another what welder thread

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I am selling my prized possetion for a new one. I need an AC tig and a plasma. I want to do fab work, tube frame chassis, motorcycle frames, roll cages, ect. I expect the tig to do stick. I want quality, not quantity. I am not brand loyal, Probably want to go with everlast or a longevity for the bang for the buck factor. I'd like the plasma to do 1/2 pretty easy. probably a 2 grandish budget for both I am going to have a diffrent budget for the consumables but I want to be cost effective.  I am near a praxair and an airgas if it matters.Right now I am a welding student, and I need something to practice.with. I only have a buzz box right now but I've been in hot rod and lowrider magazines. I like to show off, and I only want to buy a welder once. I was thinking about a combo machine but I am very skeptical. Thanks in advance for your input!
Reply:Originally Posted by nomoreusmcI am selling my prized possetion for a new one. I need an AC tig and a plasma. I want to do fab work, tube frame chassis, motorcycle frames, roll cages, ect. I expect the tig to do stick. I want quality, not quantity. I am not brand loyal, Probably want to go with everlast or a longevity for the bang for the buck factor. I'd like the plasma to do 1/2 pretty easy. probably a 2 grandish budget for both I am going to have a diffrent budget for the consumables but I want to be cost effective.  I am near a praxair and an airgas if it matters.Right now I am a welding student, and I need something to practice.with. I only have a buzz box right now but I've been in hot rod and lowrider magazines. I like to show off, and I only want to buy a welder once. I was thinking about a combo machine but I am very skeptical. Thanks in advance for your input!
Reply:I can't tell you how many times I've read where people say to stay away from any combo machine that has high frequency and a plasma cutter combined. The technological just isn't there yet!Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Originally Posted by CEPI can't tell you how many times I've read where people say to stay away from any combo machine that has high frequency and a plasma cutter combined. The technological just isn't there yet!
Reply:If you only want to buy once your budget is way too low for 1/2" plasma and AC TIG.GravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:I've played with everlast and was pretty impressed, but I don't know anything yet which is why I asked
Reply:you would be better off buying some quality Lincoln or miller equipment used......Of all the things I lost I miss my mind the most...I know just enough about everything to be dangerous......You cant cure stupid..only kill it...
Reply:Originally Posted by roadkillbobbyou would be better off buying some quality Lincoln or miller equipment used......
Reply:I'm just a hobbyist too. I own a couple Everlast SMAW machines. They're very impressive, especially for the money! I just got to play with one of Everlast 120-volt Mig machines. It had a really sweet arc with .030” wire. Just way under powered for my taste.Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Originally Posted by nomoreusmcnow I'm an electronic engineer and I know the an inverter says toshiba  or quen yan something made with name brand parts be that bad? I don't know welding but electrons are electrons right? If not can someone explain it to me? No I'm not being a smarta$$
Reply:Originally Posted by nomoreusmcI am selling my prized possetion for a new one. I need an AC tig and a plasma. I want to do fab work, tube frame chassis, motorcycle frames, roll cages, ect. I expect the tig to do stick. I want quality, not quantity. I am not brand loyal, Probably want to go with everlast or a longevity for the bang for the buck factor. I'd like the plasma to do 1/2 pretty easy. probably a 2 grandish budget for both I am going to have a diffrent budget for the consumables but I want to be cost effective.  I am near a praxair and an airgas if it matters.Right now I am a welding student, and I need something to practice.with. I only have a buzz box right now but I've been in hot rod and lowrider magazines. I like to show off, and I only want to buy a welder once. I was thinking about a combo machine but I am very skeptical. Thanks in advance for your input!
Reply:Precision tig 225. Longevity is junk
Reply:Ever/longs are buy once welders, Never buying one again !   Don't get all hurt people it was joke and I couldn't help myself !
