TIG welders, please help with a machine purchase

[Garvey]

I've been doing steel fab work for 16 years with Arc and MIG. I'm looking to expand my capabilities and am looking at TIG machines, mostly used ones. I've found a 1998 Syncrowave 250 for $1500 and a 2008 Syncrowave 200 for $1800. The 250 has an amperage range from 3-310 and the 200 from 5-200. My gut tells me to go with the 10 year old 250.

My limited understanding of TIG tells me that the newer machines have some features that allow for more effecient (sp?) and cleaner welds. If that is the case what is the major difference between a 1998 and 2008 Syncrowave (besides 10 years)?

 

[jcruthis]

Re: TIG welders, please help with a machine purchase

i own a syncrowave 200dx probably an 03 or 04 model have to look(dont matter). i ABSOLUTELY love this machine ive been a pipefitter for 15-20 years been welding for 30+ years i own several other machines that i prefer to do my stick welding with but for tig welding DC or high freq i like my syncro....the newer models are a square wave form only the older one ?maybe? has a sine wave output but im not sure..personally i like the sq wave form as it gives me better control of my arc and therfore better control of my weld puddle. im bettin ya couldnt go wrong with either machine provided theyve been cared for....used welders are always a buyer beware deal

if i wasnt clear above i dont really care for the way it stick welds...but im kinda picky about arc quality

 

[Garvey]

Re: TIG welders, please help with a machine purchase

Thanks for the info.

So are you saying the 98 I'm looking at probably has the square wave form, which is better? If so, that's the welder for me.

I'm going to be cautious about buying any used welder. I completely understand it's buyer beware on buying a used machine.

 

[jcruthis]

Re: TIG welders, please help with a machine purchase

the 98 probably is a squarewave machine...dont know when miller changed them exactly...either wave form will work fine but i prefer the square wave as i can set all the different parameters of my waveform....youll only need highfreq and squarewave for welding aluminum, magnesium and a few other off the wall metals..if you have no intention of ever welding aluminum etc then a synchrowave(either one of them) is more machine than you need. for stainless steel carbon steel chrome steels etc you just need DC straight polarity and youll be tig welding away....in other words if you wanna try tig welding get a bottle of argon a tig torch hoses regulator etc and your stick machine will do it just fine. simply switch polarity...+ cable to the work - cable to tig torch...hope i didnt just confuse the heck outa you im not much of a typer(hunt and peck) but id be more than happy to try and explain any ?? you have..... i personally love welding...so im thrilled to talk about it

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Re: TIG welders, please help with a machine purchase

I have a Miller EconoTig in my farm shop and it is a great machine. I'm not a great welder, but can do Stainless and mild steel ok. Aluminum... I still melt it into Slag.

Bought the EconoTig almost new in 1999. It's done everything I've wanted and when it's been used by some friends who know what they are doing... the results (esp Aluminum) have been superb.

Some day I'll take a proper welding class.

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[MikeeBooshay]

Re: TIG welders, please help with a machine purchase

I have a Synchrowave 250, over the years at work we probably bought 60 of them.

You have to compare each one as it was delivered. They can come square, sine, HF, nonHF, depending on how it was built out. They all have the same case, but different options installed inside. You may see a SW250 with a nonHF, sine wave only, with small plugs in the holes for the HF and square wave controls.

All things equal though, the older Synchrowaves seem to be a bit more rugged, for high duty cycle welding. You will likely never see this in home use, or even most shop use. The control boards will fry every now and then and are expensive ( 600 bucks ) to replace. If buying a used machine, make them power it up and use all the features to ensure it's GTG.

 

[Saito]

Re: TIG welders, please help with a machine purchase

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sirhrmechanic</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a Miller EconoTig in my farm shop and it is a great machine. I'm not a great welder, but can do Stainless and mild steel ok. Aluminum... I still melt it into Slag.

Bought the EconoTig almost new in 1999. It's done everything I've wanted and when it's been used by some friends who know what they are doing... the results (esp Aluminum) have been superb.

Some day I'll take a proper welding class.

Cheers,

Sirhr </div></div>

Aluminum has to be immaculately clean when you TIG it. It forms an oxide coating when exposed to oxygen that melts at a higher temp than the material itself. A dedicated Stainless brush should be used to remove the oxide.

To the OP: It makes no sense these days NOT to get a square wave machine. If you're going to buy a machine, don't short yourself and get a square wave.

 

[Garvey]

Re: TIG welders, please help with a machine purchase

Thanks for all of the information fellas.

Coincidentally a fireman bud I work with made a hell-of-an offer to sell his Synchrowave 350. I can't pass it up, being a used machine from a guy I trust is the best I can do.