I am looking to purchase a tig for manifold welding, Down pipes dump tubes and IC piping. I will be welding stainless, mild and al. Sch. 40 will be the heaviest.
- How long has thermal arc been around? Are they as reputable of a company as miller. How durable are their products?
- I'm just trying to get a feel for what to buy. Any suggestions? I have been researching for a while now and just want to get more input.
- I am also hoping to find good info on gas lenses and I am looking for good pics of a pencil torch. I am having trouble welding the inside of a 5" collector. Would this torch help? If not what else is out there to use? I know i read that the tungsten can stick out up to 1" with the gas lense.

So far I have looked at the miller synchrowave 200 and the Thermal Arc 185. I haven't found much info on the lincoln electric.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Troy K


Modified by troyk kms at 2:31 PM 2/27/2006

 

miller makes a quality product. i'm happy with my 180sd even though it is obsolete now.

 

I have a thermal arc. Only reason I got it is because I was able to finance it through my job with 0% intrest. It hasnt dissapointed me yet. About the gas lens, I just recently got one, and noticed a huge difference in the welds. I got most of the info on the lens' on this forum and the hobart welding forum, because when I went to a couple of the welding supply stores around here and asked for a gas lens for my ck17 torch, i got anwsers like 'so you want a lens to sheild your face from the gas while you are welding'

 

Why is the 180sd obsolete? What has come out since that is better?

 

How long have you had the thermal arc? Is it the 185TSW inverter?
I am concerned about something breaking on me and not being able to get the thing back up and running. I am looking for something that will last a long time with little breakage.
Thanks

 

ta185 you will regret not going to an inverter machine now. i promise you. transformer = the lose.

 

Ive only had the ta for about 6 months or so, but it hasnt given me a problem yet if that means anything...heh

 

I bought my Thermal Arc Pro-Wave 185 ~2 months ago. It has yet to disappoint me.

Miller puts out solid products, I don't want to knock them, but the Syncrowave 200 is obsolete technology. It uses 50% more electricity than the Thermal Arc unit (6 kW vs. Thermal Arc's 4 kW). It's not portable, it's big, it's heavy, it's loud,.... Nobody will even make transformers in 5 years.

Thermal Arc is a world wide company. Go to http://www.thermadyne.com/thermalarc/ for service centers around you. You won't be disappointed with your Thermal Arc. It's got all the features as the Syncrowave 200, plus it's a more efficient unit.

 

I have the thermal arc 185 also and i love it had it for about 4-5 months now and I have 0 regrets. Purple all the way

 

Are all torches usable for for every machine miller or thermal arc? Such as if I was to buy a pencil torch can it be used on both a miller and thermal arc or do they have different connections. I know they can't be swapped between a water cooled or air cooled unit. Will I have trouble finding a wide variety of torches? That is for the thermal arc.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Cincy EG Hatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Are all torches usable for for every machine miller or thermal arc? Such as if I was to buy a pencil torch can it be used on both a miller and thermal arc or do they have different connections. I know they can't be swapped between a water cooled or air cooled unit. Will I have trouble finding a wide variety of torches? That is for the thermal arc.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I dont think so i think most millers have a the gas line built in with the torch power cable as to where on thermal arc its seprate. Either way it shouldnt be hard to find diffrent torches for either machine

 

Awesome. Thanks
What is the going price for this machine? I know it depends on who you buy from but what have you guys seen for the machine and a cart with the regulator and a normal package deal?

 

I bought mine on eBay for ~$1730. The cheapest I found locally (with my student discount) was $100 more expensive than eBay. It's a ready to weld package too (add gas and filler and you're good to go).

 

Thanks. Anyone else?

 

I just got a miller syncrowave 200. I payed $1800 for mine. but for the money I think its the best..

 

I bought a miller dynasty 200dx for my house/personal use, its def a step above the syncrowaves IMO. If i couldn't have got the dynasty i would have gone with the thermal arc 185

 

Dynasty 200DX is a nasty welder.

I'm going to get one as soon as I can get some money together.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by daveG &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Dynasty 200DX is a nasty welder.

I'm going to get one as soon as I can get some money together. </TD></TR></TABLE>

You won't regret it

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PhoenixTurboJesse &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You won't regret it </TD></TR></TABLE>

I used one in a welding class for about a month, but I'm going through withdrawl now.

 

What are the pros and cons of the 200 DX. What is the difference in price? More user friendly? Why so much better?