which Tig welder?

[kwplot34]

Looking to add a Tig welder to my garage so I can weld aluminum and some chrome molly and possibly some SS in the future. This will mainly be for my own projects. I have used a Tig before but really have very little experience with them.
So looking around the WEB at reviews and of course the local welding supply store where I purchase my supplies.
The welding supply store says the Lincoln square wave Tig 200 is the way to go $2300.
I see the Primeweld Tig225x gets great reviews, but a much, much lower price $825.
I'm all for saving money but I also don't want to save and have a machine that wont do the job and under perform.

Make up my mind for me.

[M J D]

Go with the primeweld. Good warranty and customer service. The extra 25 amps will really help out on aluminum. Use the extra 1000+$ saved to buy all the other extras needed, cylinder, cart, filler and other incedentials.

[Beelzeboss]

Would you consider a 2nd hand machine? When I had a similar choice I ended up with a 2nd hand Syncrowave and I'm happy with my choice.

Not saying to get a Syncrowave, they're enormous, but a 2nd hand industrial quality machine is worth investigating.

[wmgeorge]

I have a Primeweld MIG 180 stick, MIG & flux core. I love it and the TIG machine 225 the guys love and a lot of them weld for a living. 3 Year in USA warranty and the folks who run the company know welders. Check them out on Facebook.

[BaTu]

You're never gonna get a bigger Bang for the Buck, without really sacrificing quality, than you do with something a Primeweld, HTP, or an Everlast (you get a 5yr warranty). I too would want a 250A if you see having to do Alum near 1/4" - Alum needs all the Amps you can give it

For your needs, spending on a Lincoln or Miller (and even used they carry too much residual cost) is a waste (IMHO...)

[welding1]

I'm going against the grain here. Go with a Miller Dynasty 200, nothing like talking with customers service with a accent I recognize. I have one and its been great!

[ccawgc]

The dynasty 200 was a good machine. But today I would not buy one unless it was almost free. Parts are going obsolete and what is left can cost over $1000
Main power pcb list for $1700. If you want a 200 amp miller then look at the new Dynasty 210. If you do find a dynasty 200. cheap. run it until it dies and throw it away in the electronic waste.

[smithdoor]

Sounds like great model for manufacturer just buy a new one.

That is the reason I avoided a costly machine with a lot of electronics. One part fails in the mystery board and have a new boat anchor.

Dave

The dynasty 200 was a good machine. But today I would not buy one unless it was almost free. Parts are going obsolete and what is left can cost over $1000
Main power pcb list for $1700. If you want a 200 amp miller then look at the new Dynasty 210. If you do find a dynasty 200. cheap. run it until it dies and throw it away in the electronic waste.

[kwplot34]

A second hand machine, I would consider that if I knew the person, not knowing the owner you never know how they treat their equipment.

[kwplot34]

Thank you everyone for your response. Think I will go with the majority and the reviews and get the Primeweld. I am usually very sceptic of buying anything with such a low price because you know, you get what you pay for.

[Kelvin]

I'm a Miller fan, but I wouldn't recommend a Dynasty 200 if you plan to do much (or any) aluminum welding. What's the DC on AC, something like 5% at 200A with a WFO current of 204A?

Miller has a lot of nerve to badge that as a "200" class machine, if you ask me.

Personally, I'd look for a used transformer machine ... Sync 250, 330A/BP, something like that. It'll outlive your grandkids.

[bplayer405]

I feel there's a company in direct competition with Primeweld, and that's Weldpro. I chose the Weldpro Digital Tig 200GD ACDC 200 Amp Tig/Stick Welder with Pulse CK 17 Worldwide Superflex Torch/with Trigger Switch Dual Voltage 220V/110V. Bought it from Amazon. I wanted the fine adjustment of a digital machine instead of an analog. I've had mine for 9 months and started with aluminum. There's definitely a learning curve going from mig to tig, but I haven't had any issues out of my Weldpro machine. I find it very easy to fine tune. Before you pull the trigger, take a look at the Weldpro and see what you think. Only upgrade I did on mine was the ground clamp...