Reply:for my powder coating, I used to own a speed shop/powder coating biz in Nixa, MO. It shut down on obama's 1 year annaversery. I really miss it. I don't want to look cool I want my work to look cool, and I wish I was young I'm 40ishLast edited by nomoreusmc; 01-16-2015 at 02:57 PM.
Reply:
Reply:Originally Posted by ZizzleAh no.Maybe the rectifiers or IGBTs or MOSFETs are Toshiba but the design is chinese.Without circuit diagrams it's hard to know how fit for purpose any design is. e.g. what sort of safety margins is built into the active device ratings and capacitor ratings. What sort of junction temperatures to expect on the active devices.Most importantly: how good is the transient suppression (probably the toughest part of welder design). Your leads act as big inductors. When you break an arc a surge of energy (high voltage and high current) has to be dealt with. If not done correctly then your active devices can be fried completely.Transient response is also the hardest to test. Hooking a welder up to a restistive load bank and making sure it puts out rated voltage and current is one thing. Making sure it doesn't blow itself up when used with long leads or when a breaker flips is another.A screw up in any of these can leave you with a dead welder.What we can do is take a look at the layout and build quality and make an educated guess about whether the designer was focused more on saving a few bucks or making a welder that will last.Among some of the Chinese brands build quality varies. From skimping on components to after-thought kludges and bodges.It does seem that many of the Chinese machines have chokes or other protective circuits added as after thoughts. Usually with dubious mounting techniques. When the overall design should probably be reworked to have them properly incorporated. The need for these additions probably discovered from the postmortems of dead customer machines. Of course labor is cheap so having someone do a bodge fix during construction is usually cheaper than fixing the board layout.I suspect part of their business model is to take the hit and simply replace dead machines rather than expend engineering effort and implement the correct fixes. Yes, disposable welders.Mechanical design seems to be largely unconsidered. Unsupported circuit boards, unsupported large components, large heavy wiring messes, under sized connectors, missing shake-proof/spring washers, solder only high current carriers. Skimping on copper where possible.There are a bunch of other dubious build practices too.But to cut to the chase, I haven't seen any Chinese made welder that looks like a good design or a good build. While a Chinese welder may, with luck, survive light hobby use when rarely moved & used, I have no doubt many would fail at high rates if used as a mobile rig.The best inverter design I have seen so far is from the Italians. In the form of Stel/HTP TIGs. Followed by the Miller Dynastys. Haven't seen the internals of any Lincolns.Having said all that, the case may be made that instead of one name brand machine you buy 2 chinese machines so you have something when one dies.But all the cheap chinese machines seem to come with crap accessories. Stiff hoses. Notchy flimsy foot pedals with weird shapes. Cheap bulky torches. Crap oversized gas line that causes a surge when you hit the pedal, wasting gas. So I still don't think it's worth it.
Reply:Originally Posted by nomoreusmc I wish I was young I'm 40ish
Reply:my budget went down by 300 so lets just talk welder, we have covered what not to buy, any suggestions on what I SHOULD buy?
Reply:Originally Posted by nomoreusmcmy budget went down by 300 so lets just talk welder, we have covered what not to buy, any suggestions on what I SHOULD buy?
Reply:I have an oxy-propane setup thats's good for cutting so I will worry about that later. I want to do more than just steel so I see no getting away from it.  I need a stick port, I don't need a lead and stinger
Reply:I like my syncrowave 210  but I don't know if I would recommend it since you can get an htp invertig 221 for less,  if you go all out with the syncrowave 210 complete package you can tig , stick and mig weld with the spool gun.
Reply:Hobart EZ-TIG 165i , and buy one of the new inverter dc stick machines for $200-300
Reply:Become a craigslist junky.Wait. Save. Look.Find a used Synchrowave or AB/P or a Lincoln Square Wave or Precision TIG, or Hobart Cyber TIG or EZ TIG.Find a used Hypertherm or Miller or Hobart plasma.Arrange to give them a test before you buy. Take some 1/2" plate and make sure it cuts at the speed you expect.Doable for under $2k depending on where you live. For instance there is a Hypertherm listed for $1k and A/BP for $800 near me. And I don't live in a very populated area.But frankly, $2k is not much money to spend for what you are asking.Or save a little more and get a HTP Invertig 221.
