Need recommendations on consumables and anything else ill need to go with new pt 225

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Hi       First of all please bare with me ive been out of welding loop for awhile and i know my questions probably sound pretty dumb to someone that does it everyday,what do y'all think of the pt 225 hopefully it will burn a 1/8  7018 well and tig 1/4 aluminum?Haven't welded aluminum in years and  I ordered a pt 225 ready pack  and am trying to get all the things I need before I even strike first arc with it .  I haven't checked price diff in Aragon and helium and would like recommendations seems like when I was  was welding before I liked Aragon because I seemed to be able to make nicer looking  beads with it .?    We use to use a granual type chemical in a jar to sharpen tungsten when i was in the Navy can anyone tell me what it's called and is this a common thing or completely out of ordinary? Don't know if there might be something diff now ?       What is the most commonly used alum rods or which should I order to start out with?    That might hold me over for awhile still got lots of questions kinda excited about getting to weld again been putting off buying a machine untill I could get one that I can tig alum and weld stick also with hope I got right machine , my wife is not gonna be happy if I tell her I got to get a bigger or better one now, lol!          Thanks in advance!!Last edited by Hunterdan; 05-30-2013 at 01:37 PM.
Reply:I'm not a tig welder, but if I got one, that would be my first choice.  I only say that because I too have been eyeing the Precision Tig-225 by Lincoln myself.  I've also looked at the Miller Diversion 180 and after looking at its capabilities, I now know why it's called the "DIVERSION-180."   ....because it makes me divert and do a "180" toward the Lincoln PT-225.       Miller should seriously consider a better marketing campaign and name change for their two Diversion models. Last edited by SuperArc; 05-30-2013 at 02:33 PM.Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life Member
Reply:Argon will do 99% of the tigging you will do with that machine.I grind my tungsten but the I have never tried chemically sharpening them either.Filler will depend on what grade aluminum you are welding but taking a stab get some 4043.1/16 and 3/32 do most of what I need done.Get some cups,collets and collet bodies or gas lenses in place of the collet bodies.I always keep extra back caps(button,short and long).Be sure to get some 70S2 wire for steel and some silicon bronze for dis-similar metals or stuff you want to keep the heat down on.
Reply:Originally Posted by vwguy3Argon will do 99% of the tigging you will do with that machine.I grind my tungsten but the I have never tried chemically sharpening them either.Filler will depend on what grade aluminum you are welding but taking a stab get some 4043.1/16 and 3/32 do most of what I need done.Get some cups,collets and collet bodies or gas lenses in place of the collet bodies.I always keep extra back caps(button,short and long).Be sure to get some 70S2 wire for steel and some silicon bronze for dis-similar metals or stuff you want to keep the heat down on.
Reply:It will definitely burn 1/8 7018' and 1/4 inch aluminum. The first thing you'll want is to make sure you have a big breaker to feed it. It will want 70 amps if you run it wide open. Having said that, I love mine. Very simple to set up, and very powerful. Consider going with a liquid cooled torch, especially if you want to do much 1/4 inch aluminum.
Reply:Originally Posted by Hunterdan    We use to use a granual type chemical in a jar to sharpen tungsten when i was in the Navy can anyone tell me what it's called