Tools & Fabrication - I now own a TIG welder

Been blessed the last 2 years with a loaner machine (dynasty 200), but the time has come that it must return back to its owner...

this was gonna leave me up sh%t creek without a paddle...and I didn't have the 3000+ to buy a new dynasty...

so I picked up a new miller diversion 165 and a SSC pedal for it...

http://ls1tech.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=311782&stc=1&d=1313776626

it doesn't have the adjustablity that the dynasty had...but its factory preset to use the exact same settings I found most useful on the dynasty by just playing around (120Hz, 72% balance)

I just grabbed some stainless and aluminum scrap I had laying around and did a quick DC and AC bead...welds pretty nice, even though the person welding is questionable :jest: All-in-all, its a pretty badass machine considering everything was $1450 to my door :nod:

http://ls1tech.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=311783&stc=1&d=1313776626

Congrats. :)

we have the same one at our shop. Love it, and for the size/price, it's a mean SOB.

Got the same one , for better than a year now ..... just love it !
how do you like the foot pedal ? Mine doesn't have it and was wondering if its worth getting it. Stan

DEF go with the foot pedal. It also doubles as a knee pedal, elbow pedal, crotch pedal, and toe pedal. Nice machine for the house, fireball. Just don't overdo the duty cycle on that machine, give it time to cool off between long welds. The aircooled ones get hot.

Wow, would I love to have one of those. I am still kickin' my 25 year old Snap On mig.

I've been looking at the Diversion for some time now debating on pulling the trigger. Nice to see you are happy with it.

PS I hate u.

DEF go with the foot pedal. It also doubles as a knee pedal, elbow pedal, crotch pedal, and toe pedal. Nice machine for the house, fireball. Just don't overdo the duty cycle on that machine, give it time to cool off between long welds. The aircooled ones get hot.

yeah...the dynasty I was using had the same aircooled torch...gets pretty toasty when welding aluminum :jest:

Where did you purchase it from for $1450?? Thats a good price including shipping and the foot pedal. Nice welder

Where did you purchase it from for $1450?? Thats a good price including shipping and the foot pedal. Nice welder

1288 shipped for the welder from indiana oxygen and 155 +ship for the pedal from SSC controls

nice! love those machines. congrats

I have the diversion 180, I sold a 300 amp Lincoln to buy it and I do not regret it one bit they are great machines you will love it! I use mine a bunch and have never had any overheating problems AC or DC.

Looks like a nice machine...I welded lots of stainless with a Synchrowave 351 for years and it was always very good. Word of advice....the whole "stacking dimes" crap is way over-rated. There is no reason why you wouldn't lay down a smooth bead with a tig. It will have a somewhat ridge like texture but its better looking and a better weld IMO.

killer. im surprised it was so cheap??

im planning for my first welder right now and was planning on getting one of the auto-setting migs, but i thought it was more expensive, and i thought the tig was even more??

maybe its just cause i have to budget in all the little stuff still and you already had it..

welcome to the family
im passionate about TIG welding and good to see lots others are too

I really need to break down and buy a TIG setup.

Looks like a nice machine! I was looking at one for awhile.

I have a little Miller buzz box TIG and it is awesome! Wish it had the foot pedal but it works for what I need now and it was the right price till I can get a bigger one! It was free!!!!

welcome to the family
im passionate about TIG welding and good to see lots others are too

Now thats a pretty tig weld. Used to do those all the time on 316ss.

Now thats a pretty tig weld. Used to do those all the time on 316ss.

thanks

Jealous.

TIG doesn't put as much heat in metal compared to MIG does it?

TIG doesn't put as much heat in metal compared to MIG does it?

I think it puts more heat into the metal over Mig. I'm not a TIG welder, but I've heard that more than once from guys that weld. That's one of the main reasons body guys use MIG to weld new panels onto a car.

I don't think its an actual "heat" issue but rather the controllable factor. TIG is precision (heat and input area), Mig is somewhat sloppy, stick is awful. Loosely speaking of course.

The reason I ask is I was on Rad Rides by Troy's site the other night looking at "Sick Fish" and that ridonkilous 87 Camaro they are doing and noticed they are welding big pieces of metal with no apparent warpage. Giving these guys know what they are doing, f'ing way more than I know, but it got me wondering.

