Need help with 240 volt tig welder selection please

[Mick D]

I am hoping some of the brains trust will help me out here. I'd be great full if you would.

Ok, even though Pete (Yamaico) offered to make me a big fin head for my XR project. I do not want to bludge of him. I would like to have a go at it myself.
Aiming at that tig weld finish for authenticity sort of look.
I only have 240 volts and need to butt weld 3mm plate to existing fins.

There is a Unimig 200 on ebay. I need someone to tell me if I am buying the right welder. I will find the link.... be back

[Mick D]

This with a foot control, will it do 3mm please?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com.au%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F301251448787

[GMC]

200 amp will do 8mm okay and more
Foot controls are over rated
For thick material though you will need a water cooled torch.

Unimigs used to be good welders but I don't know what they are like these days, hardly anybody makes there own welders anymore, most of them are rebadged to suit the seller.

Quality units are $5-6 grand
There are a lot of these style of units around between $1-2 grand
The old story; you get what you pay for.
Its the duty cycle that comes into it if your going to be welding all day long.

Have you TIG welded before?
If not then factor in a couple of bottles of argon and lost of scraps to get the hang of it.
Controlled melting, you have to develop judgements, not unlike buying a MX bike and then learning to ride

Same thing here but I know nothing of the seller
https://www.ewelders.com.au/uni-mig-tig-mma-200amp-ac-dc-inverter/

[Lozza]

You will need a 15 Amp plug and a dedicated 4mm2 circuit unless you like running out to the power box a lot. Plenty of people file the earth pin down so it fits in a 10amp GPO but normal wiring is only 1.5mm2() not good if you're pulling a few amps continually. There is a very good welder at Sandgate that will do a lot of work for $100 cash.

Most of the welders come from China with different control panels and housings all the inverter IGBT technology is basically the same. Ask suppliers if they sell spare boards/fans for them and the cost. Tokentools at Wyong has good welders and more importantly replacement boards and fans in stock (even for a 8 year old welder like mine). 200amp machines will handle 3mm ali no probs, pre heat the head though.

This is a good machine with triangular AC wave.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/OLYMPIC-ALU-TIG-200P-AC-DC-INVERTER-PULSE-WELDER-LEADS/142169138781?epid=722853523&hash=item2119f0e65d:g:XukAAOSw5cNYGtA1

[Mick D]

You will need a 15 Amp plug and a dedicated 4mm2 circuit unless you like running out to the power box a lot. Plenty of people file the earth pin down so it fits in a 10amp GPO but normal wiring is only 1.5mm2()

What a load of shit! All over Australia the wiring standard for 10amp General Purpose Outlets is minimum 2.5mm/squared. rated at 16amp for slow blow fuse or 20amps if circuit breakers are installed.

[yamaico]

You will need a 15 Amp plug and a dedicated 4mm2 circuit unless you like running out to the power box a lot. Plenty of people file the earth pin down so it fits in a 10amp GPO but normal wiring is only 1.5mm2

Don't know who wired your place Lozza, but power is run in 2.5mm2 cable, good for up to 20A.

Mick, if you have a spare circuit breaker slot in your dist. board just fit a 16A breaker and run 2.5mm2 cable to a 15A outlet. If you need the welder any distance away you can get 15A extension leads from Bunning (just don't leave it coiled up when welding).

I bought a 200A Jasic from Toolies in Sandgate when I was working at NCIG and it has been great, use it all the time and it's faultless. I weld heavy aluminium at up to 200A regularly, but as Geoff says, watch the duty cycle. 3mm will be no problem at all. Preheating with oxy or an oven is a good idea at any time, but particularly with you cylinder head. I usually put parts back in the oven after welding and, with it turned off, just let them gradually cool in there.

Buy your Argon from Gasweld and just pay for refills, no more getting raped by BOC on yearly rental.

Cheers, Pete.

[Mick D]

I really appreciate the correct professional guidance and information Pete and Geoff.

Pete, does this look like the 200 Jasic that you bought?
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Jasic-200p-TIG-AC-DC-analogico-jt-200a-Soldador-5-ano-garantia/322035078588?hash=item4afac955bc:g:it0AAOSwa3BZ6Ltk

[yamaico]

That's similar Mick, but mine is probably an older model. I seem to remember it has Unimig on it somewhere too, if that's any help. I can get more details and take a photo tomorrow for you if you like.

Update: Just had a look at that one that Geoff posted and it's quite similar to mine and it's a Unimig.

[Mick D]

No need Pete, I am just going to go ahead and buy this one below. Cheers anyhow.

$1,214  delivered. Full kit as pictured. 3.5 yr warranty. All spare parts available ex oz.

[Mick D]

200 amp will do 8mm okay and more
Foot controls are over rated
For thick material though you will need a water cooled torch.

