Best TIG for 20,22,24 gauge stainless sheet?

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Been mig'ing 20-24 gauge stainless sheet for a while and am looking for a tig. Do the pulsar/pulse/pulsing features on the inverters really help? I do like the small boxes over the 500 pound beasts but wonder how the old syncrowaves compare to the inverters in particular an old syncrowave 250 that may be available. Would like the Miller 200DX but can't afford the 4 grand and not sure I'll ever do aluminum. What about the Maxstar 200 and the 150STH? I need pretty welds.What's a good tig for thin stainless sheet?
Reply:I love my HTP Invertig 221.  Pulses up to 999pps among other things.  Right now they are on sale with $200 off plus $100 in extra goods applied to the purchase.  You won't find a single complain about them on the internet, let alone any failure reports.  Not saying they are perfect, but to not be able to find anything negative about them online in this day and age says a lot.   1st on WeldingWeb to have a scrolling sig! HTP Invertig 400HTP Invertig 221HTP ProPulse 300HTP ProPulse 200 x2HTP ProPulse 220MTSHTP Inverarc 200TLP HTP Microcut 875SC
Reply:No personal experience but from everything I have read, pulse is a great benefit on thin stainlessTiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:Thanks for the reply but I've never heard of HTP and am worried about parts and service.
Reply:Originally Posted by soutthpawNo personal experience but from everything I have read, pulse is a great benefit on thin stainless
Reply:So if pulse is a benefit for welding thin stainless is 500 pulses per second that much better than 2.5pps or 60pps?
Reply:The Maxstar 200dx is everything the Dynasty 200dx is without the AC options. I love mine. It has the advantage over say my Syncrowave 200 or the Syncrowave 250's at the tech school as far as adjustability on pulse...No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Originally Posted by Bosco99So if pulse is a benefit for welding thin stainless is 500 pulses per second that much better than 2.5pps or 60pps?
Reply:Originally Posted by Bosco99Thanks for the reply but I've never heard of HTP and am worried about parts and service.
Reply:Not sure where to even buy an HTP Oscar. I'm open to options. Cyberweld doesn't sell them and my local welding stores only carry Lincoln and Miller.Been a steel guy all my life but I betcha anything as soon I get a DC tig I'll have to weld some aluminum. Man I don't like aluminum. Left an aluminum pot on the burner a long time ago and it melted and burnt. Stunk the whole apartment up bad. Heard that stuff releases radioactive isotopes when it burns. Yuch! Don't like it!Last edited by Bosco99; 11-25-2014 at 07:57 PM.
Reply:htp = www.usaweld.com
Reply:Checked out usaweld.com .....all tigs temporarily out of stock.
Reply:Originally Posted by Bosco99Checked out usaweld.com .....all tigs temporarily out of stock.
Reply:Originally Posted by Oscarnevermind then, lol.  I guess they sold out yet again just like last year.  They can't keep them on the shelves it seems.  Hopefully they will bump up production.  Seems they might be back in stock faster than last year when they were out until March.  I guarantee you it is a nice machine that cannot be matched for the price, when you include all the AC welding parameters.  For DC only, it certainly isn't necessary, as a Tweco/Thermal Arc 186 has a lot of parameters for adjustment as well.
Reply:If you have the money and only doing stainless that thin, invest in a Miller Maxstar 100. Inverter technology, 100 amp max, bone and stone machine. They well operate on both 115 volt and 230 volt power input. Pulse is truly not needed, I find pulse is only useful to the less experienced... The machine is very small and lightweight which makes it perfect if you plan on being portable. -Hillbilly
Reply:Haven't even ever touched a tig. Been using arc and mig for 25 years. Been using mig with 0.023 wire the past year on 20-24g stainless. Tired of all the weld grinding. Have one week to buy and learn tig. Heard pulse helps beginners. Gotta decide fast how much machine to buy and it's a pretty tight budget.Last edited by Bosco99; 11-28-2014 at 08:48 AM.Reason: addition
Reply:With all due respect. Just one week to learn to weld thin stainless with tig is a mighty big challenge, no matter what the machine. I'd be highly surprised to see you succeed within that limited time frame.Tig allows you the most control, thus everything you do effects the puddle. You'll have amps the machine is set at and worked with the pedal, torch height and angle, travel speed, filler size and addition etc just to name a few.On average with the students I help train on 1/8" steel with tig, most won't get from no knowledge thru all the joints in the flat position is just 40 hours of class in a semester at night. The vast majority learn basic torch and filler control enough to weld plain beads on plate and start doing lap joints. The really good ones get to T joints. I can't think of more than one or two in all the students over the years who have managed to get much farther and I'll bet those started with at least some tig knowledge.That's all on 1/8" where heat control isn't as important as it will be on 20-24 ga. Thinnest I usually would suggest for new students would be 1/16", and that raises the challenge considerably compared to 1/8" or even 14 ga.I would say you will need several hundred hours of practice to reach your goals. You might be able to shave it down some with a really good instructor doing one on one instruction with you, if you already are good at reading the puddle..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:So...25 years of mig & arc is worthless background for learning tig?Still the question of wether higher pulse rates makes tig welding easier.And still the question, Maxstar 150sth or 200dx.And what size torch for 20-24g stainless.
