Reviews on this Machine

[kenmac]

Any body got any reviews pros / cons on this machine http://www.eastwood.com/tig-welders-eastwood-tig-ac-dc-welder.html......Any comments good or bad welcome

 

[Arc weld]

I think Eastwood generally has a pretty decent product and for an AC/DC TIG, that machine is about half the cost of a Miller Diversion 180 that is strictly a TIG machine. It might be worthwhile to compare it to a similar Everlast or Longevity machine.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

It's a Mosfet unit and they don't repair the units. If it fails after 3 years, you are out of luck. And if it breaks, they'll exchange it for another one.

 

[kenmac]

Sorry, I'm afraid I don't know what a Mosfet unit is. If I buy 1,,it will be for home use only No fab shop work just small personal projects. Is there a better machine close to this price range.. They have this 1 listed on E bay for $899.00 including shipping. I haven't committed to buying anything, Just kicking tires right now

 

[aczlan]

Sorry, I'm afraid I don't know what a Mosfet unit is.

Some info on them:

We ask about reliability: "Early inverters used thyristors, which can be turned on in the forward half cycle but can only be turned off by reverse biasing the device. This can only be achieved by using a naturally resonant circuit, which is more difficult to control and you can only make changes during the positive half cycle.
Then came the use of MOSFETs (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors). These can be switched on and off so they don't rely on a resonant circuit but they are not very robust. Any voltage or current spike will destroy a MOSFET," he tells African Fusion.
IGBTs, he says, have now led to a new generation of much more reliable inverters. "Every year, manufacturers come out with newer and better IGBTs – more reliable, faster switching and with lower losses. The switching devices in the early inverters were the weakest link.
With IGBT, that is no longer the case. We have machines that have been running for 10 years or more. There are about 24 000 Reeflex inverters currently being used mainly in southern Africa, and they have proved to be very robust. You can't break our machines unless you abuse them," he claims.

Aaron Z

 

[kenmac]

Some info on them:


Aaron Z

Thanks, Maybe I need to price a machine that use IGBT's

 

[kenmac]

Can anyone tell me if this LONGEVITY Tigweld 200sx - 200 Amp AC DC Tig/Stick Welder with Digital Display 110v 200v - Amazon.com tig machine has the same internals as the 1 from east wood ? If IGBT's are the best. That's what I'll look for. Do the specs. for a tig usually tell if it is IGBT or MOSFET ?... I'm not looking to spend mega bucks. I just need a machine that will weld aluminum . I have a flat bottom boat that is always getting holes knocked in it. I need a TIG that has voltage low enough to be able to weld up this thin alum. boat + be able to weld a little thicker alum. (1/8'' - 1/4'') would be great. I'll keep kicking tires until I find something

 

[Industrial Toys]

MOSFETS, The same crap they use to do the hi current switching in most inverters! They like to Go Snap, Crackle and Pop! They literally do! And they don't quit til theyr'e all blown.

 

[aczlan]

Can anyone tell me if this LONGEVITY Tigweld 200sx - 200 Amp AC DC Tig/Stick Welder with Digital Display 110v 200v - Amazon.com tig machine has the same internals as the 1 from east wood ? If IGBT's are the best. That's what I'll look for. Do the specs. for a tig usually tell if it is IGBT or MOSFET ?... I'm not looking to spend mega bucks. I just need a machine that will weld aluminum . I have a flat bottom boat that is always getting holes knocked in it. I need a TIG that has voltage low enough to be able to weld up this thin alum. boat + be able to weld a little thicker alum. (1/8'' - 1/4'') would be great. I'll keep kicking tires until I find something

IIRC, the older Longegity machines were MOSFET machines, the newer ones appear to be switching to IGBT. Looking at TIG Welders GTAW, TIG Welding Equipment, TIG Welder For Sale (the "Models" tab) the 200sx is listed as "Inverter" vs "IGBT", so I would guess that it is a MOSFET machine.
With both Longevity and Everlast, if you email or PM them, they often have a "TBN Price" that is at least as good as the Amazon price and for a fresher/newer model machine.

Aaron Z

 

[ishiboo]

Can anyone tell me if this LONGEVITY Tigweld 200sx - 200 Amp AC DC Tig/Stick Welder with Digital Display 110v 200v - Amazon.com tig machine has the same internals as the 1 from east wood ? If IGBT's are the best. That's what I'll look for. Do the specs. for a tig usually tell if it is IGBT or MOSFET ?

Longevity can. Like anything, Google the manufacturer and model, click on their site and there you go. Your answer is at the very bottom of the grey gradient box.

Note since you linked it from Amazon, the Amazon reviews for Longevity machines are fake reviews from Longevity.

I wouldn't exclude an Eastwood MOSFET machine from your search, great price point especially the 200TIG and 60a plasma combo with cart.

MOSFETS, The same crap they use to do the hi current switching in most inverters! They like to Go Snap, Crackle and Pop! They literally do! And they don't quit til theyr'e all blown.

MOSFETs are not crap at all, it's more of a marketing ploy by the cheap Chinese-built weld/plasma machine sellers because the first few generations of machines (and some still sold & produced) blew em up all the time, and since the MOSFETS carry all the amperage, they go up in smoke. IGBTs are newer in the application and better suited for most of the work, however MOSFETs that blow up in these machines were from absolute garbage quality control, poor cooling, improper design and using cheap, improperly specced MOSFETs. You don't find older Lincoln/Miller/etc MOSFET machines blowing up right out of the box and left and right in use.

All these units to my knowledge are made by contract in Chinese factories. Longevity, Everlast, Giant, Eastwood, etc. do not design the electronics that comprise the machines. They can request changes and different specced parts to respond to common problems, and stock and provide parts for the machines. As you've seen Internet forums/sites are a huge sales channel for them. Many of the machines are nearly identical in design to others, and many are made in the same factories by the same companies.

Consider all this in your decision. The Eastwood MOSFET is not a IGBT, but it has good legitimate reviews for the machine with some issues with the company and machine. Eastwood has been around for a long time and there's a good chance it will continue to be. I haven't heard any complaints about fake reviews or ripping off images/content from competitor sites or things of that nature about them though.

I am not recommending one machine over another, I wouldn't exclude any of them from the running... There are just lots more parameters to think about. As much as they are not IGBT machines, they pale in comparison regarding quality/parts availability/service/etc. to Miller/Lincoln/etc... So it depends what the best value for you is.