New Welding machine review -- Miller Maxstar 140 TIG --
Ernie Leimkuhler
shop.
Today I picked up my new toy oops I mean tool.
A Miller Maxstar 140 DC TIG.
Total cost , with a 40 cubic foot bottle of argon, was $1130.
It comes with a air-cooled 150 amp Tig torch, with a built in gas valve and the special DINSE mini
camlock connector already installed, along with a simple dial type flow gauge.
It also comes with a ground cable and stick electrode holder.
The machine is about the size of a classic lunchbox.
It comes with a very odd 30 amp 125 Volt plug that Miller seems to think is common.
I have never been able to find a outlet or socket that uses that connector so off it came.
It auto switches between 110v and 220v, just plug it in and it does the rest.
So I put a standard 110v plug on the cord.
I already have an adapter for my plasma cutter that goes from a 15 amp 110 volt female to a 15 amp
220 volt male connector.
The adapter is marked with a big warning label so nobody plugs a 110v power tool into it.
I immediately borrowed the gas lens from my 350 amp water cooled torch since this uses all the same
parts.
A few other points.
This machine has something called "Lift arc" start.
This means to start the arc in TIG, you touch the tip to the metal and hold it their for about 1
second.
Then when you lift the tungsten tip off the metal, the arc is initiated.
It avoids the tungsten contamination that scratch starting incurrs, but doesn't require a large
transformer like a high frequency start.
I found it to work most of the time without a hitch.
The machine also has a pretty impressive duty cycle of 60% at full power (140 amps) in 220 volt and
80% at full power on 110 volt (110 amps).
Yeah but how well does it weld?
My first couple of tries were disastrous because I kept forgeting to open the darn little gas valve
on the torch handle.
Pure argon shield
Steel/Stainless Steel
DCEN 3/32" 1.5% Lanthanated Tungsten: I was able to lay a perfect bead on 26 gauge 304 SS sheet.
A wonderfully stable arc at 15 amps, I can see doing bandsaw blades with this easily.
DCEN 1/8" 1.5% Lanthanted Tungsten: Welded 1/4" 304 SS bar beautifully.
No problem with power at 110 amps.
DCEN 5/32" 2% Thoriated Tungsten: Did a 2 pass weld on 3/8" steel bar without trouble at full power
140 amps.
All in all a very stable arc and wonderful control.
I must admit is was easier to do the 26 GA than on my Syncrowave 250.
I will try to figure why this seemed to be the case.
Pure Argon shield gas
Aluminum
DCEP 3/32" Zirconium tungsten: Layed a very clean weld on 0.024" 5052 aluminum.
Easy to control at 25 amps and very clean.
Did I mention Clean.
No excessive tungsten erosion
DCEP 1/8" Zirconium Tungsten: An almost textbook perfect weld on 1/8" 6061 T6 bar.
Nice control , no problems at 60 amps.
Very controllable.
DCEP 5/32" Thoriated Tungsten: just barely able to handle 3/16" 6061 T6 aluminum.
Good bead, but a little rough on the tungsten at 80 amps.
A Zirconium tungsten would solve the erosion problem.
Pure Helium shield gas
Steel/Stainless Steel
DCEN 5/32" 2% Thoriated Tungsten: Did a 2 pass weld on 1/2" steel bar without trouble at full power
140 amps.
The ar rc struck easily in spite of heliums problem with arc starting.
Pure Helium shield gas
Aluminum
DCEP 5/32" Thoriated Tungsten: just barely able to handle 1/4" 6061 T6 aluminum.
Good bead, but a little rough on the tungsten at 105 amps.
A Zirconium tungsten would hopefully solve the erosion problem.
This is an awesome machine.
It takes a little getting used to and I have a bad habit of leaving the gas valve on.
At least by the end of this first night I was usually able to remember to turn the gas on.
I can see draining the tiny 40 cu ft tank pretty fast.
Running a gas lens allows the flow to drop to about 15 cfh so it should last about 2-1/2 hours.
