Love your enthusiasm about getting people into welding. A lot of professional welders thumb their nose at anything other than industry-standard really expensive professional gear, but you're all about accessibility to learning.
ive welded with $20,000 machines and ive welded with sub $500 machines like yes welder and chicago electric. there is a difference, but for the most part the difference is in the duty cycle
@@ashtonsummers9648thank you for sharing your experience cheap machines I wish I could buy an expensive one but I can't so I have to go to Amazon. Regards
I have been looking at that one for a couple of years. I’m just getting started so I’m just going to get a good understanding of the basics before I get something I don’t know how to use. I have a Lincoln stick welder and the cheap plasma cutter. This one is fine for me to learn TIG. Thanks for the video
Thank you so much for making this video! My sister is a talented welder, welding installations for bars and restaurants as well as her own and others' art sculptures. Yesterday she said she wished she had her own machine that could run off a household outlet so I thought I'd take a peak online to see if I could afford one for Christmas and thankfully this one is in my price range and apparently not too bad! If anyone is interested, I made a 3 min film of her welding a beautiful small sculpture on my channel.
Thank you so much Tim! I just ordered this welder last night. Can’t wait to learn TIG. I’ve done stick and MiG for years, but always wanted to learn Tig. Great videos and information!
I have never heard anyone say to fully open acetylene. Not in any trade that uses it. Definitely will not take your advice. Anyone reading this feel free to reference any manuals you'll like.
@@TimWelds I was actually considering buying there AC machine, it's at a good price also. The only downfall is the torch and pedal are not the best. Went with an AHP alphatig cuz it has a ck torch and nova pedal as well as great reviews.
Bro not bad on the tig I appreciate this usually people that review these inexpensive machines are fricken terrible tig welders and blame the machine but nice on the razor blades.
Normally, I don’t like switches on the TIG torch either. But--I bought an extra TIG torch for my welder and bought one of those switches, wire and the plug , which is somewhat harder to find and install, because my ESAB doesn’t use that little connector. I bought this for one purpose. When I spot weld I don’t want to use the variable foot switch. I want to blast the metal. This makes it easy, using the spot weld function of the machine, to time the weld.
I know your comment is a year old but whatever lol just figured I'd put it out there for anyone else who may come along that unless you're doing AC you should always put your torch in the negative port.
I just bought the hitbox 200p doesn't have a peddle but its digital amd has pre flow start amp peak amp end amp and post flow adjustment for 230 200 amp and arc force and hot start for the stick surprised at the little thing half the size of that one and runs strong
Would wanna variable petal capability and like a look inside the machine. Usually when you open em up is when you can tell whether its gonna be an exploder or a runner. Sometimes youll open em up and see all kibda bad solder joints, bent parts, unsecured parts, and usually something that needs to be tinkered with for stability..
Yesterday I watched your video and you had talked about the welder 205ds for 250 dollars through the 30th of December. I bought the 250 p and I thought for 250dollars it would be worth it to have the two. Yeswelder sent me a reply that 296 was the lowest they could sell the welder for. I guess they for got about giving you the information. Richard
I'm not sure about the 30th of December, but the TIG 205DS is just $250 on their website and often less on Amazon with a coupon. They also have the MIG 205DS, which is a different machine than I reviewed here. Not sure why they called both 205DS???? Anyway, hope you got what you need and that you enjoy the new machines. New welding machines are one of my favorite things.
Tim, I bought the 205DS stick welder which might share some internal components with this. From minimum amp to 50A it’s very inaccurate, I had it set to 20-30A with 1/16 6013 and it felt way hotter than that - arc was super bright/violent and burn rate I could not keep up. Above 50A - runs weld with 3/32, so the display seems correct above that. Can you see if you experience the same issue between min-50A? There was another person on Amazon complaining the same problem.
I just got one but it seems the switch only controls the gas flow on/off, not the arc. The arc is always on when the machine is powered up ? Maybe mine has a fault ?
Thanks for the question. It has the standard 5/8" gas fitting on the machine that the torch connects to for gas and power. The fitting on the torch end of the cable is one of the smaller ones, probably either 3/8-24 or 1/8-28 BSP, but it's in heat shrink and I can't tell for sure. CK has all of the common combinations, so they probably have one. The stock hose isn't too bad for a rubber hose, so I would start out with that. If you want to upgrade, I would upgrade the whole torch. A 12.5 foot torch/cable can be had from some online retailers for less than $70 www.arc-zone.com/tig-torch-ck-17-rg (I have no affiliation with arc zone or CK). One step further would be the flexible head torch, which is pretty nice. Either way, I'd start out with the stock gear for a while and go from there.
