I am currently using a Lincoln 175 TIG machine and it works OK for what I've been doing lately. We are experiencing a little more demand with aluminum work and I've been hearing a lot of good things about newer inverter based power sources. Does anyone have any experience with one of these machines and if they are worth the money - it is a pretty significant price jump. The Dynasty 200 DX machine from Miller is around $2700.

I have heard with these type machines you can run a different tungsten which doesn't ball and the aluminum welding is very easy to control the puddle.

Basically I am curious if I should just practice more on aluminum or if the machine really does help. I do realize that a machine will only be as good as the person using it, but still.....

comments/suggestions open. Thanks!

 

other options on inverters are the thermal arc tws185 ..

a full function pulser is what would help alot with aluminum ..

 

i use the dynasty 300dx with the watercooler and i like it alot because of the space it uses its not a big unit and power capabilites
its all up to the welder as you say though i weld aluminum with it very often and have not had any problem with it
the tungsten does ball like all the out a/c tig welders and thats normal
i have tried the pulse function on the machine and am not a huge fane of it to tell you the through dont get me wrong it works well but the real skill is to control the puddle yourself you know
i would def recommend an inverted machine

 

interesting, the salesmen tell me the tungsten won't ball with the Dynasty machines. This lets you run a finer bead with more accuracy and penetration. Are you using the 'earth' tungstens or still using pure tungstens? With the Dynasty machines I was told you have to use these earth tungstens. They supposedly do not ball.

Basically, my question is, is the extra ~$1500+ worth the control the inverter machine supposedly delivers. I need more practice on aluminum, Im not trying to say the expensive machine will make me a better welder. But if it helps then I'll buy it.

 

Believe it or not i have a Lincoln PT-185 and i use 3/32 2% thoraited tungsten and it doesn't ball at all. Regardless of the balling issue, you have to realize that tig welders have been welding aluminum for 50 years with out a problem, yes the newer inverter machines are nice and small and have new arc cone shaping abilities, but all of the very nice welding you have seen on aluminum radiators, intercoolers etc in the past years have been done with non inverter based machines. The only thing i would recommend is that aluminum requires more heat, with a 175 machine the best you could probably do are some short runs of 3/32 aluminum. I would get a precision tig 275 ready pak for 3000.00 and have way more power and duty cycle than the Lincoln 205 or miller 200 dx. good luck and if need be post up some pics of your aluminum welding with the 175 so we can help.

 

I dont have a lot of pics of my aluminum stuff because I haven't done much. I have made an intake manifold for a 3SGTE engine and a lot of charge piping. Here are some pics of some charge piping for a blown Viper we did. The pics don't show the welds too well because we started smoothing them down and polishing the pipes. The owner wanted the pipes to appear to be one piece.