T/A 185 or keep the Lincoln Tig 250 ?

[GWB]

I have a 15 year old Lincoln Tig 25/250. Due to access to other welders, I have less than 100 hours on this machine!!
Bought it new with power factor correction and the factory running gear, foot control. This machine is as NEW, always been covered, in out of the box condition (the foot control gray paint is still as new)
Just saw one a lot more used on E-bay go for $1300.00 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=2570496314

Has anyone used this type of Machine and can you compare it to the T/A 185?
I have time to start building again, .060 -.250 tube and other light tig usage as well as Alu to .250.

Have A MM251 for larger stuff.
Problem is I need the room and a portable unit would be nice, but don't want to trade down and have been out of the loop on the new welders...

Any thoughts??

Thanks, Great board..

[DrIQ]

Better hang on to your 250 tig if you want to weld 1/4" alu. the 185TSW will weld it but you would need a to preheat or set and wait on the weld puddle to form. The inverter power supplies have several desirable features size, weight, arc control and lower primary power draw. There is also one negative, the inverter primary power goes into electronic circuits and then into a small transformer vs a standard machine that takes the power into a transformer first and then into the electronics. If you have poor primary input power (high line spikes) normally not a problem in home shops the standard machine will give better long term service

[GWB]

Thank you Sir for the help...........

[atucker]

Another positive way to look at inverter type power supplies - we all are using PCs - they all have inverter type power supplies which, even the "cheap junk" ones usually last forever - think how big and how heavy a PC would be with an equivalently rated "transformer" power supply. I have a transformer type power supply from an OLD desktop printer (70s vintage) - the thing weighs at least 50 lbs and is rated (wattage) far less than most PC power supplies we see today. Inverter power supplies are still a "mystery" to lots of people, but considering the amount of (electronic) components involved, they are EXTREMELY reliable.

Allen T.