Welding Tips and Tricks

Nearly new Diversion 180 with foot pedal, new in May $1300.
1984 Dialarc 250 HF TIG unit with all the bells and whistles. Includes water cooled torch, radiator internal to transformer, Heavy duty foot pedal, wagon double tank rack. With auto dark helmet, excellent condition. Weld beer cans to battleships, aluminum and all other metals. $1600.

Location?

AKweldshop wrote:Location?

Sorry, I thought it said, Green Mountains of Vermont.

Long way from me.
Might be faster to head around the other way.

AKweldshop wrote:Long way from me.
Might be faster to head around the other way.

As they say in Northern VT "You can't get theyah fum heah". Although I met a 80 year old man with a 4 cylinder Toyota Tacoma towed a 8000 lb fifth wheel camper round trip to Alaska. He said it took a while. Imagine the angry drivers behind him!

Still got them both, lots of calls, most folks want the Diversion. I thought I had it sold three times, then something went wrong, A wife, a family emergency, money issues. It'll happen in time.

Sold the Diversion, I think the Dialarc, though the chicken doesn't count until it's in the pot. I'm looking up Dynastys. There are still a lot of choices. I'm open to suggestions.

There is an old story about an old woman rushing into a police station to tell them about the man who assaulted her. She frantically told in detail. A cop asked when did this happen? A: 40 years ago. The cop responded: you are reporting it now? A: I'm not here to report it, I just want to talk about it!

I guess I'm a little like her.

Bill Beauregard wrote: I'm looking up Dynastys. There are still a lot of choices. I'm open to suggestions.

.

Are you asking if you should buy a Dynasty?? looking for reviews?

~John

AKweldshop wrote:

Bill Beauregard wrote: I'm looking up Dynastys. There are still a lot of choices. I'm open to suggestions.

.

Are you asking if you should buy a Dynasty?? looking for reviews?

~John

Which Dynasty, Tig runner, or component, Miller foot peddle, or other? Is there a better welder out there? Or is the Dynasty the holy grail?

The dynasty is the holy grail. However, there are so many features in those machines that it can get very confusing. There is also a risk of changing the wrong thing and getting a machine that runs horrible until you figure out which setting is doing it or you figure out how to set it back to factory defaults. I personally don't believe that all of the features are really necessary.

In the 280 amp category of machines the dynasty has all the bells and whistles. The ESAB has 100% duty cycle a 250amps. That's dynasty 350 territory at just a couple hundred more than a dynasty 200. That ESAB will be my next machine if I can ever afford it lol. I currnetly have the caddy tig 2200i so I may be a bit partial but I've always wanted a dynasty as well.

My 2 cents

AFSATCOM wrote:The dynasty is the holy grail. However, there are so many features in those machines that it can get very confusing. There is also a risk of changing the wrong thing and getting a machine that runs horrible until you figure out which setting is doing it or you figure out how to set it back to factory defaults. I personally don't believe that all of the features are really necessary.

In the 280 amp category of machines the dynasty has all the bells and whistles. The ESAB has 100% duty cycle a 250amps. That's dynasty 350 territory at just a couple hundred more than a dynasty 200. That ESAB will be my next machine if I can ever afford it lol. I currnetly have the caddy tig 2200i so I may be a bit partial but I've always wanted a dynasty as well.

My 2 cents

My Norwegian father in law used to say "A good skier can ski on anything." All winter long he proved it. His ski equipment was the worst I've seen. It's those of us with less skill who NEED better equipment.

Bill Beauregard wrote: My Norwegian father in law used to say "A good skier can ski on anything." All winter long he proved it. His ski equipment was the worst I've seen. It's those of us with less skill who NEED better equipment.

Bill, I would respectfully disagree - and agree with the Norwegian.
Fancy equipment can hide the flaws that are causing the weldor to have problems which will complicate finding the problem that needs solving.
A machine that only has amps and a pedal forces the weldor to do it right.
Bells and whistles allow the trained weldor to do it right faster and with less fatigue.

"Beware the man with one gun." Implies he knows how to use it. It's the man (or woman), not the equipment.

MinnesotaDave wrote:

Bill Beauregard wrote: My Norwegian father in law used to say "A good skier can ski on anything." All winter long he proved it. His ski equipment was the worst I've seen. It's those of us with less skill who NEED better equipment.

Bill, I would respectfully disagree - and agree with the Norwegian.
Fancy equipment can hide the flaws that are causing the weldor to have problems which will complicate finding the problem that needs solving.
A machine that only has amps and a pedal forces the weldor to do it right.
Bells and whistles allow the trained weldor to do it right faster and with less fatigue.

"Beware the man with one gun." Implies he knows how to use it. It's the man (or woman), not the equipment.

