After two weeks of using Longevity’s new TigWeld 200 EX TIG welder, Kevin weighs in on some of the welder’s unusual features. First he shows off its digital control panel. It has an AC / DC toggle switch, a 2T and 4T toggle for either running the foot pedal (2T) or using the controls on the torch (4T). There’s also a gas test button to help you purge the line and make sure you have the right pressure. The next two switches control high frequency and pulse. The coolest control, though, is in the center of the panel, where you have forward and backward arrow buttons that let you cycle through a series of controls, which you set the parameters on with the knob between them. You can adjust pre-flow, starting arc, up slope, weld current, down slope, arc current and post flow. The controls for the stick welder (arc welder) are on the right side of the panel. The other thing Kevin likes about this new TIG welder is the torch. There’s a rotary adjustment right in the torch handle that takes you from maximum amperage all the way down to 5 amps out of 100. So you basically have the same control you get with your foot pedal right on your welding torch handle. This can come in handy if you’re, say, up on a ladder, so you can increase or decrease your amperage without having to use the foot pedal. Also, if you’re in 4T, you can push the on / off button once to start the arc. If you push and hold the button for 2 seconds, the arc stops. But if you find things are too hot, you can click the on / off switch one time and the amperage drops by half – a little panic button, if you will. Hit the switch again, and the amperage goes right back up to the settings you had established. Kevin says he uses that feature a lot. He also says the clear panel that protects the digital panel from dirt and dust is a nice touch. He likes the TigWeld 200 EX better than the TigWeld 250 AC/DC he had been using, even though it has a little less power. So far, he hasn’t missed the additional 50 amps as he’s welded some aluminum and some steel with the TIG and welded with the arc, too. This welder has done everything he’s wanted it to. Click here for more information about Longevity’s TigWeld 200 EX.
