First post and a few questions!

[Copland]

Hi all,

First post and have a few questions I hope you guys can help me with.

I have/had access to stick/mig/tig at my work (oil company) but are welder has recently went to a new job and are welding and fabrication is now going to a third party.

All the welding are also getting sold but a lot of stuff is still available to me, was told to chuck it but put it in the back of a container till I decide what to do with it.

For a start am a mechanic in the company and more than happy to play with the mig but not on load bearing welds haha.
I have had a play with the tig that I found very hard but this might have been the thing that's wants me to get better so........

Am planning on buying a smal AC/DC welder to play with at work between jobs. We still rent all the gas bottles, oxy, acetylene, argon, weldap, ect so I don't need to worry about rental for a while at least.

I remember the last time I looked it was all about R-techs but now it's Jasic, are the any good?

I have about 8 tubes of filler rods and 5 packs of tung bits but I will have to read up on the differences between them. Also lots of mig torch parts but again I need to find out more about fitment and stuff before I do anything with them.

The other thing I found was a new in box Lincoln Electric K870 amptrol pedal, could this be used with a Jasic pro tig 200p?

So many questions, please help!

Cheers.

 

[Jim Davey]

The pedal is a good one, it's an SSC controls one and it can almost certainly be adapted to suit another machine (im currently adapting 6 of them to fit EWM TIGs) but it won't plug straight in and the potentiometer along with other internal components may need replacing.
I'll give you £60 posted for the pedal if you can't be doing with that hassle though.

Can't comment on the Jasic as I've no direct experience with them but I know you won't go far wrong if you buy an R-Tech, they've built up a strong reputation for excellent after sales support on their machines.

 

[Rig Pig]

Chuck any freebies in the boot of your car!

 

[Richard.]

The SSC pedal is regarded by many (including myself) as a good bit of kit. I too have not had no involvement with Jassic machines. If you know your stuff then most pedals can be made to suit most machines baring a few unnecessary complex systems.
If you are selling it I've seen Used SSC pedals fetch good money.

 

[Copland]

I think I will keep hold of the pedal untill I know what machine am going to buy as the Jasic doesnt come with one.

Any other machines I should be looking at for around 1-1.5K?

 

[Richard.]

R tech would be my choice over the Jassic.
Not because I know it's better but simply because I have read a lot more positive feedback on it from members here.
Loads of people on here have R tech welders and I can't think of any that are not happy with what they got for the money.

 

[Jim Davey]

I can.

 

[Copland]

Can you add abit more please Jim?

 

[Copland]

One thing that's putting me off the R-tech and this is going to sound silly, the free pedal!

As I have said I already have a pedal and don't believe in "free", surely it must be part of the package cost so in reality am still paying for one.

 

[Jim Davey]

Well, as the pedal you have wont fit, and it could severely damage the machine if you get it wired up wrong, I'd say getting the R-Tech pedal and nicking the plug off of it (after you've ascertained how it's wired) and getting a pot of the same value (if it's different, Lincoln use a 10k ohm pot, not sure about the boys in blue) then you'd have a much better pedal than the cheap and cheerful pedal that comes as s freebie. Just don't let on to anyone that you modded the pedal as it will more than likely void your warranty.

 

[Copland]

If I go for the R-tech I will be ordering direct and making a point of telling them I will be using the Lincoln one and asking for a wiring diagram and can also check pot size.

We also third party are electrical repairs/maintenance to a very cleaver cookie that am sure would help me fit it (old rig sparky that fixes S.C.R's).

I hope they might do me a deal on a shop soiled without pedal but am still keen on other makes, what should I be looking at.
6mm Alu would be a spec am aiming for in a machine (under guards on a Landy).

Jim can you tell me some of the complaints you know about the R-techs as per your previous post please?

 

[Jim Davey]

I think you should seriously consider a GYS 207, it's a seriously good machine, but it's about £1500 so you'd have to raise the budget. The set is well worth the extra though.