Welding Tips and Tricks

This topic has probably been beaten to death but, I am going to throw it out there. After many moons of using the transformer machines, both red and blue, I am finding that I need to modernize things a bit. So, without a debate on someone favorite color brand, I am looking for advice on an inverter TIG. I am in the aerospace industry and I am getting wonderful results with what we currently have but the machine upkeep is getting to be more frequent than I like. Price is not a main concern if the price I am paying is justified by the quality and durability of the machine. The problem is that I am finding it impossible to test drive any machines to see what I like. So, I am throwing this out here. Any real world experience would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

You received a lot of responses in your other thread, but you never responded, so it kinda died.

https://forum.weldingtipsandtricks.com/ ... =5&t=15119

Well dang! I see that now. Thanks! Was out of the country when I made the first post and never got the response notices due to my own failing in the set up. Thanks for pointing that out to me.

Wow. Such disparaging comments even from you along with many others. Talk about being rude. As for being a drive by poster, I’m in my 32 year in the aerospace field.

BJames wrote:Wow. Such disparaging comments even from you along with many others. Talk about being rude. As for being a drive by poster, I’m in my 32 year in the aerospace field.

please ignore those comments.
forums get heaps of people who ask a question and never return, say thank you or even let you know the result. which gets somewhat annoying to the regulars.

BJames wrote:As for being a drive by poster, I’m in my 32 year in the aerospace field.

And that means what?

Look at it this way...how would you feel if you spent time and effort using your 32 years of experience to try helping someone and they didn't even take a minute to say thanks or follow up?

Then, that person posts pretty much the same question when they could have just gone back to the original thread and said "hey, I've been busy and I'm just getting back to this" or something along those lines. Wouldn't that be just a little annoying?

Time and again people post looking for help, experts chime in trying to help and the original poster vanishes. It gets old.

You mention durability....that's a coin toss regardless of the color of machine. I have a dead $6K inverter in my shop right now that's only 6 years old...price and a big name brand didn't help a bit. Inverters aren't going to match quality transformer machines with the current technology. I'm not anti-inverter, since half of my machines are inverters, but reliability and durability still favor transformer machines.

Thanks for the response. It appears that it comes down to support from the manufacture when things go sideways with the machines as with anything you buy. You’re right about the transformer machines...... tough as nails.

BJames,

We're nicer than the way we post , besides weldors should have thick skin anyways, and besides we're guys, right? Sometimes we have to duke it out but afterwards we're still friends and shake hands because that's what guys do. At least that's how things are in my area/culture. But I digress.....

Looking back at that other thread, I think most would agree that the information posted is still very valid. So what other aspects or specific questions/inquiries did you have that you would like to partake in a discussion?

?

Darn, and I thought we were now going to finally have a good lively discussion about inverter TIGs!

Oscar wrote:Darn, and I thought we were now going to finally have a good lively discussion about inverter TIGs!

I'll start.

They weld nice, weigh less and die more.

G-ManBart wrote:

Oscar wrote:Darn, and I thought we were now going to finally have a good lively discussion about inverter TIGs!

I'll start.

They weld nice, weigh less and die more.

I'm still waiting for mine to die.

I’ve burnt out 4 at work. But they paid for themselves several times over. And it wasn’t like they weren’t repairable just that it was more cost effective to buy new. IE warranty.

Don’t get me started on easy use when switching input voltage. With most newer stuff it’s just plug it in wait 5seconds and go.