finally got a tig

[williamb82]

http://www.tamparacing.com/forums/misc-automotive-sale-wtb/295264-tig-welder-f-s.html#post3032860

its an old miller 320a/bp but has the high freq, a new water cooled tig torch, the old air cooled one, the foot control, etc.. its a heavy sob but will get the job done, now i can start practicing and make my own manifolds, make my dp out of ss and do my i/c pipes in aluminum. im stoked, price was right too. all i need is a bottle of argon, prolly check on that on wed when im off work. thing welds awesome, guy isnt a very good welder and laid down some pretty sweet beads to show it was working properly.

 

[supra90turbo]

lol that thing is ancient, but if you got it for a song and a dance, well who gives a damn!

 

[williamb82]

$650 and it works like a champ, i dont care if its huge and heavy, it works great and didnt cost me either of my testicles. lol. itll fit in the back room just fine and do everything i need it to, plus from the research i did ive not seen anyone report any problems wit hthe old millers on any of the welding forums ive searched. one guy said youll find a pic of a dialarc next to troublefree in the dictionary, and this was made the same era so should be the same quality.

 

[IJ.]

Miller make some of the best TIG welders anywhere!
(PWR uses them)

Don't worry about it's age as long as everythings in good working order it'll go forever!

Bit of advice though try and do your Hi Freq Aluminium welding in not prime time TV viewing hours your neighbours will HATE you !

 

[williamb82]

lol, i work nights so no worries there. my new schedule starting the 1st will be 5pm-4am tues-friday, so ill be off sat, sun and monday so plenty of time for welding. lol. i just need to get a better helmet as well as the bottle, i dont liek the helmets my dad has. i want a speed glass. though thats half the cost of the machine. lol.

 

[IJ.]

Yep I'm on my second SpeedGlas and love em!

 

[miggles]

i broke mine.Dosnt like to fall off truck bodies onto concrete floors.

 

[williamb82]

ouch, yeah, i could see that as a problem for the machine. luckily this one has a eylet on the top so it can be lifted with an engine hoist. just gotta be sure to let it down nice and slow.

 

[miggles]

:cry: i meant my speedglass helmet

 

[boltz]

Bit of advice though try and do your Hi Freq Aluminium welding in not prime time TV viewing hours your neighbours will HATE you !

HAHA screw them... they can't stop you. But it will seriously cause people's tv's to go nuts? how bad and how far away

 

[IJ.]

Ummm well actually they can stop you!

TVI is a big deal here and you can get your arse kicked in a residential area.

I'm not sure how far away it affects but I know my house is 100'+ away from my shed and it trashes my TV's.

I suspect the tin shed acts as a shield for the houses behind it so they should be fine.

 

[boltz]

The reason it affects the TV's in your house is because it draws power from your hous's electrical panel... not sure how far the interferance would affect down the power pole tho

I suppose they could do something if they knew you were the culprit.

 

[IJ.]

It's actually the HF for the Spark ign that causes it it trashes the car radio as well.
(The house is on a different phase to the Welders)

 

[NashMan]

i am a linken fan but what you is sweet caus ei don't know a tig welder


dame you

lucky man yuo are i whoulde die for any goood tig

 

[IJ.]

I bought a Kempi AC/DC/HF 200 amp inverter a year or so ago it's a great machine!

 

[jt2ma71]

I dunno, mine does not affect anything in our house and neighbors. And I weld all the time. I have a dedicated panel just for the welder though and have 2 ground rods pounded into the ground. I know where I used to work, there was one machine that kept raising the volume of the radio whenever the pedal is depressed
That's a nice machine though, we had ESAB's and Miller's that were probably older than that and they work flawlessly.
Have fun with it. --Ron

 

[williamb82]

thnx man, now, wheres the cheapest place to get a speedglass helmet? lol. also, all the people around here either have sat or cable so not sure if itll still screw withthe tv, or is it the signal comin in it screws? oh well, ill just weld inside the back room so noone will know its me. lol. itll be the neighbor hood mistery why at random times for no apparent reason the tv's go nutz. lol.

 

[91SupraTurbo]

Yea I ahve found out that millers work the best. That is all we ahve at work and at the shop where my car is located and the tig machine works deligtful when the settings are right where they should be. Good luck with the welder and nice steal with the price by the way

 

[williamb82]

i thought it was cheap too though it is an old machine, though my dad has a gas powered arc welder, and i was lookin at high freq boxes new, and alot of them go for over $1500, so an all in one machine for $650, i jumped. lol. anyhow, forgot to ask, what tungstens are best for welding aluminum(manifolds) and which ones for stainless. also any tips from the pros on where to start the settings for each so itll be easier to get dialed in?

 

[williamb82]

anyone used the speedglass 9000f? or should i get a better one/ i really dont have alot of money left right now. lol. and i want to get started on practicing.