First welds with Thermal Arc 202

[SBK]

Funny enough I sold that quite a while ago but have recently bought another but with a water cooler and for ali at high amps it does the job and well.
I haven't ever used a parweld so cant comment but from what i have heard and seen i think they are basically the same machine,so it comes down to price then.
I have used it for mild steel,stainless,Titanium,and chrome moly and ali have had no problems with it,a nice stable arc,plenty of adjustment and IMHO i don't think you need some of them ie pulse has its uses but for the main part i don't use it.
The machines I use now for work are a 180amp dual volt Tec Arc and a Jasic 180 amp also as a spare,both these machines are equally capable for most work.
The only thing you will probably change is the torch which is very cumbersome and the thumb wheel is a pain and no substitute for a peddle which i think is a must for thin ali.
I now use a WP20 water cooled torch which is the nuts.
Thanks Richard for your Comment.
Any more questions feel free

 

[antonio costa]

Thanks for your answer SBK, great feedback about the machine and a great help for me. I've read in american forums about the footpedal issues with their version of this welder (the TA 186 ac dc) and it got me worried. But since you say the machine is really nice and you already bought another it's great input. It will be mainly used for aluminum, ence my worries about the foot pedal, in the DC department I'm quite happy with what I have at the moment but if it has nicer arc I surely will start to use it for dc also.
I'm the same as you regarding pulse it will be a function that will be left unused most of the time.
Regarding the torch I will mate the welder with my wp 20 watercooled and use a button wired to an 8 pin amphenol plug to be able to use the machine without pedal in the HF mode when I want to do so and don't need current control.
Yeah the supplied torch according to the pictures looks huge!
You didn't notice the current control with the footpedal or the thumbwheel being jumpy and erratic like described in the forums and in this video didn't you?

Regards,
Antonio Costa

Funny enough I sold that quite a while ago but have recently bought another but with a water cooler and for ali at high amps it does the job and well.
I haven't ever used a parweld so cant comment but from what i have heard and seen i think they are basically the same machine,so it comes down to price then.
I have used it for mild steel,stainless,Titanium,and chrome moly and ali have had no problems with it,a nice stable arc,plenty of adjustment and IMHO i don't think you need some of them ie pulse has its uses but for the main part i don't use it.
The machines I use now for work are a 180amp dual volt Tec Arc and a Jasic 180 amp also as a spare,both these machines are equally capable for most work.
The only thing you will probably change is the torch which is very cumbersome and the thumb wheel is a pain and no substitute for a peddle which i think is a must for thin ali.
I now use a WP20 water cooled torch which is the nuts.
Thanks Richard for your Comment.
Any more questions feel free

 

[Mr shiney]

The torch is not huge, it's not much different from a standard type 26 torch. However the little thumb wheel is a pain in the ass as it gets knocked easily. I tend to use the torch over the back of my hand so can't reach the thumb wheel anyway!!

I have been welding stainless thin sheet all afternoon with it.

 

[antonio costa]

Thanks for the input mr. Shiney but to me a type 26 torch is kind of large for most things I get along better with a type 20 watercooled or for lower amperage stuff a type 17 air cooled.
So you had quite a cool afternoon improving technique on thin stainless :-).
Did it go well?

 

[Mr shiney]

Thanks for the input mr. Shiney but to me a type 26 torch is kind of large for most things I get along better with a type 20 watercooled or for lower amperage stuff a type 17 air cooled.
So you had quite a cool afternoon improving technique on thin stainless :-).
Did it go well?

Yep, managed some nice welds. Going to make a stainless air box for a motocross bike tomorrow.

 

[SBK]

Thanks for your answer SBK, great feedback about the machine and a great help for me. I've read in american forums about the footpedal issues with their version of this welder (the TA 186 ac dc) and it got me worried. But since you say the machine is really nice and you already bought another it's great input. It will be mainly used for aluminum, ence my worries about the foot pedal, in the DC department I'm quite happy with what I have at the moment but if it has nicer arc I surely will start to use it for dc also.
I'm the same as you regarding pulse it will be a function that will be left unused most of the time.
Regarding the torch I will mate the welder with my wp 20 watercooled and use a button wired to an 8 pin amphenol plug to be able to use the machine without pedal in the HF mode when I want to do so and don't need current control.
Yeah the supplied torch according to the pictures looks huge!
You didn't notice the current control with the footpedal or the thumbwheel being jumpy and erratic like described in the forums and in this video didn't you?

Regards,
Antonio Costa

I have not had any issues with either machines,well not that I have noticed anyway.Is there a dealer near you to try the machine first ?

 

[SBK]

Yep, managed some nice welds. Going to make a stainless air box for a motocross bike tomorrow.

Pics of airbox then please

 

[antonio costa]

It's great to hear that. That's the problem, I will be buying it from the uk because there aren't distributors around here for neither of the brands. You can only get on welding shops lincoln,esab, oerlikon , kemppi, telwin, cebora to name a few more expensive brands available (telwin beeing the cheapest) or no name unknow quality chinese made machines from dodgy shops that most of the times won't honour the warranty.
Parweld dealer around here doesn't import machines, only the consumables.
Probably I will buy it from united welding supplies in uk because it was the one with the cheapest price.

Regards,
Antonio Costa

I have not had any issues with either machines,well not that I have noticed anyway.Is there a dealer near you to try the machine first ?

 

[Mr shiney]

Pics of airbox then please

Will do!

 

[SBK]

It's great to hear that. That's the problem, I will be buying it from the uk because there aren't distributors around here for neither of the brands. You can only get on welding shops lincoln,esab, oerlikon , kemppi, telwin, cebora to name a few more expensive brands available (telwin beeing the cheapest) or no name unknow quality chinese made machines from dodgy shops that most of the times won't honour the warranty.
Parweld dealer around here doesn't import machines, only the consumables.
Probably I will buy it from united welding supplies in uk because it was the one with the cheapest price.

Regards,
Antonio Costa

Oh I see thats a bummer.
I will be selling mine soon as I am going to buy a Fronius Magicwave ! Just don't tell swmbo

 

[antonio costa]

You will love it! I've used one at a previous workplace and it was amazing piece of kit! It welds like a dream and on ac you will be amazed by how low the sound it makes is. If you tried one already you know what I mean :-).
BTW you say you will be selling your TA soon, that "soon" would be in quite near future? I'm asking because I could be interested on the deal :-)

Oh I see thats a bummer.
I will be selling mine soon as I am going to buy a Fronius Magicwave ! Just don't tell swmbo

 

[nik2470]

ive just purchased thermal arc 202 from united welding ,got cracking deal very nice to deal with

 

[Richard.]

Oh I see thats a bummer.
I will be selling mine soon as I am going to buy a Fronius Magicwave ! Just don't tell swmbo

I'm Jealous!!!! I have the magicwave 2000, would love a 2200 but with a cooler and pedal like I have now it's £5500!!! My new machine (this year I'm hoping will be a EWM tetrix )

 

[antonio costa]

ive just purchased thermal arc 202 from united welding ,got cracking deal very nice to deal with

I also bought mine from them, it should arrive by friday. It was also a cracking deal and Jim the manager is great to deal with