[TheForge] TIG opinions, please

[Ries Niemi]

DC only- that means its fine for steel, stainless steel, and all kinds  
of copper based alloys. But it wont do aluminum.
Which is fine, just as long as you understand that.

160 amps is not a lot, for tig welding. I was welding 1/2" round  
stainless bar today, and had my DC machine set at 165 amps- and I  
probably could have gotten away fine with 160- but much bigger material  
than that, and it wouldnt do it. Figure in most practical applications,  
3/8" mild steel or so is your capacity. Less thickness in copper  
alloys, which suck up the amps. Pure copper, and I need 300 amps to  
weld 1/4" in any quantity.
But if your main use is mild steel, in thicknesses up to around 1/4",  
this should work.
It does have High Frequency starting, which is nice.
It has almost no controls over anything else- hard to tell from the  
picture, but I would guess it has an amperage control, and thats it.
Certainly, the 200 is a nicer machine, but at almost twice the cost. As  
usual, everything in the UK is more expensive than here in the USA- the  
200 is about $1800 US.
My guess is that Butters does not make these, but that they are  
imported from either Italy or eastern europe somewhere.

Does the price include a torch, flowmeter, and foot pedal?
If not, you will need all three.
Air cooled torches are the cheapest, but have limited use times before  
they get literally too hot to handle.
Water cooled torches are much better, but require an additional  
radiator unit, which, over here anyway, is usually another $500 or so.
A foot pedal for controlling the amperage is a must for delicate work-  
if this machine can not accept one, then I would really recommend  
upgrading to one that can.

ries


On Aug 31, 2006, at 1:49 PM, Rich Maynard wrote:

> I'm looking for a small tig welder that will hopefully produce neater  
> welds
> than the mig I currently have in 'nice' work - you can't always reach  
> to
> grind off the mig fillets!
>
> Does anyone have an opinion on the Butters 160 DC?
>
> http://www.rotecweldingequipment.co.uk/acatalog/ 
> butters_single_phase_DC_HF_i
> nverters.html
>
> I know it won't do aluminium, but I don't forge aluminium!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Rich.
>
>
>
> Richard Maynard
> rich at maynard.org.uk
>
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Ries Niemi
Industrial Artist

http://www.RiesNiemi.com