tannji Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 OK, so I am working at a welder supply company, and the repair department comes across trade-ins and abandoned equipment all the time. Today I was looking at a Lincoln SP255 and a Miller Econtig. The SP255 I can probably get for about $300 or so. It works well, is in good shape, and has been written off as a loss because apparently the control panels go bad, and the fix is more than you would spend on another comparable used unit. So I could get that with the caveat that it will probably break in the next year or 1000 hours of use, and I will dispose of it. Or not.... ya never know. The EconoTig is brand spankin new, never even been powered up. Someone traded it in on a "real" Tig. I want to learn tig next, and the price is right, probably $400 to $500.... but I have heard from several people that this model is lack luster with regards to AC Aluminum welding. Of course, that is what I particularly want the machine for, as I have some dreams of designing my own intake and some other parts. So, any feed back on these two machines? I havent heard anything but approval for the SP255 Mig... other than the control panel being too expensive to replace... so that looks like a go, pending confirmation that I can have appropriate AC dropped to my garage. (anyone know if it will run on 208? I havent seen specs on its input preference yet. The EconoTig goes for $1425 at Cyberweld, so I am getting an extremely good deal... but I would love to hear from someone with the experience with multiple machines to tell me if it might suffice for learning Tig/Aluminum, in spite of its supposed deficiency. For comparison, I have used the Lincoln 215 and 255C, and was very comfortable with them, passed the 10 weld test for John Deere Production Welding with no sweat, and that was after a 120 hour part-time course I took a couple months ago. I also used some 1960's vintage behemoth that used a rotary dial for voltage adjustment and had a separate top-mounted wire feeder... I never had a clue what my settings were, as the dials didnt seem to directly corellate to IPM and Volts in any way I could determine. I just played around till it worked for me... I found out a week or two later that I was at 27 volts and about 450 inches per minute! Had my teacher shaking his head and laughing at me... but I was knocking out perfectly flat groove welds on 1/2" plate, so he said he was fine with it, as long as I didnt tell the other students what my settings were, lmao. Anyhow... that is what little experience I have, and what I want to do most of you are already doing.... what do you think about either machine? Thanks in advance, tannji Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlderThanMe Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 just wait and save up for a Miller synchrowave200 for TIG. It is the new home edition and it does AC I believe. It is like 2 grand with everything except the argon tank. Give it a look. Personally I would like that one or a dynasty 200DX...but that is about $3500 with everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tannji Posted August 30, 2006 Author Share Posted August 30, 2006 LOL... sounds great... but out of the budget until my current domestic and living arrangements change. To give you an idea, I was originally going to settle for a 135t 110V welder... until I came across some deals at work. I dont own a shop, or do anything that will help pay off the investment (yet) so $2000+ for a single machine to learn a process is a nice thought... but it goes on the same shelf as all the nice thoughts I have for nice billet aluminum performance parts.... one day almost certainly.... but not this week = ) On the plus side, I get everything from work at cost+5%... and once I have my bottles, Gas is rediculously cheap. Everything except Acetylene.... I am keeping my eye open for a deal on a nice Plasma cutter as well. Miller has a new one out that is tiny... but $1000 is still out of my range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tannji Posted August 31, 2006 Author Share Posted August 31, 2006 Bump? No input on the TIG? I get the idea that most people that dont like the EconoTig are used to using Squarewave technology, and I appreciate that... but would this make a decent learning welder at the very least? What do you/have you used? thanks, tannji Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlderThanMe Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 I have used the before said dynasty, a big synchrowave (350?) and a bigger dynasty as well. The synchrowave does not have high frequency for HF start or aluminium. You will only be able to do steel and stainless and some other ferrous metals. Not all TIG machines are created equal...you are going to have to fork over 2 grand (unless you can get a great deal) to get high frequency for aluminium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam280Z Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 My synchrowave 180SD does have HF start. It is used for all materials including steel. It also uses HF to stabilize the squarewave arc. I think the econotig has lift start. I know it doesn't have HF or squarewave. I have never used a machine without them, but I imagine it is a PITA. If you are only buying one machine, the main question is what will you realistically be welding. Sure the TIG can do it all. But if you are going to be doing a lot of body work, it sure is slow. Slow enough, that after I bought and tried to use my synchrowave, I bought a millermatic 135. The MIG is so much faster and easier to weld out of position. The TIG is easier if you can put the parts on a table. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 Buy them both. The price is cheap enough and you can always sell one or the other for at least what you paid for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tannji Posted August 31, 2006 Author Share Posted August 31, 2006 LOL... I have been going back and forth over this... and the simplest option never even crossed my mind! Thanks JohnC... I may very well do just that. I am going to offer my Repair Manager $700 for both.... I think his main interest is getting them off his shelves as soon as possible anyway. Timing is good... probably picking up a 94 Honda Del Sol next month for a beater/commuter, it is pretty abused body-wise, but I can probably drive it home for $500. Worst case I spend the winter fixing the body and sell it early spring. Dunno how popular they are, I think Honda canceled production because they wernt selling for beans in the US.... but should be fairly easy to make a little profit on it. tannji Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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