Welding Aluminum

[dozerII]

Okay guys, good news, I threw my spool gun to the curb and spent a bunch of time on the interweb looking for tig welders that wouldn't cost as much as a redone Starcraft does in Canada. If it says Miller or Lincoln up here it is $3000.to $4000 Eastwood.com has a Tig 200 that will weld up to 1/4 aluminum very well for under $1000. even in Canada. I haven't welded with a tig in over 8 years and playing around today I welded some .080 together with great success, with a little practice welding skegs back on will take 10 minutes and look pro. Now I'm set to make Starcraft fuel fillers, and bring on the WOLD's.

http://www.eastwood.com/tig-welders-eastwood-tig-ac-dc-welder.html

 

[gm280]

I would love to have a TIG setup. I have a MIG and love it. But I can't, for the life of me, justify the cost to buy a TIG for the little I would actually use it. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't like one either... Glad for you...really. :thumb:

 

[Decker83]

Well now.. If I knew you were going to buy a brand new TIG.. I would have waited and brought my WLOD so you could practice on..
The Millers down here in Texas go for a arm and a leg.. Used ones go for 1200 to 2000 easily.. Lincoln are a little cheaper..
I'm like gm280, can't justify the price.. I would have to start making money with it..
Hobart makes one along the same lines that Northern Tool sells. I keep looking at it every time I go there and the Admiral drags me away by the ear..:facepalm:

Glad to see you pulled the trigger and bought yourself one..
Have a great welding weekend..

 

[bruceb58]

I have a TIG, MIG and a plasma cutter. Love my TIG. I have a ThermalArc 185. It was a little less than $1800 when I bought mine. Probably get the new version for around $1600.

Just so you know, that TIG you bought isn't going to weld much when operated on 110V.

Also consider changing the torch. The one that it comes with is not the best.

 

[dozerII]

I would love to have a TIG setup. I have a MIG and love it. But I can't, for the life of me, justify the cost to buy a TIG for the little I would actually use it. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't like one either... Glad for you...really. :thumb:

I won't use it a lot either, but where I live it is almost 3 hour drive to get to the closest place that welds aluminum.

Well now.. If I knew you were going to buy a brand new TIG.. I would have waited and brought my WLOD so you could practice on..
The Millers down here in Texas go for a arm and a leg.. Used ones go for 1200 to 2000 easily.. Lincoln are a little cheaper..
I'm like gm280, can't justify the price.. I would have to start making money with it..
Hobart makes one along the same lines that Northern Tool sells. I keep looking at it every time I go there and the Admiral drags me away by the ear..:facepalm:

Glad to see you pulled the trigger and bought yourself one..
Have a great welding weekend..

I'v got three broken skegs to repair if you figure in gas, travel time and the cost to have someone weld them its almost what I paid for the tig.

I have a TIG, MIG and a plasma cutter. Love my TIG. I have a ThermalArc 185. It was a little less than $1800 when I bought mine. Probably get the new version for around $1600.

Just so you know, that TIG you bought isn't going to weld much when operated on 110V.

Also consider changing the torch. The one that it comes with is not the best.

Bruce, It got plugged straight into 220, would not even consider using 110. What's wrong with the torch, and what would you recomend?

 

[bruceb58]

I will have to go back and look it up. I know people had issues with it but it has been awhile since I had that info.

If you haven't already been there, this site here is one of the best around

weldingweb.com

Yeah, can't do much heavy duty welding , especially aluminum with 110V.

 

[classiccat]

One more arrow in the Glencraft quiver! :thumb:

 

[astor]

cool welder Dozer!

 

[Watermann]

Sounds like a great addition to the tools of the trade and it looks cool too!

 

[dozerII]

Thanks Guys, so far I am very satisfied with how it works, I will never touch my spool gun again.

 

[astor]

wow, just looked at their website, quite the deal on the tig, plasma cutter, and cart. Glen- I love my tig welder, just don't use it much, and really need to get a water cooled torch or thicker gloves:embarassed:

 

[Decker83]

I can see your reason for buying the machine.. It should do everything you need it to.. There are a lot of great reviews on this machine and Eastwood's
service is great..
I would love to have one setup in my garage.. When the time is right, I'll buy one for myself..

 

[dozerII]

The great reviews are the reason I pulled the trigger on it, it's not a production machine but it should do all I need.

 

[hayko1971]

Nice new toy, welding is something I have never ever tried, maybe one day I'll give It a shot. Congrats!

 

[dozerII]

Nice new toy, welding is something I have never ever tried, maybe one day I'll give It a shot. Congrats!

Thanks Rob

 

[dozerII]

The broken skeg on In The Red has been driving me nuts since I finished her, so that was the first project on the list for the new welder.





Prepped and the new piece cut and fitted.



Welded on.





Ground to shape, ready to sand.





A little self etching primer



A little black and she is done.





One great feature this welder came with was the finger trigger, because I had to sit on the floor and support my arm to weld the foot control would not work, but the finger trigger worked flawlessly. Set the welder per the chart in the manual and no problem even welding vertically. All I have to do is a couple more of these and the welder will be paid for.

 

[Watermann]

Perfect! Nice job Glen, it's funny how certain things annoy us. The skeg on the Chief's LU could use some tig time too but funny how I never think about or notice it when I'm on the water. :lol:

 

[bruceb58]

Hopefully, your prop seals are still good. How hot did it get?

 

[hayko1971]

Super nice repair right there!

 

[dozerII]

Perfect! Nice job Glen, it's funny how certain things annoy us. The skeg on the Chief's LU could use some tig time too but funny how I never think about or notice it when I'm on the water. :lol:

Thanks Rob, yup never bothered me when I'm using it but every time I walked by on the trailer in the shop or in the yard I noticed it.

Hopefully, your prop seals are still good. How hot did it get?

No problem with the prop seals, it never got hot enough I couldn't put my hand on it and I kept wiping it down with a cold sopping wet cloth between welds.

Super nice repair right there!

Thanks Rob.