Add a wire feeder to a Tig power supply?

[rbucchino]

Is this a dumb question/ idea? Buy a syncrowave and a seperate wire feeder for Mig. Can this be done? Or is it not worth it. Our shop has a Millermatic 175 and we need a better mig for out of position welding on DOM tubing for rollcages. The 175 just won't cut it any more. We also need a Tig for Aluminum and stainless work (exhausts and brackets, etc...)
What about a Pulsed mig?
Thanks for any ideas or suggestions.

Randy

[Dmaxer]

A TIG supplies CC (constant current) while a MIG wire feeder requires CV (constant voltage). It's just not practical to run a wire feeder that would be looking for steady voltage off of a TIG power source. The TIG machine would supply steady amps but voltage that would jump around based on the wire stickout used on the MIG gun. That would drive the MIG weldor nuts!

[Mr Bigs]

Is this a dumb question/ idea? Buy a syncrowave and a seperate wire feeder for Mig. Can this be done? Or is it not worth it. Our shop has a Millermatic 175 and we need a better mig for out of position welding on DOM tubing for rollcages. The 175 just won't cut it any more. We also need a Tig for Aluminum and stainless work (exhausts and brackets, etc...)
What about a Pulsed mig?
Thanks for any ideas or suggestions.

Randy

Check out the Thermal Arc 300 AC/DC,this machine does ac/dc Tig and Mig. I have my eyes set on one of them now,I hope Miller catches on before I buy. Their is no other machine I've seen yet that can do this.

[SundownIII]

Mr Bigs,

Hate to burst your bubble, but the Arcmaster AC/DC would make a lousy mig welder. Requires the Portafeed VS 212 and a separate gun assembly.

One would be much better served (and cheaper too), going with a Sync and a separate mig (MM 212 comes to mind). If pulsed mig is in your future, you should be looking at the MM350P.

Don't get me wrong, the Arcmaster 300 AC/DC is a great tig welder. In fact, it's one I've seriously considered since Miller discontinued the Dynasty 300. Doesn't have "all" the bells and whistles the Dynasty 350 does, but has everything I need.

Bottom line. You're better off with a standalone mig machine.

[Scott V]

I hooked up a Miller S-32-S Miller feeder to a Thermal-arc TSW 300 ac/dc. It worked fine for some really hot aluminum spray-arc. You cannot run a Thermal cc type of machine in the short-arc.

Separate machines make the most sense because it's hard to beat a AC/DC tig for aluminum welding. Inverter or not. If you want pulsed mig/etc. or some other waveforms, the Lincoln C-300 is a one of the finest machines out.

[SundownIII]

Hey Scott,

Very insightful post.

Guess I was looking thru my "blue glasses" when I made my comments.

[Scott V]

Hey Scott,

Very insightful post.

Guess I was looking thru my "blue glasses" when I made my comments.

I remember now, I hooked up a Yellow unit (M-28/ST-32 spool-gun) for the spray aluminum part. The Blue feeder was for spray MS.

I guess the real point is, it cost a lot $$$$ to mickey mouse your way around. No matter the color!

There have been a lot of nice things built using CC spray aluminum but people generally have the Tig machine already. Then they just add a control box/feeder/etc.. to the system.

[cruizer]

Actually, I think the fellow is talking about the T-arc Arcmaster 300 AC/DC MST. Any feeder will plug into it, the Miller will plug into it without an adaptor. A Lincoln ( LN-7/8/9) will work with a simple adaptor.

And say you have a CC DC machine, only a voltage sensing feeder will work satisfactory, virtually impossible to hold the correct stick out on a connected RC type feeder, all you'd be doing is burning super hot and taking out the gun tip.

[Mr Bigs]

Sorry if it was confusing but here's the machine I'm talking about http://www.disprotec.com.co/detalle/...TSB%2010.5.pdf

[oldshoes]

Hey Bucchino, I have a syncrowave 250 and a miller 175. got the 175 first when i bought the syncro - thought about doing the same thing you want to do. It's possible. you need a suitcase with voltage sensing. Not economical if your buying new. I never did it so i have no insight on the quality of arc you would get. oldshoes