Tig

[BlacknTan]

Can you back that statement up? I don't mean with what you've read or heard! But with an actual side by side comparison!
My only hands on experience is with Everlast's PowerArc 200. Very disappointing to me that a $300.00 "ChiCom" welder can out weld a $6,000.00 Miller Dynasty on SMAW! Maybe Miller needs to hire some of Everlast's engineers / designers.:laughing:

Ahhhh... This one is just too easy. My machine has "Made in USA" printed right on the front panel!

I expect the Everlast people, who paid for the priviledge, to hawk their wares here, but I cannot fathom why regular members do so. If I didn't have so much faith in man's goodness, I'd suspect there was an ulterior motive. In any case, I couldn't, in good conscience, recommend a throw-away machine to a fellow American, knowing full well that it could cost my neighbor his job.

 

[Shield Arc]

Ahhhh... This one is just too easy. My machine has "Made in USA" printed right on the front panel!

I expect the Everlast people, who paid for the priviledge, to hawk their wares here, but I cannot fathom why regular members do so. If I didn't have so much faith in man's goodness, I'd suspect there was an ulterior motive. In any case, I couldn't, in good conscience, recommend a throw-away machine to a fellow American, knowing full well that it could cost my neighbor his job.

Just what I thought! You've never run one. So in reality you have no right to comment on the quality of these "ChiCom" welders.

I just have to ask, where did you buy that made in USA monitor you're staring at? And the computer it's attached to?

 

[BlacknTan]

Nope, never have run one, and I'm sure I never will. As for the rest, we've been down this road before. When your ChiCom needs service, as it undoubtedly will, where do you take it? Does your local Service Center have parts on hand? Or easy access to them in a timely manner? Does iot have a good warranty that actually means something?
I have no right to copmment?? I have the same rights as yourself and every other member here. I express my views respectfully to all members. People are free to agree or disagree as they see fit, but until a moderator or someone of authority tells me to button it, I'll continue to express a very valid opinion.

As for my monitor, it's an Acer, and I suspect it comes from the Orient, as do all low quality computer components, which is why they burn up and need to be changed so regularly. The computer I cobbled together myself with an Intel motherboard. Very disappointed to see "Made in China" on it, and true to form, brand new out of the box, the floppy controller was belly up. I wish I could buy American produced computer components, but I just can't find them, and believe me I've looked, so I'm stuck with these garbage components. Just fried a video card from a well respected name. Made in China... no surprises there, and the final outcome (electrical smoke) is not a surprise either.
So, by your analogy, since we're forced to buy junk Chinese computers and parts, we might as well go full boat and succumb to low quality Chinese offerings in all aspects of our lives? Much of our food comes from China and they're poisoning us and our animals with their compounds to make crops grow faster and cheaper.
Yes, we're giving away our country and our values without a shot being fired! Our manufacturing base is dwindling, and it won't be long before we will not have the skills or knowledge to make anything for ourselves, but our children and grandchildren will have great jobs in "service industries" like McDonalds and Subway... Certainly a lot to look forward to.

So, yes, I comment on a ChiCom welder I've never run, have no desire to run and have no prospects of ever running, on my computer stuffed with Chinese trash parts. Our leaders might sell us citizens down the river in global markets, but I'll do my best to fight it to the end. If we Americans would stick together and stand up for each other, we still could turn it around, but i believe there's little hope of that when I see Americans supporting and encouraging sending their cash to Asian markets.

I guess I just don't uinderstand the concept, and hopefully, I never will...

 

[Shield Arc]

I've only been a member here a few years, but it seems to me there are a lot of weekend warriors who don't need or have the cash to buy the top brands. So I, unlike you have hands on experience with the PowerArc 200 and think it is the best bang for the buck of any new welder I've ever bought. Granted it is the cheapest new welder I've bought. In 1982 I spent close to $10,000.00 on a diesel welder.

This issue of buying foreign merchandise is a bigger problem than you or I can correct at our level. But you seem to be really passionate about your opinion. I think you would see better results if you got off your soap box here, and ran for office. Start at the city level, then county, then state, who knows you might be president one day!:thumbsup:

 

[weldermike]

You are both right, hand shakes!

