the question of the week !

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im starting at a new place in a week, the guy told me when i come aboard he would take me down to the local supply store and let me pick out the TIG  machine i wanted  its a small fab shop but he has been farming out all of the tig work.. he has a ecnotig and mm250.im leaning towards a 250 + tig (syncro) but i get a real heavy discount from lincoln do i dare get a lincoln p.t.275  or go with my gut ??its alot of aluminum and chrommoly  (thin sh@&) but every once and a while  i am going to need that extra punch !!and i would really like to have PULSE...........THANKS, BRIAN
Reply:Shoot Brian,If he is paying for it get a Dynasty 300 DX.
Reply:Tough call Brian.  You didn't say whether he has 3 phase power available or not in that small shop.  That would broaden your choices.  Also need to know what his budget is.The red PT-275 is nice and can put out 275A max, but pulse is optional.  If you really need more, the  PT375 puts our another 100 A and I think pulse is standard.  Both are available in a 1 phase model.A really sweet machine, especially for aluminum is the Miller Dynasty 300.  It's got most of the bells and whistles standard.  The downside is that it's rated at 250A max and it is new inverter technology and the jury's not in - I think most of us are concened about reliability and repair, long-term.  While Miller is usually very good on support, it's still about twice as expensive as the Lincoln.ESAB may be another manufacturer to check out.  My son has a shop full of them (along with red and blue stuff), building armored cars, and he says they are bulletproof.PS - I grew up in Norwalk.
Reply:im planning on sticking with a transformer machine. i do like the inverters.... i have used the t.a .185 and the invertec 201 but im still not sold. im going to go one phase so we can move it around when need be.... i have the feeling that by the time its all said and done this poor ******* is going to be in the hole like $6000.00 oh well not my $$$and o.p. norwalk has had a big growth now and its pretty trendy..sono is getting like 6.50 for a bottle of bud !
Reply:so, im still intrested in what people would recomend... i only have two issues, must  a transformer and must have pulse ! and 250 amps !?????????????????????????????????????brian
Reply:I have a new Syncrowave 250 at work. I still need to get the optional boards for it but am doing fine without them.
Reply:Have you considered the Miller Syncrowave 250 DX TIGRunner ?It looks like it meets both your reqs. I don't know how the shop is wired so I would order it with Powerfactor Correction to get the imput amperage requirement down a little bit. 100 amps draw can be tough to get sometimes! (can you say brownout :-) This is one of the advantages of the inverters, low amp draw.
Reply:im really leaning towards the syncro 250 but does it come with pulse or is that a add on ?and if i could get my hands on a lincoln square wave 250 vintage  2000 i would give a n*t for one of those bad boys,  small powerfull, arc balance, pulse,  WHY DID LINCOLN DISCONTUNE THAT MACHINE ?
Reply:The pulse module for the Sycrowave 250 is an option.  It's just a circuit board with the added controls that mounts on the front panel and just plugs into the main circuit board. Installed mine myself. Very easy to do.Allen
Reply:Originally posted by arcdawg so, im still intrested in what people would recomend... i only have two issues, must  a transformer and must have pulse ! and 250 amps !?????????????????????????????????????brian
Reply:yeah i have used the p.t. 185 and the 275 they are nice but the 185 dosent have enough nut and the 275 you have to add the pulse unit .... maybe ill talk him into a inverter !!or find the needle in the hay stack a square wave 255 or a syncro  250 with pulse !!!hell who knows, at least im not paying for it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!brian
Reply:I understand that the Miller pc-300 ( if that is the right number? ) pulse unit is no longer made. I saw one on e-bay back when I didn't want one....now they are scarce and pricey...anyone know of a source?
Reply:Hey Arc,  Where are you going to be working. I can let you come demo my Dyn 300 DX machine if you want(3 weeks old). I have tons of alum scrap. Try it for a while man and you will be sold. Hey I work in sono (ummm weekends bouncing people out of the club ). Congrats on the job man.  T.J.www.tjsperformance.com
Reply:LOL @ 2 year old thread."I need this parade like I need a hole in the head"~John F.Kennedy
Reply:Zapster and I prefer MillerBuild your Kingdom with Miller Equipment
Reply:is single phase or three phase better?
Reply:three better, but impossible in certain zoning areas..ie residential.IF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:Originally Posted by JMBShoot Brian,If he is paying for it get a Dynasty 300 DX.
Reply:waht the heck u  gonna weld with a 700?Owner - Certified Welding & Fabrication / 22yrs in businessSteamboat Springs, Co(970) 879-5491AWS structural shopHMI 70t iron worker2 field trucks specailizing in structural steel, aluminum and stainless steel
Reply:I couldnt see the practicallity of a 700 either; which is why we didnt get one. but wouldnt that be fun arc gouging, and not having to tie two machines together. but on the other hand pulsing at 700 amps on some super thing alum. would be kind of fun. plus it would be nice not to have to pre heat alum. wheels to weld on them.
Reply:All the years I worked at Mare Island ship yard, a welder did NOT  dare to air-arc with a TIG machine . That would be considered SABOTAGE ,to the machine . It just plain bad for later use as a tig . If you want to airarc, then use a (big) D C machine . Peferably a generator dc rig, or machine .....a big one like a 1000 amp lincoln rectifier, but a 600 worked pretty good with a 3/8ths  carbon , when i had to arc with a 1/2 " , the 1000  couldn't be beat ....also the lincoln 800 amp generators was tops .
Reply:Sabotage in what way? I cannot say i have seen a noticable differance in any of the machines we have around the plant; we TIG with all of them at one time or another, and also arc gouge. Just wondering.
Reply:We were told & believed that air arcing would or could possibly mess up the tig capability of the machine. And, since we had an enough machines for each purpose ,we NEVER questioned the supervisors . I still believe that air arcing should be done with a heavy duty machine (dc )  -one made for stick or submerged arc, and listed as O K for air  arcing by the manufacturer , DO what you want- I will not risk my miller dial arc 250 EVER for that , even with a small (1/8th")  carbon . - Happy welding