Reply:Originally Posted by Bosco99So...25 years of mig & arc is worthless background for learning tig?
Reply:DSW, you really should make a how to read the puddle thread with some pics and references. Then make it a sticky   For the OP if you can afford a Dynasty 200DX then that would bee your best choice.  Definitely will let you expand later into Aluminum once you catch the bug.Is this for personal or business use?  The level of advanced functions in the Dynasty it's second to none.  Several members here know them inside and out.Last edited by soutthpaw; 11-28-2014 at 11:03 AM.Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:Originally Posted by Bosco99So...25 years of mig & arc is worthless background for learning tig?Still the question of wether higher pulse rates makes tig welding easier.
Reply:Will a Maxtar 150 STH TIG Alum? I thought it was a DC only machine and you needed AC for Alum.JimMaxtor 150STH
Reply:Originally Posted by soutthpawDSW, you really should make a how to read the puddle thread with some pics and references. Then make it a sticky
Reply:The honor one holds in their profession will always make it appear difficult to beginners.Learned arc welding by watching someone weld for 5 seconds. Learned mig welding by turning on the machine. Yeah, tig will take a bit longer.
Reply:Originally Posted by ixlr8Will a Maxtar 150 STH TIG Alum? I thought it was a DC only machine and you needed AC for Alum.Originally Posted by Bosco99The honor one holds in their profession will always make it appear difficult to beginners.Learned arc welding by watching someone weld for 5 seconds. Learned mig welding by turning on the machine. Yeah, tig will take a bit longer.
Reply:The 150sth will be fine for the material you are looking to weld.  It does have the limited pulse settings compared to the 200 and the pedal interface plug is different than the pretty much standard 14 pin miller.  There is an adapter cable you can get to use a 14 pin pedal on the machine if you already have one.  You can probably get by with a 9 series torch if you want to go smaller, sometime I feel the 17 torch is a little clumsy.
Reply:The 150sth has a max 60pps setting. Is there any advantage of the 0-500pps of the  maxstar 200dx when welding thin stainless?
Reply:Originally Posted by Broccoli1No it won't but he doesn't need to weld Alooominum.He needs a machine for SS.
Reply:Originally Posted by Bosco99The 150sth has a max 60pps setting. Is there any advantage of the 0-500pps of the  maxstar 200dx when welding thin stainless?
Reply:All I know, and I may be wrong, is that pulse helps the puddle form and set faster.The 150sth has a bottom limit of 0.020 thickness. I wonder about operating so close to the limit.  The 200dx has a bottom limit of 0.004.
Reply:Originally Posted by soutthpawDSW, you really should make a how to read the puddle thread with some pics and references. Then make it a sticky
Reply:Obviously you don't weld using the cursive e method... .No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:http://www.millerwelds.com/resources...uce-Distortion1. The Maxstar 200dx is preferred.2. Going to try my hand at this on a borrowed Syncrowave first.
Reply:A Maxtar 150 is the best ever for this, you could do a pulse, its cool, but not really needed. The "bottom limit" is bull ****. You can weld whatever with that thing.Constant Current Weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by DavidbrownA Maxtar 150 is the best ever for this, you could do a pulse, its cool, but not really needed. The "bottom limit" is bull ****. You can weld whatever with that thing.
