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Metalworking (rec.crafts.metalworking) Discuss various aspects of working with metal, such as machining, welding, metal joining, screwing, casting, hardening/tempering, blacksmithing/forging, spinning and hammer work, sheet metal work. |
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opinions on Lincoln Precision TIG?
Greetings all,
I have been toying with the idea of upgrading my welding capabilities with one of the Licoln Precision TIG welders for a while. I currently do a fair amount of stick welding and oxyacetylene welding, cutting and brazing. I saw these machines being demonstrated at the last EAA Oshkosh show I attended and was suitably impressed. My needs are primarily hobby-based, not production. I'm not really planning on earning a living with this thing. The kind of stuff I do have included in the past: - wood-fired hot water boiler for shop heating, fabricated out of 1/4" steel plate - homebuilt aircraft construction - tractor restoration - fabrication of components for high vacuum systems and plasma systems for my research at the university Materials of interest are aluminum alloys, stainless steel, and the occasional copper components. Generally, fine control is likely to be more important than brute force welding of heavy materials...I am thinking aircraft welding, body work, stainless vacuum components with flanges (1/8" wall or so), etc. I can always fall back to stick and O/A to join the big stuff. I know the basic concepts behind TIG processes, but have little experience. The Precicion TIG 185 systems look like a nice compact unit (http://www.mylincolnelectric.com/Cat...et.asp?p=12813), but the 275 is also nice (http://www.mylincolnelectric.com/Cat...eet.asp?p=5408). I have 100 amps of 208 available in my shop. Maybe the 275 unit is too beefy? At what point does a water-cooled torch become important versus the air cooled torch? Is the "advanced control panel" (w/adjustable pulse frequency, on time, background current controls, downslope timer, and other stuff) likely to be useful, or wasted on a TIG neophyte? And what are the typical upper limits of material that can be handled by such units (5-185A DC for the 185 vs 2-340A DC for the 275), for the odd job where a substantial aluminum or stainless weldment must be joined? Thank you for any replies, Al |
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