any welding pro's on here?
 

A friend of mine bought this HF box to do some TIG welding but after the fact realized its not something you just pick up over a weekend. Anyway he's offered to sell me the thing but its been years since i've welded with a tig unit. I do have the ability to pick it back up and have been thinking about picking up a smaller unit. Can anyone tell me anything about this one? Its the the one on the left the 175HF. Based on the info given can i weld mild steel and aluminum up to maybe 3/16th inch or so and occasional stainless? Its an obscure brand i have not had much luck finding info on. I was told its made in Italy ore something like that. I couldnt find anything on a google search. I did find this spec sheet and was hoping that was enough info to determine just what i can do with it. Thanks all :cool:

I'm not familiar with that brand but unless you get a REALLY, REALLY good deal stick with a name brand. We only buy Miller's. I'd be worried about parts and service. I'll ask my welders on Monday. We've used some cheap ones and you don't get the control and adjustability with a cheap one. A good welder may not have a problem with it but the occasional user will fight it.

Thanks, i understand what ya mean. The rest of my welders are Hobart and Lincoln.

got this from another site that lists this one. This is the product discription for the 175HF

Welding inverters designed to work with unstable supply voltages caused by the use of power units and long connection lines. Microprocessor controlled, they provide excellent STICK welding performance with all types of commercial electrodes and TIG welding with HF striking on materials such as steel, copper, stainless steel, etc. STICK: arc force and hot start preset to optimum TIG values: 2-stroke, 4-stroke, 2-stroke pulsated or 4-stroke pulsated. Lowering ramp and post gas functions can be regulated directly from the front panel. The GLOBUS 225HF model is fitted with a digital instrument which displays the actual welding current.

http://www.helvi.com/index.php?page=...emart&Itemid=7


and heres their product line. I dont think its a budget minded product but certainly is not main stream. ( i certainly could be wrong there :D)

http://niteh.com/images/pdf/Product_Guide_2009.pdf

Ditto, a miller is the easiest to use with the best control. It will make you look good.

I have Lincolns in my Body shop. Run them everyday and have never had a problem. Miller is also an excellent welder. Lincoln also has a deal with Home Depot and they sell small home units at a decent price. Also, if you need a small part on the Weekend Home depot sells them. I would not buy a generic welder. If something breaks, where do you get parts from??? Jeff Wurl

hey dave . like everybody has are ready told u buy a lincoln or miller . we use them all day every day . in our fab and mechine shop. i have 3 millers and 1 lincoln at home . robbie

i am a metal fabricator by trade working in the pressure industry
these welders and similar machines are for body shops at best.
very light gauge material and very low duty cycle
i personaly would not waste my money
there are enough welding shops going broke these days wait and buy a decent machine
for home use you would not need more than a millermatic with a small spool gun attachment 60 % duty cycle burn up to .045 c/s hard wire .045 stainless hardwire, and up to .035 alluminum in a 1 pound spool gun
more than any backyard weekend fabricator will ever need
regards marc

Thanks for the info guys. I already have a Hobart 250 as well as a Lincoln SP100, both have been fantastic machines. I was just wondering based on the specs if this welder would be worth having. The price is right and i understand its a smaller machine with limited capacity. I do a fair amount of custom sheet metal fab as well as small bracket stuff in the 1/8 inch range. Thought it might be handy in the shop. And yes i understand it is an obscure brand but like i said price is right. My friend is liquidating a few un used shop items to round up a some bucks and i think he'd like to keep this close enough to still be able to use it (or have access to someone that took the time to learn it lol)

I may also look into setting up my Hobart for TIG. Its been a great wire feeder and to be honest its much more welder then i needed. I got it several years ago on an end of year clearance sale. I've only used the high range once to weld some teeth on a backhoe bucket. For the most part my little Lincoln SP100 has filled the bill in my shop for the last fifteen years or so. I figured the smaller capacity of this 174HF may fit in as well.

Again thanks for all the great comments and info.

Dave, That would be too easy!

Tig & Mig use differant power supply type. Mig is constant voltage, tig is constant current.

hey daveafter looking at the pic u posted . it does nit say wheather it's acdc or jest dc u have to have ac to weld alum tig dc will not do it . i'd be willing to bet it's dc onily so steel s.s onily . miller makes a dainstry that is ac/dc that will weld alum but it;s a bout $5k mechine onily . the diverson is about$ 1600 . mbam is right on the money a cc stick tig . and a con votage mig or wire are 2 different mechines . robbie