Let me see how much I can condense my story so y'all will read this through to the end.

After a week of phone calls, emails, mobile phone calls and texts between Alex and Oleg (mainly Oleg, even him calling me on a Sunday after an email). Through all my comparisons to other units, prices comparisons to other units, they both remained professional and courteous. Before we reached this stage though I had quite a few hours reading, posting, and watching videos of a lot of different Tig welders. I really wanted the 200Dx, but could not get it at the price I could afford (you never know till you ask). Not to mention them being sold out till the end of this month when the next shipment arrives. I wanted it for the pulsing controls mainly (notice I said want, not really need) I did some final research and decided that the Powertig 185 duel voltage would work just fine. I made my "final offer" and Oleg said "order it now and I'll do it" So the order was placed.

I ordered it the Friday before Christmas and got the tracking info emailed to me within 20 minutes of my order. Said it would arrive via UPS Ground the Friday after Christmas. Not bad considering it's traveling from the west coast to the east coast (Everlast is in CA, I'm in GA). I ordered the 2013 Duel Voltage model with both pigtails, new SR 17 flexible torch, new style Everlast Pedal, new style all brass regulator. While waiting for my new machine to arrive I picked up some tungsten, filler rods in various sizes and metals, tank of argon, gloves, and made an very temporary table out of an old expanded metal project I had laying around.

So, "the day" arrives, I get off work early and as I am cruising by the house I see a big brown box on my front doorstep. Now where I live, UPS is know as Universal Package Smashers. I don't get a package from them that's not busted, filthy dirty, crunched and normally has a couple of footprints as well. The box was in pretty good shape and was actually on the front door, not left by the garage door. I opened it up and everything looked nice with no visible damage. The unit was packed very well. I really think that UPS is responsible for some of the issues that people have with their Everlast products. I use FedEx ground for as much as I can and will only use UPS if I have to. I get much better service out of FedEx, but I'm off topic, so back we go...

Get her downstairs and completely unpack to make sure everything is there and no damage. All accounted for and looks good. Put the reg on the tank, install the hose on the back of the Powertig and then to the nipple on the regulator (here was the only hiccup, the screw clamp is your average hose clamp and no matter how much I tightened or where I put it on the nipple it always leaked, I used a 1" fuel injection style clamp I had leftover from another project and when I tightened it down we were good to go.) Plugged it in and it fired right up. I have about an hours worth of torch time on 110 volts (have the stuff to put in the 220 outlet, just gotta make the time).

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The new regulator is all Brass, still reads in liters per minute (not a big deal, just cut your cubic feet per hour in half and your good to go). The new SR17 torch resembles the WeldCraft 17 and has a nice zip cover over the hose and wire. New foot pedal is smaller and got rid of the gear/belt drive for a direct gear to gear drive. I don't have any experience with other pedals, but this one is smooth for me. (Oleg you were right, he talked me out of the SCC pedal in favor of their new designed ones). I have tinkered with mild steel and aluminum. Ran a few beads and have welded up some 2" square cubes out of 1/16" thick mild steel. The aluminum is the largest learning curve, but I'm slowly getting it and understanding how to make adjustments to the machine to get the welds I want.

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I am VERY PLEASED with this machine as well as the great contact, and customer support I have gotten from everyone I have been in contact with at Everlast. For half the price of a Red or Blue machine I got a quality piece of equipment with better features. I will be purchasing from Everlast again when I get the $$ for a plasma cutter. Might even sell the Powertig 185 down the road and pick up the Powertig 200DX for the extra features (I'm a gadget guy and love bells and whistles".

I will post more pictures soon. I just ordered a CK FlexLoc torch from Everlast and it should be here this week.

Thanks for reading.

Glenn