Reply:Originally Posted by dswobviously you don't weld using the cursive e method...
Reply:Originally Posted by Bosco99All I know, and I may be wrong, is that pulse helps the puddle form and set faster.The 150sth has a bottom limit of 0.020 thickness. I wonder about operating so close to the limit.  The 200dx has a bottom limit of 0.004.
Reply:any Lincoln precison tig
Reply:What I'm seeing on video tutorials is that fit up has to be spot on....really tight, for tig welding. I'm laying in a lot of fill material sometimes with the mig. Closing 1/8" gaps is common. Questioning tig purchase.
Reply:Originally Posted by Bosco99What I'm seeing on video tutorials is that fit up has to be spot on....really tight, for tig welding. I'm laying in a lot of fill material sometimes with the mig. Closing 1/8" gaps is common. Questioning tig purchase.
Reply:Miller does not have pulsed mig programs for 0.023 wire. And the 350p is only rated down to 22 gauge. And any other manufacturer's products have sketchy longevity.....and my fitup is too loose for tig......grind on yee mighty one ....grind on!
Reply:I often wonder at some people. They'll cut corners to save money and have poor fit up, then spend a lot more on clean up then they saved. Part of your solution might be to see if 1st there's a way to tighten up your fit up tolerances. I have no idea what you are building, thus can't make any suggestions of ways to help you get a closer tolerance with the parts that need to be welded. Only suggestion I can think of are general ones like good quality jigs or CNC cutting of parts. Both can be more expensive in the short run, but pay big dividends overall in time savings and better quality products.Once you tighten up your fit up, then possibly tig may be a good solution..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:1/8 fill on 24ga sheet ...eek.. that's tough.  I love my htp but if you don't need ac I suggest you try a DC inverter setup.. htp makes one of those too.  Miller, Hobart etc all good. I find that pulse is nice but it doesn't trump cleaning, fit up, or especially practice.
Reply:Originally Posted by Bosco99Learned arc welding by watching someone weld for 5 seconds. Learned mig welding by turning on the machine. Yeah, tig will take a bit longer.
Reply:With skill TIG is a great method to build up material.  However on 24ga sheet you are on the minimum electrode and thin filler and the material doesn't have the thermal inertia or heat transfer to allow a layman to control the puddle.  Fix that fit up though and make nice mini dimes on lap joints.  Even butt joints on 24ga are a real challenge.  Warpage is nuts with TIG on thin sheet...Forgot to add if you are just doing thin the machines minimum amp spec is critical.  cheaper welders often have higher minimumsLast edited by bikesandcars; 12-06-2014 at 09:24 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by Bosco99The honor one holds in their profession will always make it appear difficult to beginners.Learned arc welding by watching someone weld for 5 seconds. Learned mig welding by turning on the machine. Yeah, tig will take a bit longer.
Reply:If you are looking for DC only, have a look at a Lincoln Invertec V160T-Pulse, we're using these of the current job I'm on, and I'm very surprized how well they go, pulse to 300 PPM, and on TIG will go down to 5 amps, as well as run 7018's very nicely. http://www.riverviewindustrialsupply...elder-k1845-1/
Reply:Got some time on a Dynasty 200dx. Was able to weld 20 gauge stainless butt joints consistently without filler in 5 hours. Was using 0.035 316 wire for filler and couldn't get the hang of feeding it. Will try straight fill rod. Found 200pps to greatly improve ease. 50amp max setting. 040 tungsten. Honestly.....really don't like the process. Don't like having to have your face so dang close to see what your're doing. Hate having to stop and regrind tungsten after dipping in puddle from a hand tremor. Just don't think this is for me.Last edited by Bosco99; 12-07-2014 at 10:37 AM.Reason: error
Reply:Originally Posted by Bosco99Got some time on a Dynasty 200dx. Was able to weld 20 gauge stainless butt joints consistently without filler in 5 hours. Was using 0.035 316 wire for filler and couldn't get the hang of feeding it. Will try straight fill rod. Found 200pps to greatly improve ease. 50amp max setting. 040 tungsten. Honestly.....really don't like the process. Don't like having to have your face so dang close to see what your're doing. Hate having to stop and regrind tungsten after dipping in puddle from a hand tremor. Just don't think this is for me.