Please recommend a shop use, Tig/Stick unit.

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My boss asked if I could get you lads to recommend a unit for our shop. It's an oilfield trucking company. If you have ever been near a truck you will know that they are one big continuous repair. The metals that we deal with are steel (mild, stainless and chromoly) and Aluminum. Some of our units pump 10 000 psi, so there is some high schedule plumbing. Once in a while we build units, so there may be some frame work. We have a Hobart 235 that has lost it's top end. I think that he would like to keep it under a few thousand dollars. He mentioned Miller, but wanted to hear from somebody who stares at an arc day in and day out. The internal baffle in one of our Aluminum tanks has let let go (Xylene?), and he would like to tig a new one in. Thanks very much.
Reply:Synchrowave or Dynasty in the 250 amp and up range. Even better, a multi-process inverter, like a 350 pro from Lincoln, one machine is all you will ever need! Honestly there are sooooo many choices!! City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:If I were going to be doing a lot of SMAW and a little GTAW I'd get a transformer machine. If the balance of work was reversed then I'd look at the inverters.Anything worth doing is worth doing RIGHT
Reply:I'm just the opposite inverter vs transformer. I used the transformers for years, even have several, but I use my inverter for practically everything unless it is already tied up. It pulls half the power of my synchrowave 250DX Tigrunner (factory watercooled) and only weighs 80 lbs. It does not have ac capability though. On the other hand it runs my wire feeder (syncrowave cannot for anything of any critical nature) and sticks wonderfully. Not a lot of choices under $2000.00 in a miller or lincoln with any kind of power. You might look at Thermal Arc as well. They offer some smaller inverter units, and less expensive shop machines. Now let me rephrase a bit here. Lincoln does offer some GTAW/SMAW units that I believe are quite a bit lower in price than the inverters I was looking at. I needed the cv capability as well and I think that adds a serious price boost. The Precision Tig 225 OnePak w/cart is available for a hair under 2,000.00. And it has pulsed tig if you need that.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.
Reply:if you are replacing an existing unit you likely already have the cooler and accessory's, so grab a syncro250 at $2500.oo and get back to welding. it will cover your needs with a good duty cycle and is a sturdy well spoken for unit.i suspect a dyn200 or similer unit will be under powerd for your aplication but you have not said what amp's your looking for exactly. summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.
Reply:I use a 250dx with the tigrunner water cooler, its great for al work or anything else.  Ive never ran stick with it but ive used our 180 syncrowave for stick and it works quite nice.Have we all gone mad?
Reply:Originally Posted by WET RODMy boss asked if I could get you lads to recommend a unit for our shop. It's an oilfield trucking company. If you have ever been near a truck you will know that they are one big continuous repair. The metals that we deal with are steel (mild, stainless and chromoly) and Aluminum. Some of our units pump 10 000 psi, so there is some high schedule plumbing. Once in a while we build units, so there may be some frame work. We have a Hobart 235 that has lost it's top end. I think that he would like to keep it under a few thousand dollars. He mentioned Miller, but wanted to hear from somebody who stares at an arc day in and day out. The internal baffle in one of our Aluminum tanks has let let go (Xylene?), and he would like to tig a new one in. Thanks very much.
Reply:I agree will Bill for once- keep a seperate TIG for TIG.