It's a pretty cool site. I might not agree with the direction they take every car but it's not my car. I just appreciate the craftsmanship.

miller diversion 165 is a good unit we have two at the shop that is used for small jobs like turbo manifold and intake's this unit will not do big jobs like 3/8 ali plate and so on but it is one of the most used tools in the shop

Very nice!! I also recently added a TIG to my arsenal,as well. I got a smoking deal on a Lincoln Precision 185. I need to learn how to use it now and get a foot pedal.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc53/n97240/tig185.jpg

Very nice!! I also recently added a TIG to my arsenal,as well. I got a smoking deal on a Lincoln Precision 185. I need to learn how to use it now and get a foot pedal.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc53/n97240/tig185.jpg

where are you from ill teach you how to use it

Im in greer,sc. Im doing fairly well so far. Just learned last night how to run a bead on some 1/8th inch plate aluminum. Also ran a bead all the way around some 16 gauge mild tubing.

Wow thats a pretty nice machine. Id really like to have a TIG. That doesnt seem like a bad price at all for a Miller.

I've got the precision tig 185, I love it.

Very nice!! I also recently added a TIG to my arsenal,as well. I got a smoking deal on a Lincoln Precision 185. I need to learn how to use it now and get a foot pedal.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc53/n97240/tig185.jpg

I have that exact same TIG and love it. They discontinues the 185. Now all they sell is the PT225.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j68/SATANZ31/IMG_5024.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j68/SATANZ31/101611200154.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j68/SATANZ31/101611200843.jpg

How much you guys paying for some of these welders/where to get the best price?

How much you guys paying for some of these welders/where to get the best price?


I got mine local on craigslist. You have to be very quick though and check about every 6 hours if you are serious about buying one. It may take up to a month before you see a good deal. Otherwise you hop on there and see people asking $2000 for a 1984 heliarc Miller or some ancient machine like that. Not bad machines, but definitely NOT worth the price they are asking.

I picked up my PT185 for $1150, pretty much in brand new condition. Came with foot pedal too.

If you don't want to go that route, then you can always pay full price through an actual vendor.

thanks for the info.

about 1450 new to my door with a pedal.

Dam I need one too now, I was planning on 3k, but I'm seriously interested in buying one. Was trying to buy the one from work, but no go :(

Links to above welders :)

i dont tig weld much i normally mig. got 5th in Il high school state for mig welding. its a nice welder cant go wrong with a miller.

about 1450 new to my door with a pedal.

Got mine for a $800 on craigslist and $155 for the pedal....oh and $45 for the fan I shredded:jest:

Sorry Brian I had to.:chug:

Good welding machine!

Was looking at buying a TIG soon as well for some stainless header / exhaust fab work, as well as anything else that'll give me an excuse to use it lol

Obviously millers and lincolns are good machines, but the one in the op seems to be a bit dumbed down as far as controls go. It seems to me you pay a premium for the reputation and more on top of that if you want more features. Does anyone have any experience with the everlast tig machines? http://www.everlastgenerators.com/Ac-Dc-Analog-Control-Igbt-Tig.php.

The 225LX is around $1400 retail and gives you control over all the aspects the diversion kind of does for you, the tradeoff being that they use foreign parts.

http://ls1tech.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=386452&dateline=1357306789

Trust me, all inverter machines either have foreign parts, and assembled in the US, or are completely built in other countries. I have an HTP 201 tig, if you would like to see what it runs like, PM me your number, and we might be able to get together, or, at the very least discuss this since I've done a bit of research on this in the last year, or so. I'm in the Bridgeville area.

i have an old lincoln idealarc 300 it is a scratch start machine looking to get rid of. the high frequency doesn't work anymore so can't do aluminum. But works awesome on stainless in fact still like it better over my miller. but will sell cheap if interested. cheap~$400? that will be machine and foot pedal

I've got an Everlast combo machine (plasma, TIG, stick)
and have used it mostly for stick work, played with the
cutter, never tried the TIG. Been in the shed for a year
or so in casual service and no problems so far. Came with
a bunch of accessories and foot pedal etc. You want to
keep a close eye on eBay because there are occasionally
some overlooked auctions that go real cheap.