I bought a new welder today. It is a MIG/stick/tig. I’m pretty excited. I’ve read good things about it and a couple people I’ve talked to who have one love it. It’s going to be my “forever” welder. I’ve “borrowed” Dad’s for too long...5 years it has sat in my shop!
I also got the spool gun for aluminum. Ooooo doggy!
Last edited by Fox; 02/09/20195:15 AM.
1970 Chevrolet C10 Grandpa's -- My first truck -- In progress to shiny Follow the build in the Project Journal 1950 Chevrolet 1-Ton Dually "Ole Red Girl" In the Stovebolt Gallery More pictures here 1951 GMC 9430 1 ton dually--Shiny! | 1972 Chevrolet C20- Rusty- the puzzle box lid for the C10 | 1962 AMC Rambler American- my wife's Parts trucks- 1951 GMC 9300 | 1951-GMC 9430 | 1951- Chevrolet 1300
I'm kind of jealous, but can't really justify spending that much on a welder as little as I would use it. I just have a 120V Lincoln Handy MIG and a 200A Lincoln AC buzz box.
But I can still drool over your new toy.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
A few of my pals are coming out of the wood work now... “You bought a welder that can aluminum? Stainless? Hey! Can I come over when you get it?”
I have one pal who runs a welding shop and he does tig and he has offered to come over and share some tips. I believe I might need to restock the cold beverage part of the fridge.
I’m excited. I justified it by telling my wife it is my “lifetime” welder purchase!
1970 Chevrolet C10 Grandpa's -- My first truck -- In progress to shiny Follow the build in the Project Journal 1950 Chevrolet 1-Ton Dually "Ole Red Girl" In the Stovebolt Gallery More pictures here 1951 GMC 9430 1 ton dually--Shiny! | 1972 Chevrolet C20- Rusty- the puzzle box lid for the C10 | 1962 AMC Rambler American- my wife's Parts trucks- 1951 GMC 9300 | 1951-GMC 9430 | 1951- Chevrolet 1300
A few of my pals are coming out of the wood work now... “You bought a welder that can aluminum? Stainless? Hey! Can I come over when you get it?”
Funny how that happens.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Looks like DC only. All (pretty sure) TIG welders are DC, and some are also AC for use with aluminum. The spec sheet for the welder in question does not list AC TIG, so it's aluminum capability is with MIG, DC. Stick welding can be either AC or DC, rods available to do a fine job with either.
DC. I also got the spool gun for the MIG so I can weld aluminum.
1970 Chevrolet C10 Grandpa's -- My first truck -- In progress to shiny Follow the build in the Project Journal 1950 Chevrolet 1-Ton Dually "Ole Red Girl" In the Stovebolt Gallery More pictures here 1951 GMC 9430 1 ton dually--Shiny! | 1972 Chevrolet C20- Rusty- the puzzle box lid for the C10 | 1962 AMC Rambler American- my wife's Parts trucks- 1951 GMC 9300 | 1951-GMC 9430 | 1951- Chevrolet 1300
No offense intended but I don't get why anyone would buy an expensive tig machine that can't do a big part of what tig is for, welding aluminum. One of my neighbors has a DC tig machine and it can't weld aluminum. He brings me his aluminum welding. I've had a Miller Synchrowave 200 for about 10 years.
It's is an AC-DC tig-stick machine that cost me $1800 including delivery to my front door. I gave the AC buzz box that it replaced to one of my sons. I find that the vast majority of the tig welding I do at home is on aluminum. An example is the aluminum dog carts I make for my wife's competition in a dog sport called "Drafting". At the higher levels of the competition the cart has to be loaded with weight equal to the dog(s) weight, NOT including the weight of the cart for the "field" parts (steep up and down hills) of the events. So a light cart is a competitive advantage. Another example of aluminum welding is on various cart projects like this cold air intake ducting. Only rarely do I tig stainless that uses DC current.
I found that changing the tig ceramic cups to gas lenses improved the quality of my tig welds. I'm an amateur, not a pro, so I'll take every advantage I can find.
No offense taken, Yar. I’m still learning on most of this stuff and hope I don’t regret the decision I’ve made. I was looking at the tig for a lot of thin steel sheet metal work that I plan to be doing in the future. I’ve only welded aluminum once in my life so far. I doubt I will be doing much of it in the future. I’d hoped that this machine would be adequate and I think it will. My pal mentioned the same thing you said about “too bad it can’t tig aluminum” but I think I will be ok with MIG spool for aluminum. I’ve gotten pretty consistent with a MIG. (Not that it’s too hard... 😉)
By the way, those are some nice beads.
Last edited by Fox; 02/21/20195:14 AM.
1970 Chevrolet C10 Grandpa's -- My first truck -- In progress to shiny Follow the build in the Project Journal 1950 Chevrolet 1-Ton Dually "Ole Red Girl" In the Stovebolt Gallery More pictures here 1951 GMC 9430 1 ton dually--Shiny! | 1972 Chevrolet C20- Rusty- the puzzle box lid for the C10 | 1962 AMC Rambler American- my wife's Parts trucks- 1951 GMC 9300 | 1951-GMC 9430 | 1951- Chevrolet 1300
My TIG welder is DC and AC. For years I used it for steel almost exclusively, aluminum only a couple times a year if that. Lately I use it for aluminum always and rarely for steel. All depends on what kind of work you do, sounds like you considered that and picked the right welder.
The spool gun will be fine for 1/8" or thicker aluminum? Splatters and buzzes differently, but welds similar to MIG. Make sure your aluminum or anything you're going to weld, is super clean before you start.
Darn. Now I have to clean my shop if you’re saying super clean... 😉
1970 Chevrolet C10 Grandpa's -- My first truck -- In progress to shiny Follow the build in the Project Journal 1950 Chevrolet 1-Ton Dually "Ole Red Girl" In the Stovebolt Gallery More pictures here 1951 GMC 9430 1 ton dually--Shiny! | 1972 Chevrolet C20- Rusty- the puzzle box lid for the C10 | 1962 AMC Rambler American- my wife's Parts trucks- 1951 GMC 9300 | 1951-GMC 9430 | 1951- Chevrolet 1300
1970 Chevrolet C10 Grandpa's -- My first truck -- In progress to shiny Follow the build in the Project Journal 1950 Chevrolet 1-Ton Dually "Ole Red Girl" In the Stovebolt Gallery More pictures here 1951 GMC 9430 1 ton dually--Shiny! | 1972 Chevrolet C20- Rusty- the puzzle box lid for the C10 | 1962 AMC Rambler American- my wife's Parts trucks- 1951 GMC 9300 | 1951-GMC 9430 | 1951- Chevrolet 1300
