Which welder, DC ONLY OR AC/DC ...HELP

Charlieuk · Sat Nov 07, 2015 4:39 am

So I need some advice on what machine is the best for me, I want to " have a go at TIG welding" . I've welded for years, oxy accetalyne, stick and mig, and manage quite well always bee quite happy with results. I'm want to try TIG stainles steel and aluminum, just really od parts for motorcycle and around the farm stuff nothing commercial. On the advice of my local co-op tool supply store, having specified I want to TIG weld aluminum I was sold a Forney 190 mp multi purpose Mig Tig and Stick welder. Having now gone to use it I've discovered its DC only. So the question is IS THIS A GOOD MACHINE TO TIG WELD ALUMINUM OR DO I NEED AN AC MACHINE ???? And if not what is a good machine for hobby level aluminum TIG WELDING for newcomer to TIG. PS the machine coast over $1400 but it is a multipurpose tig mig and stick although a Tig only would be fine for me as I have mig welder already.
THANKS CHARLIE

exnailpounder · Sat Nov 07, 2015 8:14 am

You can weld aluminum on DC but its not pretty and not for the new guy. If it was me, I would return the machine if possible and get a Miller or Lincoln and be done with it. You can get a TIG only machine from the big 2 for a comparable cost to what you have bought. I don't know anything about Forney but a store near me sells them and my buddy who works there just shook his head when I asked about them. JMO

Phil · Sat Nov 07, 2015 8:16 am

I would take the welder back. Just looked at it on Forney website. You will need the optional spool gun to weld aluminum. Spool guns are more for production work, like making an aluminum trailer.
To bad you don't live near Chicago, Fabtech 2015 is going on all week Nov. 9 thru 12 at the McCormick Place in Chicago. Every welder made in the world will most likely be there. http://www.fabtechexpo.com
I use the Miller Dynasty 200dx, it has AC and it works great on aluminum. There are many machines made that are much less expensive that have AC. A good place to start is to see who is at the show in Chicago, check out the website. Good luck

Mike · Sat Nov 07, 2015 8:26 am

Welcome to the forum Charlie.
A/C for aluminum.

Antorcha · Sat Nov 07, 2015 10:06 am

My take ? Unless aluminum is a regular thing, or will be, forget the AC.I used to tig alum quite a bit years ago.I was good !
Now I need it a couple times of year at most.I take it to a dude who does it all day every day.It would take me months doing on a daily basis to even ettempt to do what he does.
I have a spool rig for my MIG and it never comes out either. I should sell the damn thing.
Buy what you'll use,not what you think you might use.

soutthpaw · Sat Nov 07, 2015 2:03 pm

Take it back, get an AC/DC TIG machine. You can get into a good hobby machine for under $800, the new Lincoln @ $1400 if you want a major U.S.A. brand name machine (made in Mexico) however you can get a quality Chinese made machine for less.

MosquitoMoto · Sat Nov 07, 2015 5:27 pm

I'm a TIG newbie and I also do light general work - brackets, home made tools, motorcycle parts in aluminium.

I once wondered myself whether I should go DC only or ACDC. Well, from one week to the Ne t I seem to switch from steel projects to aluminium and back again. Very glad I went with ACDC. Aluminium is a great adventure in itself.

Kym

Poland308 · Sat Nov 07, 2015 6:03 pm

I would go for something ac/dc that can do around 200 amps. This will end up in your price range and give you lots of flexibility.

Charlieuk · Sat Nov 07, 2015 8:00 pm

Thanks you guys for the advice, it seems the DC TIG welder isn't the best for the job so I will attempt to return it, however I spoke to the store before I posted on here, they called Forney themselves to say I had questioned its ability to weld on DC only, Forney said it was fine to TIG weld aluminum DC !!!!! So I may be in for a battle. I've done some research on trig welder advertisement online and is clear that all other DC TIG welders don't mention aluminum and AC/DC TIG welder boast the ability to weld aluminum. So it could be interesting. So thanks again if anyone has any recommendation for AC /DC TiG machine please post

Revocide · Mon Nov 09, 2015 10:26 am

From what I have gathered, using AC helps lift the oxide from the ally when you are trying to melt it with the tig arc.

As for recommendations....I can't say much. I have not used a tig machine, only gasless mig and smaw/mmaw

What kind of budget did you have in mind? Single phase or Three phase power requirements?

soutthpaw · Mon Nov 09, 2015 10:45 am

Charlieuk wrote:Thanks you guys for the advice, it seems the DC TIG welder isn't the best for the job so I will attempt to return it, however I spoke to the store before I posted on here, they called Forney themselves to say I had questioned its ability to weld on DC only, Forney said it was fine to TIG weld aluminum DC !!!!! So I may be in for a battle. I've done some research on trig welder advertisement online and is clear that all other DC TIG welders don't mention aluminum and AC/DC TIG welder boast the ability to weld aluminum. So it could be interesting. So thanks again if anyone has any recommendation for AC /DC TiG machine please post

Just shows Forney are idiots. DC TIG n is sometimes used for thick aluminum and requires 100% helium, not Argon. A very difficult process to use.