I would look at the Primeweld TIG 225X, which I reviewed a while back on my channel and is still working great for me. Another brand I have heard good things about is AHP. Thanks for watching and for the comment!
@Joseph Jordan wrong. Not all stick welders will run 6010 rods correctly. All transformer style stick welders will but not all inverters will. Don't spread misinformation.
Hello brother great video I would suggest a lens filter to be able to see the fusing. Question. is this welder hot enough for small structural welding ie. Cross beams..
My intention is to weld some aluminized steel tubing for Intercooler piping and maybe some downpipes, this cheapo TIGs give me hope that i can afford to learn this
hello . I live in europe and i want to know what kind of adaptor should i buy to plug the argon into the machine. My machines have a quick coupling adapter, this one has not.
If I get this machine and use it to practice my stick welds, do I need gas? Looking to buy this machine to practice both tig and stick but mostly stick so I don’t want to get gas if I don’t need to. Thanks Tim!
You can actually practice Tig welding without gas but you need to know what the welds should look like structurally as they'll look like shit without the gas if you don't have the experience to look beyond the surface.
is there really a thickness limit when talking stick welding? i did a welding certification test with a 3/8 coupon, usually running 130 amps with 1/8 7018. i can do the same test with 2" steel, same settings, it will just take a lot longer! tig i feel is the same way, but for me, once i get all of my welding machines in order, i would typically do most stuff < 1/4" with tig, 1/4 or greater, stick, and for anything quick and dirty, 3/8 or less, mig
No, you’ll need an AC/DC machine for aluminum. Check out my Aluminum TIG for Beginners video if you want to learn why this is the case. Thanks for watching!
@@TimWelds Thanks for the fast reply! I looked and weldyes also makes a cheap tig machine that does aluminum too. Maybe they could send you one so you could do a video on that too.
Tim, I signed up for your 4 part welding course yesterday and was wondering do you think this machine could weld aluminum with 3/32 stick aluminum electrodes(DCEP). I tried it with my little Deko stick welder using Hobart 3/32 but had no success even with 50-120 amps(only tried 120v), and some preheating. Cleaned it pretty well but it was very frustrating. Thanks
Just got mine up and running and the HF start doesn't work at all. I have to touch, turn on and lift to get it working..Any idea what might be going on?
Try scratching the tungsten on the workpiece, then lift it up before you press the pedal. Sometimes this is needed even with high end machines. If that doesn’t work, I’d send it back.
@@TimWelds Yeah, tried that and no workey. Yeswelder got back to me with a gap check (1.5-2.0mm/.059-.078) on something inside the box and to check if a white wire is connected properly in box also. Will take a look. Thanks.
I have only tried one import AC/DC welder, so I can’t really say which is best. The review for that one (PrimeWeld) is on my channel and it worked really well. The other AC/DC options that I know of, but haven’t tried, are AHP, YesWelder, WeldPro and Vulcan.
Has anybody purchased this welder recently. I was really ready to buy this unit until I saw that the TIG torch is not the same style as shown in this video. If you look at the pictures on the YesWelder website, the torch has the on/off switch molded to the handle, which makes it bulky. Does anyone know if you can put another manufacturer's WP-17 torch on this unit (with the zip ties)?
I'm wondering this as well. I'm looking at it on Amazon right now, and it definitely has that Euro-style integrated torch. Not a fan. My Plasma cutter is made this way, and it's really awkward.
I just bought one (5/22/22) and it has a different style switch on the handle. It is molded in and I’m not sure if you can adjust it i think its molded in place.
@@TimWelds okay so this tig welder will do it? I was worried about getting tig since everyone says how hard it is. i currently just want to weld the seems on a steel billet to keep oxygen out so you get a clean forge weld. then learn how to weld other stuff over time. This is in a great price range and currently on sale for 50$ off
I've run 1/8" 7018 with it and it did well. I haven't tested the other rods, but based on other similar machines I've used, I would assume that 6011 will work and 6010 won't. There is not gas needed to run stick with this machine.
