Another TIG "what machine should I get" thread

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Well my Chinese inverter order pretty much ended in disaster.  First DHL "lost" the package and when another machine finally did arrive, it was DOA.  Luckily the seller is a stand up guy and I'm sending it back for a refund.I've pretty much given up on the concept of getting something for nothing and figure I'll need to pay in the region of 2 grand for something decent.I'll be welding a lot of steel tubing but also aluminum castings around 1/4" thick as well as cast iron to steel (all orny stuff).I figure a 200 amp AC/DC machine would fit the bill (and I can't really afford more so it would have to do).  I'll need a machine with foot pedal and variable clean width.I've looked at the Miller Syncrowave 200 (around 1,800 bucks) and the HTP Invertig 201 (around 2,300).  I think Lincoln also has an offering but I'm not sure what it is.So . . . for a good general purpose machine that can do a good job on aluminum as well as steel around the 2 grand max price range that would be solid and reliable (is this the holy grail of TIG welding?) I'd appreciate recomendations.Thanks.
Reply:The top 3 would be Miller, Hobart and Lincoln. A bunch of people have the Hypertherm variant (they own more than a dozen companies). I personally went with the Miller EconoTIG and it does everything I throw at it. Mine was $1200 shipped and came with everything - both torches, work clamp and foot control.John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:IMO, go with the dynasty 200dx. I did, and its a great little machine. I've done a bunch of alum with it and it does a nice job. It's got all the features you'd need. A little more than the others you desribed, but worth it.
Reply:250 amp!!  wish I had saved the ponies for one..  Thermal Arc arcmaster 300 ac/dc, now fully rated on single phase.Various GrindersVictor Journeyman torch200cf Acet. 250cf oxygenLincoln 175 plus/alpha2 gunLincoln v205t tigLincoln 350mpEsab 650 plasmaWhen you can get up in the morning, Its a good day.Live each day like its your last.
Reply:The EcoTig is nice... I also liked the school's  lincoln Precision TIG 225-Clarke 130EN-Miller MaxStar 150STL-Miller Elite 29' Roadster
Reply:Now I can see why people agonize over these types of decisions. I like the econotig, but I figure for a few bucks more I can go for the syncrowave 200.The Dynasty 200DX is the perfect machine, but out of the ballpark in price.The Lincoln Precision TIG 225 looks very good and I'm leaning toward that over the syncrowave but its really a toss up.The one factor that makes the HTP Invertig 201 look really good is the weight.  Both the sycrowave and precision TIG are over 200 pounds.  The HTP is inverter based and comes in at under 70 pounds.  I will likely need to move the thing around from time to time, up and down steps, in and out of the truck, so weight is a factor.  I figure I can mount whatever I end up getting on a handtruck with stair climbers as its "cart," but 200 plus pounds is still a lot of weight for a one man band.What I don't like about the HTP is I can't source it locally so maybe it falls back under the Chinese welder category with an almost meaningless warranty (ship it here there and everywhere if anything goes wrong with it) although HTP does look like a very reputable company.I also can't find a thermal arc locally and looks to be out of the budget range so I'm also putting that aside for now.So thanks very much for the input; I think it has helped to boil it down to:Anybody have any experience with HTP -- any good?  It's not a miller or lincoln, etc. so maybe I should steer clear.In trying to choose between the syncrowave 200 and the precision TIG 225, anybody know if one has a feature set any better than the other.  They both seem to be excellent products and it's tough to compare -- the Lincoln seems to have a little bit more top end current and is more efficient in terms of current draw so I'm leaning that way right now.Anyway, thanks again for the input and I'd appreciate any other thoughts on the topic anyone may have.
Reply:I have heard nothing but good things about the HTP products.  Infact I am ordering a new spool gun for my portable setup next week, and I am going with the HTP.  I have always been a die hard lincoln man, but the price of the HTP as well as the positive feed back I keep hearing from the owners makes them hard to overlook.  ~JacksonI'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:I really like my Thermal Arc 185."Common sense is not very common"http://www.tahoekeyshome.com
Reply:I have the 160dc unit and like it a lot. Also have the 201 on order. Cant wait to get it so I can play with some alum.mm135HTP Invertig 201 With water cooler9" Southbend LatheLots of hand tools.
