I just bought a 205 and I too am impressed though, this is my first foray into TIG. Been welding MIG for about 8 years now. Only complaint so far is they shortened the warranty to 90 days. Not good on a $1200 machine. No warranty description on the model in the store or on the box. Only in the instructions. I plan on burning it in for the next couple months to make sure it's a good one.
Using for 6 months at work and really like it. The pulse frequency is a submenu type setting. Considering the " Ssc touch 4 tig hand control" as i am replacing some rocker panels at ground level and the pedal would be cumbersome.
Hey Wray, a few months ago I utexed my argon bottle at my local welding supple. I then had trouble welding 304SS sheet and it sugared and made a mess. After testing on a scrap from a previous piece that welded fine I had the same poor results. Last thing I checked was the bottle just to discover they accidentally gave me a bottle of mixed gas. Lesson learned. That bottle of tri-mix gave poor results w/ TIG on SS.
Actual current/electron flow is from negative to positive terminal. When welding aluminium, especially, the negative-to-positive flow is used to force current back from the work through the torch electrode. That's what gives you the positive-cycle "cleaning" action. In DC mode (stick welding, for example) running current from positive to negative would mean material being drawn off the work and onto the electrode.
Hey, my name is joe i make a FINGERTIP AMPERAGE CONTROLLER for the Vulcan protig 200/205 i will send you one if you would give me your honest opinion about it.
hi Wray. Great videos! Very professional. I'd be interested to take a class in your shop. i use a wheelchair and want to try welding aluminum. Up here i Canada. I've done some MiG welding with a princess auto 125A Inverter Flux-Cored Welder. My question, is there a beginner tig welder i can use with aluminum, without having to use a foot pedal?
I took a piece of fuel line and slit it, taped it over where the cord comes out of the foot pedal. Seems to be holding up well. I have ahp but pedal looks the same
Hey Wray nice little welder there I’m liking the way your caddy is coming along that rust removal set up you built is tits thanks for taking the time to make your videos for us to enjoy and learn from there great
I strongly suspect all of the 2xx series Vulcan welders share similar innards. I like these so much that even when my first failed out of warranty, I replaced it with another Vulcan welder. I had an OmniPro 220 (all in one) that failed on me in a really weird way: sometimes the MIG section refused to energize, but it was intermittent. Eventually the MIG quit altogether but TIG and stick still worked. Then TIG started acting the same as MIG (stick always worked). I never figured out if it was a software issue or hardware. I opened it up but despite the fact in my day job as engineer I support electronic equipment that helps airplanes land, I found this welder too complicated troubleshoot at a component level (might be possible to fix at a board level - but where will I get spares)? It's over-engineered to the level of 2010s German luxury car. However I really needed a welder that weekend so I bit the bullet and spent another $800 on a MIGMAX 215. Later I plan to buy the ProTIG 205 you demoed here. I haven't tried yet plugging the screen from the OmniPro into the chassis of the MIGMax to prove/disprove my theory that these share components.
I hope you bought the ProTig 205 today with the Memorial Day Only 25% Coupon. I did, and even used the HF Credit Card First Time Purchase Discount of 10% on top of that. Threw 500 down and 500 on the HF credit card which is like $46 dollars each month. Didnt buy the warranty because I was holding up the line, but going back in a few days to buy the 2-year extended warranty for $220.00.
How reliable are these Vulcan 205 AC/DC tig welders? The next closest Miller equivlent is about $3200, and for a Lincoln, they start around $1800. But if you read the reviews on Amazon for the lincoln K5126-1*, they are absolutely horrific, with massive reports of sudden failures or DOA failure. I did find several posts on forums of several Vulcan 205's burning up for people, one guy had 2 in a row that failed. From what I can see, the Vulcan is probably at least still twice as reliable as the Lincoln K5126-1 AC/DC TIg.
