Bought a TIG

[David_R8]

Been looking for months now. Blame it on Tony.
Sprang for a Primeweld 225.
Including shipping, the Primeweld folks beat the price on the Everlast 185DV by $240.
3 year warranty and paid shipping back for any repairs.

Looking forward to learning a new skill.

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[Everett]

Nice! TIG welding is fun, but I find I'm so shaky that my tungsten takes a swim on a regular basis . . . That machine of yours has way more user control than the one I have, looks like a very nice unit!

 

[CalgaryPT]

Good for you. TIG welding is my favourite process; so relaxing, I find it therapeutic. Read the thread regarding TIG welding and a table you can sit at; it's all about keeping your arm steady.

Enjoy your new machine.

 

[David_R8]

Thanks @Everett and @CalgaryPT
Funny you mention that TIG is relaxing. I find MIG the complete opposite of relaxing, feels like I'm being 'pushed' somehow. Hard to really describe it but it's just not relaxing to me.

 

[CalgaryPT]

It's all about feedback, subtlety and aftertaste.

MIG is McDonalds; it gets the job done and requires little effort.

TIG is haute cuisine; you need to appreciate quality and the investment.

 

[David_R8]

It's all about feedback, subtlety and aftertaste.

MIG is McDonalds; it gets the job done and requires little effort.

TIG is haute cuisine; you need to appreciate quality and the investment.

That’s a great analogy!
Let’s hope I become a connaisseur!


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[John Conroy]

Nice looking machine David. It looks to have all the nice features of my Everlast but at a much better price. It takes a lot of practice to produce nice looking welds but you will enjoy it I think.

 

[Tom O]

check out this beginner page.
https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/tig-tutorial.htm

 

[David_R8]

Nice looking machine David. It looks to have all the nice features of my Everlast but at a much better price. It takes a lot of practice to produce nice looking welds but you will enjoy it I think.

Thanks John, I did a lot of research before jumping in. The Primeweld folks seem to work hard to provide a good product for a decent price.


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[David_R8]

check out this beginner page.
https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/tig-tutorial.htm

Thanks Tom, that’s an excellent resource!


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[Tom Kitta]

I am at the stage where I need to start using a pedal to control the amperage - I burn the edges otherwise or need to go back to the welder to decrease amperage just for the ends. You can weld a lot of thin stuff with TIG with ease. Congratulations on your new machine. I like the case looks very sharp and rugged. For just over $1000 that is a great deal. Excellent. Either that or prices have fallen. I am a bit disappointed through that Everlast dropped their warranty from 5 years to 3 years - is it b/c of failures? Mine is approaching 5 year mark and so far so good - used it for an hour plus yesterday.

 

[David_R8]

I am at the stage where I need to start using a pedal to control the amperage - I burn the edges otherwise or need to go back to the welder to decrease amperage just for the ends. You can weld a lot of thin stuff with TIG with ease. Congratulations on your new machine. I like the case looks very sharp and rugged. For just over $1000 that is a great deal. Excellent. Either that or prices have fallen. I am a bit disappointed through that Everlast dropped their warranty from 5 years to 3 years - is it b/c of failures? Mine is approaching 5 year mark and so far so good - used it for an hour plus yesterday.

My other choice was an AHP 201 or an Everlast 185DV @ $1350 delivered. AHP won't ship to Canada so that crossed them off the list.

I contacted Primeweld and they got back to me within an hour, they ship to Canada via UPS. I hate UPS cross border charges so they gave me 10% off. The list price at the time (mid-April) was $775 USD. About a week after that they raised the price to $799 but notified me that I would still get the $775 - 10% deal when stock arrived on May 11.
They gave me my own discount code and the actual discount ended up being 103.87 USD or 13%. So my total ended up at $790.87 USD or $1114 CDN to my door.
Comes with a CK 17 torch

 

[YYCHM]

What can one do with a CK 17 torch? I know nothing about TIG.

 

[David_R8]

What can one do with a CK 17 torch? I know nothing about TIG.

CK TIG torches are pretty much the standard in industry.

 

[JohnnyTK]

Never considered the PrimeWeld will have to take a look at it. Happy TIG
Welding!

 

[PeterT]

Way to go David. Keep us up to speed on how you get on with it. Coincidentally I just bookmarked that welder having see it on Fabrication Series YouTube channel.
Can you share any links/resources you may have saved in your evaluation?
What about the CK handle/accessories, where did you buy that through?

 

[Downwindtracker2]

It's nice to be able to do aluminum and stainless. And being able to weld small things.

 

[YYCHM]

CK TIG torches are pretty much the standard in industry.

Ok, it twigged now. It's called a torch on my MIG as well. When I read torch I thought cutting torch

 

[David_R8]

Way to go David. Keep us up to speed on how you get on with it. Coincidentally I just bookmarked that welder having see it on Fabrication Series YouTube channel.
Can you share any links/resources you may have saved in your evaluation?
What about the CK handle/accessories, where did you buy that through?

The TFS review was a big factor in my decision.
For direct user feedback I joined the Facebook groups for Everlast, AHP and Primeweld. The AHP group, and the Everlast to a lesser degree have plenty of stories of welders packing it in after a year or two.
I also joined the Welding Tips and Tricks and Welding Web forums for more feedback.
They backed up what the Facebook groups said with the advantage that the forums are a better medium for communication.

I like the full analog interface of the Primeweld machine. Scrolling through menus a la HTP InverTIG is not my idea of a good time.

 

[Hruul]

Congrats!!