Tig welding tips, questions, equipment, applications, instructions, techniques, tig welding machines, troubleshooting tig welding process
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prdmetalworks
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    Thu Jan 22, 2015 11:55 pm
  • Location:
    Central NY

Just ordered a 210 & was wondering if anyone had anything good or bad to say about it?
I did as much research on it as I could, but being fairly new, there's not much out there yet.

I do have a larger tig for the shop, but this machine will be setup in my job trailer as I do mostly commercial construction & it would be nice to have for the odd repair or light duty stick welding.
I've been waiting a while for a job to come up that would help pay for a more portable tig & finally got some S.S. work in a restaurant kitchen to help foot the bill.

I know I could have gotten a more portable machine, but I like the fact that it has the onboard storage & I also like that it's packaged in the 252 case. The Maxstar would have worked for the kitchen, but I wanted AC, and the diversion just seemed like a hobby welder to me. On the other end of the scale, 95% of my work is for the construction industry, so I don't get to tig weld as much as I would like & a Dynasty would take too long to pay for itself.
If you can't tell by now, I'm kind of partial to the blue welders :D
motox
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    Thu Nov 28, 2013 12:49 pm
  • Location:
    Delaware

prd
i have had my 250 for years and use it often
some times for hours at a time. never a glitch.
great shop machine for both metal and aluminum.
craig
htp invertig 221
syncrowave 250
miller 140 mig
hypertherm plasma
morse 14 metal devil
prdmetalworks
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    Thu Jan 22, 2015 11:55 pm
  • Location:
    Central NY

I have a 250 in the shop as well, but this 210 is a completely different setup. Inverter based technology, whatever that means? I've had guys tell me that it is a true inverter, within the heavy 252 case & I've also had guys say that there's no way it could be an inverter due to how heavy it is?

In my opinion, it has to be an inverter in a heavy case, because if it had transformers, it would be quite a bit heavier than the 135ish pound claimed weight (which I've also heard includes the weight of the torch, ground cable & foot pedal in the onboard storage).

The control panel resembles the Dynasty 280, so I'm hoping it's just a dumbed down version of that?

I did already order it, but the lack of real user reviews has me hoping I didn't make a mistake?

Still looking forward to hearing some actual reviews from some real users though, as my LWS is backordered by 30 units & I won't have it until the 15th of Feb.

One main concern I have is if I can power this machine off an engine drive? Miller claims that it handles "dirty" power really well with the MVP system which is capable of handling input power from 110v - 240v?

Any input would be appreciated
BobH
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    Sun Nov 16, 2014 1:10 pm
  • Location:
    Central Illinois

I have owned my 210 for about 4 months now. I have put 3 bottles of argon through it. This is my first tig welder! I have a small steel product that I make for a company and I wanted cleaner looking welds that I was making with my old T'bolt. My big justification for the purchase was welding 16 gauge aluminum.

I have gas welded aluminum for years and wanted to get away from the flare and corrosive flux. I am now having some success using .040 lanthanated electrode. In my 65 years, I rarely welded setting down, now I'm having to learn to. Can't seem to use the pedal standing on one foot, but then I now set down to put my socks on.

So far, I really am enjoying the 210, I bought a # 9 torch and gas lens kit. The Miller 210 is teaching me what it doesn't like and I'm a slow learner. I don't miss those weld berries and burnt pant legs.

BobH.
prdmetalworks
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    Thu Jan 22, 2015 11:55 pm
  • Location:
    Central NY

I used to build enormous SS tanks for the pharmaceutical & dairy industries. We used to use the amptrols that Velcro'd right to the torch because we were constantly moving around & inside the tanks. If you don't like using the foot pedal while standing, or you have large parts that are easier to move your body around instead of moving the parts around you, give it a try.
That's what I learned to tig on & when I stopped building tanks, it was really hard to get used to a foot pedal. I'd always complete a weld, move over to start another & forget to bring the damn pedal. I can go back & forth now and am comfortable with both, but I only use the pedal when I can sit bench & the hand amptrol for everything else.
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