Just came across this today. Same as the eastwood unit except this one does stick. I know a lot of people want to try this hobby, but don't want to spend a lot so I figured I would pass this one.
$649 free shipping.
Seems really hard to beat.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/LONGEVITY-741360254732-160SX-160AMP-Welder/dp/B0085XM7G4]Amazon.com: LONGEVITY 741360254732 160SX 160AMP Tig Welder: Home Improvement[/ame]


It's not made in USA, but for that price, who cares.

What is it with you and these cheap welders?

Would that be in the same ballpark as one of these?
Arc / TIG Welder with Digital Readout - 240 Volt

imback said:

what is it with you and these cheap welders?

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b16edcrxblitz said:

x2...

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EASTWOOD tig200 is probally where the price and reliability line meet.

Everyone is always asking the cheap way to start and cheap way to to aluminum.
Not many can afford a miller or Lincoln.
And it's far superior to the harbor freight welder. It has a foot pedal, can do aluminum, has a regulator, can stick weld, and has pre flow post flow and balance control. And works on 110v.

Gamble97 said:

Everyone is always asking the cheap way to start and cheap way to to aluminum.
Not many can afford a miller or Lincoln.
And it's far superior to the harbor freight welder. It has a foot pedal, can do aluminum, has a regulator, can stick weld, and has pre flow post flow and balance control. And works on 110v.

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How much can you really do with aluminum and 110v? How good will it be? Just playing devil's advocate.

I'm currently pursuing my degree in welding.
Personally for the beginner I think it's much easier to use a machine that is reliable, consistent and known for quality, learning on a cheap machine that isn't consistent can make the learning curve much larger.
Welding is already a hard enough process, no sense in making it harder with sub par machines.

Longevity is junk.

Just a heads up. The eastwood tig 200 does 1/8 inch aluminum on 110 just as well as 220. How often are you welding anything thicker anyways. The TIG 200 cant be beat.

Ludachris said:

How much can you really do with aluminum and 110v? How good will it be? Just playing devil's advocate.

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I have done 1/8" on my miller on 110v. Haven't needed to go o 220v

dsmornothing said:

Just a heads up. The eastwood tig 200 does 1/8 inch aluminum on 110 just as well as 220. How often are you welding anything thicker anyways. The TIG 200 cant be beat.

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Have you actually used it? The pedal looks kind of chincy and cheap. I was considering buying it but was also thinking of just saving up 2500 for an HTP/lincoln/miller.

Morpherex said:

The pedal looks kind of chincy and cheap. I was considering buying it but was also thinking of just saving up 2500 for an HTP/lincoln/miller.

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Well if you do wait and save, your money wont be lost. If you ever need to sell it down the road you can get almost new prices for used lincoln or millers. They hold their value for years and years. And every part can be replaced so they can last a lifetime. They really stand behind their products.

Fehrion_sit said:

EASTWOOD tig200 is probally where the price and reliability line meet.

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Yea, I have to agree that although cheap prices are acceptable in some areas of tooling, a welder isn't where you want to skimp. There's a reason you will see Miller and Hobart machines that ate 10-15 years old working like new, but I've yet to see anyone with a cheaper unit have them for much time. Let alone one that will stand up and brag about the reliability of the machine. Most that I know usually will admit they regret not spending a couple hundred more yo get the miller unit

Why are you guys bashing? Not every can spend 2000+ on a decent welding setup. Id put my welding skills against anyone, and i sure cant afford one. Im VERY into welding, and id SURE try this before spending 5000 on a dynasty setup. Thanks for the info OP, ill be ordering one shortly.

Guys, sure it may be cheap.. however this may be a diamond in the rough! How many of you actually have experience with this exact welder?

^^exactly That is why I post them.
I love my miller but I am considering selling it for a thermal arc (yes made in china) but it has a shit ton of options, and my miller has none.

I was considering a thermal arc too. Are you sure they're Chinese? I heard they were italian or something other than china.

you guys created too much traffic to that link... they are $750 now.

