RcRacer

I have to agree with arftist. I have a Thermal Dynamics 185 and it does everything well. It has more settings and modes than I need but they are there. I have used other TIGs including a Miller Synchro 250. The TA185 is more user and power friendly and will do aluminum very well in the thicknesses you noted.

I would like to wish everyone and their families a Happy Thanksgiving and thanks to all of the iforgeiron "family" for being such a great group of people.

Ken, I also have the DHC but I use a Hypertherm 1000 with it. Dom

Dragons lair says it very clearly. All of the components, whether built from scratch or from a kit, will cost in that range. Plasma cutting is a dusty dirty process, requiring DRY air , a good electrical system, a computer and a little understanding of CNC control. I bought a PlasmaCam system and have had good results and reliability with it for several years now. I did make an effort to build/buy the proper electrical resources and grounds, air supply and dust control. When buying their system, they outline the internal mods that need to be made for the various top brands of plasma cutters to work with the control system. I'm not sure what modifications are needed for your brand plasma cutter but whatever controller you buy will dictate the mods that are needed to allow the CNC system to control it.

I'm confused :confused: then what is this? "AWS D1.1 3G GMAW welding certification" The following is a statement from a welding school: "The GMAW or MIG 3G welding certification is one of the most needed welding certifications for anyone who wants to work in manufacturing or fabrication shops. If you don

The larger, L250, gun uses a Tweco 14 tip which is 1/4 -28 but the smaller L100 that is on the 175amp welders is a Tweco 11. That thread size is M6-1.0. When I built my "Frosty" T jet burner, I fabricated the tip holder and had to use an M6 tap to thread the contact tip ( nozzle ). Just to be sure, I just measured one when I got home from work ;)

Tweco tip thread size for Miller welders are 1/4-28 but for Lincolns, I believe they are 6mm.

My guess is ( since the original poster has not answered ) that the original question had to do with justifying how much to spend to get a MIG. Other posters have brought up good technical points but when it comes down to a smaller budget, the gas MIG welder is worth the few extra dollars because both processes can be used when they are called for. I have a gas 230v 175 amp MIG and a 185 amp TIG that also does stick very well. I have the luxury to use the process that fits the project the best. But when you don't have that luxury, at least being able to choose which MIG process allows for more flexibility.

The previous poster touched on the technical differences between the two processes. Are you asking in order to make a determination on purchasing a welder? If so, then I would say buy a MIG with all of the gas accessories. You can then do either. IMO, when you use gas, you will no longer use flux core unless you need extra penetration when welding at the welders max capabilities or you are working outdoors in windy situations and don't have the luxury of blocking the wind. Get the solid wire now. It will cost you more to outfit a flux core later. And buy a reputable brand welder. You will be able to find accessories, parts and service when needed.

It's not his recognition ability, it's the hospital food. I dare anyone to figure out what their eating in a hospital :D Kidding aside, it's great to hear about his progress and we will keep praying.

You have a PM from me ...

I check here and pray for Frosty every day. Hearing about his daily gains just shows how powerful collective prayers and thoughts are. I know because they worked for me when I needed them last year after my stroke and now they are working for him. My most sincere wishes go to Frosty for a speedy recovery and to his family for the strength to get through this ordeal. Everybody, keep the thoughts and prayers going.

Watch all of the fabrication shows on TV and to find out what NOT to do Seriously, the above links are great advice. Read the available safety material and take a welding course. A good beginners course will ( should ) start with safety before welding. Taking a course or working with an experienced weldor is invaluable and will help you gain proficiency faster.

You (should) have a PM. Let me know if you can see the pics.

Welcome from another New Yorker. I'm in Pleasant Valley. Your welcome to come see my gas forge. I'm just beginning with blacksmithing but have been metal working for a few years now.

Very interesting forge, nicely done! I also like the potato cannon in the background of the first pic. They are a blast ( pun intended ).

I didn't see this thread when it originally was posted. I guess I'll input anyway ... The best made points - Consumables - you will need to replace them on a regular basis, so a common brand named plasma cutter is a must. A good compressor and filtering system - Dry clean air with a decent CFM rating is important. Air with moisture will destroy consumables rapidly and degrade cutting ability. If your compressor does not have sufficient volume, it will run more and produce more moisture. A good filter and/or cooler and plumbing is also important. I have a Hypertherm Power Max 1000. It works well and cuts up to 3/4" nicely. It also is capable of being wired for a variety of voltage inputs. I feed mine from a 240v 60amp breaker. Consumables are readily available and support is second to none.

It has nothing to do with the AWS spec. It is dependent on the welder you are using. Simple formula - transformer welder: balled tungsten for aluminum, Inverter with square wave AC: pointed tungsten. You use what you need to use. In my TIG class I ran a Miller Syncro 250. We balled the tungsten for aluminum. At home I run a Thermal Arc 185 tsw. I use a pointed tungsten. In the end, both welders do the job.

Very well said!

I think that we are all getting hung up on the literal definition of an inverter. Inverter welders are primarily switching DC to DC power supplies. The circuitry converts the incoming AC to a high frequency, eliminating the need for a large transformer resulting in a lighter power supply with a lower incoming power requirement. The inverter portion creates an AC output that can be adjusted for frequency and an adjustable ratio of negative / positive portions of the AC cycle. The waveform is a square wave but it is AC. The switching DC power supply and the inverter are combined in the more sophisticated welders. Most weldors refer to these types of welders as "inverter" welders.

I don't want to hijack the original post which was in reference to stick out and mild steel but my machine ( a Thermal Arc 185tsw ) or any of the new inverters like the Miller Dynasty have square wave output which is AC. The difference is that the frequency and the proportion of negative and positive output can be controlled. With square wave type AC, you need to sharpen the tungsten not ball it. Now for the the original question, I follow the general rule of no more stick out than half the diameter of the cup. You can get away with a little more in t joints especially when using a gas lens. As long as you have gas coverage and no contamination, the stick out you are using is OK IMO.

I looked under my horn and did not see the symbol you showed. Mine was painted in red. I have not cleaned it, touched up the work surface or removed the paint. It works fine just the way it is ;)

I don't know about the numbers but the logo indicates that it is a Columbian. I have a 96 pound Columbian with the same symbol. They were made by the Columbian Hardware company in OHIO up until 1926 or so. They are entirely cast steel. I don't have any other info on the brand.

The Miller machine is a great machine and will do more than what you need but .... it's BIG and so is it's power requirements. I believe it needs a 100amp circuit. So if you do decide on that machine, just make sure that your shop can satisfy the power requirements and support the weight ( over 850 lbs I believe ). I have a Thermal Dynamics 185tsw. It is great and has all of the programmable flexibilty I need but for aluminum or anything else, I am limited by it's output. So if you are going to be doing aluminum over 3/16", you'll need the amperage and finding a square wave machine with that output at your budget will not be easy. As far as sharpening tungsten, learn to do it by hand with a grinding wheel. If you are a beginner weldor, you will be doing a lot of sharpening ;)

The most important feature of a square wave machine for aluminum is the control of not only the frequency but the period of pos and neg pulses. The frequency controls the shape of the arc making the "cone" sharper and more focused at higher frequency. The period will set the ratio between cleaning ( current traveling towards the tungsten ) and heating for aluminum. With the new inverter ( switching power supply / small transformer ) machines, the arc is more stable and aluminum can / should be welded with a sharpened tungsten because of the more stable arc.