I have had mine for several months now. I do plan to do a review video, but I think it will best to wait six months before I do it. So far I am very impressed. I have about seven different tig welders in the shop so I believe I can give it a good review when I get to it
Anything on here about that required ground rod needed to operate the AC tig settings when ones work bench is a chunk of left over 4' x 33" osb board 13/32" thick lol. On steel saw horses on a concrete slab. Yes the machine is grounded. The work must be grounded according to the book so i called to HF technical support by pushing #2 and then #2 finally got a real person on the phone and he didn't answer about the required ground or concerns of a man working in the same facility with a pace maker in his chest.
Really nice video Wray. I am dragging my feet in getting a welder. I thought that I would need Mig to make a wireform and AC TIG to weld the aluminum body panels. But this machine does not have MIG. I would think that the wireform could be welded together with stick. Do you agree or is there something that I don't know about? I look forward to your comparison with your Everlast.
If I was looking to learn how to build a hot rod frame for a T bucket like sized car what welding process would be best to weld the frame mig or tig or any other method that I did not mention. Also what thickness steel would you be comfortable making a frame with
HI Ryan, a tig welder will provide the best welds and the Harbor Freight 205 will work very well. Best to use 3/16" wall thickness for the frame. You could use 1/4" wall too.
Hello, what kind of rod and size are you using for aluminum? I have an issue with my rod melting before it reaches my puddle causing little round blobs. Also thanks for the video... Wow you make it look easy! True craftsman.
@@proshaper Thanks very helpful video. Can you also say what type of tungsten and diameter you run for 060 aluminum. I'm currently following your e-type series and building my own.
I dont know anything about welders but how come it can do both AC and DC TIG but only do DC Stick and not AC Stick or is AC Stick not a thing? I just bought this welder today as my first welder so I'm here trying to learn everything I can about it and TIG welding... and since it has a stick welding hookup.. I might as well learn stick welding too right? (but I heard stick welding is more for outdoor welding like working on farm and mining equipment type shit.
Depending on your welder if you have selection for A/C D/C you can weld stick in either with the right rod. For example 6010 works better for D/C will 6013 is for A/C. 7018 can be used for either. For stick welding you will be better to use 7018 makes nicer looking weld. For TIG your welder will work better if you set it up for stick welding and when you want to TIG turn welder off swap the positive and negative where they connect to welder. This is changing the polarity from reverse to straight.
I hate those long pedal wires so I priced a wireless foot pedal from Miller. $800. When I regained consciousness……. You can almost buy a damn welder for that.
Hey Wray nice little welder there I’m liking the way your caddy is coming along that rust removal set up you built is tits thanks for taking the time to make your videos for us to enjoy and learn from there great
Hey Wray nice little welder there I’m liking the way your caddy is coming along that rust removal set up you built is tits thanks for taking the time to make your videos for us to enjoy and learn from there great
![ร้อยพ่อพันแม่ - WanMai [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/XY2pNYASEbg/mqdefault.jpg)
Wray, the best TIG I've used is the HTP Invertig. Made in Italy by STEL and marketed in the USA by HTP.
I just bought a 205 and I too am impressed though, this is my first foray into TIG. Been welding MIG for about 8 years now. Only complaint so far is they shortened the warranty to 90 days. Not good on a $1200 machine. No warranty description on the model in the store or on the box. Only in the instructions. I plan on burning it in for the next couple months to make sure it's a good one.
Using for 6 months at work and really like it. The pulse frequency is a submenu type setting. Considering the " Ssc touch 4 tig hand control" as i am replacing some rocker panels at ground level and the pedal would be cumbersome.
That's going to be a handy useful tool for your for your channel so glad to see you get it
Hey Wray, a few months ago I utexed my argon bottle at my local welding supple. I then had trouble welding 304SS sheet and it sugared and made a mess. After testing on a scrap from a previous piece that welded fine I had the same poor results. Last thing I checked was the bottle just to discover they accidentally gave me a bottle of mixed gas. Lesson learned. That bottle of tri-mix gave poor results w/ TIG on SS.