I plan on cross-filling it off my big tank, rather than having it refilled.
I am very impressed with its ability to handle aluminum from 0.024" to 1/4".
1/8" and thinner aluminum is really easy and could be welded continuously.
As much as I am in the habit of a foot pedal, I can see getting used to this machine very easily.
The only time I really missed a foot control was trying to break off the arc on 1/2" carbon steel.
That arc really didn't want to die and left a nasty crater.
What it needs is an on/off relay switch on the handle.
I think I can rig one up.
Next I will make a little cart for this based on my favorite $9 handtruck from Homebase.
I almost bought the Thermal Arc 130S, but it doesn't have the lift arc circuit and has a lower duty
cycle.
The Thermal does have the remote control connector though, which I would love to have, but don't
really need.
The real clincher was the $300 more that Thermal wants for less machine.
This machine can do wire sculptures with 1/16" aluminum wire, I know this because I tried it.
Very cool.
BTW I also tried copper and silicon bronze.
Both very smooth.
I bought this machine for onsite welding of Stainless steel handrails, and stainless sheet metal for
kitchens.
It should work just fine.
--
STAGESMITH - Custom Metal Fabrication - Renton, WA, US
"Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind."
William Shakespear
[osX]Ironman
Wayne Bengtsson
"Ernie Leimkuhler" <grand...@stagesmith.com> wrote in message
news:grandpoobah-4070...@news.aa.net...
> My first couple of tries were disastrous because I kept forgeting to open
the darn little gas valve
> on the torch handle.
I think that someone as talented as yourself could come up with a torch
cradle that turns the gas on when you lift the torch out of the cradle.
Similar devices have been made for oxy fuel torches.
Ivan Vegvary
Thank you for the wonderful post. I am looking for a TIG and this posting
really helped.
Ivan, amateur in California
Ernie Leimkuhler <grand...@stagesmith.com> wrote in message
news:grandpoobah-4070...@news.aa.net...
> Running a gas lens allows the flow to drop to about 15 cfh so it should
last about 2-1/2 hours.
Ivan Vegvary
http://www.millerwelds.com/getprod.pl?page=tig/index.html
The third item down on the matrix is the Maxstar 140. Under the column of
weldable metals it lists only "steel" and "stainless". What gives? How
were you able to weld Aluminum etc. ??
All comments appreciated.
Ivan, amateur in California
Ernie Leimkuhler <grand...@stagesmith.com> wrote in message
news:grandpoobah-4070...@news.aa.net...
MD
your points towards the Thermal Arc. It does have a lift arc and mine has a
foot pedal as well. I had the opposite problem, I kept leaving the gas on.
I rigged a solenoid to the gas line activated by the foot pedal. A great
machine. I have used mine in the field day and day out for the past couple
of years without a hitch.
MD
Ernie Leimkuhler <grand...@stagesmith.com> wrote in message
news:grandpoobah-4070...@news.aa.net...
MD
contains metal screens which focuses the gas in a straight line out past the
Electrode. It's the only way to fly.
MD
Ivan Vegvary <iva...@home.com> wrote in message
news:p4Dg5.66169$i5.10...@news1.frmt1.sfba.home.com...
Ernie Leimkuhler
wrote:
> Thanks again for the posting. I went to the Miller Web site.
> http://www.millerwelds.com/getprod.pl?page=tig/index.html
>
> The third item down on the matrix is the Maxstar 140. Under the column of
> weldable metals it lists only "steel" and "stainless". What gives? How
> were you able to weld Aluminum etc. ??
>
> All comments appreciated.
>
> Ivan, amateur in California
The welding industry has simply developed a short memory.
As stated in the original post, DC Electrode Positive was the original way to TIG weld aluminum.
It was not until they came up with the High Frequency to stabilize an AC arc that AC became useable.
AC is definietly better for aluminum since it puts most of the heat into the metal and yet gives a
clean weld, but DCEP does work, and quite nicely.