Morpherex said:

I was considering a thermal arc too. Are you sure they're Chinese? I heard they were italian or something other than china.

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Not sure, but I was considering this, but not anymore since it's not 110v. Taking my dad forever to get free time to run a 220v.


Ok guys,
For those that don't care for "cheap" machines and such. I know there is a ton of debate. I have contacted longevity and worked out a deal with them. They gave me a slight discount on the unit and in return I am going to do a video on my thoughts on this machine. So with that being said the machine has been ordered and will arrive next week. I'll do a video on unboxing, then not too sure after that. Maybe using it and maybe a direct comparison to my miller diversion 180.
Also it comes with a 5 year warranty.

Edit: Let me throw this out there. I'm all for machines that are made in USA, however like stated before not everyone can afford them.

Hope this comes before the 1st of the year.

Gamble97 said:

Not sure, but I was considering this, but not anymore since it's not 110v. Taking my dad forever to get free time to run a 220v.


Ok guys,
For those that don't care for "cheap" machines and such. I know there is a ton of debate. I have contacted longevity and worked out a deal with them. They gave me a slight discount on the unit and in return I am going to do a video on my thoughts on this machine. So with that being said the machine has been ordered and will arrive next week. I'll do a video on unboxing, then not too sure after that. Maybe using it and maybe a direct comparison to my miller diversion 180.
Also it comes with a 5 year warranty.

Edit: Let me throw this out there. I'm all for machines that are made in USA, however like stated before not everyone can afford them.

Hope this comes before the 1st of the year.

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having that diversion is the key to understanding what we are talking about...weld the same metals and thicknesses and you'll come to see what we know but have hard time explaining (at least to me anyway) i feel that nothing welds like a miller/hobart (same compnay for over 10 years easily at this poinbt) or an ESAB, everything else is sub standard, but is capable of "getting the job done" it just won't make you as proud or make you seem as good as you will using a wuality machine witha stable arc..when you start getting arc wonderat anything lower than 50-60 amps and are having to use unorthodox tunsten or methods rto make the same weld you can do in y0our sleep with a quality machine,, it will be the epiphany of the tuner's fab section... you will smile with enlightenment.. Hell i borrowed time on other peoples machiens to save for the miller for obably 4 years (i'm a broke ass and don't wanna buy things twice, so i buy the best the first tuime when i can)

Buying the miller was a huge stretch for me. It was a lot of money to see if I even liked tig welding. If it had balance control I would frame the damn thing because it would be everything I could ever need.

I will say that I was just doing some welding and after going like 4 inches and on the pedal consistent the arc did stop then start back up again. It's happened on this machine for a little while now. Drives me up a freaking wall. Also will say that the low amp stability is ok, but not great. I'm going to try it again with new welder shows up to compare.

about the thermal arc... i must say if it's the purpleish colored one i'm thinking of they are the only decent china welder i've seen to date with the features actually working correctly and it welding as if it were a much higher dollar machine.. although we did have some issues with it at the place that had it (i found them as i was hired to weld some stuff after they bought the thermal arc and couldn't do their own welding, i later taught them to weld on the thermal arc at my same hourly rate as welding (only because they cut me deals on water jettting parts, otherwise i am not the type to teach my money making trade to my customers which is a sure fire way to find yourself out of work

I just watched a miller diverion 180 with less than 10 hours of use go for almost $1600 on ebay. Now that I have a 220v, I may sell mine in favor for the thermal arc 186. Maybe. It's SOOOOOO tempting!

you mean the 185? (or did they rename it ) anyway... Look for a used dynasty yoiu can get it complete with contractors pack on the miller weld forums for way way less than i would ever care to say or even think about letting mine go for, it's just like gamer PC components, there's guys who bu em new eveery year to have theltest feature and sell nice machines for less than half theior value just to move em fast

I just got a Hobart Handler 140 for Christmas, is this a decent welder? Looking up reviews and such atm, seems it can weld shielded and unshielded, and aluminum.