Looking to get a new TIG machine

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Hey everyone, I'm looking to get a TIG machine. AC/DC capable,pulse ect. I don't really have a way to run new power where I am so I'm stuck with 120v 20 amp circuits. I was thinking of getting the syncrowave 210 from Miller. I have about $3k I can spend any ideas or thoughts. Might do the occasional stainless or aluminum but mostly carbon steel. Main application is gun smithing/building. Thanks
Reply:The highest amps you will get on D/C tig is 125 amps on a 115v outlet. I have attached the spec sheet for you and it looks like the machine draws >20 amps so you would need the proper circuit breaker and wiring. I made sure that I wired a 40 amp 230 volt recepticle for mine.  I have very little experience with mine but I really like it so far.  The arc is very stable and the foot pedal is really smooth on DC Tig. I havn't gotten the chance to test the AC Tig or DC SMAW yet.   Will you ever be in the position to get a 230 volt recepticle?  I got a hell of a deal on mine when Zoro had the 30% off sale about a month ago.  I don't think there is a bad review on the swave210 anywhere.  I like mine alot but I have never used anything else. Attached ImagesSyncrowave 210HH140Victor O/A
Reply:I could try to wire up a 230 v receptacle, but honestly I don't see myself going above 100 amps on most stuff I will be doing. What about the spoolmate for MIG with these machines anyone have any experience with these? Is there anyway to get a water-cooled torch on these also? Thanks.
Reply:The HTP 221 is within your budget (barely) and is much more machine than the Sync210.A few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:I'd recommend putting out a couple hundred above 3k if you can and get a Miller 200dx.  Will run on 115v.  You won't need a water cooled torch for running amps that low, so I'd skip that and get it later when you're doing larger work more commonly.  For gunsmithing, you could just silver solder most of the time and you won't need a TIG to do that. Where you usually do need to TIG, it's usually with lower amps and short welds and doesn't need a water cooler or a high amp unit although a foot pedal is really useful for that work.  Also think about what you're doing this for.  Buying a TIG to do gunsmithing for yourself is cool if you want to spend the money for yourself.  Buying one for a business gunsmithing will take a lot of work to pay off and is seldom better than silver soldering which is a much lower investment.--Wintermute"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience." - John Lockewww.improvised-engineering.comManufacturer Agnostic:Blood----------Sweat---------Tears----|------------------|----------------|----Lincoln Red, Miller Blue, Esab Yellow
Reply:The Miller 200dx looks like just the welder itself is about $3200. Is it really worth all the extra money? Any other suggestions?
Reply:Also I really want to have a machine with a foot pedal.
Reply:There are many good machines out there (especially in the used market) which will have the features you need and are in your price range.  I've seen a few 200dx units with foot pedals, torches, and a gas bottle going for 2500 in my area.  I'd personally recommend one of the main brands if only because if something fails in it you can usually take it to your LWS or a local repair place to get it worked on if it's out of your skill set to fix on your own.--Wintermute"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience." - John Lockewww.improvised-engineering.comManufacturer Agnostic:Blood----------Sweat---------Tears----|------------------|----------------|----Lincoln Red, Miller Blue, Esab Yellow
Reply:I run a maxstar 150 at work off 120 volt power limited to 20 amps.You don't get that much power only really 100 to 110 amps. Running the air cooled thermal arc torch at that that power level it gets real hot, real fast.For running real low power, 30 to 40 amps air cooled is all you will ever need. For 60 to 70 amps it still works pretty nice but can get warm if you run it for a while.But it doesn't do aluminum.Seems like a $3k machine for gunsmithing is just over kill. It would be nice, but do you know if you have to have it?The mods I have done to my S-12 were done with my mig welder, would have been nice have something like a maxstar, but the mig welds have with stood relentless pounding from many hundreds of 3 inch magnum shells.The maxstar will take a foot petal, wish they had one at work...old Miller spectrum 625 Lincoln SP-135 T, CO2+0.025 wireMiller model 250 and WP-18V torchCraftsman 100amp AC/DC and WP-17V torchCentury 115-004 HF arc stabilizerHome made 4 transformer spot welderHome made alternator welder
Reply:Syncrowave 210 is an awesome machine especially if you get the mig package. I mostly use it on 220 but First time I tried welding on 120v it really surprised me, I am able to stick weld 6010, 90A @ 15amps without tripping the breaker.  You can install a water cooler but it might be over kill depending how much welding you are doing.  All I can say from my experience with my syncro 210 is that I love it plus it holds my fillers, cables, 330cf bottle and it rolls around the shop easily. Attachment 980441Attachment 980451Attachment 980461Attachment 980471Attachment 980481Last edited by NinjaRay; 01-24-2015 at 05:57 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by Silicon-basedThe HTP 221 is within your budget (barely) and is much more machine than the Sync210.