The only limiting factor to it's use is that to do anything really thick, you would need a tungsten
the size of a baseball bat.
I have no doubt however, that with a 3/32" tungsten I can lay a weld bead across the side of pop can
with this.
The control was quite impressive.
I find this whole DCEP aluminum TIG thing kind of funny since the same people who say I can't weld
aluminum with a DC TIG , keep trying to tell me that I CAN weld aluminum with a 110 volt MIG.
Trying to weld aluminum with a 110v MIG is probably one of the top ten wastes of time ever devised.
I think it beats shoveling sand with a collander for uselessness.
Why they don't say the Maxstar 140 can weld aluminum is beyond me.
Crazy sales people start believing their own ad copy.
>
>
> Ernie Leimkuhler <grand...@stagesmith.com> wrote in message
> news:grandpoobah-4070...@news.aa.net...
> > Today I picked up my new toy oops I mean tool.
> > A Miller Maxstar 140 DC TIG.
>
>
>
--
Ernie Leimkuhler
> These are great machines and well worth the money. But I beg to differ with
> your points towards the Thermal Arc. It does have a lift arc and mine has a
> foot pedal as well. I had the opposite problem, I kept leaving the gas on.
> I rigged a solenoid to the gas line activated by the foot pedal. A great
> machine. I have used mine in the field day and day out for the past couple
> of years without a hitch.
>
> MD
>
>
Any special tricks to breaking off an arc without any nastiness?
I thought about putting a piece of scrap metal right next to the weld.
I could run the bead onto the scrap and then pull away.
Ernie Leimkuhler
<wbben...@gatewaynet.bigpond.com> wrote:
> "Ernie Leimkuhler" <grand...@stagesmith.com> wrote in message
> news:grandpoobah-4070...@news.aa.net...
>
> > My first couple of tries were disastrous because I kept forgeting to open
> the darn little gas valve
> > on the torch handle.
>
> I think that someone as talented as yourself could come up with a torch
> cradle that turns the gas on when you lift the torch out of the cradle.
> Similar devices have been made for oxy fuel torches.
>
>
>
Come to think of it we have one of these on our plasma welder.
J.W. and/or R.S. Riley
Thanks for the review, I now know were my Tax check next year is going,
but One question , Why a Air cooled torch? I would think water would still be the way to go.
Hammer on.
Bear
Ernie Leimkuhler wrote:
> I am cross posting this to the blacksmithing group because I think it has application to any small
> shop.
> Today I picked up my new toy oops I mean tool.
> A Miller Maxstar 140 DC TIG.
> Total cost , with a 40 cubic foot bottle of argon, was $1130.
> It comes with a air-cooled 150 amp Tig torch.
Jim Mazrolle
speed(not saying it was great but better than stick alunimum)news:grandpoobah-0B61...@news.aa.net...
> > news:grandpoobah-4070...@news.aa.net...
> > > A Miller Maxstar 140 DC TIG.
> >
> >
> >
>
Steve Stallings
<snip>
>Today I picked up my new toy oops I mean tool.
>A Miller Maxstar 140 DC TIG.
>I almost bought the Thermal Arc 130S, but it doesn't have the lift arc
circuit and has a lower duty
>cycle.
First, thanks Ernie for all the good welding info you post to the group.
Did Thermal Arc change the 130S? Mine has "lift start" for TIG work, and
no I do not have the deluxe (GTS) version with gas valve and high frequency.
These small inverter machines are great! Easy to power and easy to carry to
the work. I would have never spent the money to buy one at retail, but
stumbled onto one that had never been used for $400 from an outfit that
never got around to learning to weld.
Regards,
Steve Stallings
rufo
Thanx for the report. I dont know who quoted you on the ThermalArc
130s, but my local shop ran it out for $750 plus all the Tig geegaws
and sm. tank at $1100.00. I haved used miller in the shops I have worked
for I run Lincoln Sq. wave in my own shop. After looking over the
various inverter units I decided on the Thermal Arc 190 gts. I got to
try the the Lincoln, and Miller systems and the T Arc. With the HF you
could really fine tune the arc. They all performed well, but I had a
good month so I spent a little more on the 190.
