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Weld.com Youtube Product Review: Welding with the Canaweld AC/DC 201 Pulse-D Welder

phaxtris

(Ryan)
Premium Member
Premium Member
Im surprised anyone could like that torch, one of those came with my thermal arc ac/dc tig....Yea if anyone wants one i will give it to you for free, just come get it

are you looking at buying that machine ?
 

thestelster

Ultra Member
Premium Member
I have that unit. I am no welder, I have no formal education with welding. It does what I require of it. Though, I have not tried any other machine to compare it with.
I did find that the start button on the torch handle was unreliable for some reason. So eventually I got the foot peddle which helped.
 

phaxtris

(Ryan)
Premium Member
Premium Member
The torch controls on the torch itself are extremely hard to use in general, even the good ones (I have a finger tip control for my little Miller, miller brand control)

At least that's my experience with them, better off to learn all the funky ways to operate the foot pedal, your knee, your elbow, your thigh, all better than those finger tip controls
 

StevSmar

(Steven)
Premium Member
are you looking at buying that machine ?
It’s unlikely. Last time Canaweld was discussed on the forum the lack of experience of members was cited. So when this came up on my youtube feed I shared it.

That’s good you’ve pointed out how thumb control is difficult to use.
 

thestelster

Ultra Member
Premium Member
On this torch, the button is only to start/stop. You have to set all your parameters on the machine first. As a beginner, I never know how much current I need, and if not enough, or too much, you have to stop, adjust on the machine and start again. That's why I got the foot pedal, I could adjust on the fly.
 

phaxtris

(Ryan)
Premium Member
Premium Member
On this torch, the button is only to start/stop. You have to set all your parameters on the machine first. As a beginner, I never know how much current I need, and if not enough, or too much, you have to stop, adjust on the machine and start again. That's why I got the foot pedal, I could adjust on the fly.

Take a real close look towards the head, there is a little tab, if you have the same torch as the guy in the video, and as I have, that little button comes out and you can pop in two other styles of variable finger tip control

Now I don't know if they just cheaped out and didn't include the extra modules or if they didn't include them because the machine isn't set up to use them

The guy in the video definitely has the exact same torch that came with my thermal arc Tig, maybe your is different

@StevSmar As for the quality, who knows, I'm sure they are just another importer of Asian machines, maybe from factory A rather than factory B, you could ask @thestelster !
IMG_20230110_164134_114.jpg
 

StevSmar

(Steven)
Premium Member
On this torch, the button is only to start/stop.
That seems quite limiting. Glad getting the pedal helps you.

@StevSmar As for the quality, who knows, I'm sure they are just another importer of Asian machines, maybe from factory A rather than factory B
I suspect you are correct.

Based on everything I’ve read, I’d probably end up with an Everlast TIG, I’ll look closer when I’m in the market. At the moment I’m just kicking tires.
 

phaxtris

(Ryan)
Premium Member
Premium Member
Hopefully this weekend I’ll be lighting fires with my stick welder. As much as I’d like to venture into TIG, that fire is a lower priority than getting my mill working…

haha well hopefully controllable ones! have fun!
 

Tom O

Ultra Member
I bought the thumb control for the Miller a few years ago and have only used it on one project so far but it’s there if I need it.
 

JimGnitecki

Active Member
My son bought me this model Canaweld AC-DC TIG 201 Pulse D welder as a birthday present (72nd birthday!), and I learning to use it for aluminum TIG welding via a video TIG training course by Pacific Arc TIG Welding! I have never welded before.

The machine and its "kit" seem to be working great right out of the box, but I DID do a lot of Googling and other research on TIG welding to get myself going before I ever started up the machine.

The torch discussed above is interesting, and actually better than most users might realize. I have found 3 things that help make the torch easy to control precisely:

1. There is a ball swivel where the torch and its thick covered hose (very robust!) meet. That allows you to pivot the torch relative to the thick covered hose to mitigate any strain due to hose twist.