It’s kind of apples and oranges. This is smaller and less expensive, but is DC only, which makes it better suited to materials like steel. The Primeweld is AC/DC, so it can weld aluminum as well. The primeweld also includes features like pulse and adjustable post flow which will help a lot with stainless steel. The primeweld is bigger and costs 3 times as much.
This machine will only output DC and will work best on steel, stainless steel and some other specialty metals. For aluminum or magnesium, I would recommend getting a machine that can output AC, which will etch the oxide layer off the surface as you weld. (There are some tricks to run aluminum on DC, but I strongly recommend sticking with AC). Capable aluminum TIG machines start in the $700-$800 range, which is quite a bit more than this one, but much less than they used to be.
With all of these low cost welders, I'd be worried about support after the product is discontinued. Hell, I'd be worried about support while the product still exists as consumables for these things are usually not great to get a hold of. What's even worse and still likely, what do you do when the company doesn't exist anymore? This is where you can't go wrong with a Miller or Hobart or Lincoln, but you pay for that longevity. Still, for me, tools like this aren't the place where you skimp on, but I understand some people just don't care about welding as much as others.
@@gerardomadrigal7292 customer service was not getting back to me quick enough so i took the case off and saw that a wire had come off the circuit board in shipping, i soldered it back on and HF works great!
I tested it on 110v near the end of the video, but most of the video was running on 220v. It ran fine on 110v, but output is limited, primarily based on the electrical system it is connected to.
The 220 breaker is 50 amps, and the 110 is 20 amps. When running an inverter TIG on 110, the input current will be roughly 26 percent of the output current, so on my circuit, I’m maxed out at around 80 amps.
@@TimWelds thanks a lot! I’ve been trying to answer this question all day. I have a 110v 20 amp breaker so I think you just sold me on getting this welder as I don’t think I’ll need to go beyond 80 amps output.
Rebranded junk! Lookup Keygree welders. Can be had for 150-200 all day online. This one is a rebranded Keygree 250 as far as I can see. I have a error 1 code on display. Units only been used for 30 min since ai bought it...They said out of warranty nothing they can do.. which I get.. however they also would not allow me to talk to support direct, only a call center. They also blocked my email when I tried to ask them about what part needs replacing or what error code meant... Buyer beware. Hope my incident was a fluke. Really liked the welder when it worked but feeling a bit hung out to dry.
$250... but you need a tank of argon, you need a y splitter for argon, you need a purge hose (if doing stainless) tungsten, and other consumables. a bit more expensive if you see it that way...
That thing is cheap af. I’ve bought cheap plasma cutters on Amazon and it’s definitely a get what u pay for situation. So cheap in fact, when the first machine blew up after 2 days, they sent me another, no questions asked, didn’t even want the old one back. The second machine lasted maybe a month, blew up, they sent another. I’m now on my 4th cheap amazon plasma cutter. Don’t expect reliability or dependability out of this cheap Chinese trash
i was looking at buying an Eastwood 250i for quite some time, but i ended up ordering a YesWelder 250P this week, and plan to buy their mig welder also. i'm hoping they aren't cheap garbage, but these machines had a lot of features the Eastwood was lacking, and in the end, everything is made in China. Mercedes are also made in china, so you can't automatically assume that just because it's made in china that it doesn't have good quality
You can learn to weld. I'll show you exactly what to do in my affordable online welding courses at courses.timwelds.com.
Does it do 6010
Love your enthusiasm about getting people into welding. A lot of professional welders thumb their nose at anything other than industry-standard really expensive professional gear, but you're all about accessibility to learning.
ive welded with $20,000 machines and ive welded with sub $500 machines like yes welder and chicago electric. there is a difference, but for the most part the difference is in the duty cycle
@@ashtonsummers9648thank you for sharing your experience cheap machines I wish I could buy an expensive one but I can't so I have to go to Amazon. Regards
finally a welder reviewer who is a WELDER!
yeah no kidding! 👍
Dudes a fkn expert lol good teacher
I have been looking at that one for a couple of years. I’m just getting started so I’m just going to get a good understanding of the basics before I get something I don’t know how to use. I have a Lincoln stick welder and the cheap plasma cutter. This one is fine for me to learn TIG. Thanks for the video
I just bought the exact same welder and was really impressed for the price. Definitely a keeper.
did you HF start work just right out of the box? for some reason i cant get my HF to start
Thank you so much for making this video! My sister is a talented welder, welding installations for bars and restaurants as well as her own and others' art sculptures. Yesterday she said she wished she had her own machine that could run off a household outlet so I thought I'd take a peak online to see if I could afford one for Christmas and thankfully this one is in my price range and apparently not too bad! If anyone is interested, I made a 3 min film of her welding a beautiful small sculpture on my channel.
