Welding Tips and Tricks

All,

I am ready for my first Tig machine, and for me this machine is in first place right now. I have read a ton of reviews, or should say watched a ton on YouTube. To me it is looking like a solid machine, but what do you all say? I am not too worried about the duty cycle. My 180 Auto Set has about the same duty cycle, and think I hit it only one time in 12 years. That may be because I probably spend more time grinding that welding! I will weld much more steel than AL with this Tig machine. I was considering a Diversion 180, but that machine seems to have zero features and plenty of problems once the three year warranty expires, and $2300. Was looking seriously at the HTP Invertig221, but $2500 is a bit too much. Lets say I am shooting for a $2000 budget for a complete machine, minus the Argon bottle. So what say you, is the Lincoln my very best choice? Not terribly interested in Everlast, Eastwood, etc., they seem sketchy to me.

Thank You

Definitely beware of Everlast. Their machines are a third of the cost of the red and blue machines, and have brought me nothing but increased profit margins, new business, and innumerable likes on my customer's instagram accounts. Must be a scam, I'm certain.

Mark Seavey on Facebook is selling his 2019 HTP 221. Might want to check with him in case he is still selling it.

The SW200 is solid if you don't mind the missing feature that other AC/DC TIGs......

I will answer your question on the SW200.

You can get service from most any LWS, that is worth something. For many people they want somewhere they can take a machine in and get serviced. My LWS will give me a loaner if I bought one from them, but I didn't...

HTP makes a great machine, I wanted to buy one. Not sure how much that guy is selling his for on FB, but could be worth checking out.

No comment on Everlast, I've commented more than enough on them and you can find my comments easily with a quick search here and on WeldingWeb. I'm not a professional, so not looking for increased profits, I base my comments on actual service and support Everlast supplies to their customers. They can also use some people skills on public relations.

You seemed to hit a soft spot with Spartan with your comments... Let me get my violin out...

EDIT: to show you what a dip$#!T I am, I can't even figure out how to search marketplace and find anything farther than 500 miles. Not that I even like FB, I detest it and haven't posted a thing on my feed for almost 3 years.

The SW200 is a decent low end machine, not a bad choice but a couple things I noticed after owning one for a few years now.

Few things to be aware of, they claim it has pulse tig, and it does, but extremely basic. You can ONLY adjust the pulses per second. Secondly, they claim it runs 6011 stick electrodes, it does not. It runs them for 3-4 seconds and you arc goes out. Third, it's a 200 amp machine, that comes with a 150 amp torch. Tho to their credit it's a flex head torch, and I've had it smoking hot multiple times now and it still works fine.

That said, I've had it 3 years now, and never had a single issue with it. So the build quality of the machine is there. Its definetly not a bad hobby option, it's just lacking a lot of features of other AC/DC welders as Oscar mentioned.

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