Well I just bought my Dynasty 200dx but I've yet to get a torch or any other necessities. My question is this.. Should I just buy the miller contractors kit or piece together the parts? I won't be stick welding anytime soon and I don't know if I ever plan to. Would I save money if I bought the torch separate and all the other pieces needed? Should I just buy the foot pedal contractors kit for 610 which includes everything or just buy the pieces separate? I'm just not sure if I should spend the 610 and get the contractors kit? Would I save money buying all these things separate and take advantage buying a better torch right off the bat? Did I repeat myself a few times? LOL

 

I say go watercooled the first time around, instead of buying everything for an air cooled torch then re buying everything when the torch gets too hot to hold
I have yet to buy a watercooled torch....never have enough spare $$ for the stuff i want lol

 

I went through Arc-Zone and just got the pieces I needed for my Sync 500. You can get the torch you want along with all its hardware and a pedal. It's not bad if you know what you are getting, and yeah definitely get a water cooled torch, you don't have to use the cooler now, but it's better than changing it all when you do want to use one. I know some guys who just put a rubber hose from a sink to the torch and drain it back to the sink or outside when they occasionally use the cooler. If you are just starting out AZ also has some torch packages so you don't have to sort through the hardware to figure out what you need. Also if you are new to TIG you might want to get a couple of gas lenses since you might get the first one or two full of crap and need to replace it.

 

if you shop online and piece together your own setup you will pay around $490 minus the carrying case and arc stinger/cable but you will still have better equipment than the contractors kit e.g. a longer ground lead, flow-meter instead of regulator, solid copper ground clamp.

water cooled setup would be ideal but a lot more expensive, lets say he wants to go with a cooler so he swaps out the air cooled torch for a water cooled torch from the $490 put-together kit he would still have to spend another $450-$600 and thats just to make the water cooled torch operational.. assuming he has no welding gear yet add a welding helmet, argon tank, filler metals, gloves, brushes, gas lenses/cups/tungsten..... and now he is at over $1000.

 

I'd get a miller coolmate 3 or 4 watercooler and then find a good used 250-300 amp sized watercooled torch off ebay. We bought a bunch of used torches last year and I think they averaged around $30-$50 a piece for CK or comperable name brands. The consumable packs that come with the runner packages (I think that's the same as the contractor packs?) are practically useless. We have 2 or 3 of them sitting in the welder drawers. It's all wierd tungsten and non gas lense setups.

 

Well for what I'll be doing I don't think a water coolled torched is needed but then again, what do I know? Also, I will be getting all my consumables for free. My friends in the military as a welder and he's honestly brought me 300 pounds of material thus far. Since I am new to this would you guys mind showing me link to GREAT torches or othre things? I know I need a torch, foot pedal, ground, regulator(whats the difference with flow meter?) what am I msiing? The machine will be used as a hobbyist. I doubt I will ever need a cooler as I won't be mass producing anything or welding anything hella thick.

 

For air cooled I love my weldcraft flex head wp-9 torch. Much smaller and compact than your average wp-17 torch, and also has the flexible head for hard to reach/awkward positions.

 

just got one and they are the ****....

 

I have the wp-9 on my dynasty dx. There are times when my torch gets pretty hot and I need to stop welding and let it cool. It gets too hot for me to handle through my gloves. This only happens when I do a long weld on aluminum like trying to weld the whole length of an intercooler endtank. Other than that I feel that a watercooled setup is something I can live without.

 

http://store.cyberweld.com/200ampairtig.html

would you guys recommend something like this? I seriously have the SLIGHTEST clue what torch I should get. I dont need a water cooler and I doubt I ever will. This is cheaper than the contractor kit and seems to have everything I need to get started welding.

 

this might sound like a stupid question, but why are the components to make a water cooled torch operational so expensive? All you need is a vessel to hold the water, a pump to move it, and maybe some sort of heat exchanger for it. you could probaly add a filter to keep from clogging the torch. Or better yet do what the other guy said and just plumb it to a sink or garden hose and run it outside. As long as you can use a water cooled torch without water IMO I would just spring for the water cooled now.

Ive been shopping around lately for a TIG and I will be in this same boat soon. Unfortunately I havent seen any good deals on craiglist and I can never take off for the auctions and Im getting impatient so I may just end up buying a new machine. good luck on whatever you decide

 

I've seen several guys actually build a water cooler like you've mentioned. I mean if it has the name miller on it, its going to be pricey, no matter what.
Guys please help me get a torch or point me in the right direction. The kit I've linked seems to be just what I need. Aside from that and an argon bottle, is there anything else I need? I have my helmet and 125 cubic foot bottle and dynasty 200DX.