Reply:I am buying a Miller 200Good machine, you won't regret.Bill
Reply:Starting to lean toward the syncrowave 200 for local service and support and looks like solid resale value if I ever upgrade down the road.For those who use the syncrowave 200, how hard is it to move around like getting it into and out of a truck?  I don't have a lift gate so it would have to roll up a ramp.Thanks.
Reply:Well it looks like the syncrowave it is.  I called my LWS and they quoted a price of $1,779 complete and delivered to my door.  I figure the local service and support combined with the fact that everyone who has one seems satisfied with it overcomes the inconvenience of its huge weight and power draw, not to mention that the price quoted is even less than the typical internet price.If I do get enough cash together down the road to trade up to something bigger or with more features, I figure it wouldn't be tough to sell the syncrowave.I suppose I'll sleep on it over this weekend and then make a final decision on Monday.Again, many thanks for the input and I'd still very much appreciate any further thoughts anyone may have.
Reply:I'm just a hobbyist, but I'm completely happy with my HTP invertig. I live about 40 minutes from them, so that made my decision easier. I predict though that no matter which box you buy, you'll be happy with it. I think if the internet didn't exist, we'd just go out and buy something and more than likely be content with it. Sometimes agonizing over this vs. that seems kinda senseless, IMO.Happy tigging,John
Reply:Originally Posted by runchmanSometimes agonizing over this vs. that seems kinda senseless, IMO.Happy tigging,John
Reply:you should be realy happy with the syncro200. Miller put in some realy nice upgrades when they went from the 180 to the 200.i had to go inverter due to power restraints but the syncro was my 1st choice. good solid welder that will last you 3 lifetimes. all the reports from owners have been verry good. i like the auto ajust on the post flow, it should realy save you a lot of gas wile lerning and doing lots of start stops. i can reajust mine but i tend to forget and as such was waisting a lot of gas on the start stops.you realy cant go wrong with the syncro200.congrats. summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.
Reply:Thanks.  I got it yesterday and I'm very happy with it.  It was true "mission creep" ending up with a name brand machine but I'm glad I did it.I first bought the $200 HF DC TIG.  Not a bad machine at all, but no foot pedal and no aluminum.  I was going to modify it to add a pedal but it croaked and I returned it before I got that far.  That was like my first hit of TIG and I had a serious jones for more.  No TIG machine and I had a bad case of TIG withdrawal.My better half promised to give me a better machine for my b'day but I couldn't wait that long.  So, sold some old tools I don't use anymore as a trade off and on to ebay for a Chinese TIG.  Total disaster.  Took forever to ship it to me and it arrived DOA.  I sent it's cold dead carcass back.  Enough is enough.  The HF TIG died an early death and the ebay Chinese TIG never even lived.  The TIG jones was getting bad now.Throwing thrift and prudence to the wind, in a fit of wild-eyed TIG withdrawal, I ordered the syncro 200 (after hemmin and hawin about which machine 'cause they are pretty darned expensive).  It arrived yesterday.  Ahh.   Like I said, I am happy with it.Now I know what I'm in for -- a selection of tungsten, collets and cups; a gas lens; pyrex cups; argon fills every few days; an insatiable need for scrap to practice on -- the downward spiral of TIG spending.
Reply:Phila - glad to see you finally got your TIG fix.  When most of us recommend the big 3 welders, there is a reason. Probability says more than likely, we've been through the same situation. John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:My new tig should be here early next week. Been taking a tig class at the local college. Doing a lot of alum in class and started liking it so I had to have an ac machine. (Not that I'm any good but getting better) Since I already have a HTP 160 dc I upgraded to his big brother the Invertig 201. At least that way I can use the 25' acc. I have with the new machine.I have 2 sets of accessories. 1 for home and 1 for class. plus 2 torch sizes. It all adds up quickly. I guess next is a water cooler.  Will the spending never end?I said I wanted to weld like Zap when I grow up. I already want to tig everything.mm135HTP Invertig 201 With water cooler9" Southbend LatheLots of hand tools.
Reply:Let us know how you like it.  The HTP does look like a really nice machine.
Reply:Will the spending never end?nope. but the toys will start to add up and befor ya know it you will have one fine play house all your frends will want to come play in.congrats on the new toy. summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.