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Yeah,..the finger control is probably a good idea. It's difficult to operate a pedal when you're standing up and I would guess that you're going to do a lot of stand up welding. I'd leave off the water cooling. It adds a lot of bulk to an outfit.

I was kind of thinking finger control because I could be doing some long welds at the car and I don't care to be kicking that foot control along as I move around.

miller syncrowave. have one now. wish i woulda sarted with one. hard to beat imo

Exactly. I've tried it a few times and it was a pain.

Syncrowave is one I've been looking at in the 210 model.

are they HF start? I can't tell from the website.

The Maxstar series is another I was considering, it's a DC only machine but is available in HF

I'll dito the syncrowave. What you are looking at are rectifier machines. All good. But, if you have a chance to use a good generator machine, try it. Excellent arc density, smooth! A 210 amp syncrowave machine would be perfect https://www.millerwelds.com/equipment/welders/tig-gtaw/syncrowave-210-tig-welders-m00488 . Go with the water cooled too. The torch I use is water cooled, and not more cumbersome that without water. Worth the cost to have water imo.

If you intend to weld aluminum a machine that is ac/dc will be needed. And get a 3/32 dia Lanthanated tungsten (gold color on one end of tungsten) for aluminum up to 1/4" thick or a bit more. The real benefit with a Lanthanated tungsten is that you can grind to a point for a piercing arc. This breaks up the oxide layer that aluminum has. Much better weld puddle control than the ball ended pure tungsten that is traditionally used for ac aluminum welding.

For your steel weld work a simple thoriated (red color on one end) is typical.

I'm looking at that one right now. I've got 3 different outlets in my shop for welders, they are all 240 single phase, 50 amp circuits. Will that be good for this machine?

Yes, the Syncrowave 210 defaults in HF. There's also a lift arc mode, if you've got a helper with a pacemaker, etc.


You just need to ask yourself if you can live with duty cycle of this a Syncrowave 210.

You might consider spending half or a litte more than half on a used
industrial machine with a cooler.

Do you have a good local gas/welding supplier who can arrange a demo?

Gotta tell ya' he won't be the first one underwhelmed by that detail.

....BIGGER, WATER COOLED, HF START....Then, never look back.

GTC

240V, 1ø, 50 Amps is more than enough for this welder.

If you were a hobbyist or even an advanced enthusiast, the Syncrowave 210 would probably be great, but this is how you make your living. IMO you pay a huge premium for Miller to put together that nice neat little package.

This

If you have the money

Several people that I know that work with Machines every day tell me to stick with Miller for wire and TIG welding.

I was talked into getting the Dynasty 200DX and I am a Lincoln guy.

I have no regrets the 200DX is an assume machine. Just plug it into what ever you have and it configures it self to what is feeding it. 110 1 phase to 460 3 phase.
It really sings on 3 phase. 1 phase 110 will only run 3/32" stick 1/8" blows breakers.

I let another welder borrow it for a project and he fell in love with it.

Ditto. Buy right the first time and sail smoothly after. Buying substandard adds nothing but frustration. Damned if I would do that to myself

I'm trying to decide, maxstar series (DC only)

Syncro in 210? (DX option available when you jump to 250)

or dynasty... then where do you stop with dynasty? 210, 210 DX, 210 DX with water cooling?

It's only money right?

I prefer HF and it pretty much a must if using AC on aluminum to eliminate tungsten contamination. Keeps it all pretty clean in DC mode on steel too.
These inverter based machines are pretty much the bomb now days affordable enough to go ahead and get an AC/DC machine and plug 'em in anywhere. Duty cycle for low amperage like you will be using on panels runs pretty high on most of these.
Someone posted last year about a offshore Tig that used Millers boards. I'll look it as I think I saved it somewhere.

It's this for me.

I used a fairly basic, yet high quality 150 amp Miller unit for many years.

I changed jobs and they had a couple of massive TIG welders with all the bells and whistles.

They had the same type of torch and the same type of pedal as the earlier Miller unit I had spent years with.

When I was welding with the big, deluxe machines I was holding the same type of torch and operating the same type of pedal as was on my 150 amp Miller unit.

I never knew the difference.

I have a cooler on my 200DX and it throws welders because they are not use to seeing them with coolers.

Be realistic with what you'll use it for. While my dream machine is a 210 dx with water cooled torch, the full blown package is ~$5k. Now if you need what the welder offers in terms of arc control for various materials and thicknesses, by all means get the machine that won't hold you back.

If you're only going to be welding carbon steel body panels, it seems like an overkill machine. If you might be welding aluminum, stainless and other alloys and thicker materials where the water cooling is needed, then you can't go wrong with with the 210dx.

That said, the advanced arc controls aren't just about welding exotic materials, they allow you to put less heat into the material. I would think in the interest of not warping sheet metal, such controls might prove well worth it vs. just looking at the least expensive machine that won't burn holes in sheet metal.

There are some great tutorials on youtube that go over how to use the arc controls and the benefits. Well worth an hour or two of your time to understand what the advanced machines offer.

You will have to judge if you would want a cooled unit if the major use will be sheet metal because as you already know you won't be running any continuous welds if that's its only use.
Make sure you choose a unit that will go low enough amperage wise.

Friend of mine bought the Lincoln "garage Pack".

It came with the MP 210 wire feed and the 200 square wave tig.

He really likes that machine, and he is not a hobbyist.

Seems like the Tig welder goes on sale once in a while for 1100 bucks or so.

Lot of machine for the money.

I am saving my money to buy a HTP 221.