Also, theres a Lincoln precision 185 local to me for 900 dollars, is that a good deal? I think it has a few extra parts.

 

DEFINITELY get a water cooled. Your hand will thank you if you do much aluminum. Either build your own cooler or buy one. You can make a cooler out of an old soda machine carbonator. Look for a McCann Big Mac carbonator on ebay...they can be had for ~100. Includes tank/pump/motor, you'll need to get a heat exchanger and a fan (transmission cooler) and move some lines around on the carbonator but thats about all there is to it.

 

Is a water cooler needed? I don't plan to weld for hours on end. I don't plan to weld really thick material. If I buy a water cooler its going to be a miller coolmate which is expansive as ****.

 

200 Amp Air-Cooled starter set comes complete with:
Weldcraft WP26R 200A, 25-foot TIG Torch ----------- too big for automotive welding
Smith Argon Flowmeter/Regulator
10' Gas hose
15' Ground cable with clamp
TIG Torch adapter Q5G-200 (Miller part #195379) ------ dynasty's already come with a Miller equivalent of this adapter
TIG power block adapter --------- not needed the dynasty uses dinse connectors
TIG spare parts accessory kit
Price: $422.06 and no foot pedal included so add another $243 = $665.06

here is the list i made for you that only has the parts you need to operate the machine


From Cyberweld- all items below ship for free:

Weldcraft WP17 TIG Torch Package - 150 Amp Air-Cooled 25ft hose. $122.06
RFCS-14 HD Foot Control $243.90
Smith Flowmeter Regulator - H2051 with 6" inert gas hose $83.27
Tweco Copper Ground Clamp - GC 200 $17.45


From weldingsupply.com

#2 Welding Cable Black 25ft including shipping $40.55


grand total from both stores: $507.23 shipped

and a savings of $157.83

 

Wow man, thanks.. That's exactly what I was looking for. I really appreciate you putting that list together for me. Now on the torch, would you recommend any other torch? What about the gas line? The last item you've linked is to be used with the clamp, correct? It has 122 next to the torch so I'm assuming its WITH the 25 foot cable but what about the gas line?

 

For a torch with the gas and power running through one line/hose like the one listed you will need the power adapter...
http://store.cyberweld.com/dintorad.html

When I bought my dynasty used it came with the #26 torch. That thing is a monster! I made the switch to the #9 and it is so much more comfortable BUT it does get hot when welding over 120A for extended period of times. I think you will like the #9. Most parts are interchangable on the #9 with the watercooled torch #20 if you ever decide to go that route.

The gas line from your regulator to the dynasty...
http://store.cyberweld.com/ingasho6sibl.html

 

well what's the best way to run the gas? straight through the torch or on a separate line. The daynasty has a hook up for gas, does it not? its the one in the middle between the 2 dense connectors if I'm not mistaken.

 

The torch gas outlet is above the torch power dinse. You will need that adapter to run any torch with power and gas via a single line. Single line means less bulk and clutter but I have not seen any that size and smaller come with 2 lines. The #9 torch for sure only come with one.

 

with an air cooled torch i would only be comfortable making about a 6" pass when welding 1/8" aluminum. with a water cooled setup, i dont feel i need to stop. and yes it is way cheaper to make your own cooler.

 

SD- did you buy the welder new? if its new then you don't need any connectors/adapters, if you got the machine used without any dinse connectors then you will need the Q5G-200 adapter for the 1 piece torch and another dinse connector for your ground.

champ- the inert gas hose is already listed together with the flowmeter.

i would also go with a small wp-9 but the flex version and just buy a $3 pair of Kevlar gloves so you don't burn your hand at higher amps.

 

I've bought my dynasty brand new from weld fabulous. Also, I am not quite understanding how the gas line works. FOr instance, you can run the line and torch as one but not sure which torch you would use. Also, what about running the gas separate? Where on the torch does the gas hook up? Sorry for the newb questions but as you can see I'm new to welding. Your help is greatly appreciate though...

 

me too, and Im paying attention so you guys are killing 2 birds with 1stone here

 

you don't want a 2 piece torch, that style torch is meant to be used with older welders that don't use dinse connectors. you can use a 2 piece torch on a newer dynasty but you need an adapter to convert dinse to a cable lug but that option only makes sense for people that already have 2 piece torches and are upgrading to newer machines.

 

Ok so when hooking up the gas line to the separate fitting it actually goes through the machine and through the dense plug into the tip of the torch? Am I getting this right?