Your opinion on this cheap AC/DC TIG

[WeldBig]

Hey Guys,

I am about to procure a small, cheaper AC/DC TIG for aluminium welding.
These are the ones I am looking at right now with hopes.

1) https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/200-Amp-...Cclp%3A2047675

2)https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Giantz-2...e/392971045628

3)https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/AC-DC-35...Cclp%3A2334524


I like the idea that they come with the foot pedal, which I think is mandatory? Except the third one, but the foot pedal for N0 3 is around $75.
I prefer the first one or the second one which suits my budget more at this stage.

The third one(350amp it claims) sound too good be true whether it can produce those amps, but it apparently comes with the adjustable AC frequency(20-150Hz). Here is the link to 350amp ones user manual.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PzT...ew?usp=sharing

What I am planning to use it for small projects like,

• Welding 2-4mm aluminum checker plates that goes on things like light car trailers
• Building aluminum boxes, small structures, tool boxes, etc
• Building aluminum bike trailers(welding aluminum pipes of 1mm-2mm think or even less than 1mm(if possible)
• Other small household or backyard projects, hobby projects that doesn't need heavy-thick aluminum welding.

Have you guys had any experience(good or bad) with the above machines, particularly the first one?
Can you advise me whether it is useful for such small projects?

I am a complete noob on aluminum welding and atm cannot afford good, expensive American machines with adjustable AC frequency or the choice of different waveforms(sinewave, triangle, squarewave etc). So, the Chinese units are my choice at this stage.

Any help and thoughts and leads would be appreciated.

Cheers.

[nick121]

So I' haven't had any experience directly with those machines, I would say STAY AWAY. Honestly they look like typical Chinese junk that might not even work out of the box and there wouldn't be any support for them. If you really want a cheaper machine maybe look into everlast at least you have a better chance of getting something half decent.

Have you looked for a used machine? What is your budget? Lincolns square wave 200 is a good machine for what you want and reasonably affordable especially for a big name.
If you really can ... Just realized you are in Australia so my suggestions are probably no good for you.

I cant remember if Jasic welders are from Australia or not? They may have a cheaper offering and I have their 170 amp inverter stick welder that works like a dream.

[BD1]

Have you posted this on, Welding Australia on facebook ?


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[Louie1961]

I have no experience with these machines, but I agree with Nick. Chinese stuff off of e-bay scares the crap out of me. The other thing I will say is that I a selling my TIG welder because I never use it. It works great, and I am pretty proficient with it for a hobbyist, but I just never end up using it for the projects I do. I got it because it was cheap and and I was taken in by the mystique of TIG welding. But the truth of the matter for me at least is that I hardly ever use it for any of my projects. I just don't make things out of aluminum because it is so much more expensive than steel, and nothing I do is weight sensitive. And when it comes to welding steel, I would rather just hit it with the MIG and be done. If you look around on this board there are really very few pictures of projects made out of aluminum. Moto probably does the most as a hobbyist, and Aaron6061 and an Zanc (both professional fabricators) do a lot of aluminum. But other than that, you just don't see that much aluminum work by hobbyists for some reason.

[G-ManBart]

I am a complete noob on aluminum welding and atm cannot afford good, expensive American machines with adjustable AC frequency or the choice of different waveforms(sinewave, triangle, squarewave etc). So, the Chinese units are my choice at this stage.

Any help and thoughts and leads would be appreciated.

Cheers.

I haven't used any of those machines, but don't let the lack of most features worry you, regardless of brand. I have a newer inverter machine with all the bells and whistles and I can get welds on aluminum just as good with a simple machine like my Syncrowave 250DX....fixed 60hz AC frequency, one waveform, no pulse, etc.

I would be worried about those eBay machines as well, but I have no idea what you can get in Australia.

[WeldBig]

Have you posted this on, Welding Australia on facebook ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sorry, I haven't. I've never been on facebook.

[WeldBig]

I have no experience with these machines, but I agree with Nick. Chinese stuff off of e-bay scares the crap out of me. The other thing I will say is that I a selling my TIG welder because I never use it. It works great, and I am pretty proficient with it for a hobbyist, but I just never end up using it for the projects I do. I got it because it was cheap and and I was taken in by the mystique of TIG welding. But the truth of the matter for me at least is that I hardly ever use it for any of my projects. I just don't make things out of aluminum because it is so much more expensive than steel, and nothing I do is weight sensitive. And when it comes to welding steel, I would rather just hit it with the MIG and be done. If you look around on this board there are really very few pictures of projects made out of aluminum. Moto probably does the most as a hobbyist, and Aaron6061 and an Zanc (both professional fabricators) do a lot of aluminum. But other than that, you just don't see that much aluminum work by hobbyists for some reason.