Nah. Here for info, not for your publications to quit your day job.
@@jordanbabcock9349 lmao I make a good living with this actually. May blessings come your way some day 🙏
Thank you so much Tim! I just ordered this welder last night. Can’t wait to learn TIG. I’ve done stick and MiG for years, but always wanted to learn Tig. Great videos and information!
What do you think about the welder? How’s your TIG experience?
Shoulda got the one worth the pulse control and ac DC on it for 250 now I messed up and did the same thing with my vevor
Please note that gas cylinders are double seating valves. Opened all the way or completely closed is how they should be to stay sealed
I have never heard anyone say to fully open acetylene. Not in any trade that uses it. Definitely will not take your advice. Anyone reading this feel free to reference any manuals you'll like.
@@jordanbabcock9349 this is TIG. It doesn’t utilize acetylene, it uses argon.
@@jacobshepherd3997 okay, thanks? I definitely never said that TIG uses acetylene. Do you enjoy arguing for the sake of arguing?
And..all gas cylinders are double seating. Okay. Hope y'all enjoy death..I am going to enjoy life!
Good job Tim. I have this machine and it works great. Can't be beat for the price range.
Thanks! I was surprised how well it actually worked.
@@TimWelds I was actually considering buying there AC machine, it's at a good price also.
The only downfall is the torch and pedal are not the best. Went with an AHP alphatig cuz it has a ck torch and nova pedal as well as great reviews.
Can you change to a variable pedal on this machine
Mine has a variable pedel
Great video i just got this machine black friday for 200 bucks great value
Did the yeswelder work out for you thinking of getting one
Bro not bad on the tig I appreciate this usually people that review these inexpensive machines are fricken terrible tig welders and blame the machine but nice on the razor blades.
He does a good job. I have this machine an it works great.
Brilliant review. This is friggin awesome. Amazing content showing us this machines capabilities
Normally, I don’t like switches on the TIG torch either. But--I bought an extra TIG torch for my welder and bought one of those switches, wire and the plug , which is somewhat harder to find and install, because my ESAB doesn’t use that little connector. I bought this for one purpose. When I spot weld I don’t want to use the variable foot switch. I want to blast the metal. This makes it easy, using the spot weld function of the machine, to time the weld.
Awesome tip, Mel! A fast, high amperage blast can really help tacks bridge between both pieces of material. Thanks!
I was having a hard time getting the tig to arc and you helped me out. Ground was in the wrong plug
Glad you got it going. Their manual is a bit confusing when it comes to connecting the cables. Enjoy the TIG!
I know your comment is a year old but whatever lol just figured I'd put it out there for anyone else who may come along that unless you're doing AC you should always put your torch in the negative port.
Great video. Thank you, Tim
I just bought the hitbox 200p doesn't have a peddle but its digital amd has pre flow start amp peak amp end amp and post flow adjustment for 230 200 amp and arc force and hot start for the stick surprised at the little thing half the size of that one and runs strong
Thanks for posting this, it helped me decide to purchase one of these to use for TIG welding
Would wanna variable petal capability and like a look inside the machine. Usually when you open em up is when you can tell whether its gonna be an exploder or a runner. Sometimes youll open em up and see all kibda bad solder joints, bent parts, unsecured parts, and usually something that needs to be tinkered with for stability..
And does it have ac and dc tig both? No pulse variation?
Yesterday I watched your video and you had talked about the welder 205ds for 250 dollars through the 30th of December. I bought the 250 p and I thought for 250dollars it would be worth it to have the two. Yeswelder sent me a reply that 296 was the lowest they could sell the welder for. I guess they for got about giving you the information. Richard
Amazon
I'm not sure about the 30th of December, but the TIG 205DS is just $250 on their website and often less on Amazon with a coupon. They also have the MIG 205DS, which is a different machine than I reviewed here. Not sure why they called both 205DS???? Anyway, hope you got what you need and that you enjoy the new machines. New welding machines are one of my favorite things.
