Please clarify

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I've searched throughout this forum for info on the TA-185 AC/DC TIG/Stick welder only to become thoroughly confused.  Can somebody post a definitive answer.  What is the maker, brand name, current series or whatever for the welder previously mentioned?  Pro Wave, Arc Master, Thermal Arc, etc.?Please excuse the frustration, I wanna purchase one but I want to make an informed decision and seem half-assed knowledgeable when I go shopping for it.  Any help is appreciated.
Reply:Thermadyne/Thermal Arc/Thermal Dynamics/Victor/Tweco etc are all the same parent company.ArcMaster is a series of Thermal Arc product (welding).  The Arcmaster 185 AC/DC is thier AC/DC GTAW/SMAW system that keeps inflating.  I dont think they quite know what to price it at, but they are sure looking for that majical line of marketing where people will simply jump ship up to the Miller Dynasty.ThermalArc 185MillerMatic 180 w/ AutosetVictor Cutskill Oxy/AcetyleneThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 38and spite!
Reply:Its a Thermal Arc Arcmaster.  Made by thermaldyne.  Great machine, I have one.  Power inverter, AC, DC with lots of fancy stuff.  AC wave balance, AC frequency from 15 to 150 hz, Pulse frequency from .5 to 500 Hz in both AC and DC.  Hot start current, ramp up current, ramp down current, crater fill current, Lift tig and HF tig in DC.  Mine puts out 200 amps DC in tig checked with 2 different inductive amp meters.  One was a Fluke.  Stick welder to 160 amps.  AC or DC.  6013 welds really nice on AC @ 100 Hz.  7018 does not weld as well on DC as other machines.  I bought the kit with everything.  Foot pedal, gas regulator, tig torch, Stinger for stick.  I paid about 2100 from my local welding supply.  5 year warrenty.  Hard to beat.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Is it a watercooled machine?I dont know one from another..and I'm too lazy to search google.. ...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Nope, its a very nice air cooled inverter.  Direct competition to the Miller Dynasty 200 series.  I wouldve gotten one if I hadnt gotten a ripper deal.ThermalArc 185MillerMatic 180 w/ AutosetVictor Cutskill Oxy/AcetyleneThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 38and spite!
Reply:Hey David R,Where are you located so I can try to gage how the price you received would compare with the Midwest?  And how recently did you purchase your rig?  Thanks...and thanks for the comprehensive answer to my first question.
Reply:Man, for a few bucks more, you can get the 300 ac/dc which they just respec'd for full ratings on single phase.  If I would have waited.... heh..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:I live in western NY.  My local welder supply treats me like gold.  I get awesome deals on all my equipment.  I bought the arcmaster in January I think.  last fall I bought a Ranger 250 and this week I bought an Invertec v350 pro factory model.  I wasn't too keen on inverters because I had heard of them going up in smoke.  I have read a lot about them and now that they have been out for a while, I am not worried about them.  Wait till you weld with one!All the new inverters have temp sensors and controls so they can't be over heated.  They also all ( I think) moniter the ouput current and volts so they can't be toasted so easily.  Now that I understand them more, I have no problem owning one.  I liked the arcmaster so much, I wanted a bigger one, so the invertec v350 was the answer.  Whattamachine!!DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:First, I want to thank everyone who contributed, all good answers.  I went to Indiana Oxygen Co. (IOC) today since it's only 20 minutes from home.  Talked to the sales guy, Bruce, seemed like a straight dude.  We talked about the Thermal Arc and he said in a nutshell Thermal Dyne "started pushing buttons".  He seemed a little hesistant to elaborate but did say that IOC was only interested in selling the TA-185 and a MIG machine of Thermal Dyne's  while they wanted IOC to sell their full line.  Basically, IOC told 'em to pound sand.  Anyway, sounds like several issues came to bear on their decision.  Bruce said they may make amends in the future but I got the impression it would be on IOC's terms.
Reply:For what it is worth. We had had a Thermal Dynamic Tig stick units at trade college I taught at.I know any welding unit can fail but I was not not impressed with the $1200 blue smoke that came from the single control board with all the major stuff on it.The electrical repairers put me on to this this fact.Ever since that time I always spec machines with a repair cost factor written in to tender docs.Grahame
Reply:Thermadyne has for some time offered the ProWave185AC/DC.   It has gained a very fine reputation among welders (by what I've gathered from a dozen or so sources/forums online)The ProWave185 has been superseded by the ArcMaster185 when Thermadyne decided to make enough improvements on it to warrant a new marque.  It is now in a line of ArcMaster models ranging from a smaller DCtig on up to a couple of larger DC and AC/DC tigs.  The 185 seem to still be the best value for a non-pro hobby type welder.  The 200 is a real leap in price. The FirePower185 is a ProWave185 specifically marketed toward the automotive crowd.  There have been a number of (apparently sincere) posts in welding forums claiming that the Firepower185 they ordered was drop-shipped from Thermadyne and the ArcMaster185 arrived at their door.  They paid the ProWave price and took delivery on the new model ArcMaster (which sells for about 400 dollars more).  Might want to order an old ProWave online and cross your fingers?   Did they run out of ProWaves at the warehouse and are honoring (for now) the orders with ArcMasters?  It'd be nice to be able to predict it. Anecdotally (check it out for yourself) the ArcMaster's improvements include a better encapsulation/isolation of the circuity against contamination.  New "Windtunnel" design helps as well in this regard.  The case itself has been strengthened (not a big deal at all for hobby types).  Supposedly the power supply has been "upgraded".   There is one other feature available on the panel, but I wasn't able to find out exactly what it is.  I was told it would not be of major importance to the part time welder.   I was told that the arc characteristics themselves are identical - ProWave owners need not fret in that regard.When you adjust the published specs for voltage input and duty cycle the ArcMaster is neck and neck with the Dynasty200dx.  Both are pulsers with wide user control over parameters.  Sometimes people compare the specs number for number, but the Dynasty200 only appears (again I'm only comparing published spec) to outperform the Arcmaster185 when connected to three phase.  The Dynasty is much more flexible in this regard.  If you expect to be welding where it is important to be able to use all of 110-460v single or three phase, the Dynasty is the obvious choice.  I believe that the ArcMaster can utilize only 208-230v single phase.  That's not a problem at all for 98 percent of the hobby field. Someone at another board had an interesting take on comparing these inverter tigs.  You might roughly gauge the price/performance/quality of a machine coming out of any one country/region by considering what you would expect of an automobile from the same region.  If ESAB/Sweden is the Volvo/Saab of inverters..Fronius is the BMW out of AustriaMiller/Lincoln  the Chevy/Ford out of the U.S.HTP/Telwin is the Fiat or Alfa Romeo out of ItalyAnd by this (really rough but interesting) perspective, the ArcMaster is the Honda out of Japan.   Arcmasters are Japanese machines manufactured by SANREX.  I believe (could be wrong) that these are the folks that are so preeminent in this technology that they supply much of the east asian internal components that you will find in many other of your favorite brands.And Miller/Lincoln have a few of the other folks products sprinkled into their lineup and rebadged as their own.  Tough to be really hard-nosed brand loyal these days anyway, so just trust your head and your pocketbook.
Reply:Originally Posted by heehawHTP/Telwin is the Fiat or Alfa Romeo out of Italy