[Ferretchaser]

I am in the market for a new AC?DC tig welder. I have one but it does not like US electrickery, so I can only run it over my on board inverter using my batteries and that is a bit of a hassle and I can only do things on board. So instead of making up a 2 mile long extension chord for the thing to make it semi mobile I am shopping around for a new one. It has to be AC and DC foe welding aluminum as well as stainless etc. Any recommendations from the sailnetters would be most welcome as I am not that well up on US brands.

ATB

Michael

PS. it has to run on both 110 and 220V

 

[hellosailor]

Forget the volts, Michael. Are you looking for a portable rig that only pulls 10 amps (at 220) and 20 amps (at 110) ? Or something industrial that needs way more power?

If you have a low-power rig, have you considered a 110:220 transformer, which might be cheaper than a new rig and certainly opens up other options for you?

The cost will be directly related to the amperage you need.

 

[tommays]

Thermal arc and you have to be carefully about the high frequency for good aluminum work as they tend to leave it off the more portable units

Whats the voltage issue as there all run at 1/2 power on 115 ?

 

[overbored]

Miller Dynasty 200 AC/DC about $3000 from Cyber weld. best portable machine made. very low power usage, all inverter technology 110 and 220 with voltage sensing. if you need a little more power then the Dynasty 280. new technology pulse current. run sharp pointed tip on everything, no more balling the tip for Aluminum. any type tungsten. I have 3 of these machines in my Fab shop and several other types and these are the ones that get used the most. we can run them on a 20 amp breaker

 

[outbound]

May want to check out Miller. Common U.S brand that makes mig and tig welders. Kind of like the Ford for welders in U.S. Reliable and well known to suppliers. Had their millermatic and was it was good. Never used their tig.

 

[the_abuse]

thermal arc makes very good products along with longevity

 

[Ferretchaser]

Well i have 30 amps at 110 I can play with and shore side i have 220. The machine I used thus far does not seem to like 60Hz ... I have tried running it over a 110 - 240 transformer and it does not like it.
I'll check out Miller and Thermal Arc

Thank you

 

[overbored]

check them both out, they are both good machines. You will find that the Millers run on less amps and Thermal arc does not make a AC/ DC machine that runs on 110. always new stuff coming out but for what you want to do the miller has them all beat. We have run ours on a generator on both 110 and 220

 

[xymotic]

I havent played with tig on mine yet, but I am extremely happy with my Miller multimatic. It does mig tig and stick, it's very light for a mig and makes Beautiful welds. If you want tig only I think the little inverter millers are tough to

Oops sorry just saw the ac requirement and think that leaves out the multimatic.

 

[DonScribner]

I found this. Not sure what to make of it. I don't need to weld, myself. Anything I need, I mention to the guys in the shop at my company, and before lunch it's on my desk. Nice to be liked.

Muggyweld.com

Don

 

[Ferretchaser]

Well I need the AC for welding aluminum. With limited space on board, I don't want to keep 2 or 3 machines around, if I can find one that I can use for stick and tig welding from steel to stainless and aluminum. Tomorrow I am borrowing a welder to fix the outrigger on one of the shrimp boats. I just don't like to borrow or hire things out and rather use my own tools for a job at hand.

ATB

Michael

 

[Dirtyfloats]

Depends what kind of amperage you are after, and wether you are doing a ton of aluminum.
If its only now and again, and you are mostly doing thin stainless, i would have a look at the miller maxstar stl. Its a dc stick/ tig machine. Dc tig welding aluminum works just fine, especially if you have helium. Expensive, but if your not doing much alu then its worth it.
If you insist on AC welding i would look to thermal arc for a cheaper tig only welder.

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