expense of cleaning and arc stability.

 

I believe, and correct me if I am wrong, that they output DC TIG only, no AC, so no aluminum.

 

You don't need an AC power source to weld aluminum. Aluminum can easily be welded using GMAW. DC power source MIG machiens are mostly Constant Voltage machines where the amperage (current) is varied based on arc length and electrode stickout. Just set the mahcine up as Electrode Positive and use 100% Argon as the shielding gas. FYI... most aluminum is welded using GMAW.