i Guys,

I came across an auction for a tig welder. I am requesting opinions to help
determine whether it's worth the money they are asking. It is close enough
for me to pick up and not need shipping.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...0700 142&rd=1

Thanks for the help.

Joe...

JB wrote:
i Guys,

I came across an auction for a tig welder. I am requesting opinions to help
determine whether it's worth the money they are asking. It is close enough
for me to pick up and not need shipping.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...0700 142&rd=1
Well, it is single phase input, so it most likely will do AC welding.
it probably is NOT a square-wave TIG, however. But, with a pedal
control, maybe it could be. I don't see enough knobs, though, so
I doubt it. It would have been a big help if you could read the labels
on the panel. Shipping/ability to pick up makes a big difference,
though. This thing weighs 600-800 Lbs, and is huge! The $799 buy it
now is probably reasonable. I paid $1300 plus shipping for a Lincoln
Square-Wave TIG 300, a much more capable machine, with the torch,
cooler, you name it. Looks like this one has an air-cooled torch.

If you want to do aluminum, you may really want to go for a square-wave,
cyber-wave, or whatever, a more advanced machine for AC TIG.

Jon

Hey Joe!?, What do you plan on welding?(Steel, Alum, Stainless)
Does it come with a chiller that chills the water for the torch, or
does it have gas cooled torch? How thin is the matl that you're going
to weld? Gas cooled torches get hot and uncomfortable under high
amperage/long bead welding conditions, where as a liquid cooled torch
is much more comfortable and the torch/tungsten may have a longer
service life. Ask if you can see the machine in action to make sure
that it works. Tracy

JB wrote:

I am requesting opinions to help determine whether it's worth the money
they are asking. It is close enough for me to pick up and not need
shipping.

Uhoh! Have you read the type platen? Over 90 Amps at 230V? No single
phase wall plug will withstand this load. Also, this monster seems to be
more than 25 years old. Not that it will not survive another 25 years
(Linde / Union Carbide), but you will get something a fraction of it's
size & weight for double the starting bid. It's also unclear wether it
is AC/DC, and what the knobs are for.

Do you need the 300 Amps?


Nick
--
"Wissenschafts"-Sendung auf einem der Privat-Kanäle:
"Der Behälter fasst 200.000 Kubik-Liter."
Wie viele Quadrat-Stunden braucht es dann wohl, um ihn voll zu bekommen?

Thanks for your input Jon, it is very helpful.

Joe...

"Jon Elson" wrote in message
ervers.com...
JB wrote:
i Guys,

I came across an auction for a tig welder. I am requesting opinions to
help
determine whether it's worth the money they are asking. It is close
enough
for me to pick up and not need shipping.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...0700 142&rd=1
Well, it is single phase input, so it most likely will do AC welding. it
probably is NOT a square-wave TIG, however. But, with a pedal control,
maybe it could be. I don't see enough knobs, though, so
I doubt it. It would have been a big help if you could read the labels on
the panel. Shipping/ability to pick up makes a big difference,
though. This thing weighs 600-800 Lbs, and is huge! The $799 buy it now
is probably reasonable. I paid $1300 plus shipping for a Lincoln
Square-Wave TIG 300, a much more capable machine, with the torch, cooler,
you name it. Looks like this one has an air-cooled torch.

If you want to do aluminum, you may really want to go for a square-wave,
cyber-wave, or whatever, a more advanced machine for AC TIG.

Jon

Tracy,

I currently own a Hobart Hadler 120. I want something that can do aluminum.
This is a pure hobby.

I'm not sure what the answers are to your other questions but I will try to
find out.

Thanks again for the help.

Joe...
"Bandit" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hey Joe!?, What do you plan on welding?(Steel, Alum, Stainless)
Does it come with a chiller that chills the water for the torch, or
does it have gas cooled torch? How thin is the matl that you're going
to weld? Gas cooled torches get hot and uncomfortable under high
amperage/long bead welding conditions, where as a liquid cooled torch
is much more comfortable and the torch/tungsten may have a longer
service life. Ask if you can see the machine in action to make sure
that it works. Tracy

Nick,

I don't hink I'll need 300 amps. I am a hobbyist. I would like the
capability of doing aluminum.