Not to take away from your choice. The miller was a good system and
I was not pleased with thermal arcs 130s system at all. I just prefer
the hi-freq and a little more snort in the amperage and duty cycle
for the portabilty. Rufo
* Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet's Discussion Network *
The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet - Free!
rufo
Pat & Donna Molvik
>
> Any special tricks to breaking off an arc without any nastiness?
> I thought about putting a piece of scrap metal right next to the weld.
> I could run the bead onto the scrap and then pull away.
>
Back in the day when I was an Emergency Nuclear Welder on a submarine we had to pull
off a weld at full amperage. The trick to this is near the end of the bead speed up
travel to the point where a pool doesn't have time to form and then quickly rotate
the wrist towards your body and break the arc. That's about all the advise I can
give. I hope it works for you.
Pat
Ernie Leimkuhler
> Hot damn! Here is some VERY timely and VERY useful info. I was just
> playing with a Max140 at the local shop. They have one that was
> returned after several hours of use (could have told me it was new...
> I couldn't see the difference) and offered it to me for $840 including
> an Ar bottle. The reason I passed: I thought AC was a *requirement*
> for welding Al. Had the salesman known then what I know now I would
> have taken it home.
>
> I *almost* bought an EconoTIG instead. Maybe I'll go back for the 140.
>
> Have you done any stick work with it?
>
> Thanks a million for this post!
>
> Mike
>
>
Haven't played with stick on it yet, but can't see any reason it wouldn't put out.
>
> "Ivan Vegvary" <iva...@home.com> asked:
> >
> >> Thanks again for the posting. I went to the Miller Web site.
> >> http://www.millerwelds.com/getprod.pl?page=tig/index.html
> >>
> >> The third item down on the matrix is the Maxstar 140. Under the column
> >> of
> >> weldable metals it lists only "steel" and "stainless". What gives? How
> >> were you able to weld Aluminum etc. ??
>
> Then "Ernie Leimkuhler" replied:
> >> > Today I picked up my new toy oops I mean tool.
> >> > A Miller Maxstar 140 DC TIG.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
Ernie Leimkuhler
> Ernie
> Thanks for the review, I now know were my Tax check next year is going,
> but One question , Why a Air cooled torch? I would think water would still
> be the way to go.
> Hammer on.
> Bear
>
For a shop TIG yes water cooled would be better, but I already have a Syncrowave 250 for shop work.
This baby is for welding on site.
I do a lot of stainless steel and bronze for architects and interior decorators.
Kitchens, railings, and light fixtures.
Having this portabel unit allows me to take less stuff back to the shop.
Also I can tack parts together on site, then take them back to the shop for actual final assembly.
> Ernie Leimkuhler wrote:
>
> > I am cross posting this to the blacksmithing group because I think it has
> > application to any small
> > shop.
> > Today I picked up my new toy oops I mean tool.
> > A Miller Maxstar 140 DC TIG.
> > Total cost , with a 40 cubic foot bottle of argon, was $1130.
> > It comes with a air-cooled 150 amp Tig torch.
Ernie Leimkuhler
> Ernie Leimkuhler wrote in message ...
> <snip>
> >Today I picked up my new toy oops I mean tool.
> >A Miller Maxstar 140 DC TIG.
> <snip>
> >I almost bought the Thermal Arc 130S, but it doesn't have the lift arc
> circuit and has a lower duty
> >cycle.
>
> First, thanks Ernie for all the good welding info you post to the group.
>
>
> Did Thermal Arc change the 130S? Mine has "lift start" for TIG work, and
> no I do not have the deluxe (GTS) version with gas valve and high frequency.
>
> These small inverter machines are great! Easy to power and easy to carry to
> the work. I would have never spent the money to buy one at retail, but
> stumbled onto one that had never been used for $400 from an outfit that
> never got around to learning to weld.