Tim, I bought the 205DS stick welder which might share some internal components with this. From minimum amp to 50A it’s very inaccurate, I had it set to 20-30A with 1/16 6013 and it felt way hotter than that - arc was super bright/violent and burn rate I could not keep up. Above 50A - runs weld with 3/32, so the display seems correct above that. Can you see if you experience the same issue between min-50A? There was another person on Amazon complaining the same problem.
Thanks for sharing me the unboxing.
So do you have to have the pedal in order for it to strike an arc?
I just got one but it seems the switch only controls the gas flow on/off, not the arc. The arc is always on when the machine is powered up ? Maybe mine has a fault ?
I’d send it back. That’s not right if you got this same model.
I wonder if you take the welder apart if there would be a potentiometer that you could adjust the post flow with 🤔
What torch fitting does it have? Is there a CK superflex torch hose that fits? How flexible is the hose that it came with?
Thanks for the question. It has the standard 5/8" gas fitting on the machine that the torch connects to for gas and power. The fitting on the torch end of the cable is one of the smaller ones, probably either 3/8-24 or 1/8-28 BSP, but it's in heat shrink and I can't tell for sure. CK has all of the common combinations, so they probably have one. The stock hose isn't too bad for a rubber hose, so I would start out with that. If you want to upgrade, I would upgrade the whole torch. A 12.5 foot torch/cable can be had from some online retailers for less than $70 www.arc-zone.com/tig-torch-ck-17-rg (I have no affiliation with arc zone or CK). One step further would be the flexible head torch, which is pretty nice. Either way, I'd start out with the stock gear for a while and go from there.
@@TimWelds How long is the post flow?
It’s really short, maybe 1 second.
Can you plug a regular tig pedal on it?
No, that's one of the downsides. The only pedal that will work on this machine is an on/off switch.
What's the best option year 2021 for a hobbiest looking for a TIG welder suitable for aluminium?
I would look at the Primeweld TIG 225X, which I reviewed a while back on my channel and is still working great for me. Another brand I have heard good things about is AHP. Thanks for watching and for the comment!
I notice you demonstrate on steel. I want to do aluminum, should I use the same setup? Will the polarity be correct? Thanks
You need the AC/DC tig machine it’s more expensive too lol , you need AC to weld aluminum this welder only welds DC
Can this welder run 6010 rods or just 7018?
Sure, it says it runs stick. So any stick will do. However, how big/thick the rod size is is different story.
Welder for 17yrs.
@Joseph Jordan wrong. Not all stick welders will run 6010 rods correctly. All transformer style stick welders will but not all inverters will. Don't spread misinformation.
@@MrAjjordan oh really? check most of the MillerMatic specs and realize that they don't burn 6010 worth a shit.
Hello brother great video I would suggest a lens filter to be able to see the fusing. Question. is this welder hot enough for small structural welding ie. Cross beams..
Great review! I understand that the pedal is not varying amperage but can you vary the amperage with the button on the torch?
My intention is to weld some aluminized steel tubing for Intercooler piping and maybe some downpipes, this cheapo TIGs give me hope that i can afford to learn this
So you would run the stick settings a little hooter just bc you're using 110 or 220v power? Thanks in advance
hello . I live in europe and i want to know what kind of adaptor should i buy to plug the argon into the machine. My machines have a quick coupling adapter, this one has not.
Since the deko pro can be used to tig as well is this the same type of machine or it’s a different setup
Can you weld 1/8 in aluminum with this machine
What is the minimum size breaker needed for this machine?
If I get this machine and use it to practice my stick welds, do I need gas? Looking to buy this machine to practice both tig and stick but mostly stick so I don’t want to get gas if I don’t need to. Thanks Tim!
No gas needed for stick, so you can start out with that and pick up some Argon when you’re ready to TIG.
You can actually practice Tig welding without gas but you need to know what the welds should look like structurally as they'll look like shit without the gas if you don't have the experience to look beyond the surface.
How thick of metal would this handle comfortably using Tig and then using stick ??? Thanks
is there really a thickness limit when talking stick welding? i did a welding certification test with a 3/8 coupon, usually running 130 amps with 1/8 7018. i can do the same test with 2" steel, same settings, it will just take a lot longer! tig i feel is the same way, but for me, once i get all of my welding machines in order, i would typically do most stuff < 1/4" with tig, 1/4 or greater, stick, and for anything quick and dirty, 3/8 or less, mig
The idiots in charge changed the on switch, I didn't get the click on torch switch. Switch on mine is built in and is not moveable.