Thanks Wray. I'm thinking of getting this one for aluminum.
Actual current/electron flow is from negative to positive terminal. When welding aluminium, especially, the negative-to-positive flow is used to force current back from the work through the torch electrode. That's what gives you the positive-cycle "cleaning" action. In DC mode (stick welding, for example) running current from positive to negative would mean material being drawn off the work and onto the electrode.
Hey, my name is joe i make a FINGERTIP AMPERAGE CONTROLLER for the Vulcan protig 200/205 i will send you one if you would give me your honest opinion about it.
hi Wray. Great videos! Very professional.
I'd be interested to take a class in your shop.
i use a wheelchair and want to try welding aluminum. Up here i Canada. I've done some MiG welding with a princess auto 125A Inverter Flux-Cored Welder.
My question, is there a beginner tig welder i can use with aluminum, without having to use a foot pedal?
Good point about putting a beehive on that point of the foot petal wiring.
I took a piece of fuel line and slit it, taped it over where the cord comes out of the foot pedal. Seems to be holding up well. I have ahp but pedal looks the same
Good overall demo! You just pushed me one step closer to getting the 205.
and, pulled the trigger yesterday...
@@bobg9873 you like it still ? Worth the money going this month to grab one
Thank you Wray for the great comparison. If you were to choose a different welding head what would you recommend.
My Lincoln 225 has a long pedal cord too. I just coil half of it up and zip tie it.
I have one it welds sweet but at times it will quit for a minute , not sure why but overall good for the money
Hey Wray nice little welder there I’m liking the way your caddy is coming along that rust removal set up you built is tits thanks for taking the time to make your videos for us to enjoy and learn from there great
Nice video,thanks! Wray did you say you had a suggestion for an entry level tig for an ameuter hobbyist?
I do most of my metal work with mig and think its time to take it to the next level
When are you going to test a YES welder ? I'd like to see that
I strongly suspect all of the 2xx series Vulcan welders share similar innards. I like these so much that even when my first failed out of warranty, I replaced it with another Vulcan welder. I had an OmniPro 220 (all in one) that failed on me in a really weird way: sometimes the MIG section refused to energize, but it was intermittent. Eventually the MIG quit altogether but TIG and stick still worked. Then TIG started acting the same as MIG (stick always worked). I never figured out if it was a software issue or hardware. I opened it up but despite the fact in my day job as engineer I support electronic equipment that helps airplanes land, I found this welder too complicated troubleshoot at a component level (might be possible to fix at a board level - but where will I get spares)? It's over-engineered to the level of 2010s German luxury car. However I really needed a welder that weekend so I bit the bullet and spent another $800 on a MIGMAX 215. Later I plan to buy the ProTIG 205 you demoed here. I haven't tried yet plugging the screen from the OmniPro into the chassis of the MIGMax to prove/disprove my theory that these share components.
I hope you bought the ProTig 205 today with the Memorial Day Only 25% Coupon. I did, and even used the HF Credit Card First Time Purchase Discount of 10% on top of that. Threw 500 down and 500 on the HF credit card which is like $46 dollars each month. Didnt buy the warranty because I was holding up the line, but going back in a few days to buy the 2-year extended warranty for $220.00.
@@ChristopherJones16 sadly I wasn't in a position this season to make a major purchase of that size.
How reliable are these Vulcan 205 AC/DC tig welders? The next closest Miller equivlent is about $3200, and for a Lincoln, they start around $1800. But if you read the reviews on Amazon for the lincoln K5126-1*, they are absolutely horrific, with massive reports of sudden failures or DOA failure. I did find several posts on forums of several Vulcan 205's burning up for people, one guy had 2 in a row that failed. From what I can see, the Vulcan is probably at least still twice as reliable as the Lincoln K5126-1 AC/DC TIg.