I'll take duty cycle over bells and whistles any day. You would need a mechanized setup to really get a grasp on what each feature really does for you anyways. I know they tell you in the brochures but each person is different and we all compensate to what we see goin on whether it's conscious or not. I've tried a few setups that Hody put in his videos and hated em. Doesn't make the settings bad, it's just a different guy with a different machines and a different approach to same same joint.

If you're looking for features to improve I believe you'll be disappointed. You'll probably spend more time messing with the settings than layin beads.

All valid opinions. I will consider.

I can see both side of this discussion. First I will say that a beginner might be best to learn with the basic machines/settings.
On the one hand, yes a Dynasty will/can hide a lot of the inconsistencies, bad torch angles, dipping, etc on the proper settings. On the other hand it is this very blessing that can be a curse. Yes these advanced features can in fact mask your sins that you need to learn from. One example is some of my guys do not do the best in some sheet metal situations (MIG). I have set their machines so as to mask their welds from themselves. Does this help them in the long run, no, but we are working with them and realize that this is not the final answer.
I also agree that the features can get Noobs lost in a hurry. As long as you/they don't touch these features until ready, you will be fine.
One argument you can use is buy a machine with the most features, you may not use them today but it is better to have them now than wish you had them later.
How did this discussion get in the classifieds anyway?
-Jonathan

I'll add to the confusion....
My uncle has been welding for over 30 years.
Anywhere from shipyards, structural fab, pipe, alloys etc. Even underwater welding.
And he finally "slowed" down and started his own "farm/mechanical" shop.
He has a Lincoln AC225 that he got in high school, still buzzing in the corner.
That, and a shelf stacked full of open boxes of 7018....
He can grab that stinger and weld!!!!

I learned on that puppy!!!
And now I've got(had got) all these fancy dry rod oven, and inverter/arc force $2000 machines!!!!

And still can't outweld him!!!!

That old saying still stands, "just adjust the nut behind the stinger."



~John

Diversion is gone. Pay Pal says I have been paid for the Dialarc. I'm sad to see that one go. It's crated waiting for the truck to ship it.

Dialarc is on its way to Ohio.

Good luck there Bill....
To tell you guys the truth, I buy welders all the time off eBay.
Always one coming in the mail.
I add a few things to them and mark them up.
I've sold 21 welder as of today.
And currently have 3 more for sale.
Fun, Fun, Fun.....

~John

AKweldshop wrote:Good luck there Bill....
To tell you guys the truth, I buy welders all the time off eBay.
Always one coming in the mail.
I add a few things to them and mark them up.
I've sold 21 welder as of today.
And currently have 3 more for sale.
Fun, Fun, Fun.....

~John

How do you stand the stress?

AKweldshop wrote:Good luck there Bill....
To tell you guys the truth, I buy welders all the time off eBay.
Always one coming in the mail.
I add a few things to them and mark them up.
I've sold 21 welder as of today.
And currently have 3 more for sale.
Fun, Fun, Fun.....

~John

John,
First why don't you offer the good deals on here
Second I just bought two Syncrowave 200's for a killer deal and flipped one the next day for my original purchase price. Units came with everything to plug and play and 50lbs of 1/8" 4043 that I sold to another shop. I am thinking this might be a good hobby/extra source of play money.
-Jonathan

Superiorwelding wrote:

John,
First why don't you offer the good deals on here
Second I just bought two Syncrowave 200's for a killer deal and flipped one the next day for my original purchase price. Units came with everything to plug and play and 50lbs of 1/8" 4043 that I sold to another shop. I am thinking this might be a good hobby/extra source of play money.
-Jonathan

We don't have many AK members, and I usally sell them pretty quick on CL...
Want me to list all the machines I've sold???

How do I handle the stress??

I do NOT email!!!!
Emailing is for idiots, PERIOD!!!!!!

Text or call only.
I can tell if someone wants to buy or not on their first text or call....
Or there blocked!!!!

Cash and carry.

~John

John,
No listing them might make me wish I bought one or three. Every time I think I should sell a machine, consumables or parts, I think of the purchase price I had and realize I couldn't replace them for that. And the fact that I like having things even I don't necessarily need but can let others borrow/benefit from them.
-Jonathan

Superiorwelding wrote:John,
No listing them might make me wish I bought one or three. Every time I think I should sell a machine, consumables or parts, I think of the purchase price I had and realize I couldn't replace them for that. And the fact that I like having things even I don't necessarily need but can let others borrow/benefit from them.
-Jonathan

That is true.
I just am always in welders, leads, torches, and bottles.
I make money on every sale, use the money to buy more.
Just me,
~John

John,
I wish you were closer, we could get into a lot of trouble! I love trading and or course buying things.
-Jonathan