TIG Machine

[DesertBearhawk]

Guys, Starting my TIG welding class at the collage this month and have been looking for a good machine. I really like the Dynasty 200DX, but it is out of my budget! I have found the Miller Diversion 180 TIG machine and it looks like it would do the job (far as i know at this point). See it at the link below...

I live in a rental so power source is a concern, this machine will run on 110 best as I can tell...

Thoughts and suggestions please!

[mswain]

If you don't plan to do the fuel tanks, all you need is a DC machine. If you are on a budget, I know a builder that simply put a tig torch on a simple stick welder and scratch started the welds.

I wanted a Miller Dynasty, but couldn't justify the 3K....so ended buying an Everlast 210EXT for $1500. It's small, lightweight and works well. I built all the wing steel and just finished my 1st fuel tank with it. The torch it comes with is garbage, so I put a nice CK torch with superflex hose......now it's a great combo, but it's 240V only. While it's nice to buy the best, there are plenty of decent machines that will do the job.

[wingnut13]

Hey Dave this is why I ended up going with the O/A Meco midget setup. I like to buy the best equipment (I can afford!) but 3K for a good setup I just couldn't justify. I use a Millermatic 175 for MIG and use a Powermax 30 for cutting stuff up. Eventually I'm sure there will be a TIG in the shop but not for now. Most of the time I will keep an eye on Craigslist for exactly what I need and I eventually find it for a great price. . . . but sometimes you wait.

~Todd

[Jflyer]

Www.weldingtipsandtricks.com is a great site filled with free video welding tutorials. As the name says "welding tips and tricks". One of his videos he shows how he converted a basic stick welder into a TIG by adding some electronic items. It was scary simple. A friend of mine who's been a pro welder for 35 years did the same thing. He said it worked great.

[Mark Moyle]

I bought a 1982, 300 amp Miller Dialarc HFP with a water cooled TIG torch on eBay. Gave $800 for the machine. Mark M Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[alaskabearhawk]

FWIW, I have a Dynasty 200DX and love every time I use it. Expensive, you bet. But I have never regretted buying good tools and always have regretted buying cheap stuff unless it's for one-time use. Even then I hope I don't wreck the part or get hurt. Miller isn't the only game in town by far and there are capable machines that are cheaper. I just try to buy made in the USA whenever possible. There's enough Chinese crap in my shop as it is. As far as a steel-only TIG, I would seriously reconsider. The welder will be an integral part of your shop and you will find many more projects outside of the airplane to work on. The ability to weld aluminum with a TIG is fantastic. An O/A setup is great too and if I didn't have the money for a decent TIG I would go for a Meco. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEA-g8sMynY

[DesertBearhawk]

Thanks for all the input guys! The level of knowledge with this crew is over the top. AK Bearhawk, thanks for the video link...I have watched everyone of your videos and they are informative and entertaining! My first TIG class is at the end of the month, I think I should have at least some exposure to the process before I drop 2K+ on a machine...

[Tom W]

For those who TIG's their 5052 tanks... how many leaks did you have? I hate having a good looking weld, yet 5psi pressure (balloon indicator, bicycle pump). Spray bottle with soapy water, and where I expect leaks was fine, areas that looked great had pin hole leaks.

I appreciate the OA welding aluminum. Once I took Kent White's aluminum workshop, I finally realized what I had been doing wrong when welding OA. Right eye wear, magnifying lens, and I was cooking. I still get TIG pin holes, but for sheet... love OA welding.

[Kevin N.]

When it comes to welding equipment I use the term buy once, cry once. You can buy a good tig machine and build the airplane and anything else and resale on quality equipment would be a lot better than some type of budget equipment. I doubt you would want to sell a good machine once you had it and learned to use it. I bought my first tig machine in 1979, a Miller Dial arc 250 HF. I upgraded once to a 351 Syncro wave in 1995 for the square wave technology. Now the invertor welder's like the dynasty are light years ahead of my syncrowave. If you decide to buy tig equipment stay with good equipment(opinion) and you won't be sorry. I also own a large collection of gas torches and I love the Meco and I even like the gas welding of aluminum, the flux for doing that is quite toxic and nasty though. If I was upgrading equipment again it would be with the Dynasty 200DX, I have used one and I really liked it. Kevin. Patrol #28