Welding Tips and Tricks

I know this prob been covered heaps here but Iam looking at getting a new machine ,tig only,Just want to know what features to look for,like pre-post flow,HF etc without going all out,Im only a hobby welder so I don't need it all.
welding mainly steels but possibly thin allu later.Was looking mainly at DC but have found a couple AC/DC units with 180A but basic natuarally,
UNIMIG & BOC brands in Australia for a bit over a grand au.
Don't wan't scratch or lift arc,by the way are they the same thing
Any advise would be great

Cheers.

Wanaweld,
If Aluminum is definitely in your future plans, you're going to need to go with AC/DC with HF. Also if you plan on using it for Aluminum over 1/8" I would go for something in at least the 250 Amp range.

I bought an Everlast 250EX for my son and it seems to do a fair job, and it wasn't awful on the bank account. The inverters like it are alot easier on the electric bill than my old transformer welder for sure. I'm not sure if they're available down under or not.

I not trying to start another brand war, I personally have no preference one way or the other. I own and have used, Miller, Lincoln, Hobart, Century, Clarke, Lenco, Airco, Air Products, and now Everlast and even a little Harbor Freight inverter that I can carry while I weld around the plant. I can't see any reason for a person who has no plans to make a living with a welder spending their life's savings on one.

That just my opinion.

Len

Hey,

I second Lens' everlast recomendation. Although the 250 is a 3 phase machine here, the 230 is the biggest single phase.

I will also suggest Token tools machines, they have a good build quality and a 5 year warranty like E LAST.

Cig and unimig are good, though the cheaper cigs seem to be a bit cheesy.

Mick

You can spend years wanting a great welder, upgrade several times, spend many thousands, get back some portion of your mistakes in resale. Or you can take my advice. The wisdom of age I can give in one word: Dynasty. Buy one big enough for your biggest need.
CHOOSE WISELY MY SON.

Bill Beauregard wrote:You can spend years wanting a great welder, upgrade several times, spend many thousands, get back some portion of your mistakes in resale. Or you can take my advice. The wisdom of age I can give in one word: Dynasty. Buy one big enough for your biggest need.
CHOOSE WISELY MY SON.

There's wisdom, here.

Buy once, and be done with it...

Otto Nobedder wrote:

Bill Beauregard wrote:You can spend years wanting a great welder, upgrade several times, spend many thousands, get back some portion of your mistakes in resale. Or you can take my advice. The wisdom of age I can give in one word: Dynasty. Buy one big enough for your biggest need.
CHOOSE WISELY MY SON.

There's wisdom, here.

Buy once, and be done with it...

I absolutely have to second this one. Was actually talking to the wife a few hours ago about getting a 280 or 350.
-Jonathan

wanaweld wrote:I know this prob been covered heaps here but Iam looking at getting a new machine ,tig only,Just want to know what features to look for,like pre-post flow,HF etc without going all out,Im only a hobby welder so I don't need it all.
welding mainly steels but possibly thin allu later.Was looking mainly at DC but have found a couple AC/DC units with 180A but basic natuarally,
UNIMIG & BOC brands in Australia for a bit over a grand au.
Don't wan't scratch or lift arc,by the way are they the same thing
Any advise would be great

Cheers.

Don't wan't scratch or lift arc,by the way are they the same thing

Not the same, scratch is starting like a match. Lift needs circuitry to sense short circuit and initiate weld voltage at the instant short circuit ends. In operations where tungsten contamination would mean failure, scratch won't work, lift will.

I absolutely have to second this one. Was actually talking to the wife a few hours ago about getting a 280 or 350.
-Jonathan
"What's the worst that could happen?"

Superiorwelding
Weldmonger

Posts: 827
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:13 pm
Location: Wooster, OH

Mrs. B and I have understood for many years that I can never be happy unless she is happy. I pointed out she has had 4 new cars of her choosing since I had a new truck. We are on our way to understanding that goose sauce is gander sauce. I got my 280DX. Of course I sold enough stuff to pay for it.

Bill Beauregard wrote:...Not the same, scratch is starting like a match. Lift needs circuitry to sense short circuit and initiate weld voltage at the instant short circuit ends. In operations where tungsten contamination would mean failure, scratch won't work, lift will.

EXCELLENT catch!

I missed that entirely. Good eye!

Steve S

Superiorwelding wrote:

Otto Nobedder wrote:

Bill Beauregard wrote:You can spend years wanting a great welder, upgrade several times, spend many thousands, get back some portion of your mistakes in resale. Or you can take my advice. The wisdom of age I can give in one word: Dynasty. Buy one big enough for your biggest need.
CHOOSE WISELY MY SON.

There's wisdom, here.

Buy once, and be done with it...

I absolutely have to second this one. Was actually talking to the wife a few hours ago about getting a 280 or 350.
-Jonathan

Good luck...

I have no wife, so I buy whenever I feel like it....

Its not a matter of luck on this one. I am also about to spend $1.2million on more equipment anyway, maybe I can sneak one in for me to bring home
-Jonathan

Superiorwelding wrote:Its not a matter of luck on this one. I am also about to spend $1.2million on more equipment anyway, maybe I can sneak one in for me to bring home
-Jonathan

Sweet! The last time I spend over $1M in a year, I was rehabbing ambulances, and buying brand-new van-cutaways and cab-chassis. I never thought to pad my spending with some personal equipment. Being able to keep top-shelf booze in my office was an amazing perk, though.

Steve S

Not that I am trying to embezzle or steal but once you reach a certain amount and a lot of line items, they quit looking hard. I am hoping to get approval in June for the equipment. It is orbital mig machines, heat induction, ultrasound and all the support equipment for welding 30" X-70 pipe. If/When I get this done I hope to have some interesting and awesome pictures to share here.
-Jonathan

Thanks for the reply's,I do agree with the quality and allow for the future ventures,do it right do it once.As for Dynasty's I don't think we have a whole lot of access to millers/lincon's etc,support is an issue also was told here in oz.Plenty of euro tho.
Cheers and thanks again

wanaweld wrote:Thanks for the reply's,I do agree with the quality and allow for the future ventures,do it right do it once.As for Dynasty's I don't think we have a whole lot of access to millers/lincon's etc,support is an issue also was told here in oz.Plenty of euro tho.
Cheers and thanks again

I looked on Miller Electric's site, and this is the only listing for Australia.

http://www.welding.com.au

Company: WELDING INDUSTRIES OF AUSTRALIA (W.I.A.)
Address: 5 ALLAN STREET -MELROSE PARK
ADELAIDE
City: SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Country: AUSTRALIA
Postal Code: 5039
Phone: 61387958200
Fax: 61397997300
Email: INFO@WELDING.COM.AU

Here in Oz, Miller is represented by WIA. Google them and choose tig products. They have authorised sales and service centres everywhere. The service centres have excellent knowledge and are helpful. The sales centres mostly don't have good product knowledge so make sure you have the correct miller part numbers from the wia website or call wia, they are also helpful. Good luck and let us know what you end up with.