Can it do aluminum?
No, you’ll need an AC/DC machine for aluminum. Check out my Aluminum TIG for Beginners video if you want to learn why this is the case. Thanks for watching!
@@TimWelds Thanks for the fast reply! I looked and weldyes also makes a cheap tig machine that does aluminum too. Maybe they could send you one so you could do a video on that too.
is this welder good for aluminum?
No, it won’t work for aluminum
Can I use argon/CO2 mix with this or just argon?
Justo argon
Did you say what kind of gas you are using?
Straight argon for TIG. 👍
Tim, I signed up for your 4 part welding course yesterday and was wondering do you think this machine could weld aluminum with 3/32 stick aluminum electrodes(DCEP). I tried it with my little Deko stick welder using Hobart 3/32 but had no success even with 50-120 amps(only tried 120v), and some preheating. Cleaned it pretty well but it was very frustrating. Thanks
I know you posted this question a month ago, but this machine does NOT weld aluminum, as it is not a AC/DC machine. Ferrous metals only.
@@Immad1337 DC stick welders can weld aluminum with aluminum electrodes, so can DC mig. Tig needs AC.
@@rickl6697 forgive me, I read that too quickly. I thought you were referring to the tig process.
Just picked one up
Does this actually put out full amps?
Thank you, a great video and very helpful.
First :) Thank you Tim for the videos, very helpful
Thanks!
Just got mine up and running and the HF start doesn't work at all. I have to touch, turn on and lift to get it working..Any idea what might be going on?
Try scratching the tungsten on the workpiece, then lift it up before you press the pedal. Sometimes this is needed even with high end machines. If that doesn’t work, I’d send it back.
@@TimWelds Yeah, tried that and no workey. Yeswelder got back to me with a gap check (1.5-2.0mm/.059-.078) on something inside the box and to check if a white wire is connected properly in box also. Will take a look. Thanks.
Which import ac dc tig welder does the best welding thin metals?
I have only tried one import AC/DC welder, so I can’t really say which is best. The review for that one (PrimeWeld) is on my channel and it worked really well. The other AC/DC options that I know of, but haven’t tried, are AHP, YesWelder, WeldPro and Vulcan.
Do I need the pedal or not can I weld without the pedal?
you can use the finger switch on the stinger.
Has anybody purchased this welder recently. I was really ready to buy this unit until I saw that the TIG torch is not the same style as shown in this video. If you look at the pictures on the YesWelder website, the torch has the on/off switch molded to the handle, which makes it bulky. Does anyone know if you can put another manufacturer's WP-17 torch on this unit (with the zip ties)?
I'm wondering this as well. I'm looking at it on Amazon right now, and it definitely has that Euro-style integrated torch.
Not a fan. My Plasma cutter is made this way, and it's really awkward.
I just bought one (5/22/22) and it has a different style switch on the handle. It is molded in and I’m not sure if you can adjust it i think its molded in place.
I want to weld steel to steel in a damascus billet can i do it with the tig and not add any material?
Yes, that’s definitely possible.
@@TimWelds okay so this tig welder will do it? I was worried about getting tig since everyone says how hard it is. i currently just want to weld the seems on a steel billet to keep oxygen out so you get a clean forge weld. then learn how to weld other stuff over time. This is in a great price range and currently on sale for 50$ off
That switch held with zip ties is a shame they could have it on a collar of some sort.
Hey Tim, do you still have this welder?
Will it weld aluminium?
No. Need to have a n AC WELDER. This is a DC welder.
@@paddlepower888 Thank You!
Does it do any good with 7018 1/8? Or 6010 1/8 and 6011 1/8
And do you need gas with stick
I've run 1/8" 7018 with it and it did well. I haven't tested the other rods, but based on other similar machines I've used, I would assume that 6011 will work and 6010 won't. There is not gas needed to run stick with this machine.
How does this compare with the Primeweld TIG225X?
It’s kind of apples and oranges. This is smaller and less expensive, but is DC only, which makes it better suited to materials like steel. The Primeweld is AC/DC, so it can weld aluminum as well. The primeweld also includes features like pulse and adjustable post flow which will help a lot with stainless steel. The primeweld is bigger and costs 3 times as much.
@@TimWelds All fair points hahah. I had assumed that this also had AC/DC features. Thanks for the awesome reviews.
Does this do AC? or is it DC only?