 

[Jesse masterson]

I don't feel black and tan is trying to be on a soap box he's voicing a opinion he feels strongly about as do I, I was tempted to buy a everlast but I think I'm going with miller instead not that the Chinese are no good but somewhere it has to stop, our country is being owned by china and I'm sure there are Chinese parts In miller also but I think it's mostly USA. I to be honest if it was Japan id buy a everlast because I don't feel all foreign countries have domination on mind and would buy from but chinas different, much more dark in there world goals . Sorry if you disagree but that's how I feel

 

[Shield Arc]

I think I'm going with miller

Have you made up your mind on which series you'll go with? Water cooled torch?

Miller - TIG Welders, GTAW Welding Equipment

 

[Jesse masterson]

I'm thinking syncrowave 200 air cooled , I won't be welding over 1/4 inch aluminum so I think it will do fine , I know it's not inverter but it does have pulse, I ruled out the diversion cause for 400 more I can get a larger machine on the syncrowave with proven transformer instead of new tec that hasn't been proven yet, the mosphet inverter concerns me a little.

 

[Shield Arc]

I didn't know anything about inverters until I got to run a Dynasty side by side with a Syncrowave at Miller's testing facility in north west Chicago. One of Miller's techs spent 3 or 4 hours with me explaining the differences, and showing me how to weld with the Dynasty. When I got home I ordered a Dynasty 300! I've had it 7 or 8 years, not one ounce of trouble. Couple years ago I bought the PowerArc 200 from Mark, again not one ounce of trouble. About a year ago I bought the Lincoln V350-Pro, had trouble right out of the box. Loose wire inside. Most likely from being handled to rough in shipping. Question is, will these inverters last as long as transformers or generators, we'll have to wait and see. I for one am totally impressed with how much control these inverters have over the puddle! As impressive as my Dynasty is, I'm more impressed with the V350-Pro. That just might be because it has so many more options tho. Only way you'll be able to tell the difference is to get your hands on an inverter, I think you'll be impressed too!

 

[BlacknTan]

Thanks to all for listening to my viewpoints and understanding..

I DO understand that not everyone needs or can afford a professional quality machine, so there IS room for others, but, having been a blue collar worker my entire life, the welfare of American industry and more importantly, the American blue collar worker is near and dear to my heart. Further, I've always had the bad habit of wearing my heart on my sleeve, so thanks to all for listening to me and being tolerant! I won't intrude on Jesse's thread anymore with my old-fashioned ideas, but I'll just add that the inverter based machines have opened a whole new world for me... Extreme portability without going to and engine drive, and even then, the ability to take the machine right to the job without a mile of leads.
So, technology will probably catch up with the inverters, and I doubt they will last as long as a transformer machine... Some of which are now quite long in the tooth, but time marches on, and one cannot hold back progress.

Good luck with your new machine, Jesse and I'll be looking forward to your future posts with it!

Again, thanks to all for listening to an old fool and understanding!

 

[Shield Arc]

BlacknTan I know exactly what you're saying! I'm blue collar too, I come from a long line of Iron Workers, Boiler Makers, and Carpenters. To a very large degree I think the American people have done a lot of this to them selves. I've worked in car manufacturing plants, airplane manufacturing plants, food processing plants, etc, etc, some of the laziest people on earth! What ever happened to 8-hours work for 8-hours pay?

 

[Jesse masterson]

I agree America hads done a lot to itself , poor quality, etc but it's never to late to change. I hope we have it in us, new generations seem like they just don't take pride in the USA. Like the older ones did. Just like the great gal some may have lost many years back, you won't miss it till it's gone . Thanks for all the input guys.

 

[BlacknTan]

I agree America hads done a lot to itself , poor quality, etc but it's never to late to change. I hope we have it in us, new generations seem like they just don't take pride in the USA. Like the older ones did. Just like the great gal some may have lost many years back, you won't miss it till it's gone . Thanks for all the input guys.

Yeah, I remember that gal also!

She still pops up in my dreams quite often, but hey, she wasn't good for me anyway..... But, she sure was fun!

 

[Jesse masterson]

Is she the only thing that pops up in your dream hahaha.

