Help deciding on new Tig

[nick]

Looking for help.
I'm planning on purchcing a new Syncro this spring but am debating upon buying the 200 or 250. Honestly money is a slight issue to spring for the larger machine. Would it be more beneficial to start out with a complete package 200 and later as I need buy a larger welder or purchace the 250 machine only option with no cooler or extras and a 150 amp torch for now and add the other items as I need them? Thanks Nick

[fun4now]

if you know you will need more power, get the 250 with a 150 amp air cooled torch for now and add as you can afford. or get a water cooled torch and build your own cooler. adding to a large welder is essayer and less $$ then having to buy a larger welder later. maybe look for a nice used syncro 250. they are not that hard to find at a decent $$ . then you can put it to work to make the used welder pay for the new one. its generaly never a good idea to get too small of a welder new. if you can go big to start.

a little food for thought. the 150amp air cooled or #17 torch insides will interchange with the 350amp water cooled torch # 18 . so any parts you get now for the #17 will still be used later on the larger water cooled torch.

welcome to the site.

[shadetreewelder]

if you know you will need more power, get the 250 with a 150 amp air cooled torch for now and add as you can afford. or get a water cooled torch and build your own cooler. adding to a large welder is essayer and less $$ then having to buy a larger welder later. maybe look for a nice used syncro 250. they are not that hard to find at a decent $$ . then you can put it to work to make the used welder pay for the new one. its generaly never a good idea to get too small of a welder new. if you can go big to start.

a little food for thought. the 150amp air cooled or #17 torch insides will interchange with the 350amp water cooled torch # 18 . so any parts you get now for the #17 will still be used later on the larger water cooled torch.

welcome to the site.

Yup, what he said...

[nick]

Thanks for your help especially with the torch info. One more quick question can I use my reg and hose setup off of my MM135 mig for the syncro 250?
Thanks Again

[crawler]

Thanks for your help especially with the torch info. One more quick question can I use my reg and hose setup off of my MM135 mig for the syncro 250?
Thanks Again

Yes, it will work. Any regulator or flowmeter with a CGA 580 will work for your tig welder. A flowmeter will give you more accurate flow rate that a dial gauge.

[journeyman]

absolutely buy the larger machine or you'll be kicking yourself. If its for home just watch your power input requirments. I have been researching inverters to buy and after my own research it became very apparent that both sales reps from BOC/Linde as well as Praxair didn't know their products at all. So much so that i almost bought a syncro , being told that it would work in my garage, but after reading the #'s myself i soon found out that the power draw was much too high for my house. meaning if i was welding higher amps on say alum and my wife turned on the radio that it would blow the breaker.
This is why I'm going with an inverter.
its you money. so ultimately do your own research and research and research.
Or you'll be sorry. your local sales rep probably seems nice enough but they all work on comission.

Multiprocessors are great but what happens if your into a big job and the machine decides crap out. Then you can't use any process because you've got to send your only machine in to fix.

As well, if you are infact starting your own shop remember that you won't be the only guy using it. So don't buy somehting you'll be **** about.

I personally buy the best equiptment out there but only because i know i'll be the only one touching it. If it was for a shop where i employed people, I certainly wouldn't be going that route

[fun4now]

you definitely want to look at the available power for the welder. but keep in mind you can run it on the lower setting till arrangements can be made to upgrade if thats needed. also look at the $$ to upgrade power if you cant do it your self it can get expensive. inverters are nice here as they draw less amp's but you pay for it up front. if you think the dyn200 is expensive just look at the dyn350 . might just make the upgrade worth doing. .


you might also look at making your own cooler to save some $$.

I personally buy the best equipment out there but only because i know i'll be the only one touching it. If it was for a shop where i employed people, I certainly wouldn't be going that route
if i had a shop with others using the equipment the Miller syncrowave would be my first choice. they are good solid welders more than capable of taking abuse for others and should they go down i know parts and service are easy to come by. saving a few $ up front expecting them to break it is a good way to lose a lot of $$$ in replacement and lost work time. best to by the best for work. when paying my bills and feeding my family is on the line, the syncrowave would help me sleep at night.