>
> Regards,
> Steve Stallings
>
>
I am corected.
The Thermal 130S does have Lift-arc start, but Miller's works a little better.
I tried both.
You got a great deal.
Michael Cooper
Hot damn! Here is some VERY timely and VERY useful info. I was just
playing with a Max140 at the local shop. They have one that was
returned after several hours of use (could have told me it was new...
I couldn't see the difference) and offered it to me for $840 including
an Ar bottle. The reason I passed: I thought AC was a *requirement*
for welding Al. Had the salesman known then what I know now I would
have taken it home.
I *almost* bought an EconoTIG instead. Maybe I'll go back for the 140.
Have you done any stick work with it?
Thanks a million for this post!
Mike
"Ivan Vegvary" <iva...@home.com> asked:
>> > Today I picked up my new toy oops I mean tool.
>> > A Miller Maxstar 140 DC TIG.
>>
>>
>>
>
Cliff Ray
Nuclear Welder, Fusion or Fission?
"Pat & Donna Molvik" <mol...@gntech.net> wrote in message
news:39839C0C...@gntech.net...
>
>
>
> >
> > Any special tricks to breaking off an arc without any nastiness?
> > I thought about putting a piece of scrap metal right next to the weld.
> > I could run the bead onto the scrap and then pull away.
> >
>
J.W. and/or R.S. Riley
Ernie Leimkuhler wrote:
> For a shop TIG yes water cooled would be better, but I already have a Syncrowave 250 for shop work.
> This baby is for welding on site.
>
> I do a lot of stainless steel and bronze for architects and interior decorators.
> Kitchens, railings, and light fixtures.
> Having this portabel unit allows me to take less stuff back to the shop.
> Also I can tack parts together on site, then take them back to the shop for actual final assembly.
>
> > Ernie Leimkuhler wrote:
>
Ernie
I now can see the benefits this would also have in a small area like my shop.
You just don't have room in a one(A-modal) car garage for everything , and having the cooling tank not
needed and the bonus of portability is a plus.
thanks again,
Hammer On
Bear
Edward Haas
--But is this the new, improved model we were all waiting for? I
thot the deal was that it would come with at least a place to plug in a
foot pedal controller. Does it not have this after all?? I trained as a
pedal-stomper and I'm kinda fixated on getting a machine with that as an
option...
--TIA,
--
"Steamboat Ed" Haas : Success without failure
Watch link rot in action! : teaches nothing useful...
http://www.nmpproducts.com
---Decks a-wash in a sea of words---
Zi...@nospam.newsguy.com
>reactors.
>
>Fitch
No Fitch, I think that you missed the 'missing' :-) !!
Cliff was wondering how the gamma radiation was confined to the end
of the stick, or was the shielding gas, used as a neutron reflector,
vaporised boron. ;-O
I just want a know how hot it is in that lead bunny suit.......
Zipp
Hmmmmmm, lunchbox sized particle accelerator.
Ernie Leimkuhler
> --Thanks for the great review!
> --But is this the new, improved model we were all waiting for? I
> thot the deal was that it would come with at least a place to plug in a
> foot pedal controller. Does it not have this after all?? I trained as a
> pedal-stomper and I'm kinda fixated on getting a machine with that as an
> option...
> --TIA,
This is not the new machine.
The new version seems to be delayed.
It made the rounds at the trade shows, but hasn't seen production yet.
I couldn't wait any longer since I need it next week.
I might have bought the Thermal 130s, but the repair guy I know was not enthusiastic about it.
The Thermal 130s does have the remote hookup plug for a foot pedal or thumb controller.
So far I have had lots of fun with this little wonder.
I have been showing it to my students, several of which are interested in buying a machine like it.
The lack of a foot pedal is becoming less of an issure for me, the more I use it.
The Lift-arc start works great, and it has excellent low amperage arc control.
On monday I found out that CK Worldwide makes adapter gas lens collet bodies that will screw into a
3 series torch (300 amp water cooled, 150 amp air cooled), and allow you to use 2 series (200 amp
water cooled, 100 amp air cooled) gas cups.
