Are there any welders here??? I am considering a puchase of a tig machine and i really like the miller dynasty for there performance but the price in BIG. Ok so does anyone know if the 200DX machine will weld 1/4" aluminum?

 

I too would like to hear any input on tig machines as I was leaning towards the Syncrowave 251 but the $$$$$ What should one look out for in used units?

 

You can tune the Miller Dynasty to weld 1/4" aluminum. I was welding 1/4" with a Thermal Arc 185 after I got it tuned in. That machine had 185 amps of output. The Miller Dynasty has like 200 amps output, so I don't think there would be a problem. It just might be a little slower than a 250 amp welder.

And remember to read the owner's manual! I just assumed that inverter welders ran the same as transformer welders...NOT TRUE! You don't ball the tip w/ pure tungsten on an inverter. In fact, you don't use pure tungsten. The output of an inverter welder is higher than a transformer welder because you have more control over the AC wave balance (+/- polarity at the arc) so it'll melt 5/32" pure tungsten like butter at 160 amps! Use zirconiated, lanthanated, or ceriated tungsten sharpened to a point and then just the very tip is ground to a flat spot. And then you have to set the wave balance, amperage pulse, polarity pulse, frequency, etc. It's more complicated than the old AC transformer welders, but it's well worth it! I had my machine welding almost as if I was welding steel. I could focus the arc wherever I pointed the tungsten, instead of just heating a general area like the old welders did.

I'm telling you this because I worked in a shop where the owner didn't know about the technology he possessed. He had an inverter TIG welder and always balled the tip and used pure tungsten. Needless to say, he went through a lot of tungsten!

Anyway, the price of a Dynasty is steep, but I'll tell ya, once you figure out the controls on the machine you'll wonder why you ever welded w/o it! It'll make aluminum welding seem so easy that you could teach your 8 yr old how to do it!

 

I dunno if I can help or not, but I'll try!

I weld for a living and I use Miller welders exclusively, mostly because I've ALWAYS used them and I'm used to them! Lincoln is another good name, altho I've been told that Lincoln uses substantially more electronics in some aspects of their machines that really don't require them. In my mind, that just means more to go wrong!

I can't specifically answer your question as to whether the 200DX will weld .250 aluminum or not, as I'm not familiar with that particular unit. I think I can suggest something useful however. Whenever I am contemplating a welding machine purchase, I talk with my local Miller rep and tell him what I'm interested in. He in turn, will put me in touch with another customer that has a similar machine, and will let me try it out in their shop. I have done this several times now. You'd be surprised at how receptive people are to letting you try out their machines! I've only been refused by one person, and it was because of 'insurance reasons' that he couldn't let me into his shop.

One other thing I'd suggest; whatever you buy, if it's new, LEASE IT! It may be a bit more costly in the long run, but it's also like an insurance policy. Several years ago, I bought a brand new plasma cutter. It worked perfectly for 3 months, then one day while I was cutting with it there was a very LOUD explosion. I could have sworn someone had come into my shop and fired a shotgun! After figuring out that some madman wasn't trying to gun me down, I discovered the plasma machine was no longer working. I took it back to the dealer who took it apart and found the main PC board had blown up. The manufacturer diagnosed the cause of the failure as 'excessive dirt' on the PC board. Who would ever think there'd be dirt in a welding shop? (This is the same manufacturer that uses a flammable 'protective' covering on the lead-lines that go from the machine to the torch head!) I went around and around with the manufacturer because they didn't want to cover the PC board under warranty. Where did they THINK these things were going to be used, in a sterile environment? They were adament that they weren't going to cover the repair, so in frustration, I finally threw up my arms and told them fine, "I now have a machine I can't use and can't afford to repair, there-fore I won't be making anymore lease payments on it either". They threatened to ruin my credit. They threatened to sue me. They did everything they could think of to get out of their 3 year warranty, but in the end, didn't want their machine back and didn't want to go thru the BS of a lawsuit. Within a month they fixed the machine and it was back in my shop. Been working great ever since; same shop, same dirt!

Sorry for the long post, but I thought I'd throw my experiences out there. We pay a LOT for these machines, and they should DO what we want them to. In some cases, they cost as much as a decent used car, so why not be able to 'test-drive' them before we commit to a sale?

Just do a little research, be careful, and I think you'll get a machine that'll do what you're looking for. Hope this helps!

chaikwa.

 

thanks for the replys. I have tried the dynasty's and they are a great machine I have also used the thermal arc which is also nice but was not as impressed as the dynasty machine. The reason i am asking is its big cash for the 300dx and i was wondering if i could get away with the 200dx for 1/4 aluminum the sale guys all say yes but they are sales guys theory says you need 250amps for 1/4 aluminum I just dont want to drop that kind of cash and in a few months be kicking my self for not buying the bigger machine the bigger machine is more than twice the price....

 

That's the other benefit w/ an inverter...you don't need as many amps to weld aluminum. I didn't believe it myself until I was running too hot on 1/8" aluminum at only 100 amps! Had to turn the machine down to 80 or 90 amps. And I was welding 3/16" aluminum at 160 amps...that was a pretty hot setting for that thickness.

You almost have to take everything you've learned about aluminum welding and throw it out the window...but it's for the better...trust me!

 

My father is a welder,

the 200Dx will weld 1/4 aluminum, if it produces 200 amps of a welding source it should be enough to weld almost up to 3/8 of an inch if the material is preheated. His words not mine... but im assuming if its properly rigged it can be done.

TxDiesel007

 

My high school welding shop just got a new Miller TIG welder.

I'm can't think of the name for the life of me but it's a digtial read out and water cooled.It is very nice and alot better than our old lincoln TIG and stick welder.

 

are you talking about welding 1/4" in a single pass with a tig machine? or are you asking if you can weld 1/4" with a 200 amp welder using muti pass processes? if you don't need x-ray quality welds you can use a small miller mig with a spoolgun and probably do one pass welding at 1/4"

 

I often wonder why they don't make an inverter MIG machine! What's the deal? We have inverter TIG/Stick machines...why not MIG??? That definitely would the the ideal way to go.

 

I have a new Lincoln 175 with air cooled torch and double flow meter. With the air cooled torch it will weld 1/4 " alum for a while but gets pretty hot. It would do it with a water cooled torch. I just didn't really need the water cooler at the time. $$$ For the price it is a great welder. It has a very good low amp control and will weld .020 stainless nicely. I have a 50 amp breaker in my shop that was installed when the house was built 3 yr ago. It hasn't tripped yet. I do have a 30 foot 4 x 6 cord for it however so cord loss is small. The plug is a big at least 50 amp unit. Cost a fortune.
This unit will weld almost anything a street rod needs. I even leased it to my former boss and paid for most of it while using it!!!

bentwings