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?
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.
Regarding this ^^^^^. I'm pretty sure the Syncrowave 210 has basic pulse programs, you'd need to confirm.
If you want to reduce upfront costs, you can always add a water cooler and water cooled torch to the Dynasty later.
The whole spoolmate nonsense on the Syncrowave 210 is just that, nonsense.
Originally Posted by 16penny
If you put Taco Bell sauce in your ramen noodles it tastes just like poverty
The whole spoolmate nonsense on the Syncrowave 210 is just that, nonsense.
...yup, as it is on the 211 Mig "Package Deal" as well. The flow meter / regulator is pretty damn hokey, too.
Miller's Appleton crew act like rock stars, these days. I can say that, Appleton and I go back to 1982, and well remember when you could talk to a real tech, and get real data,....and honest to God product support that didn't come in a can labeled "our policy is".
GTC
Member, Clan of the Border Rats -- “Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it.”- Mark Twain
We've got a half dozen or more of the air cooled Dynasty 280's at work and they are fantastic. While I have no experience with the Dynasty 210, I think it would be a solid machine and have everything you will need in one package.
For what you are describing you need it for, I'd skip the water-cooler unless you going to be welding 1/4" and up aluminum for extended periods of time and need max amperage. You could always add the cooler later if needed. We run the 280's for hours on end TIG welding heavy-walled pipe in the 120-140 amp range with no problems and no water cooler.
If your looking to save a few bucks, the Lincoln Square Wave 200 is a pretty capable machine. A buddy has one and I must say for the price it was pretty impressive. They literally have trouble keeping them in stock around here because that are popular with the hobbyists. I wouldn't get one for industrial type use though
I'm really not interested in the spool gun at this time, I know it's included in current promotions but I'd rather have a pair of tig torches instead, one foot controlled and one controlled fingertip.
I'm going to keep a mig machine around for plug welds, general purpose structural stuff like basically 14 gauge and up. Certainly there will be some overlap where there will be some 20 gauge I choose to mig and there will be some stuff up to 1/4" that I may choose to tig.
But for the most part my plan is to set up something like a 212 millermatic with a spool gun and 2 tanks. This way I'll have my steel and very rare aluminum needs covered in mig.
Then my critical sheet metal joints will be handled with tig.
I really don't think I'll be exploring duty cycle limits as I tack and short stitch light sheet metal panels with frequent stops for planishing.
Pulse and or other arc control features that can help me control heat etc... that is interesting to me.
But for the most part my plan is to set up something like a 212 millermatic with a spool gun and 2 tanks. This way I'll have my steel and very rare aluminum needs covered in mig.
Whoever hacked Dave's login, it's not funny.
Originally Posted by 16penny
If you put Taco Bell sauce in your ramen noodles it tastes just like poverty
You weld quite a few panels as a restorer so you may want a name brand unit but this one has some advanced features and good reviews. You can mount this one on a cart with a bottle for about a grand and find out if tiggin' is where its at for ya.
When I apprenticed with a metal man in the 70's it was hammer and dolly with acetylene...I can still do it but a tungsten torch will do it cleaner and finer than even the best mIG in stitch mode...
VERY interesting,....that's a whole lotta' functions in one package, at a KILLER price.
GTC
Member, Clan of the Border Rats -- “Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it.”- Mark Twain
Pulse is the only way to go.You can tune them by ear and weld thin sheet metal with no distortion.
Its all right to be white!! Stupidity left unattended will run rampant Don't argue with stupid people, They will drag you down to their level and then win by experience
The tig I run occasionally at work these days is an old Miller and I don't remember which model it is. I'm happy with it because I like having a complete panel for selecting settings such as Contactor, Remote or Local", chose foot pedal or thumb switch High Freq, Start,Continuous, Off. At start is handy for most everything. AC, DC straight,DC Reverse, without switching cables. I like a water cooled torch, the cable may be a bit more bulky but the torch, the nozzles and diffuser is smaller and easier to manipulate. All the tig machines I've run have welded fine at 100amps and up but not all were workable at 40amps and down.
I ran a Lincoln 275 when I was welding well heads and it ran fine too
"Camping places fix themselves in your mind as if you had spent long periods of your life in them. You will remember a curve of your wagon track in the grass of the plain like the features of a friend." Isak Dinesen
mine is a 250 dx. have never ran in to a problem with the duty cycle. work days as a millwright and do fab/repair and ss pipework on he side. have done a pile of piping with mine and cant see the need for any thing more.
with the auto body and fabing for ND cant see running continuously long enough to have probs with tig duty cycle
Any D.C. Arc welder set to straight palarity can tig weld carbon or stainless steel. All you need is a tig torch and set the leads to negative on the tig torch and positive to the ground and a flow meter and argon hose.
I wanted to TIG the roof rack holes in my Cherokee so I thought scratch start TIG would be the ticket. As much as I tried I simply could not progress with scratch start, especially 18ga carbon steel. I spent a lot of time sharpening tungsten and in the end, used my Lincoln MIG to close the holes.
Welding Tips and Tricks has very good videos on Youtube.
VERY interesting,....that's a whole lotta' functions in one package, at a KILLER price.
GTC
Yeah that's supposed to be the one.
I tell ya' what,....once I had the hang of those function knobs, I think I'd PREFER that setup to the Dynasty touch pad setup. To this day I can't for the damn life of me figure out why Miller put that handle right in front of the LCD display
Member, Clan of the Border Rats -- “Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it.”- Mark Twain
I've got that one up right now, looks like a lot of machine for the money.
Dave here's a site that auctions all types of stuff and down here often has killer deals on equipment that schools or municipalities no longer need. I've got some killer deals on good used tools as you see many vocational schools upgrade and sell off lightly used stuff of all types. Look up " Industrial Equipment" for your state or area. You never know...