 

[weldermike]

I didn't know anything about inverters until I got to run a Dynasty side by side with a Syncrowave at Miller's testing facility in north west Chicago. One of Miller's techs spent 3 or 4 hours with me explaining the differences, and showing me how to weld with the Dynasty. When I got home I ordered a Dynasty 300! I've had it 7 or 8 years, not one ounce of trouble. Couple years ago I bought the PowerArc 200 from Mark, again not one ounce of trouble. About a year ago I bought the Lincoln V350-Pro, had trouble right out of the box. Loose wire inside. Most likely from being handled to rough in shipping. Question is, will these inverters last as long as transformers or generators, we'll have to wait and see. I for one am totally impressed with how much control these inverters have over the puddle! As impressive as my Dynasty is, I'm more impressed with the V350-Pro. That just might be because it has so many more options tho. Only way you'll be able to tell the difference is to get your hands on an inverter, I think you'll be impressed too!

My syncrowave just had its first major problem in 20 yrs. I was mad, but was also excited to finally get a dynasty after all the great things I heard about them. I never ran a inverter machine, but have talked with people and they got rave reviews. When trying to figure out what went wrong with my syncro, the tech guys at my LWS told me to fix my machine and hold out on the dynasty. I believe, and dont quote me, he said they have something like 5 boards in them, and theyre brought in for repairs like crazy. I was kind of disapointed as I was looking foward to a inverter, so I ordered the parts for the syncro, and gonna hold out for a while. I was gonna fix the syncro anyway, and keep it in the back burner, but looks like the old girl isnt going anywhere for a while! Man, I was really looking foward to a new sweetheart!

 

[Shield Arc]

That seems strange Mike! I must belong to at least 5 or 6 welding boards, very seldom do I see a thread where someone is having problems with their Dynasty. If anything they are generally operator error.

I should keep my big mouth shut, next time I go to use my Dynasty it will probably go up in smoke!

 

[weldermike]

That seems strange Mike! I must belong to at least 5 or 6 welding boards, very seldom do I see a thread where someone is having problems with their Dynasty. If anything they are generally operator error.

I should keep my big mouth shut, next time I go to use my Dynasty it will probably go up in smoke!

Theres a guy on millers forum that just got beat up pretty bad getting his 200dx fixed. I was torn shield trust me. Im gonna be building a new shop soon, and I think im gonna hold on the inverter for a while and go with a syncro 250 for the new shop. Hopefully spring time. Just in time for the new dynasty 280 to hit the showroom and have me crazy again. At least I got my parts for old betsy, just picked them up during lunch. High frequency transformer, and one capaciter. $200, hope im good, if this dont work its the board, $850 ugh. Should be good with the HFT. When I step on pedal I got voltage in and almost nothing coming out.

 

[Shield Arc]

Is that the guy who had to clean the dirt dauber nests out of his 200DX? If so that pretty much tells us about his maintenance program.

 

[weldermike]

Is that the guy who had to clean the dirt dauber nests out of his 200DX? If so that pretty much tells us about his maintenance program.

Yup, thats him. Im gingerboy on millers. Thats what my friends from the UK call me, (red hair) and now im stuck with it in the US. Even my girlfriend calls me gingerboy now. Trust me, its alot funnier with a english accent! LOL

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Though you won't find it on American machines, since they have in mind making money by putting large markups on parts for out of warranty welders, inverters are relatively inexpensive to fix and simple IF a problem does crop up. Lifespan for an inverter isn't predicted to be quite as long, but they ARE easy to repair by and large. Transformers are not cheap to repair typically because of the large "special" components made that can go bad IF they ever do go bad. They are weighty to ship and handle as well. Inverters typically use off the shelf, common electronic components. Think of it this way....IGBT's have been around since the 70's/80's. An IGBT from the 80's can be replaced by an IGBT from 2012 for about a buck or two. That transformer in the welder if the shellac comes off or the insulation begins to degrade was likely only made a few years by the company that built the welder and parts have been obsoleted...then it's time for a new welder. It might not be a transformer, but a huge special made power switch, or a very large and expensive capacitor that goes dry on a transformer welder (if equipped). I have both types of machines, including two engine drive welders that have their own list of expensive items to fix on them.