Reply:really? I much should I spend?what is ab/p? htp?I have been eyeing a syncrowave 251 with a pedel and a water cooler for 2700 now that I think of it. but that's the only name brand. every thing else are copies of the 225ac!
Reply:Syncrowave 250 is the way to go. What year is it? Those have 310 amps. 60% duty cycle at 250 amps. Wish I had one for aluminum workshould i pony up the exrra for a dynasty?
Reply:pony up for a dynasty 280
Reply:Looks like you want to triple your buget
Reply:This thread is a joke.Just a couple welders, big hammers, grinders, and torches.Work will free you.Men in dirty jeans built this country, while men in clean suits have destroyed it. Trump/Carson 2016-2024
Reply:I just sold off my lincoln square wave 175 and got into a syncrowave 250dx. So far i like the 250, good old solid unit, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another. I am still a little leery of the inverter machines, they are great up until they stop working.Personally if I were in your shoes I would look for any 225-255 lincoln or miller machine. Either the square wave or syncrowave will be a good machine and both have stick abilities. They can be had for fairly cheap.12v battery, jumper cables, and a 6013.I only have a facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/VPT/244788508917829
Reply:Originally Posted by ZizzleAh no.Maybe the rectifiers or IGBTs or MOSFETs are Toshiba but the design is chinese.Without circuit diagrams it's hard to know how fit for purpose any design is. e.g. what sort of safety margins is built into the active device ratings and capacitor ratings. What sort of junction temperatures to expect on the active devices.Most importantly: how good is the transient suppression (probably the toughest part of welder design). Your leads act as big inductors. When you break an arc a surge of energy (high voltage and high current) has to be dealt with. If not done correctly then your active devices can be fried completely.Transient response is also the hardest to test. Hooking a welder up to a restistive load bank and making sure it puts out rated voltage and current is one thing. Making sure it doesn't blow itself up when used with long leads or when a breaker flips is another.A screw up in any of these can leave you with a dead welder.What we can do is take a look at the layout and build quality and make an educated guess about whether the designer was focused more on saving a few bucks or making a welder that will last.Among some of the Chinese brands build quality varies. From skimping on components to after-thought kludges and bodges.It does seem that many of the Chinese machines have chokes or other protective circuits added as after thoughts. Usually with dubious mounting techniques. When the overall design should probably be reworked to have them properly incorporated. The need for these additions probably discovered from the postmortems of dead customer machines. Of course labor is cheap so having someone do a bodge fix during construction is usually cheaper than fixing the board layout.I suspect part of their business model is to take the hit and simply replace dead machines rather than expend engineering effort and implement the correct fixes. Yes, disposable welders.Mechanical design seems to be largely unconsidered. Unsupported circuit boards, unsupported large components, large heavy wiring messes, under sized connectors, missing shake-proof/spring washers, solder only high current carriers. Skimping on copper where possible.There are a bunch of other dubious build practices too.But to cut to the chase, I haven't seen any Chinese made welder that looks like a good design or a good build. While a Chinese welder may, with luck, survive light hobby use when rarely moved & used, I have no doubt many would fail at high rates if used as a mobile rig.The best inverter design I have seen so far is from the Italians. In the form of Stel/HTP TIGs. Followed by the Miller Dynastys. Haven't seen the internals of any Lincolns.Having said all that, the case may be made that instead of one name brand machine you buy 2 chinese machines so you have something when one dies.But all the cheap chinese machines seem to come with crap accessories. Stiff hoses. Notchy flimsy foot pedals with weird shapes. Cheap bulky torches. Crap oversized gas line that causes a surge when you hit the pedal, wasting gas. So I still don't think it's worth it.