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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Thomas Kendrick
 
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Default Just got a used Miller XMT 300. What's needed for TIG?

Recommend that you visit your nearest Miller dealer and tell him what
machine you have and what you want to do.
He can then advise as to what accessories are needed and whether they
are typically available on the used market.

On 13 Jul 2003 19:47:20 -0700, (chrisg) wrote:

I recently took a one day TIG workshop and used some really nice
Miller machines. Do I absolutely need a foot control and water
cooling? I'm trying to get into TIG as economically as possible
without sacrificing usability. I just have a basic XMT 300 with ground
cable and stick holder. How much will cost to convert to TIG?


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Ernie Leimkuhler
 
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Default Just got a used Miller XMT 300. What's needed for TIG?

In article , chrisg
wrote:

I recently took a one day TIG workshop and used some really nice
Miller machines. Do I absolutely need a foot control and water
cooling? I'm trying to get into TIG as economically as possible
without sacrificing usability. I just have a basic XMT 300 with ground
cable and stick holder. How much will cost to convert to TIG?



Barebones would be a air cooled torch (200 amp with valve, $125) , a
flow-gauge ($50), a bottle of argon ($80 - $200 depending on size),
some consumables for your torch ($30) and some filler rods ($30).

With this setup you would be limited to scratch-start DCEN TIG for
Steel Stainless Steel, Bras, Bronze and Copper.

You can weld aluminum and magnesium to a limited degree using DCEP,
using an oversized tungsten.

You will have no amperage control other than the dial on the machine.

A remote foot pedal can be made for about $50.
I made one from a sewing machine pedal a while back, but if I was going
to make one now I would by a simple vollume control foot pedal for an
electric guitar.
They only run about $25 new and all youy would have to do is add a
contactor switch on the pedal, change the rotary pot to 1Kohm, and add
a 5 wire cord with the correct amphenol connector for your machine.

If you want to add a high frequency start to it then you can either buy
a Miller high freq. unit (they show up on eBay all the time) or make
your own from the ignition coil from a car.

I recommend buying the manual from Miller, however you can download a
XMT 300 manual from their website.

http://millerwelds.com/service/ownersmanuals.php

Make sure which model you have and the serial number.
The manual gives you the wiring diagrams and the pin-outs for the
connectors for a remote foot pedal.
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MP Toolman
 
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Default Just got a used Miller XMT 300. What's needed for TIG?

I am not familiar with that particular machine, so I can't offer any specific
recommendations, but I do have a suggestion. For the type of work I do, I am
not normally comfortably seated at a welding bench so a foot pedal current
control is pretty much useless. I like the sloder control that mounts on the
torch handle. These are available as add-ons or as an assembly that replaces
the torch handle. I like the latter.

You certainly do not need water cooling to get started. Air copoled torches
are readily available. Torches are also available with an integrated gas valve
if your welding machine does not have a built in solenoid valve.

Mill

Subject: Just got a used Miller XMT 300. What's needed for TIG?
From: (chrisg)
Date: 7/13/2003 10:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id:

I recently took a one day TIG workshop and used some really nice
Miller machines. Do I absolutely need a foot control and water
cooling? I'm trying to get into TIG as economically as possible
without sacrificing usability. I just have a basic XMT 300 with ground
cable and stick holder. How much will cost to convert to TIG?



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Ernie Leimkuhler
 
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Default Just got a used Miller XMT 300. What's needed for TIG?

In article , Kruppt
wrote:

Ernie Leimkuhler wrote in
:
snip
or make
your own from the ignition coil from a car.



snip

That's interesting, how so?
Links? Info?

Kruppt


Somebody else had that on their project page to add high freq. to a
stick welder.
I am not enough of an electrical engineer to figure it out myself.
  #5   Report Post  
Kruppt
 
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Default Just got a used Miller XMT 300. What's needed for TIG?

Ernie Leimkuhler wrote in
:

Somebody else had that on their project page to add high freq. to a
stick welder.
I am not enough of an electrical engineer to figure it out myself.



Thanks Ernie,
I'll see if I can find it with a google search.

Kruppt



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Ernie Leimkuhler
 
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Default Just got a used Miller XMT 300. What's needed for TIG?

In article , chrisg
wrote:

not normally comfortably seated at a welding bench so a foot pedal current
control is pretty much useless. I like the sloder control that mounts on
the
torch handle. These are available as add-ons or as an assembly that
replaces

I admit the pedal was a little awkward to me, but I only had an
afternoon's worth of torch time. Do the finger tip controls allow
finer adjustments? I'd imagine a foot pedal valve would still be
needed for the shielding gas? A lot of great responses...thanks!


You can hook up a solenoid valve as an inline device on the gas hose,
triggered manually or by the foot pedal.
  #7   Report Post  
MP Toolman
 
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Default Just got a used Miller XMT 300. What's needed for TIG?

My weding power source (Lincoln 300-300TIG) has a gas solenoid so the fingertip
slide control on the torch can control the shielding gas flow. If you do not
have a solenoid gas control valve, torches are available with a shielding gas
valve built into the handle and a small knob to turn the flow on and off.

My slider control is a unit (by Weldcraft if I remember correctly) that
replaces the standard torch handle. Gives a nice integrated ffeel and provides
fine current control. There are also slider controls that clip/tape/wire tie
onto the standard torch handle. The latter might be easier to adapt to some
torches.

Mill

Subject: Just got a used Miller XMT 300. What's needed for TIG?

not normally comfortably seated at a welding bench so a foot pedal current
control is pretty much useless. I like the sloder control that mounts on

the
torch handle. These are available as add-ons or as an assembly that

replaces
I admit the pedal was a little awkward to me, but I only had an
afternoon's worth of torch time. Do the finger tip controls allow
finer adjustments? I'd imagine a foot pedal valve would still be
needed for the shielding gas? A lot of great responses...thanks!



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