Thanks afor the input.

Joe..
""Nick Müller"" wrote in message
...
JB wrote:

I am requesting opinions to help determine whether it's worth the money
they are asking. It is close enough for me to pick up and not need
shipping.

Uhoh! Have you read the type platen? Over 90 Amps at 230V? No single
phase wall plug will withstand this load. Also, this monster seems to be
more than 25 years old. Not that it will not survive another 25 years
(Linde / Union Carbide), but you will get something a fraction of it's
size & weight for double the starting bid. It's also unclear wether it
is AC/DC, and what the knobs are for.

Do you need the 300 Amps?


Nick
--
"Wissenschafts"-Sendung auf einem der Privat-Kanäle:
"Der Behälter fasst 200.000 Kubik-Liter."
Wie viele Quadrat-Stunden braucht es dann wohl, um ihn voll zu bekommen?

JB wrote:

I don't hink I'll need 300 amps. I am a hobbyist. I would like the
capability of doing aluminum.

So about 150 Amps are enough (without knowing how thick the pieces are
you want to weld). And you need AC.


Nick
--
"Wissenschafts"-Sendung auf einem der Privat-Kanäle:
"Der Behälter fasst 200.000 Kubik-Liter."
Wie viele Quadrat-Stunden braucht es dann wohl, um ihn voll zu bekommen?

In article ,
JB wrote:
i Guys,

I came across an auction for a tig welder. I am requesting opinions to help
determine whether it's worth the money they are asking. It is close enough
for me to pick up and not need shipping.

I don't know anything about the device being auctioned, but you
might want to check *before* the auction closes, to see whether he will
*allow* local pick-up. Some vendors won't.

Good Luck,
DoN.

--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

Jeez, $10 off if you wait for the auction to end!
If you're ready to do the wiring that will be necessary and have the power
available, it might not be a bad deal for a basic TIG welder. The power
requirements will be rather more than a typical house wiring can handle
unless you have a full electric house and are willing to not use the water
heater, stove and room heat when using it.

--
Why isn't there an Ozone Hole at the NORTH Pole?

On Sat, 04 Jun 2005 13:52:24 -0400, JB wrote:

i Guys,

I came across an auction for a tig welder. I am requesting opinions to help
determine whether it's worth the money they are asking.

Hey Joe,

Ernie Leimkuhler is a welding teacher who inhabits this group and
sci.engr.joining.welding. I have never gone wrong following his advice.
He has recommended the Thermal Arc Pro-Wave 185 TSW TIG/Stick welder
many times as being the most feature packed TIG welder in it's class.
You say you want to weld aluminum. I don't know how thick the aluminum
is that you want to weld, but the Thermal Arc should be capable of
handling 1/8th inch thick stuff (1 amp per 1 thousandth thickness
is 125 amps for 1/8th) and will run off of a standard 30 amp clothes
dryer outlet. No special wiring needed. The Thermal Arc is also small
and compact, weighing about 40 pounds, so in a hobby oriented shop
it won't take up as much room as that monster on Ebay.

Ernie also recommends Indiana Oxygen Company (IOC) as an online source for
these welders. So do I, having dealt with them myself.

They sell online through Ebay.
Here's a link to the Thermal Arc Pro-Wave 185 TSW sold by IOC:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=7521224 506

It is more expensive than the one you're looking at, but it is brand new
(with a warranty) and I think it will be more suited to what you want to do
(assuming you want to weld 1/8th inch thick or less aluminum).

Nick Müller wrote:
JB wrote:


I don't hink I'll need 300 amps. I am a hobbyist. I would like the
capability of doing aluminum.


So about 150 Amps are enough (without knowing how thick the pieces are
you want to weld). And you need AC.


Nick

This is going to be a good machine, if it works.. I'm pretty sure it'll
put out AC, but there's no guarantee of it without asking the seller.

To answer another poster, the input amperage on the tag will be for
wide-open output. I have a Linde mig, pretty old, and it's a quality
machine, it'd take a lot for me to trade it off.. so I'd guess this is
good stuff also.