It's DC only. For an AC/DC machine look at the Ahp Alphatig. Less than a $1000 but welders like a $2000 machine.
what type of gas do it run off of?
100% argon for most everything except nickel alloys, where you start to need to include helium
Can you weld alum with this machine? Thanks for the reviews.
This machine will only output DC and will work best on steel, stainless steel and some other specialty metals. For aluminum or magnesium, I would recommend getting a machine that can output AC, which will etch the oxide layer off the surface as you weld. (There are some tricks to run aluminum on DC, but I strongly recommend sticking with AC). Capable aluminum TIG machines start in the $700-$800 range, which is quite a bit more than this one, but much less than they used to be.
With all of these low cost welders, I'd be worried about support after the product is discontinued. Hell, I'd be worried about support while the product still exists as consumables for these things are usually not great to get a hold of. What's even worse and still likely, what do you do when the company doesn't exist anymore? This is where you can't go wrong with a Miller or Hobart or Lincoln, but you pay for that longevity. Still, for me, tools like this aren't the place where you skimp on, but I understand some people just don't care about welding as much as others.
Cool thing is this welder uses the same consumables as Hobart and harbor freight which helps long term
Do you have to have gas with it
yeah, for sure
What's a phone book?
👍 Thanks
In the phone book? Lol good informative video thanks!
i just bought this and the HF does not work :(
I think this unit is only lift not hf
@@gerardomadrigal7292 customer service was not getting back to me quick enough so i took the case off and saw that a wire had come off the circuit board in shipping, i soldered it back on and HF works great!
Are you running the tig on 110 or 220?
I tested it on 110v near the end of the video, but most of the video was running on 220v. It ran fine on 110v, but output is limited, primarily based on the electrical system it is connected to.
@@TimWelds what amp curcuit breaker are you running it on?
The 220 breaker is 50 amps, and the 110 is 20 amps. When running an inverter TIG on 110, the input current will be roughly 26 percent of the output current, so on my circuit, I’m maxed out at around 80 amps.
@@TimWelds thanks a lot! I’ve been trying to answer this question all day. I have a 110v 20 amp breaker so I think you just sold me on getting this welder as I don’t think I’ll need to go beyond 80 amps output.
Does this have a pulse feature
Rebranded junk! Lookup Keygree welders. Can be had for 150-200 all day online. This one is a rebranded Keygree 250 as far as I can see. I have a error 1 code on display. Units only been used for 30 min since ai bought it...They said out of warranty nothing they can do.. which I get.. however they also would not allow me to talk to support direct, only a call center. They also blocked my email when I tried to ask them about what part needs replacing or what error code meant... Buyer beware. Hope my incident was a fluke. Really liked the welder when it worked but feeling a bit hung out to dry.
Good channel tim. You got a sub from me
Awesome, thank you!
$250... but you need a tank of argon, you need a y splitter for argon, you need a purge hose (if doing stainless) tungsten, and other consumables. a bit more expensive if you see it that way...
But that's true of every TIG welder, regardless of brand, so what's your point?
It's now only 179.99
Thanks to China, I can now buy a welder cheaper than the gas.
That’s cheating your supposed to use straight safety razors they are 1/3 the thickness of a utility blade. Try again.
I suppose I should check the official rules of the Welding Parlor Trick Association next time.
Whats a "phone book"? ;)
It’s a thick stack of paper that goes under kids to help them reach the table. 😃
That thing is cheap af. I’ve bought cheap plasma cutters on Amazon and it’s definitely a get what u pay for situation. So cheap in fact, when the first machine blew up after 2 days, they sent me another, no questions asked, didn’t even want the old one back. The second machine lasted maybe a month, blew up, they sent another. I’m now on my 4th cheap amazon plasma cutter. Don’t expect reliability or dependability out of this cheap Chinese trash
i was looking at buying an Eastwood 250i for quite some time, but i ended up ordering a YesWelder 250P this week, and plan to buy their mig welder also. i'm hoping they aren't cheap garbage, but these machines had a lot of features the Eastwood was lacking, and in the end, everything is made in China. Mercedes are also made in china, so you can't automatically assume that just because it's made in china that it doesn't have good quality
Talk too much, and too fast.
Do not answer important question is it for aluminum?
No.
@@TimWelds Thank you.
Will it weld aluminum
you need ac/dc model they have one too but much more $$$ for ac stuff