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Thread: TIG purchase

  1. #1
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    Default TIG purchase

    Hi all,

    I must apologise for throwing up one of these posts, but I am hoping it'll be a slightly different from the norm.

    I'm basically all set on pulling the trigger on a TT Alupulse 210, based on the mix of good feedback, good warranty, good features, and that Pete (I really hope I haven't mixed his name up!) did occasionally post on here.

    Just posting this to make absolute sure that there's nothing that should give me pause. Or moreso, just simple confirmation that it'll be an excellent purchase. I'm not used to getting to treat myself to nice new tools in this price category

  2. #2
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    I have the same machine - all good.

  3. #3
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    Timely post, I want to buy a reasonable spec stand-alone TIG and know little about them, the one in the OP's link looks a likely candidate.

    Is it the general consensus that Token Tools are careful about what they import and sell, provide good back up etc?

  4. #4
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by bob ward View Post
    Timely post, I want to buy a reasonable spec stand-alone TIG and know little about them, the one in the OP's link looks a likely candidate.

    Is it the general consensus that Token Tools are careful about what they import and sell, provide good back up etc?
    I don't know about consensus but it has been my experience with the TIG and plasma I purchased from them.

  5. #5
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    Cheers Bob L
    Also, am I simply imagining this, or did you actually say a while back that you had shown off this welder to your BiL and that he was reasonably impressed by it?

    Bob Ward, TokenTools have got a pretty excellent name on here for quality & support, I'm mainly only hesitating because I've never spent this much money on a tool in my life, and it's really kinda daunting

  6. #6
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    I recently bought a TIG machine, and was looking closely at that unit. In the end I bought local for the price and support that was offered, but having used the machine I bought (UniMIG Razor 200 AC/DC Pulse) I can see a few things on that Token Tools unit I'd like - the memories would be handy given the range of different configs you use going between steel and aluminium and various pulse settings. The UniMIG also has has a mystery AC balance adjustment where it's not clear what it's doing, and if you then adjust the main amps, it resets the balance to zero - I'm pretty sure this is a bug I need to take up with UniMIG...

  7. #7
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by LordBug View Post
    Cheers Bob L
    Also, am I simply imagining this, or did you actually say a while back that you had shown off this welder to your BiL and that he was reasonably impressed by it?
    Maybe I did I don't remember. I should add that it's very hard to impress BIL given the HD gear he uses for his Ally work.

    The Mens Shed member who is a retired welding inspector and came around to help me setup the TIG looked at the spec and did say it was a nice machine.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    Maybe I did I don't remember. I should add that it's very hard to impress BIL given the HD gear he uses for his Ally work.

    The Mens Shed member who is a retired welding inspector and came around to help me setup the TIG looked at the spec and did say it was a nice machine.
    That must've been who you'd mentioned! It was a while back that I saw your comment about that, and I must've gotten the two confused with your mention of the BiL's experienced workings in the MIG thread the other day

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by RustyArc View Post
    ... the memories would be handy given the range of different configs you use going between steel and aluminium and various pulse settings.
    I'm not sure if I'd like memory or not. I find it pretty quick to set my machine to whatever process I'm using. If I were moving between steel and Al I'd probably be changing torches and electrodes anyway. I'm constantly twiddling knobs to suit the particular joint configuration all the time and I like to know what each function is doing whereas memory takes that away.

  10. #10
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by Legion View Post
    I'm not sure if I'd like memory or not. I find it pretty quick to set my machine to whatever process I'm using. If I were moving between steel and Al I'd probably be changing torches and electrodes anyway. I'm constantly twiddling knobs to suit the particular joint configuration all the time and I like to know what each function is doing whereas memory takes that away.
    Memories are really useful when learning from scratch and starting to climb that very steep initial learning curve. Newbies usually have no idea "what causes what" - have I got the right settings or is it my technique or both.

    They way I used them was I had a pro welder friend (former welding inspector) come around and he set me up with a few settings for Al, Fe and SS in memory and then we concentrated just on hand/torch coordination. Then I practiced on these 3 materials on/off for about a month when the pro came back and he looked at what I had done and help me correct mistakes. Once I had my technique sort of under control I started to explore the settings which I still don't think I have sorted. I still use the memories for a quick/simple job and only fiddle with the settings if I have time or doing something a bit more complicated. Not having memories would certainly force you to come to grips with settings quicker although it would be a steeper learning curve.

  11. #11
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    Well, I have to say, I am extremely happy with the machine

    First of all, the service was excellent. Whilst I didn't actually reach out to ask any questions prior to purchase, I did happen to add a slightly inebriated note along the lines of "I would really appreciate some jellybeans with the machine" and I could only laugh with the biggest grin when I opened up the box and beheld, a glorious bag of jellybeans

    Right off the bat, I already appreciate the memory mode - since there's only one dial on the machine and the rest altered through successive presses of buttons, I quickly learned to start saving setups to memory, so that they'd be easily accessible after turning off then on the machine. Seeing the range adjustments, I consider it to be an excellent feature.

    Now, it's been some years since I did only a tiny bit of TIG work, but after after a couple of false starts (AC waveform diidn't really like mild steel haha) I was left pretty satisfied with a butt weld on some 3mm steel..

    I then felt somewhat cocky, and thought I'd have a crack at the old welding two aluminium cans together trick. Suffice to say I've got a lot to learn in the world of welding ally, but I know I'll get there. Just need to get a proper linisher and maybe some tungsten dip, but by golly I can see myself having a lot of fun with this machine

    And true, the fan is loud, but I don't mind it all that much. I'm happy to know that it's keeping the innards cool!

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by LordBug View Post
    And true, the fan is loud, but I don't mind it all that much. I'm happy to know that it's keeping the innards cool!
    That is one upside to the UniMIG - it has a fan on demand, so if it's a cool day and you're not running a lot of amps, it often never comes on, which is quite civilised.

  13. #13
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    The TokenTools unit has the same, though sometimes it's on as soon as you start the machine, though it goes off shortly.
    I guess I'm fortunate in that I'm accustomed to factory & construction work, so a bit of extra noise doesn't particularly bother me, I have a box of good earplugs at hand

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