The price, however, is pretty high. If you hit some factory auctions
you'll likely find a comparable machine for half the price. The seller
is most likely not a welder and has few clues as to value, he's just
fishing.

I'd write, politely express interest and let him know what price you'd
feel is fair. If nobody bites on it and the seller is reasonable then
maybe you can cut a deal.

John

Artemia,

Thank you for the response. I appreciate you taking the time to post a
reply to my inquiry. You gave me food for thought.

Thanks again.

Joe...
"Artemia Salina" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 04 Jun 2005 13:52:24 -0400, JB wrote:

i Guys,

I came across an auction for a tig welder. I am requesting opinions to
help
determine whether it's worth the money they are asking.

Hey Joe,

Ernie Leimkuhler is a welding teacher who inhabits this group and
sci.engr.joining.welding. I have never gone wrong following his advice.
He has recommended the Thermal Arc Pro-Wave 185 TSW TIG/Stick welder
many times as being the most feature packed TIG welder in it's class.
You say you want to weld aluminum. I don't know how thick the aluminum
is that you want to weld, but the Thermal Arc should be capable of
handling 1/8th inch thick stuff (1 amp per 1 thousandth thickness
is 125 amps for 1/8th) and will run off of a standard 30 amp clothes
dryer outlet. No special wiring needed. The Thermal Arc is also small
and compact, weighing about 40 pounds, so in a hobby oriented shop
it won't take up as much room as that monster on Ebay.

Ernie also recommends Indiana Oxygen Company (IOC) as an online source for
these welders. So do I, having dealt with them myself.

They sell online through Ebay.
Here's a link to the Thermal Arc Pro-Wave 185 TSW sold by IOC:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=7521224 506

It is more expensive than the one you're looking at, but it is brand new
(with a warranty) and I think it will be more suited to what you want to
do
(assuming you want to weld 1/8th inch thick or less aluminum).

On Sat, 04 Jun 2005 22:56:16 -0400, JohnM wrote:

Nick Müller wrote:
JB wrote:


I don't hink I'll need 300 amps. I am a hobbyist. I would like the
capability of doing aluminum.


So about 150 Amps are enough (without knowing how thick the pieces are
you want to weld). And you need AC.


Nick

This is going to be a good machine, if it works.. I'm pretty sure it'll
put out AC, but there's no guarantee of it without asking the seller.

To answer another poster, the input amperage on the tag will be for
wide-open output. I have a Linde mig, pretty old, and it's a quality
machine, it'd take a lot for me to trade it off.. so I'd guess this is
good stuff also.

The price, however, is pretty high. If you hit some factory auctions
you'll likely find a comparable machine for half the price. The seller
is most likely not a welder and has few clues as to value, he's just
fishing.

I'd write, politely express interest and let him know what price you'd
feel is fair. If nobody bites on it and the seller is reasonable then
maybe you can cut a deal.

John

Ive turned on several people here on similar welders for considerably
less money. One gent here got a Linde 250HF for $75 and another got a
Miller Dialarc250 HF for $100 bill, with peddle, torch and regulator
(no cooler though..shrug)

Thats a nice old welder. If its working, it will do good work for you,
and will weld aluminum ok. There are other newer machines with more
advanced outputs such as square wave that make aluminum easier to do.
I think that that Linde is worth about $350-500 on the street to the
informed. Shrug.

Gunner

"Considering the events of recent years,
the world has a long way to go to regain
its credibility and reputation with the US."
unknown

Gunner,

Thanks very much for your help. After receiving similar advice from other
members of the NG, I am going to save my money for a newer more advanced
machine.

Thanks again.

Joe...
"Gunner" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 04 Jun 2005 22:56:16 -0400, JohnM wrote:

Nick Müller wrote:
JB wrote:


I don't hink I'll need 300 amps. I am a hobbyist. I would like the
capability of doing aluminum.


So about 150 Amps are enough (without knowing how thick the pieces are
you want to weld). And you need AC.