Unimigs used to be good welders but I don't know what they are like these days, hardly anybody makes there own welders anymore, most of them are rebadged to suit the seller.

Quality units are $5-6 grand
There are a lot of these style of units around between $1-2 grand
The old story; you get what you pay for.
Its the duty cycle that comes into it if your going to be welding all day long.

Have you TIG welded before?
If not then factor in a couple of bottles of argon and lost of scraps to get the hang of it.
Controlled melting, you have to develop judgements, not unlike buying a MX bike and then learning to ride

Same thing here but I know nothing of the seller
https://www.ewelders.com.au/uni-mig-tig-mma-200amp-ac-dc-inverter/

Thanks Geoff, I appreciate your effort.
I do not have a lot of money and cannot justify a lot of money. I just want to chip away on my bikes, duty cycle will not bother me and like you said they used to be good machines. 3.5 year warranty sounds like they still maybe? sounds positive 

Yes Geoff. One of only 4 fitter/machinists indentured as a Fitter/welder at port Waratah. The welding teacher was hopeless, but learnt a bit at Tighes Hill Tech College though. I have got Stainless tig down pat,, done several SS boat fuel tanks etc. I have just never done Alloy Tig,,EVER. Done a bit alloy Mig and alloy oxy though.
My main concern due to this ignorance was to buy a 240v machine and find out it would not do what I want?
I may need to spot touch up some combustion chambers too, if they show any voids or pockets when I machine them after welding with mig. I will go back to Imgur phone app now and show you what I mean.
Thanks, Mick.

[Mick D]

My mate(a top boilermaker) did the one on the left.... I did the one on the one on the right, with his unimig. Mig welder.
Gebus they were hot


It would be great if this machine would be capable to touch up any holes?
Sure I got all the oil out? and could always run back to his joint and spot it with the Mig I suppose.

Thanks guys,, I feel a bit more confident now  Mick.

[yamaico]

Good choice Mick. I've just gone and had a look at mine and it is a Unimig.

I've had the best success with welding engine components by boiling them in water prior to welding, continually changing the water until the oily contaminants disappear. I also (rightly or wrongly) use 5% Mg rods as I believe motorcycle components have a certain amount of Mg in their makeup, but Geoff would know more about this and may be able to offer some input.

If you've oxy welded aluminium you will have no trouble at all tig welding it - can't wait to see some of your work.

[sleepy]

I started alloy tig welding about 40 years ago using one of these.
http://www.graysonline.com/lot/0004-5000686/engineering-and-toolmaking/sheet-metal-welder-emf-pilot-arc-6-5-kva-150-amps-415-volt-3-phase-po
Add says 150 amp but they are actually 200 amp, a few years after buying my first one I got a second and joined them together and had a 400 amp AC high frequency welder.
They were in service doing repairs on mainly Harley engine cases and heads up until about 5 years ago when I picked up a new 350 amp inverter machine that was made in China and it has worked well in that time.
I stopped doing the Harley shit just after buying the new welder as I just got sick of welding and dealing with the shops.

 A good 200 amp welder sounds like it will do all you want but the foot pedal are really only good if you can sit at a welding table, I have one with the new welder but hardly use it.
Someone was talking about filler rod earlier. You will need atleast 3 types if you are to play with bike stuff. I mainly use 5% silicon on cases as it is the lowest melting point, the 5% mag is the strongest and machines better but is more prone to cracking on cooling, pure magnesium also comes in handy but it is expensive and hard to get.
With the Gas. Boc do a deal with the D size[small] bottles where you pay $108 rental a year and get 1 free fill of gas a year. Bunning have it now as well with a $200 refundable deposit on the cylinder and no rental. I still pay the $240 year rental on the E size argon as I go through a bit and it is about half the price for the gas in the big bottles.

Good luck and do plenty of practise before doing your big fin head.   

[Slakewell]

Whilst I am sure Pete will help with advice Mick I throw a bit in as I have done the big fin head myself. I used 20x3 flat bar cut roughly to length. Best to give the edge you are welding a quick run over with a flapdisk. Prepare everything and do a dummy run clamps etc all ready to go. Pre heat the head till when you spit on it, it sizzles. I would use a 2.4 tungsten and 10mm shroud set the square arc to narrow to help stop the tip boiling, Run the gas a little higher around 18 to help cool the tip.
The welder looks fine to me , I have a correct 15amp power outlet for my welders. 

[Lozza]

You will need a 15 Amp plug and a dedicated 4mm2 circuit unless you like running out to the power box a lot. Plenty of people file the earth pin down so it fits in a 10amp GPO but normal wiring is only 1.5mm2

Don't know who wired your place Lozza, but power is run in 2.5mm2 cable, good for up to 20A.

A typo  ................ still need a stand alone circuit and might as well do that properly with 4mm2 and a 15A plug.