Looking for a new welder (multi-process)

Thanks that clears some things up.
I do understand what duty cycle is. Still trying to figure out what "A buzzbox losses duty cycle in its first rod" means though. Does it mean that if you stick weld with a transformer welder you're going to damage it? Does the duty cycle of a transformer welder continually get reduced as the machine is used giving it a finite amount of work it can do before there is nothing left?

Couple crappy pics of the laser machine:

 

That's a awesome welder ! I would love to see that in person. What do you usually weld ? Even my syncrowave is a transformer, but I wouldn't call it a buzz box. I think what he was saying was a transformer starts heating up on the first rod and keeps heating up. Once it's saturated with heat it trips a thermal cut out and you are left standing there regretting skimping on the size of machine you bought. It's all about heat dissipation. We put a Lincoln tombstone out in sub zero weather once with the cables run inside and carbon arced a cavity.

 

There is a spool gun of sorts for Tig. Tip Tig is what it's called. It feeds .035" wire in front of the tungsten.

 

Ok, That makes sense. Thanks!

We weld a few different alloys of mostly stainless and some precious and semi precious metals. I've only worked with the stainless alloys to date. That's mostly what we use in my department. Fill wire is mostly nickel. Use it for repairs on dental prosthetics. You can adj. diameter, intensity, and duration of the pulse. Hold the work with one hand, fill wire with the other, and trigger the pulse with a foot pedal. Scope has a reticle and depth of field is very narrow. When the work is in focus the pulse is on target with the crosshairs. Argon feeds in the box through an articulated nozzle. Pretty cool machine. I really enjoy running it.

 

That's interesting as it was designed for DCEP.
"E6011 = designed to be used with DCRP (Electrode +) but can be used on AC. All positions, less penetration than 6010, Has more spatter during welding. A material choice for galvanized steel and for rusty and oily steel in maintenance and repair work."

 

Yes

 

I did find a 250x with a spool today... Probably doesn't fill all my needs, but would beat buying a new 252 for the $$$.

I figure I'm a month or two away from buying one, unless I find a smoking deal on something I can't say no to locally.

 

It’s actually a 625, not an 875

 

When machines hit their duty cycle they lose their power, some have circuit breakers. Duty cylce is rated power or amps over time. It's like turning the kitchen sink from full to a third.
I don't know how to simplify it enough. Say you were running 1/8 7081 welding a backhoe bucket. You have a good root and bevel. As you are welding say at 100 amps the machine starts to lose duty cycle or current. You have to slow down and eventually cold weld at the end of the weld no more double weld inside and out just booger on the other side. Then on the next rod you turn the amps up to 120 but it's still welding cold. Heat causes resistance. The hotter you get it the less current you can get. Small machines have small coils or transformers.
Same thing can happen on any machine. Tig aluminum with a smaller machine and it's more obvious you go from half pedal to full pedal.

NYC is crazy with their standards. The whole states needs dot structural cert but in nyc they have their own test? It's weird to me they are their own entity.

 

Ok, so rather than say, being able to run consistently for three minutes then need to stop for seven on a machine with a 30% duty cycle, it starts to fade, almost right out of the gate, then hits a wall. Sit and wait for it to cool off, and start all over again.

 

The NYC DOB is a huge bureaucratic pile of overstuffed and underworked city workers, this is true
Wierd is the Port Authority or NYS DOT ............ them guys live on another planet

 

Quick question for all you welders. What Tig gloves do you like ? For over 20 year's I've bought Tillman 24C2X's. They used to last until they would be so black I'd be melting, now a couple of weeks and the stitching is failed. Just thought I'd tap the recourses here. Thanks.

 

But there is also the NY Thruway . They all accept dot structural cert. But the thruway required their own welding test/interview for tapanzee work.
Nysdot is like any other government entity. They have a few really good talented people and the rest is filled with mediocrity or cruise control people or complete ineptitude.

I love Tillman's. I haven't had to buy any in years.
The pair I have now are 24dm. Fingers are a bit short but they fit snug.

 

I bought a Tweco 211i Fabricator... locally. I was wanting to wait (I have spent a small fortune on my building in the last couple months), but this was pretty much to a T what I was looking for, and was NIB at a good price (did I say locally ). The ESAB, ThermalArc, and Tweco seem to be practically the same unit (the ESAB has LCD or OLED on the 215ic). I am really stoked, and plan on getting busy with it. NCI should have my building fully insulated this week, and then I can start moving stuff around and bring my table in.

 

Aluminum can be tig welded successfully with dc current, the gas has to be 100% helium.