2. The working end of the torch is also flexible. You can bend it to whatever angle works best for your current welding task.

3. I have found that I can remove a LOT of the "weight effect" of that robust hose by placing the workpiece(s) near the right edge of my welding table, clamping the hose - about 3 feet from the torch - to an "outrigger" on my welding workbench, and then routing that last 3 feet of hose back towards me and then forward towards the workpiece. This makes holding the torch a "no-effort" task versus trying to hold the torch with the weight of the robust hose hanging directly off of it.

It works for me. :)

By the way Phaxtris: If you are serious about giving away your torch, I'll be glad to send you the postage cost for it! Just PM me with an estimated postage cost, and to get my contact details. I can send you an e-transfer! I'd love to have a spare.

Jim G
 

phaxtris

(Ryan)
Premium Member
Premium Member
My son bought me this model Canaweld AC-DC TIG 201 Pulse D welder as a birthday present (72nd birthday!), and I learning to use it for aluminum TIG welding via a video TIG training course by Pacific Arc TIG Welding! I have never welded before.

The machine and its "kit" seem to be working great right out of the box, but I DID do a lot of Googling and other research on TIG welding to get myself going before I ever started up the machine.

The torch discussed above is interesting, and actually better than most users might realize. I have found 3 things that help make the torch easy to control precisely:

1. There is a ball swivel where the torch and its thick covered hose (very robust!) meet. That allows you to pivot the torch relative to the thick covered hose to mitigate any strain due to hose twist.

2. The working end of the torch is also flexible. You can bend it to whatever angle works best for your current welding task.

3. I have found that I can remove a LOT of the "weight effect" of that robust hose by placing the workpiece(s) near the right edge of my welding table, clamping the hose - about 3 feet from the torch - to an "outrigger" on my welding workbench, and then routing that last 3 feet of hose back towards me and then forward towards the workpiece. This makes holding the torch a "no-effort" task versus trying to hold the torch with the weight of the robust hose hanging directly off of it.

It works for me. :)

By the way Phaxtris: If you are serious about giving away your torch, I'll be glad to send you the postage cost for it! Just PM me with an estimated postage cost, and to get my contact details. I can send you an e-transfer! I'd love to have a spare.

Jim G

Yea it's up for grabs, I posted it for free with the little button things, if you want it, it's yours, just shoot me a pm with your address and such
 

JimGnitecki

Active Member
Phaxtris DID mail that spare torch to me, and I compared it with the torch that came with my brand new Canaweld AC-DC TIG 201 Pulse D welder. They are different.

- The one he sent is marked "Thermal Arc". The one I have is marked "CE".
- The one he sent is a number 10 size. The one I have is a number 7 size.
- Although both have the "ball" joint between the torch and the hose, the one he sent me does NOT have a bendable portion on the torch itself
- The torch he sent has the "adjustable" button control, whereas the one I received has a non-adjustable on-off button

I think trying to use the adjustable button would be much harder for me than using the foot pedal for amperage control.

Just my observations so far.

Jim G
 
Learn to use one torch, stop changing settings other amperage for material thickness. That way almost everything stays consistent and you'll learn from your successes and failures.
 

phaxtris

(Ryan)
Premium Member
Premium Member
oh yours must be a 17 size torch, that one i sent you is a 26 size, heavier duty, and yes, not a flex head
 

JimGnitecki

Active Member
Yes, for the video TIG training, Dusty at Pacific Arc males it easy so as to not overwhelm us trainees. He has all the basic exercises done using 3/16" thick 3" x 6' 5000 or 6000 series coupons, and minimizes the changes from one exercise to the next. The emphasis seems to be on learning and practicing the fundamental skills WELL, without distractive changes. Fine equipment adjustments (e.g. Pulse) can be learned later, as well as fancy stuff like multi-colour stainless steel weld beads. :)

Jim G
 
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