I bought a tig!

[tom osselton]

Well I finally took the plunge! I found this on kijiji the other day its a miller 351 single phase with cooler for $2500.
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-tool-other/calgary/miller-tig-welder/1069992278?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

I had to drive 2 1/2 hours to get it in the crowsness pass a place called frank it had a massive historic rockslide in 1903.

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=franks%20slide&source=web&cd=26&ved=0CHkQtwIwGQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dcb_0D1epHcU&ei=bdWUVcejNoGRsQXfwJLgDg&usg=AFQjCNHcoGrj6PWoMTWFe-KELCM-O7YhFQ&sig2=N_F4NBDy4ws89Uwi-u-rwA

Tomorow I'll buy the foot pedal and torch and price out the pulse option I figure another $500 should get it running at least! It was a pain to unload from the back of my truck (f150 4x4) though, It was loaded with a bobcat on a 6" pallet and being 44" tall it was taken off with a engine hoist after we laid it on its side and manhandled it to the end of the box and we still had to pull the truck ahead to use the grade to lower the last 2" but my son says he'll be back tomorow so he can't  be that pee'd.  I'll post some pics tomorow.

[tom osselton]

Well we have powered it up it's showing 0 to 400 amps at 75 volts we've also picked up a 25' water cooled torch/ collet set, a Miller footpedal, and new ground cable and clamp, pedal is frikin huge! We have not tryed the chiller yet but have the antifreeze. Left to do is to pick up the part that connects the power/gas to the torch so the end is near I figured $500. So far about $750. Still not too bad.

[RobWilson]

 

Rob 

[tom osselton]

I'll get some on tonight.

[tom osselton]

sorry for the delay here it is here!



It is a bit of a upgrade this is what I have been using so far theres a couple more buttons that my old one has.





this is the chiller





and this is the footpedal (I think it is a bit of overkill)



Thats about it so far it powers up good and I should get to take it for a spin shortly I went today to get some fittings that the tig gas line screws into for power it seems that they come in left and right threads (he had the main body for left hand threads)the fitting for the gas hose was right thread so he got me a right hand one seems good get home  later to find the tig fitting is left  and on the chiller one is left one is right so I'll have to get a adapter. All in all though I can't complain one thing it doesn't have is a pulse control but I should be able to pick one up.

[RobWilson]

 Now that's what you call a real TIG Tom    very industrial 


Rob

[tom osselton]

534 lbs I'd like to see them nick that Hell I'd buy the popcorn!

[DavidA]

Ye Gods !,

What is he thinking of making;  a battleship .

Dave.

[tom osselton]

Nope no battleships, I know it is overkill but it is better to have too much than not enough at least that is my figuring.  I went to the welding shop today to get the fittings sorted out to be greeted by CLOSED ON JULY 4 not bad for a Canadian store!

[awemawson]

Something special about the 4th is there 


 

[tom osselton]

Well I was scratching my head for a while the gas did not seem to be getting to the torch and it was just like arc welding laying a pi*s poor bead covered in brown residue!    The welders fan is quite loud so I bought a flowmeter to visually verify the gas flow it was good at 20 cfh but still no gas at the torch.  Baffled I took the torch in to liquid air and found out how to install the water torch, there are 3 hoses one main 1/2"  and two 1/4" hoses I thought the 1/2 hose was gas (turned out to be water so while the flowmeter showed 20 cfh it was being vented into the air) leaving the other two 1/4" hoses one for gas the other for water to the cooling tank, Liquid air even threw in a water hose with fitting that goes from the cooler to the power/torch. I would have thought the literature would have said how to install the torch but there was no mention of it.

 

I've run a bead on steel and it works fine now I'll try aluminum tomorow! 

[trevoratxtal]

Hold on Hold on
You have to have a heavy goods licence to drive that machine and as you do not and I do I will pick it up tonight, were do you live again?

Lovely machine Have Fun.
Trev

[tom osselton]

Calgary Alberta good luck driving across the pond! (I'd buy popcorn to watch that too) 

[trevoratxtal]

Calgary Alberta good luck driving across the pond! (I'd buy popcorn to watch that too) 

There is always a small problem, my boat has a leak and my rowing arm is faulty.
You just carry on and enjoy the machine, until I can get across the pond in a millennium or so.
Best Wishes.
Trev