Thanx. I wonder why though. Probably because aluminum welding involved lot more practice to get it right than steel? I find it is interesting to be able to weld aluminum as a hobbyist. For example, you can build your own light weight bike with aluminum as a hobbyist(of course, if only good with aluminum welding )

[WeldBig]

So I' haven't had any experience directly with those machines, I would say STAY AWAY. Honestly they look like typical Chinese junk that might not even work out of the box and there wouldn't be any support for them. If you really want a cheaper machine maybe look into everlast at least you have a better chance of getting something half decent.

Have you looked for a used machine? What is your budget? Lincolns square wave 200 is a good machine for what you want and reasonably affordable especially for a big name.
If you really can ... Just realized you are in Australia so my suggestions are probably no good for you.

I cant remember if Jasic welders are from Australia or not? They may have a cheaper offering and I have their 170 amp inverter stick welder that works like a dream.

They did sell welders under Jasic brand here in Australia. I find it difficult to find any atm, most likely out of stock due to COVID-19 or they don't sell them here anymore.
Apparently it is a poular brand name in UK.

Here in Oz, even used Lincolns, Miller and other US brands are very expensive, that if I find a one at all. I would love to have an Everlast PowerTIG 210 one as they seem to have reputation as a good machine and after sales service, but still very pricey atm.

[WeldBig]

This is really interesting. Both below machines are identical, except the branded one is twice the price.(one of the TIG AC/DC machines I posted above)


https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/200-Amp-...Cclp%3A2047675

https://www.uwelding.com.au/lotos-ti...th-foot-petal/

[ronsii]

This is really interesting. Both below machines are identical, except the branded one is twice the price.(one of the TIG AC/DC machines I posted above)


https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/200-Amp-...Cclp%3A2047675

https://www.uwelding.com.au/lotos-ti...th-foot-petal/

While they may look identical(almost) the knock-off version is more than likely using much cheaper components and maybe even different circuit designs??? not to say it isn't worth it... but who knows how it compares without trying them side by side for evaluation... and even then reliability could be an issue in the future... but then again both could have issues

[WeldBig]

While they may look identical(almost) the knock-off version is more than likely using much cheaper components and maybe even different circuit designs??? not to say it isn't worth it... but who knows how it compares without trying them side by side for evaluation... and even then reliability could be an issue in the future... but then again both could have issues

Yeah, that makes sense of course(the one being the knock-off and the other being the legitimate).

I was thinking about it this way. One being the branded one that is sold in Australia under the Lotos brand name.
The other being the no name brand one, but both come from the same factory. Of course, it is quite possible Lotos one
to come from the proper factory & the knock-off one to come from the knock-off factory.
I haven't seen any complaints yet though(on ebay or otherwise) which is why I thought it is the same machine.
Lotos should have reported to ebay and have the knock-off listings removed(there are few sellers selling the same cheaper identical one to Lotos one).

[Woznme]

They're all crap. Don't waste your money on any of them. If you want a cheapie, get a unimig or razer branded power source. Low price from bricks and mortar store like TradeTools.

[Louie1961]

Thanx. I wonder why though. Probably because aluminum welding involved lot more practice to get it right than steel? I find it is interesting to be able to weld aluminum as a hobbyist. For example, you can build your own light weight bike with aluminum as a hobbyist(of course, if only good with aluminum welding )

Aluminum is actually easier to TIG weld than steel. The field of view is much brighter under the helmet, and it is much easier to see where you are going and what's going on. The only thing about aluminum that I think is harder is you have to feed rod much faster. Like you I found welding aluminum interesting too, which is why I bought a TIG welder and welded a lot of beads, coupons, etc. Like I said I got pretty good with it. But around here, aluminum is 5 times more expensive than steel. and there was nothing that I make or repair that was aluminum. So the Syncrowave is gonna go and I am getting a multimatic 255. I will still be able to TIG steel if I want to, but I doubt I will want to. And if I get the itch to do aluminum, I have a 30a spool gun already and maybe I will splurge on a push pull gun for the MIG

[WeldBig]

Aluminum is actually easier to TIG weld than steel. The field of view is much brighter under the helmet, and it is much easier to see where you are going and what's going on. The only thing about aluminum that I think is harder is you have to feed rod much faster. Like you I found welding aluminum interesting too, which is why I bought a TIG welder and welded a lot of beads, coupons, etc. Like I said I got pretty good with it. But around here, aluminum is 5 times more expensive than steel. and there was nothing that I make or repair that was aluminum. So the Syncrowave is gonna go and I am getting a multimatic 255. I will still be able to TIG steel if I want to, but I doubt I will want to. And if I get the itch to do aluminum, I have a 30a spool gun already and maybe I will splurge on a push pull gun for the MIG

I'm thinking you're referring to MIG aluminum welding? I am completely unaware of that technology of how to MIG aluminum. I obviously need to do some reading about it.