for the 1375 maybe a bit more you could have gone with a used dynasty 200 great machines too. You really get what you pay for with the cheap machines they are very limited in functionality but to learn with ok i guess. And miller has a three year replacement plan on their welders so many times you can pick up a used dynasty and its still under warranty.

 

i wouldn't lean on the 5 year warranty much, it isn't an indicator of quality but moreso how much it will cost to ship out for servicing every time it breaks.

 

would have loved a dynasty, thats what i learned on. but they are still bringing a premium out here even used. i have seen very few for sale and they still average almost 3k

 

and as to limited functionally it has every feature the dynasty has(save for being able to run on 120v). time will tell if i have a large paper weight or if it still works i suppose.

 

well, there's a used syncrowave 300 for sale right now at $1500 and it's been at least a week and i'm sure he would have taken the price you paid for the everlast unit. granted you're right, most people want $2k or more for decent machines here still and they only pop up very randomly.

i've been eyeing a few but the timing isn't right right now anyways.

most of the crackheads in this town want new prices for just about anything. i treat most things like buying a car, as soon as it leaves the store(or car lot) it depreciates by 50% in value if you ever plan on selling it.

 

Ive read great things about the HTP Invertig welders. They are Italian made, but have been around for years. They have way more features than a Dynasty 200 DX, is 220 vs 200, has 69 presets, etc.
Price is $2500 for a ready-to-weld package vs $3000 for the machine only.
It's what Im buying if I can get it cheap enough with shipping to O Canada

 

What features does the HTP have that the dynasty doesn't? I haven't heard anything about them good or bad. Also the control panel looks a little crazy to use similar to the original dynasty front panel setup and miller did away with it for a reason. The big potential problem that i see is the fact that it does not use standard argon fittings which is a major pain.

 

why couldn't you have a 220v plug wired up? Mine was done for free.

anyhow, i have nothing to offer (experience wise) for 110v but try looking at

http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com

 

I recommend either a Dynasty 200DX or a 300.

 

duty cycle is the same but the htp puts out 220 instead of 200, pulse (dynasty dx has this but a bit more $$ than the standard SD model), way more presets, and is $1000 cheaper.
I just don't get why people would buy blue when it has less features and is over $1000 more. You guys can buy Miller to "save your economy" or "Miller=reliable" but I've seen my fair share of broken Dynasty's on eBay.

I guess it's all in what you want and how much money you want to save. I almost bought a used Dynasty for more than a new HTP lol...

 

You can make your own "programs" on the dynasty so thats the same, its also only a 300 dollar option to get the dx model and also the pricing is very different then the MSRP so when you price one out it will be alot more reasonable. There are more features that that the HTP machine doesnt even have like auto link, and different wave forms. Also the machine may look cheaply priced but when it comes down to it and you get the 110v/220v machine its an extra 500 BUCKS!! so its right around 3000.

 

Like I said, it's all in what you want or need. I have no need for dual voltage. Also, pricing for an SD with the torch n such here locally is $3200 plus 12% tax.
What do you mean "make your own programs"? I know you can have like 10 presets and the Dynasty 300 has like 20 presets, but the HTP has over 60 (not sure why you would need that many lol).

 

i suppose they come in handy once you really get into it, which is why most people recommend getting more versus less because in the end you will be less happy with less adjustability.

but i can see it from other people's perspectives, as they don't do it as a job spending $2k+ for a welder that they will never use enough to recoup the investment costs. but that is also why many people recommended the older used units as they are sturdier and you will be able to sell them for exactly what you paid for it.

you just have to weigh out the options, are you going to do more than a small handful of jobs where you simply could just take the parts to a shop and have them tigged up for a few hundred $ or do you plan on using it enough that $1500 investment is well worth it? i have been looking into many options as well, considering the price of local units are usually pretty steep, but who wants a piece of **** $1000> welder that is constantly being sent out for repairs that does substandard work? there's not enough feedback on the cheaper units for me to believe people are satisfied that the technology has surpassed the previous value of even the older used units.

a decent tig is going to start at $1500 and go up from there, that still seems to hold true.

 

I was thinking more in the $1000 or less range. I want a machine to be able to weld aluminum brackets, some intercooler piping but from what I see in price range I rather just duck tape it all together & gear clamps