Technical Your TIG Welder and Best Tig Weld

All of my current welders (MIG and TIG) are all from Harbor Freight, granted they are their top tier Vulcan line.
The TIG being the ProTig 205 and the MIG is the MigMax 215. I also got their Titanium plasma cutter. All 3 are 110v/220v capable.

As far as the TIG was concerned, my main concern that it was High Freq capable so that it would not only do aluminum but also have a pedal and not have to be scratch start.

I love it. All through school and work it has always been Miller Dynastys and Syncrowaves. On steel I really cant tell a difference, aluminum isnt't AS crisp but still very acceptable. I did swap out the torch for a WP-9 size so I could use all my water cool sized consumables and I swapped the cable for a CK Worldwide flex hose as the factory hose was only like 10 feet. For 1200 bucks, its a knockout.

The only thing I wish I could bolt in is a wireless pedal like on the Millers. One of my back burner projects is doing just that but pretty low on the list.

 

The PrimeWeld 225 tig is both or it was 110/220 and came with the adapter when I bought mine.

Although I've never used mine on 110 I can't say how thick of metal you can weld.

So you can still grab the PrimeWeld 225, use 110 outlet, practice and learn how to weld with it then later once/if you decide to run the wiring you will be way ahead because you'll already know how to weld !

..

 

I'm still not positive what the different electrode types are for and couldn't find an answer in a quick search, so I just rolled the dice and pulled one out of the assortment pack I bought. I think it was red tipped. I used it for mild steel and stainless. I dunno if thats right, but I'll learn more about it as I go.

My torch has a trigger on it, (cheap china). It's on/off only, no amperage control. I bought a foot pedal, but again, it's on/off only. I just wanted to see if I could be more comfortable using the pedal rather than forcing my hand in a weird position to hit the trigger while holding the torch steady. I practiced last night with the new pedal on clean metal and it does feel more natural and the welds are much cleaner. Then I dipped the tungsten 3 times in a row and gave up for the evening, haha.

 

On-off controls for TIG welding? How does that even work? The beauty of TIG is that you have complete control of the amps and wire, independently, at all times.

 

Don't give up so quickly............

A 30 amp breaker is probably all you should need, and wiring it up is pretty simple. I'm sure we can help you with the wiring . Post a picture of your electric panel....both open and shut. If you have a 200 Amp main panel, which most reasonably newer homes have...there should be plenty of room to add a 30 amp or even bigger breaker. It's not going to affect your TVs and computers. Even if you just have a 100 amp panel there may be room in it.

Once you get into welding it will open up all kinds of new skills for you.

 

Lack of money or an electrical problem end 99% of my fantasies. Fun while they last.

 

All I can say is that if someone really wants something, they can get it if they are willing to work for it. I have a lot of blood, sweat, and tear equity in my tools and my shop..........and I grew up without the proverbial "pot to piss in". It does take some effort, but it's a mighty good feelin when you get there. You just have to be willin to start...........even if its a piece at a time.

 

Its like stick welding but you still have to add filler metal and shielding gas manually. This is why technically every stick welder is also a "crude" TIG welder.

 

Yeah, that's why it was cheap. I just want to weld my stainless exhaust system and make it decent looking. I have over $1000 in exhaust tubing, v-bands, x-pipe, mufflers, and resonators. I have two Eastwood MIG welders, the 135 and the 180, and they're great, but I didn't want to MIG weld the stainless. This TIG was $129 on Amazon and had great reviews. No on the fly adjustment of amperage, but the Amp dial is pretty good for a range of different thicknesses and types of welds. It does have HF start, and post flow setting. So far, I can't complain. I figured this was an affordable way to learn TIG while also being productive. I can upgrade to a better machine down the road if I so choose. I also found out last night that a 40cf argon cylinder doesn't last long when you leave a regulator hose connection loose...damnit.

 

Years ago I picked up a Dynasty 300… no point in considering anything else!

 

Look out guys. There' a new kid on the block. Miller has just introduced a new laser welder that is supposed to change everything : https://www.millerwelds.com/product...zbWSBl_o0wB7W_-pdNk9j8NwzrRWC-WAaAnegEALw_wcB.

According to what they are saying, it'll make anyone a great welder with minimal training.

Technology marches on.

 

For a mere $46,000!

 

Syncrowave 250 from 1982 I bought for $500 20ish years ago. #6 cup, 3/32 tungsten

IMG_1246 by Cali4niaCruiser posted Mar 4, 2023 at 6:41 PM

 

I'm no welder and this is probably the best I'll ever do! Lincoln Square Wave 200 with the OEM#17 torch.

