Help me choose a Tig Welder.

[JustinOlson]

Well, I have about $2000 in the bank right now and I'm shopping for a nice TIG welder that will fill my needs over the next 5-10 years. I am willing to wait a bit longer and save a bit more money to get a nicer welder. My ultimate budget lies in the $2000-3000 range. I'm trying to decided which machine I want. I would like a machine that can handle about 200amps. Has to be capable of both steel and aluminum.

 

 

The choices as I have thus far:

 

Miller Dynasty 200dx with contractor kit. (high end of my price range).

http://store.cyberweld.com/mildyn200dxa.html

$3220 shipped

 

Thermal Dynamics Arc Master 185tsw

http://toolsforless.com/product/9805.html

$1988 shipped

 

Miller Syncrowave 200

http://store.cyberweld.com/milsyn180sd2.html

$1815 shipped

 

Also, I'm looking into the HTP 201:

http://www.htpweld.com/products/tig_welders/tig201.html

~$2300+shipping

 

I figure the miller machines will hold there value the best. The Thermal Dynamics inverter machine seems like a very good value. It just hurts that they've raised the price on them $300+ dollars since I was looking at them last summer. What would you recommend for me?

 

Best Regards,

Justin Olson

[Derek]

I've been abusing a Syncrowave 250 that I bought used about 15 years ago and it's never missed a beat.

 

 

Derek

[tannji]

I have sold and/or tested all of those except the HTP, which I hear good things about but have never seen. I think you are on the right track, especially with keeping value. You might also want to look at the Lincoln Precision Tig 225. In my very limited experience with TIG, I liked the arc on the 225 best, especially on thin aluminum. I think I am selling the 225 for just under $2000, so you might find it for between $1800 to $2000, like the comparable Miller Syncrowave. Current products from Miller and Lincoln are pretty closely matched, and if you are color-blind, it would probably come down to a feature preference or package pricing as to which one to go with. I will say that Lincoln is putting particular emphasis on build durability and cooling design.. which I appreciate. I tend to pick the brain of our Repair department manager a lot... he has extensive welding experience and skills, and has strong biases based on what he is seeing coming in for warrantee repair.

With your budget, I would personally be looking at the Miller Syncrowave and Dynasty, or the Lincoln Precision Tig.

[G.I.jonas]

I bought a lincoln precision tig 225 oniline about 6 months ago and am totaly in love with the machine.For the cost of $1900 for the machine and another $500+- for accesories i definately feel i got what i paid for or better.Beautiful on aluminum and any steel welding and i regularly weld at or above 200 amps for reasonable periods of time without a liquid cooled torch.I also hear good about the htp but have never seen one.And what do have for power service in your intended work area?I bought mine and didnt realize i couldnt run it lol,ended up having to spend like $500 on wiring to be able to use it in my shop.This is what i bought:

 

[Flexicoker]

I've been using a Synchrowave 250 for a few years, and the only things I wish it had were a pulser, and frequency control. The DX has frequency control, both have pulsers. I never use all of the amperage. It's never let us down except for breaking/exploding torches(watercooled), and its been pretty well raped on.

 

[dr_hunt]

The htp is an awesome machine, light, uses less power and welds like a champ!

[76s30]

I'm not on the up and up on new welders. mostly because I just won't spend that kind of money. But my advise would be to get a machine with square wave, that adjustable, it will more than pay for it self with saved frustration on alum. with adjust. square wave the amount of penatration versus cleaning action can be varied. makes welding that much easier, and prettier.

I get buy with my oldies but if i had more money to spend thats what I would buy.

[Brad-ManQ45]

I and my friends all have Miller products, and the Dynasty is an excellent piece(wish I had one).

 

Miller service is excellent for us little guys, and both Miller and Hobart (same factory) have forums. Since before I was welding I went to both, then took classes, and I think I've learned more from the forums that the classes - but the hands on experience probably allowed for that.

 

I've heard of spotty CS from RED - particularly to us "small" guys. Their orientation seems to be more toward production shops/large volume buyers - and they don't have a forum for learning or even venting...

 

HTP and TA are both good machines.

 

The Syncrowave is a damn fine machine too, but uses a lot of power and is HEAVY - friend of mine had one.

 

I can't fault any of the machines that you're deciding on - whatever floats your boat and you feel most comfortable with - you're guaranteed a "gooder".

[Okimoto]

If you can afford a dynasty... I would definately get that. The dynasty has the auto-voltage set too right? That means you can bring it over to my house and let me 'test' it for a few months to make sure that it works.

 

If you need to save some money for that watercooler and a watercooled torch, I hear real good things about the TA185. I might end up getting one at a later date, they're a good deal for the machine you're getting. Nobody complains about them on the hobart boards. I have a Thermalarc dragster right now. It fits in a shoebox, weighs about 10 lbs and can tig weld steel. It's actually kinda nice given its small size. It's not too bad. Plus it has a shoulder strap so you can sport it like MC hammer and the clock around his neck.

 

 

To be honest, with the transformer machines, I would take a lincoln PT. It really helps me cover up my bad welding haha. Much like the ronco rotisserie, you can set it and forget it.

 

the Miller syncrowave is also a good machine, don't get me wrong... but after using a syncrowave 300 programmer and switching to the pt, I'd take the PT. It feels less like starting up frankenstein and the arc just feels a bit quieter.

 

[edit] The very best machine I've ever used was a lincoln Square tig? 255 I believe. It had an LCD screen, pulser and all the buttons you could ever care to push. basically, it made welding fool-proof. All you did was push the pedal, hold the torch... and the welder took care of the rest. It was like cruise control. Too bad some jerk decided it would be cool to push the buttons with a hot piece of tungsten.

 

[Tombarace14]

What do you guys think about the Hobart Tigmate? Ive been looking at these lately.

[OlderThanMe]

My favorite welder is the Miler Dynasty 200DX. I used one in welding school for several months. I also used some synchrowave 350 machines.

 

I am looking at purchasing a synchrowave 200 for my personal use but would get the Dynasty if I had the extra funds. The main difference is that you can't pick up the synchrowave 200 with one arm and put the strap over your shoulder and walk away... not happening. The dynasty machine weighs 45 pounds! plus your argon bottle and then accessories..

[lbhsbZ]

I've got the TA185 and I'm very happy with it....more features than I know how to/care to use at this point, and takes care of everything I need to do.