This makes me happy since then I can get into tight places.
3 series gas lens collet bodies are huge.
Pacific Welding just called today to tell me that they have come in.
Really nice thing about having CK's factory 15 miles away, in Auburn WA.
Short shipping times.
BTW I have come up with a design for a simple mechanical remote, but I have been assured that wiring
in a remote would be very easy.
I have to agree having looked inside.
It would be very easy to wire in a connector and a remote switch.
Just run the wire out the vent.
Therefore no permanent alterations.
Don Foreman
<grand...@stagesmith.com> wrote:
(snip)
>
>Why they don't say the Maxstar 140 can weld aluminum is beyond me.
>Crazy sales people start believing their own ad copy.
The sales people probably lack history, experience,
imagination, or all three.
Of course, some guys could stick dogdung to windowglass with
a tractor battery and a bit of carbon. I'd guess you'd be
one of them.
After verifying that one of your students can replicate your
success in aluminum with this machine, you might think about
sending a letter -- and maybe some photos -- to the V.P. of
marketing at Miller. They might appreciate it.
Y'all can negotiate how they might express their
appreciation.... :<)
Gotta try DCRP for thin Al real soon on my old Miller
DialArc HF dinosaur.... but I copped out to O/A to butt-weld
.032 wall Al tubing on a broken lawn chair tonight. I
KNOW I can do that! (Turned out fine) Lawn chairs are
cheap enough, but I've had this one 20 years and kinda like
it.
Old dogs are sometimes happy to do old tricks ... if they
can remember them.
Foreman
Regards from Foreman, dfor...@Ugoldengate.net.
Please remove U from email address to reply
Don Foreman
>In article <5u48oskt5sek47n17...@4ax.com>, Fitch says...
>>
>>"Cliff Ray" <nam...@tyesec.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>>Nuclear Welder, Fusion or Fission?
>>
>>Submarines, and all nuclear power plants were/are all fission
>>reactors.
>>
>>Fitch
>
>No Fitch, I think that you missed the 'missing' :-) !!
>
>Cliff was wondering how the gamma radiation was confined to the end
>of the stick, or was the shielding gas, used as a neutron reflector,
>vaporised boron. ;-O
>
Sign on these weldor's doors: "Gone fission"
Fitch R. Williams
>The sales people probably lack history, experience,
>imagination, or all three.
Could easily be. Or, as frequently happens, the facts and the way
"they" want to "position" their products in the market place don't
happen to line up. Not a problem, they just leave out the offending
data. Or, it could be their perception is that in the target market
for this equipment, the customers won't know how to weld Aluminum
using DCRP and the equipment will get a bad name - so they choose to
"de-emphasize" this aspect of the machine's potential.
This convenient relationship with the facts is common in advertising.
Its not viewed as an obstacle, just an "advertising" decision.
Or, as Don suggests, those responsible for the advertising copy, at
one of the premier welding equipment manufacturing companies un the
US, and their management including the VP of marketing, could just be
totally ignorant of the potential to weld Aluminum using DCRP. Sigh
...
Fitch
In So. Cal.
The FAQ for RCM is: http://w3.uwyo.edu/~metal
Metal Web News at http://www.metalwebnews.com
The "Drop Box" is at http://www.metalworking.com/
Don Foreman
<frwi...@ptw.com> wrote:
> Or, it could be their perception is that in the target market
>for this equipment, the customers won't know how to weld Aluminum
>using DCRP and the equipment will get a bad name - so they choose to
>"de-emphasize" this aspect of the machine's potential.
>
Maybe -- but this isn't consistent with including aluminum
among the capabilities of a 110-V wirefeed box.
Since TIG is generally regarded as a primary welding method
for aluminum, they may be "protecting" their higher-priced
units for that market.