 

Just an anecdote. I’ve been using my big old non inverter machines for years on a 50amp circuit. I’m not running full tilt for hours though. Done plenty of thick material without ever blowing a breaker. Not saying it’s correct or the safest, just my experience

 

Brian.....looks like you needed more filler wire.
I know everybodys different but....the only metal you 'really' need to use a foot pedal is Aluminum.
Mild steel...stainless... just set the amps according to the thickness of the base metal and GO. Pedal to the floor. IF its too hot just knock it back a few amps.
Working a foot pedal.....holding a close arc....don't 'dip-your-tungsten'...adding 'just enough' filler rod...don't burn your hand....watch your travel speed....Lotsa stuff going on. Taking the pedal out of the equation is one less thing to moniter. IMHO
6sally6

 

I used to operate my machines like that. Then I started working with a crew of guys that would leave their machines set at 250 amps for all but sheet metal work. I’ve been working that way ever since. AC / DC, doesn’t much matter. Leaving my machine at 250 has really taught me to learn my pedal and be in sync with it. Just another way to look at things

 

^^^this^^^

Had a boss that could tig weld anything and do an exceptional job, one of the best tig welders I've ever seen bar none. He had the same mind set, full juice on the knob and ran the amperage with the foot pedal.

He told me "if you go 40 in your car, you don't adjust a throttle stop to keep it there, you adjust the speed with your pedal, same with tig".

Me, I just bump up about 20 amps more than I think I need and just back down on the pedal as I go, I like having the ability to add or remove heat as I go. Same as the old oxy/acetylene welding, move the torch closer for more heat and back for less heat....

...

 

I run one of my old machines on 50 amps, and other on 100, guess which one I weld heavy aluminum on .

 

Heli arc and TIG is the same thing. Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) , I saw my dad do it for many years. He was a welder by trade and made it look like an art.

 

It was so much fun! Just checked, and it was 41 years ago that I put down my last pass on aluminum, and finally watched the movie "The Racers" with Kurt Douglas on our TV with streaming. He was driving the 166 Ferrari I was welding on and painted. Good times.

Bob

 

Been T I G welding since 1972. I built my late model stock car racers with the T I G. The stock car guys really put me down for that. I have built a lot of headers too. I like to use 308 or 312 stainless filler rod. I have a 300/300 Lincoln. The Lincoln square way 175 is a real good machine for the money. Now I have a problem. Welding up these headers I want to have chromed. Porosity in the welds. I never have had to use argon inside the tubing. Never had that happen before. Using Speedway Motors combo bends from Taiwan. I never had to use acid copper to fill imperfections prior to chroming. I dread building the other side headers. It's not fun anymore.

 

This is a statement from their Features on this machine. So, how is this machine going to do filling gaps?

 

Potato...potAto I guess ! Set your amps on the machine and change it when you go thicker or thinner base material OR run the machine WAO (wide-ass-open!) and control it with the foot pedal. Both work Just, one method leaves you open for a huge hole in the job if your foot slips or you leg gets a cramp !
6sally6

 

Jordan, it is not the machine.

It's you.

I could connect a bunch of 12V batteries together with some jumper cables and you would make perfect welds with it.

 

I am the the other end. My 250DX is on a 50A circuit, and I cannot complete work I have pending because I keep tripping the breaker.

All of the wiring, the panel, and the breaker are all less than 4-years-old, and properly installed.

 

A whole bunch of pro-welders I know have the 225A Primeweld machine for their rig at home.

None of them have had a single problem with it.

I recently had one weld up a valve stem hole in an aluminum wheel, on 120V.

 

The stainless rod that you are using may actually be a liability here.

With no back-purge you will have contaminated stainless steel welds. The only way to "accidentally miss" this outcome is to inadvertently not have full penetration. Once the stainless bead hits free-air, it is contaminated.

Build that one side again and use regular old ER-70S.

 

Thank you very much for the reply. I was thinking maybe the Taiwan metal is garbage. Years ago I went to using S/S rod but I used MIG ER 70 S wire for the duck bill ends at the bottom. I welded and smoothed the slip on ends and turn outs. Never a problem. Check out the nice transition of the 1st pipe to the megaphone. I have never seen anyone else do that. Pretty sure I used S/S rod on every thing else. I think the last headers I built 2007. At 89 years old I won't swear to what rod I used.