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

[acourtjester]

I have one of these and would buy another if needed, I started with the power tig 256, with plasma. move up to the power tig 256 no plasma (Duty cycle reason) and then to the Power Tig 255 EXT. It has the advanced AC tig and works great. Jody have a great video out for this process is why I switched. Sold the others with no call back from the buyers. 2K for this one

[ToolFanGeoff]

kwplot34, A year and a half ago, I was looking for a TIG welder for my home shop. I bought an AHP Alpha TIG 201HD. It is a great machine that I was able to do a lot of projects with. Some have had issues with the AHP, but mine has been rock solid. It is a good machine for very little money. That being said, for some of my projects, I really needed/wanted a more powerful machine. A few months ago I purchased an HTP Invertig 313. As a home shop, hobby welder, I would call this a professional shop level machine. Serious power for thicker aluminum. Of course, it comes at a price - about 8 times the cost of the AHP Alpha TIG.
For most home shop guys the Primeweld 225 might be ideal, and would be my suggestion, especially based on the price.
Geoff

[Louie1961]

If I was buying a TIG welder right now I would buy a Lincoln Aspect 230 AC/DC

[kwplot34]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. The Primeweld will be here Thursday, it was tough picking it over the Lincoln, hope it works out as well as the reviews.

[albrightree]

I'm going against the grain here. Go with a Miller Dynasty 200, nothing like talking with customers service with a accent I recognize. I have one and its been great!

https://www.weldingweb.com/images/smilies/laughing.gif

The guys at Primeweld customer service definitely don't have the accent my Father in Law from Arcadia/Zulfa Springs had. Their accent is more Philadelphia than New Jersey, but I still think you would still understand them.

I always wanted a Dynasty, but even the used ones I see near me have always seem to be for 3 or 4 thousand dollars. My synchrowave 180 has worked really well for a long time , but isn't very portable, and uses lots of energy(60amps@240). My friend bought the lincoln sw200 five or six years ago and is still happy with it, and he's a diehard miller guy. I needed TIG for my garage which only has a fifty amp service, so I bought the prime weld about 6 months ago , and have been pretty happy with it. Compared to the SW200 the primeweld 225 isn't as portable, or as sturdy. I haven't seen / don't know ,any body whose used and the Lincoln aspect yet.

The dynasty 200 was a good machine. But today I would not buy one unless it was almost free. Parts are going obsolete and what is left can cost over $1000
Main power pcb list for $1700. If you want a 200 amp miller then look at the new Dynasty 210. If you do find a dynasty 200. cheap. run it until it dies and throw it away in the electronic waste.

It seems like all the newer 200 amp inverter machines are 2 PCB devices:

1) front panel / Interface/ screen board

2) Main PCB with heat sinks

If the main PCB goes bad, its probably not worth fixing. Buy them with a warranty, toss them when they die.

Before wanting a dynasty, I wanted a Syncrowave 250 like the one in the machine shop at the factory where I worked. I was in Maintenance, and the machinists would never let me use it. At that time none of the machinist were welders, the machinist who just retired when I started was the only one who ever used the machine. I think I memorized the Miller brochure from staring at it so much. That was about 30 years ago.

I started with an EconoTwinHF , and then settled with the Syncro 180 , and then later, bartered for a Airco 250 Heliwelder IV set up on 480, and a water cooler(homemade). The Airco gets less and less use every year. Have thought about selling it , but then I get a big aluminum job, and I'm glad I didn't.

good luck with the new machine. Post some pic's if you can.

[G-ManBart]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. The Primeweld will be here Thursday, it was tough picking it over the Lincoln, hope it works out as well as the reviews.

I recommended the Primeweld 225X to a coworker recently and it was delivered a week or two ago. He's extremely happy and keeps sending me pictures of his progress...he's doing really well. I have yet to hear anybody unhappy with a PW...unlike some other brands!

[kwplot34]

According to the tracker it should be here Thursday. I can post up some pic's and I am sure I will have lot's of questions on how to set up and use.

[kwplot34]

Welder did show up Thursday, finally got to mess with it today and I need a lot of practice to lay a nice bead and figure out all the buttons and dials.
That welder came in some of the nicest packaging I think I have ever seen. will get some pics tomorrow.

[wmgeorge]

My MIG 180 came packaged the best I have ever seen! My only issue with the 180 is I wish it ran flux core a little nicer but its still ok. The stick side welds perfectly.

[kwplot34]

[kwplot34]

Soon as I can start making some nice welds I will make it a cart for it, could use the mig or the stick but using the tig will give me more practice.

[BaTu]

Welder did show up Thursday, finally got to mess with it today and I need a lot of practice to lay a nice bead and figure out all the buttons and dials.

Forget all those buttons & dials, you're not likely to use them much in the future, and certainly not now!

Set your purges and weld steel in DC with only the Main Welding Amps to be concerned with. Weld Away!!!

Later, with Very Clean Alum, set AC Freq and Balance to their appropriate places and leave them there until you're good enough to recognize how they change things...

[Tillerdemon]

KW - If you haven't already done so, turn the start current knob to zero. Even thought he manual says that pot is deactivated when using the pedal, it is activated. You will enjoy the lower amp-softer starts.