Help with my options on a TIG

admin

im trying to make a decision ona tig. There is a local guy that has a ESAB252 I can pick up for $800,but its not hooked up and i cant demo it till i get it up and running at home,it has been sitting out with a cover on it,we dont get much rain here but i hate to have problems with the switches  and controls to further complicate my learning curve with the process.Not to mention the rewiring to have the beast up and running..There is an Econo tig locally also that can be had for about 900..but for a few hundred more I can get the new little Deversion..But I hear the finger control is funkyThen my final option maxing out my budget I  can get a brand new Syncrowave 200 with a bottle for 2K..I do 90% hotrod stuff and do have a few migs big and small in the shop now.Thanks ahead for any advice on my best direction,,,,jim
Reply:PM sentQamuIs Heg qaq law' lorvIs yInqaq puS
Reply:i would say the esab if its in good nick more juice cheaper and would probaley last ya a good amount of time
Reply:Jim:     I can't comment on the ESAB because I've never even seen it.  However I recently bought a new TIG and looked the Diversion over a great deal while doing my research.  The Diversion was okay but I drooled over the Dynasty and in the end, found that the Syncrowave was more suitable for me, my needs (and my budget).  The nice thing about Miller's relatively new Diversion 165 is that it is an Advanced Squarewave machine (as opposed to the Syncrowave which is just a Squarewave) and it's inexpensive for an AC-TIG (in fact, I believe it's the cheapest AC-TIG sold by either "blue" or "red".     The downside is that you don't have all the nice features and controls you'd get in the Syncrowave- like pulsing, which you may later want if you're doing some light sheetmetal work.  It's only 165 amps (Syncrowave=200 amps) and you won't have balance control, which are negatives if you're going to do any aluminum welding down the road (which is the point of an AC-TIG machine).  But if all you plan to do is sheetmetal/body work, you'll have plenty of power.      Also, as you mentioned, the remote controls consist of a rolling button on the torch handle, not unlike the roller button on a mouse.  I've never actually welded with a Diversion but in handling the torch at the welding shops, I wasn't happy with that control.  To me, there's no way you can hold the torch steady and quickly adjust the output- it's a great recipe for contaminated tungstens, at least in my less than rock-steady hands.    Another nice feature of the Diversion for newbies is that Miller has marketed this as a machine for the hobbyist/beginner TIG welder.  It even comes with a learning manual ("TIG Welding for Dummies") and I believe a CD-ROM.Lincoln AC225 & MigPak 140, Lincoln Magnum SpoolGun, Miller Spectrum 375-X Plasma, Syncrowave 200 TIG, Millermatic 252 MIG, Miller Digital Elite, General 7x12" horiz/vert bandsaw, 3' box/pan brake, 20 ton press, milling machine, 12x28 lathe, etc.
Reply:I've been teaching myself to tig on a new Diversion 165 for a month, and am now very satisfied with the torch controls on the handle.  At first everything felt pretty clumsy, but I just figured I'd give myself some time to adapt to the newness of tigging and fingertip controls before opting for a pedal.  Although I'm quite happy with the beads I'm achieving, I'm about to order a pedal because I think it will free up my torch hand for better control of the torch.
Reply:Thanks Much for the input guys,,,I ended up picking up the ESAB 252...Turns out the guy selling it offered to wire it up at his shop and we demo it , seemed to work well and also came with a water cooled torch and a Twecco cooler,,I posted a photo below, needless to say it looks kind off grungy,,,,so i got it apart im putting a slick of paint on it and making some changes to the cart before I wire it in...thanks again jim Attached Images
Reply:That doesn't look too bad at all. I have seen much much worse.I think you will really like it once its up and running.QamuIs Heg qaq law' lorvIs yInqaq puS
Reply:Thanks again all the info Don  ,,,I got 12 ft of 6/3 gauge cord and a plug today from an electrical supply,also have my yellow panels resprayed,,,still have more to do on the cart  and need to get a bottle...hope to have it up and running next week,,,jim