Fitch R. Williams
>> Or, it could be their perception is that in the target market
>>for this equipment, the customers won't know how to weld Aluminum
>>using DCRP and the equipment will get a bad name - so they choose to
>>"de-emphasize" this aspect of the machine's potential.
>>
>Maybe -- but this isn't consistent with including aluminum
>among the capabilities of a 110-V wirefeed box.
Good point.
>Since TIG is generally regarded as a primary welding method
>for aluminum, they may be "protecting" their higher-priced
>units for that market.
Ah yes, the "positioning" of products thing.
dou...@my-deja.com
over $900 with the TIG package. Not sure if it included a gas bottle.
They were having an open house so that price may not be nationwide. It
wouldn't hurt to enquire at your local Praxair, though.
Ernie Leimkuhler <grand...@stagesmith.com> wrote:
> I am cross posting this to the blacksmithing group because I think it
has application to any small
> shop.
> Today I picked up my new toy oops I mean tool.
> A Miller Maxstar 140 DC TIG.
> Total cost , with a 40 cubic foot bottle of argon, was $1130.
> It comes with a air-cooled 150 amp Tig torch, with a built in gas
valve and the special DINSE mini
> camlock connector already installed, along with a simple dial type
flow gauge.
> It also comes with a ground cable and stick electrode holder.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Ernie Leimkuhler
> I saw this machine on sale at Praxair in Seattle last week for a little
> over $900 with the TIG package. Not sure if it included a gas bottle.
> They were having an open house so that price may not be nationwide. It
> wouldn't hurt to enquire at your local Praxair, though.
>
>
That's about the same price.
Add $105 for a 40 cu ft tank and sales tax (8.6%)
Personally I would rather shove bamboo slivers in my eyes than wilingly buy from praxair.
And I did not say that as a representative of South Seattle Comm. Coll.
>
>
> Ernie Leimkuhler <grand...@stagesmith.com> wrote:
> > I am cross posting this to the blacksmithing group because I think it
> has application to any small
> > shop.
> > Today I picked up my new toy oops I mean tool.
> > A Miller Maxstar 140 DC TIG.
> > Total cost , with a 40 cubic foot bottle of argon, was $1130.
> > It comes with a air-cooled 150 amp Tig torch, with a built in gas
> valve and the special DINSE mini
> > camlock connector already installed, along with a simple dial type
> flow gauge.
> > It also comes with a ground cable and stick electrode holder.
>
>
> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.
--
Fred
Just a suggestion Ernie...
Don't take this the wrong way, but maybe you otta work a little harder on
lettin folks know how you *really* feel abt praxair instead of keepin it all
locked up 'n festerin in ur insides like this. (heh, heh, heh,.. Snort...)
Ernie Leimkuhler
I thought I was being subtle.
Did that come out wrong?
OK maybe I was a little harsh, but at least I left out the red hot pokers.
Barry Lennox
Thanks for the great report on the Maxstar 140, I was looking at that
machine, as it's nice and portable and the price is good, but the lack
of AC was a real annoyance. It was good to read of it's alloy ability.
But how about an average hacker welder, or does it require 50 years of
skill? Has one of your average students also managed it?
I also have a very occasional need to use a dual-carbon arc. Do you
think the 140 would be Ok for that as well?
Barry Lennox
Ernie Leimkuhler
wrote:
It is actually easier to do DCEP aluminum TIG on an inverter than on a big transformer TIG.
I think it has to do with the frequency of the arc.
The choppinesss of the inverter almost acts like a rapid pulser.
My students have managed DCEP TIG on aluminum after a bit of practice.
I haven't tried dual carbon arc , but I have done Carbon Arc gouging with the Maxstar 140.
I just used the electrode holder to hold the 3/16" carbon and held a air nozzle next to it to blow
the metal away.
It worked like a dream, but only on 120 - 140 amps.
Anything lower and I couldn't get a decent cut.
I really like this machine.
I wonder sometimes if I should have gone for a Thermal 190S, but so far it works great.
BTW - I only have 16 years experience in welding (20 years in blacksmithing)