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Talk me out of buying this(Cheap Chinese AC/DC Tig)

Coworker has the harbor freight one. Loves it. He used to use a miller 250 at his old job. He doesn’t weld for a living but this does what he wants for less than a used miller. He just uses it for aluminum.
 
Primeweld has a ck 17 torch. Foot pedal is alright. Also have a 3 year no questions warranty where they send you a new welder and you send the broken one back, with them covering shipping.

Hard to justify 2k plus for something that gets used once a month at most and only for 15 minutes.
 
I have a Primeweld 225. I’m very happy with it for a casual hobbyist.
 
Couple buddies have the primeweld and they work good. I like how my 30 year old second hand square wave 175 runs aluminum better. But that may be cause I’m used to it and haven’t spent time messing with all the knobs on the primeweld.

I’d still take my $600 square wave if I had to buy again today. The primeweld is conveniently light and small though and works well for the price
 
tracyb said:
yes. if you cant swing it, it is what it is. but for 4x the cost your going to get 10x or 100x the welder....
Click to expand...

Is OP actually gonna put enough hours on the garbage china machine for all that to matter though?

If your business had steered toward metal forming and bending instead of welding type fabrication you might still be using those same China welders you bought way back because you might not have put enough wear and tear on them to kill them. Seems silly to invest the big bucks in something OP doesn't know he's going to use the shit out of for a long time.

I used to use the shit out of my shitty wire welder. Went through multiple torches, liners, capacitors, a fan, on off switch, etc.

I bought a "good" one about the same time I bought an ok stick welder. I've burned hundreds of pounds of electrode and about 2lb of wire since then. For that amount of use I absolutely could have just replaced the wire welder with another little China box.
 
I recently bought an Everlast Powertig 185 AC/DC Tig and love it. I had a little issue setting up the machine, and their tech guy walked me right thru it over the phone. Since then i've welded mild steel, stainless, and aluminum and have had 0 issues.

PowerTIG 185DV - TIG Welders | Everlast Generators

For the extra go anywhere capability, the Everlast PowerTIG185 DV delivers dual voltage capability that will enable you to operate virtually anywhere a power outlet is present. The digitally controlled IGBT inverter of PowerTIG 185DV delivers a smooth, steady arc, as good as any unit in it's...
www.everlastgenerators.com www.everlastgenerators.com

We have $5000 Miller Tigs at work and i had one of the guys try it out. his only complaint was that the pedal wasn't as smooth as the Miller. Otherwise, his welds looked identical. If we have an overseas job, we will be buying Everlast welders and just leaving them there, instead of paying to ship them back.

I called Everlast and placed the order over the phone, then had the welder a few days later.
 
DVanVorous said:
Look to the chart on output and duty cycle of the unit in the idiot book. If you have one of those universal systems that runs on 120 or 220, the output is 50% max of what it is on 220. What's more typical 100% duty cycle of any welder made is actually 50% of the max output...
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It was on 220. Iirc, been a while now, it really struggled to light off an 1/8" rod in stick mode.
 
Ummduh said:
It was on 220. Iirc, been a while now, it really struggled to light off an 1/8" rod in stick mode.
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like the regular stick welding rod? if so think of like striking a match. drag and lift a tiny bit and get to welding.

and 7018 is a bitch after you used the rod. you have to knock off some of the flux
 
jeepnmatt said:
I recently bought an Everlast Powertig 185 AC/DC Tig and love it. I had a little issue setting up the machine, and their tech guy walked me right thru it over the phone. Since then i've welded mild steel, stainless, and aluminum and have had 0 issues.

PowerTIG 185DV - TIG Welders | Everlast Generators

For the extra go anywhere capability, the Everlast PowerTIG185 DV delivers dual voltage capability that will enable you to operate virtually anywhere a power outlet is present. The digitally controlled IGBT inverter of PowerTIG 185DV delivers a smooth, steady arc, as good as any unit in it's...
www.everlastgenerators.com www.everlastgenerators.com

We have $5000 Miller Tigs at work and i had one of the guys try it out. his only complaint was that the pedal wasn't as smooth as the Miller. Otherwise, his welds looked identical. If we have an overseas job, we will be buying Everlast welders and just leaving them there, instead of paying to ship them back.

I called Everlast and placed the order over the phone, then had the welder a few days later.
Click to expand...
I have their PowerArc 200STi, got it in 2018 and have had no issues with it on 120V or 240V.

Aaron Z
 
Ummduh said:
It was on 220. Iirc, been a while now, it really struggled to light off an 1/8" rod in stick mode.
Click to expand...
Perchance did you read the idiot book and find it had a switch bank mounted on a control board that sets what voltage it operates at? I ask because I ran into that hassle with another brand not that this brand happens to...
 
fl0w3n said:
I don't have experience with it but I am debating this brand

ahpwelds.com

AHP AlphaTIG 225Xi

Description: New features for 2024! Now with HV Start (Electronic, solid state simulated HF, no point gap to manage and maintain), and updated internal software, components and controls. NOVA 2.0 torches with new Silicone Ultra Flexible Lines are included as well. The AlphaTIG 225Xi is a...
ahpwelds.com ahpwelds.com
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We got one of those at work as a backup for when the blue turd shits itself. I actually like it better than the blue turd for aluminum, be8ng able to adjust the frequency is nice. It just needs a water cooled torch.
 
I have the Primeweld 225 tig and it was great when I used it to build my stainless exhaust. I have not tried aluminum yet but will soon when I do some intercooler piping
 
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