Reply:Originally Posted by mad welder 4I run a maxstar 150 at work off 120 volt power limited to 20 amps.You don't get that much power only really 100 to 110 amps. Running the air cooled thermal arc torch at that that power level it gets real hot, real fast.For running real low power, 30 to 40 amps air cooled is all you will ever need. For 60 to 70 amps it still works pretty nice but can get warm if you run it for a while.But it doesn't do aluminum.Seems like a $3k machine for gunsmithing is just over kill. It would be nice, but do you know if you have to have it?The mods I have done to my S-12 were done with my mig welder, would have been nice have something like a maxstar, but the mig welds have with stood relentless pounding from many hundreds of 3 inch magnum shells.The maxstar will take a foot petal, wish they had one at work...
Reply:I also intend on repairing/ building armor so having a bigger machine might help. For instance this is the latest project I've worked on:That's me on top there.
Reply:That mights have been important to include in the first post."I thank God for all the freedoms we've got in this country, I cherish even the right to burn the flag, but I'll tell you what, we've also got the right to bear arms and if you burn my flag I'll shoot you"-Johnny Cash
Reply:If your going to welding on tanks then yes.  Get the syncrowaveSyncrowave 210HH140Victor O/A
Reply:Actually, considering the work on heavy steel, I'd recommend getting a basic TIG for the small stuff on guns (air cooled is fine).  Get a good heavy duty propylene oxy setup, and get a heavy duty stick welder (used and with high amperage).  Or just get a propylene oxy setup and a gen welder like a trailblazer and us the gen welder for stick and tig and later on you can find a nice wire feeder for it.--Wintermute"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience." - John Lockewww.improvised-engineering.comManufacturer Agnostic:Blood----------Sweat---------Tears----|------------------|----------------|----Lincoln Red, Miller Blue, Esab Yellow
Reply:If you are going to weld armor, you need a mig, a huge freaking mig machine. Or a monolithic stick welder.There is an armored car factory around dallas I saw that up armors normal vehicles with AR500 steel. They mostly used miller 250 series to weld 1/4 and 3/8 inch AR500 depending on the vehicle and armor level. They would have their uparmorers cut and shape a plate, make 2 or 3 welds, cut and fit another plate make 2 or 3 welds. In that time the migs had plenty of time to cool between plates. But that's not a tank.You would want something bigger than a 250 series miller mig for tank armor and as far as a stick welder you would want at least a dialarc.To do tank armor, I think you would be better off with a stick machine. As far as I can tell, with SMAW you have better variety of hard facing rods if you actually want to restore the armor as actual armor. You could buy a few different types of hard facing rod, layer up some hard facing beads on 1/2 inch steel and see which one makes M1AP rounds bounce off better, then order a pallet of that rod.This sounds fun, can I work for you?old Miller spectrum 625 Lincoln SP-135 T, CO2+0.025 wireMiller model 250 and WP-18V torchCraftsman 100amp AC/DC and WP-17V torchCentury 115-004 HF arc stabilizerHome made 4 transformer spot welderHome made alternator welder