I have had mine for several months now. I do plan to do a review video, but I think it will best to wait six months before I do it. So far I am very impressed. I have about seven different tig welders in the shop so I believe I can give it a good review when I get to it
Anything on here about that required ground rod needed to operate the AC tig settings when ones work bench is a chunk of left over 4' x 33" osb board 13/32" thick lol. On steel saw horses on a concrete slab. Yes the machine is grounded. The work must be grounded according to the book so i called to HF technical support by pushing #2 and then #2 finally got a real person on the phone and he didn't answer about the required ground or concerns of a man working in the same facility with a pace maker in his chest.
Really nice video Wray. I am dragging my feet in getting a welder. I thought that I would need Mig to make a wireform and AC TIG to weld the aluminum body panels. But this machine does not have MIG. I would think that the wireform could be welded together with stick. Do you agree or is there something that I don't know about? I look forward to your comparison with your Everlast.
The tig will weld a wireform together better than a mig.
You may want to try a lower frequency. Anything above 80 hertz is usually counter productive.
If I was looking to learn how to build a hot rod frame for a T bucket like sized car what welding process would be best to weld the frame mig or tig or any other method that I did not mention. Also what thickness steel would you be comfortable making a frame with
HI Ryan, a tig welder will provide the best welds and the Harbor Freight 205 will work very well. Best to use 3/16" wall thickness for the frame. You could use 1/4" wall too.
Good evening, question if anybody know. I try to work my machine with generator and it's not work why.??
Hello, what kind of rod and size are you using for aluminum? I have an issue with my rod melting before it reaches my puddle causing little round blobs. Also thanks for the video... Wow you make it look easy! True craftsman.
I use 1100 rod 1/16" diameter. I have used the Vulcan little more and it is a excellent welder.
@@proshaper
Thanks very helpful video. Can you also say what type of tungsten and diameter you run for 060 aluminum. I'm currently following your e-type series and building my own.
Also, one thin I have found is my machine will not burn 6010 or aluminum stick rods
How does this run on 120v, and what amp does breaker need to be?
The Vulcan runs very well on 120 volts AC or DC. I will do a full review of the welder soon. I wanted to get some experience with it first.
I dont know anything about welders but how come it can do both AC and DC TIG but only do DC Stick and not AC Stick or is AC Stick not a thing? I just bought this welder today as my first welder so I'm here trying to learn everything I can about it and TIG welding... and since it has a stick welding hookup.. I might as well learn stick welding too right? (but I heard stick welding is more for outdoor welding like working on farm and mining equipment type shit.
Depending on your welder if you have selection for A/C D/C you can weld stick in either with the right rod. For example 6010 works better for D/C will 6013 is for A/C. 7018 can be used for either. For stick welding you will be better to use 7018 makes nicer looking weld. For TIG your welder will work better if you set it up for stick welding and when you want to TIG turn welder off swap the positive and negative where they connect to welder. This is changing the polarity from reverse to straight.
Remember in any type of welding all you are doing is taking a solid turning it into a liquid and letting it become a solid again.
You know it's great and about the unboxing and setting it up and all, but when are you going to learn how to lay a proper tig beads though...??
Metal is clay and there is no such thing as too much hood time.
I hate those long pedal wires so I priced a wireless foot pedal from Miller. $800. When I regained consciousness……. You can almost buy a damn welder for that.
Are you building an RV4 or did you already build it?
@@tomcoryell 90% done 90% to go
Good to be first . Haha
Hey Wray nice little welder there I’m liking the way your caddy is coming along that rust removal set up you built is tits thanks for taking the time to make your videos for us to enjoy and learn from there great
I have one it welds sweet but at times it will quit for a minute , not sure why but overall good for the money
Hey Wray nice little welder there I’m liking the way your caddy is coming along that rust removal set up you built is tits thanks for taking the time to make your videos for us to enjoy and learn from there great