Help me to decide whether to keep the Dialarc

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I've got an old Dialarc HF-P that's in great shape.  I've never learned to TIG, but it came with all kinds of TIG stuff including an old water-cooled torch and homemade cooler, Miller foot pedal and interface box, and maybe some other stuff I'm forgetting.  I don't do much shop work, but I bought the Dialarc several years ago just so I could weld without firing up the TB.  It does OK, 7018 is pretty good but the arc is pretty soft for 6010 unless I really crank it up.  Maybe the TB has spoiled me.  So I just bought this XMT 304 for mobile work and it occurred to me there's no reason I can't use it in the shop.  Which makes the Dialarc a large paperweight.  Or does it?  Besides the HF (which I don't use), there's nothing I'm aware of the Dialarc can do that the 304 can't do better.  I'd like to learn TIG, and already have accumulated most of the stuff for it with the Dialarc, but I also have an air-cooled TIG torch I can run off the TB or XMT.  Keep in mind I run a mobile business.  I only use the shop for paying jobs on occasion, and it's never a production environment, it's more like a job shop.What would you do?  I'd imagine the Dialarc and it's setup should be good for $500+ in the shape it's in.  I don't NEED the money, but the thing does take up space....and I hate having stuff around that I'd never use.
Reply:Well the best advice I can give you is give it to me
Reply:It is always nice to have a spare machine. Get it out and use it once a month. If its payed for I would keep it, and sounds like it is. You wont get a dime for it now a days. Sit on it if you must get rid of it, do it when the demand is up.You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else. Albert Einstein
Reply:I have a big old transformer tig that I leave set up in the shop & then a dynasty 200dx that I use for everything else... the nice thing about having the tig set up & ready to go is if you have the other packed up to go mobile with, then you can just leave it packed up & use the old stand by in the shop instead of dragging the portable out & hooking it up & everything for just a quick little tig of something, it's already all set up & ready to go. but of course every situation is different, for me I liked that I could leave the dynasty home unless I had something intense to do with it but still have a tig to use at the shop at any time I need it...miller 330a bp TIGmiller dynasty 200DX TIGmillermatic 185 MIGthermal dynamics cutmaster 101 plasma cuttersnap-on YA5550 plasma cutterhypertherm powermax 30 plasma cutterbaileigh CS225 cold sawetc....
Reply:I have both a Dialarc HF and an XMT 304.  One important thing you're missing here.  The Dialarc HF and HF-P are AC and DC machines.  The XMT is DC-only.  The XMT is NOT an aluminum capable tig machine, whereas the Dialarc HF's are suitable for aluminum tig welding (though newer machines have many more ac tig welding features now days).   Dialarcs are excellent stick and dc tig machines. The XMT 304 has only very basic dc tig functions (lift start and ability to use a pedal are the only things that make an XMT acceptable for tig use).  The XMT lacks an internal gas valve and HF start.  Those features are not needed to dc tig, but they are nice to have.  You will not be doing any aluminum tig welding with an XMT. I much prefer to dc tig with my TA185 than with the XMT, due to the internal gas valve and HF start, though I do use the XMT to tig stainless on occasion.   The XMT is a truly excellent stick and wire welding power source though, this is where it shines.   It does excellent with a pulser and spool gun to mig aluminum too.In my opinion, I would not get rid of either of them, unless you're intending to replace the Dialarc with a Syncrowave, Dynasty, Thermal Arc, or other later model full-feature ac/dc tig machine.By getting rid of your Dialarc HF-P, you're throwing the entire ac aluminum tig welding process capability right out the window, unless already have another aluminum tig machine.Last edited by DesertRider33; 11-20-2010 at 12:35 PM.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Well, sounds like the consensus is to keep the ole Dialarc.  (Except for you, Mr. Mega)  Yeah, I dunno, like I said, TIG is a process I've never learned, let alone alum TIG.  There's only been one time I've even been asked whether I could do it.  I'm thinking of breaking down and taking a class anyway this spring and adding TIG to the list of processes I can do.  Maybe you're right, maybe I should hang onto the machine for now.