Nick

This is going to be a good machine, if it works.. I'm pretty sure it'll
put out AC, but there's no guarantee of it without asking the seller.

To answer another poster, the input amperage on the tag will be for
wide-open output. I have a Linde mig, pretty old, and it's a quality
machine, it'd take a lot for me to trade it off.. so I'd guess this is
good stuff also.

The price, however, is pretty high. If you hit some factory auctions
you'll likely find a comparable machine for half the price. The seller
is most likely not a welder and has few clues as to value, he's just
fishing.

I'd write, politely express interest and let him know what price you'd
feel is fair. If nobody bites on it and the seller is reasonable then
maybe you can cut a deal.

John

Ive turned on several people here on similar welders for considerably
less money. One gent here got a Linde 250HF for $75 and another got a
Miller Dialarc250 HF for $100 bill, with peddle, torch and regulator
(no cooler though..shrug)

Thats a nice old welder. If its working, it will do good work for you,
and will weld aluminum ok. There are other newer machines with more
advanced outputs such as square wave that make aluminum easier to do.
I think that that Linde is worth about $350-500 on the street to the
informed. Shrug.

Gunner

"Considering the events of recent years,
the world has a long way to go to regain
its credibility and reputation with the US."
unknown

On Sun, 5 Jun 2005 06:49:41 -0400, "JB"
wrote:

Gunner,

Thanks very much for your help. After receiving similar advice from other
members of the NG, I am going to save my money for a newer more advanced
machine.

Thanks again.

My pleasure. If you were in So. Cal, Id be able to find you something
rather cheap. But the big old transformer machines are Heavy..and
shipping would eat your lunch.

I got my old Lincoln rather cheaply G
http://home.lightspeed.net/~gunner/myshop/before.jpg
Did a little clean up, fixed a broken wire, made a cart
http://home.lightspeed.net/~gunner/myshop/during.jpg
http://home.lightspeed.net/~gunner/myshop/after.jpg

And this is where it now lives
http://home.lightspeed.net/~gunner/myshop/wbench3.jpg

I tig'd up a buddy's homebrew stainless steel intake manifold
yesterday with it.

I think all told, after all the horsetrading and swapping and
whatnot...Ive got less than $100 in it. And had fun making putting it
all together, and making it work the way I want to.

Now there is an AIRCO 300 amp square wave sitting in a shop in So.
Cal..digital readouts and buttons and knobs and thingies that Im
working on getting my hands on......G

Joe...
"Gunner" wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 04 Jun 2005 22:56:16 -0400, JohnM wrote:

Nick Müller wrote:
JB wrote:


I don't hink I'll need 300 amps. I am a hobbyist. I would like the
capability of doing aluminum.


So about 150 Amps are enough (without knowing how thick the pieces are
you want to weld). And you need AC.


Nick

This is going to be a good machine, if it works.. I'm pretty sure it'll
put out AC, but there's no guarantee of it without asking the seller.

To answer another poster, the input amperage on the tag will be for
wide-open output. I have a Linde mig, pretty old, and it's a quality
machine, it'd take a lot for me to trade it off.. so I'd guess this is
good stuff also.

The price, however, is pretty high. If you hit some factory auctions
you'll likely find a comparable machine for half the price. The seller
is most likely not a welder and has few clues as to value, he's just
fishing.

I'd write, politely express interest and let him know what price you'd
feel is fair. If nobody bites on it and the seller is reasonable then
maybe you can cut a deal.

John

Ive turned on several people here on similar welders for considerably
less money. One gent here got a Linde 250HF for $75 and another got a
Miller Dialarc250 HF for $100 bill, with peddle, torch and regulator
(no cooler though..shrug)

Thats a nice old welder. If its working, it will do good work for you,
and will weld aluminum ok. There are other newer machines with more
advanced outputs such as square wave that make aluminum easier to do.
I think that that Linde is worth about $350-500 on the street to the
informed. Shrug.

Gunner

"Considering the events of recent years,
the world has a long way to go to regain
its credibility and reputation with the US."
unknown


"Considering the events of recent years,
the world has a long way to go to regain
its credibility and reputation with the US."
unknown