Time for a new Tig

[Fin]

HI all,
Been reading the Forum for over a year

After 2 Years of daily fabrication use my trusty old WOLF DC200 is about dead

This really was the cheapest Tig I could find at the time & from Screwfix for £200

So its well earnt its money

So Now for a replacement

Ive been offered a Used Lincoln TIG 185 *as featured on this site www.tig185.com
Have been told its a 3 year old unit thats had little use, Has a after market Torch and no foot pedel.

The Dealer wants £825 + VAT for it

THey seem to be a rare model as Ive searched and searched and found no user reports on them

90% of the time Im welding 16ga 316L Tubing. I also need to have Ali capability's and be able to tackle 6mm think sheet at times

What do you recon

 

[fingers99]

I'm in love!

They seem to go for $2200 or so in the States, new, so £850 plus vat for a 3 year old may be a bit steep: room for negotiation, a long guarantee (or a foot pedal) methinks. You could always mention the Chinese competition!

Never used one, but Lincoln have a tremendous rep, at least as good as Miller.

 

[GeorgeB]

The Dealer wants £825 + VAT for it
What do you recon

All these inverter welders (Wolf, Lincoln, any of them) are largely solid state devices with lots of complex electronic components. The entire device is only as good, and will only last as long, as the weakest, single electronic component. I'd say your Wolf welder did quite well to last 2 years with fairly frequent use. Why not buy another one at perhaps £150 or less now?

There's no way I'd pay £850 or even £200 for a secondhand example of any of these inverters, whatever the brand name. It might not last more than a few weeks before something blows. The average quality of components used in a Lincoln welder may be better than for a Wolf welder, but that argument only goes so far, and I suggest there's more than a bit of luck involved.

 

[Fin]

Thanks for the replys.... The thing about this Lincoln ...Its NOT an Inverter model Its the last of the old school ones :-)

The Wolf..... Trully amazed its lasted this long... In fact its still limping on.


Ive never Tig welded with anything else but the Wolf... And I can just about get a beed that looks ok, But I like the idea of this Pulse feature. Id like to expand my fabrication to include more Visual products so It got to look like I know what Im doing..lol

 

[fingers99]

Given back up, I'd not be afraid of an inverter machine: just about all TIGs will be inverter very soon.

What's the Wolf doing? Of course, if you want AC, then sorting it will only provide a back up, but as you'll get bugger all for it, it's well worth investigating.

If you're going for top of the range, then the Miller equivalents are well worth a look. Failing that, you can probably get a Chinese Lincoln/Miller etc. copy for around £500.

 

[Fin]

Wolf- Ampage control seems all over the place + Needs a new torch. Sure, it will be put on the shelf for a rainy day.... Along with the Cut40 and the diy Mig

Currently have a Kempomat 200 Mig and a Hypertherm 1250G3 ..... All purchased second hand So the Wolf is looking like the poor relative in the equipment line

 

[Fin]

WELL..... Thats it Ive done it - Wallet is a bit lighter....again

Im Now the proud owner of a Lincoln Precision 185

Just need to change the plug (as I told em to fit the wrong type)

Thanks for the help People. I'll let you know how I get on

 

[fingers99]

Enjoy!

 

[Fin]

Just up and Running with it now....

ITS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH BETTER :-)

I dont know how Ive managed with the other thing.....

 

[JKF]

I thought you might find this useful...

Wolf have today launched a new TIG 200, i got an email about it this afternoon.

 

[GeorgeB]

Wolf have today launched a new TIG 200, i got an email about it this afternoon.
(removed link from quote)

I received that email too. Not bad but not quite as good value as the MIG gasless they were selling last week for £39 each. My fears (above) about the longevity of solid state, high power electronics would definitely apply to this machine, which I'd value at about £240 if the TIG torch is worth about £60. I wouldn't want to risk £240 on Chinese electronics. My inverter welder cost only about £50 and did seem worth a risk.

If Fin's new TIG welder is essentially tranformer based, with minimal ancilliary electronics (rectification) a bit like a MIG welder, that sounds much better.

 

[malcolm]

Just up and Running with it now....

ITS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH BETTER :-)

I dont know how Ive managed with the other thing.....

Why do you find the Lincoln sooooooooooooo much better than the Wolf? I'm not denying it is very much better but I'm interested to know what characteristics you find have changed going between the two machines.

I've only had experience of the one TIG (my very ancient Miller) so it would be really interesting to know the differences between the cheaper end of the market and the newer quality end.

 

[Fin]

No Problem Malcolm,

The Wolf.... Ive beed able to produce adequate welds on 1mm + Stainless Steel. But its always been quite aggressive with an Unstable Ark. On 1.6mm Stainless Steel the Amp reading was always set at down to 22amps to get the best results...

The Lincoln, Amazing control, This is my first attempt at welding thin sheet... Turned it up to 15 amps this is a lap joint with no filller. The Sheet is 0.3mm Thick Stainless

 

[Fin]

PS Ive washed me hands now...lol

 

[Fin]

On the thicker stuff the weld just looks a 100 x better....

 

[Luke]

The Sheet is 0.3mm Thick Stainless

Very cool.

 

[Fin]

Actualy... Its even cooler..... This sheet is a sample that was left by a rep... Its Weld able Coloured Stainless Sheet by Sandvik called DECOREX..... Down side it costs as much as Carbon Fiber

I hope to be doing a few bits and bobs with this stuff

 

[Fin]

Quick update on the Lincoln 185

Working superb. Have noticed the Electric meter spinning around a little faster but its worth it.

RECOMENDED for sure

 

[lincoln17]

Lincoln

As a lincoln fan I just had to post this, well done Fin for trading up to quality kit. I have a ranger 305 which is a joy to use on mig tig or stick. only downside is no ac tig. I have always believed you get what you pay for and if you pay peanuts its a monkey's game. I have read so much about THAT machine of George B's (The Aldi 19 pound wonder) I wake up during the night with cold sweats having dreampt he sent it to me! The best thing about it would be giving it the float test. seeing it disappear in local harbour. Cheers

 

[matt1978]

Yeah I have seen the Lincoln Rangers at various trade shows etc and one of my distributors in Hertford sold a lots of them.............very nice pieces of kit, dont think that there is much out there to touch the Rangers!