Did i-Tig 201 have points changed recently?

[aland]

Use MIG wire for a feeler gauge as Rambozo said.
.30 to .035 is typical setting.

That's not a bad suggestion, I missed that in my first read...unfortunately, I don't have any. Maybe my LWS could give me a few pieces. I have spring steel I can just cut a narrow piece of, that will work, I just don't have a lot of sizes...I know I have .025" and .035", the later would work. I would prefer to have a solid piece rather than multiple feelers and .035" is probably not a bad place to start. I'm curious where mine is set currently also, surprising? It shouldn't be, it's the same reason I had to open my Nova pedal and check the potentiometer, it just had to be done.

Yes, I now understand how to open the pedal, that it does have the tocos (Tokyo Cosmos Electric) potentiometer in it. No pedal was killed during the inspection.

And no welder was killed by removing extra spooge hanging between and all over components that was shipped to me.

Let me ask you about these solders. These two are the only what appear to be bad solders on my unit that I have seen so far. They don't look very good to me.

Would you recommend leaving them as-is? They don't look very good, but probably fused to the metal. I'm no solder expert.



Alan

[performance]

Point gap adjustment is a common item on all point type welders, not unique to Everlast and is considered a maintenance item, just like blowing out the welder after removing the cover about ever 4 months or so, but not needed as often though, only when arc starting is difficult. Arc starting is not a big deal usually and that particular unit sells alot to gun smiths who use the low amp start capability of the unit to weld on guns. It is popular in those circles. If it had issues, you'd know it. It hasn't been a problem in years really. Sure you will find issues, but a relatively small number compared to the number we sell. A couple of hours? No, about 5 minutes. If you don't have problems, don't fix something that isn't broke. Those points are straight forward. Slight misalignment is not a big issue, as long as some of the two faces are lined up with each other for the spark to jump. As was mentioned, some companies do, and some don't and we don't put it in all our manuals.

[performance]

Geez Alan, you'll find that in any welder, in about any brand if you look in the right spots. That's just over solder they intentionally use to handle a little bit extra power on a board. Leave the glue stuff alone. If you start removing the glue they use, which is harmless and non conductive, you could pull up your traces or wires, and that kind of monkeying around is not covered under warranty.

[aland]

Geez Alan, you'll find that in any welder, in about any brand if you look in the right spots. That's just over solder they intentionally use to handle a little bit extra power on a board. Leave the glue stuff alone. If you start removing the glue they use, which is harmless and non conductive, you could pull up your traces or wires, and that kind of monkeying around is not covered under warranty.

Most of the over solder looks fine, but those to me look like possible cold solders. That is the only reason I took a pic of those.

As for the spooge that I removed, let me show you...basically this bothered me. I don't know why, but the components were not designed to be held to each other. I took a knife and cut it off along the edge, and funny you mention about traces as I was especially careful not to touch anything around circuit boards. I even left it on the wires and plastic as I didn't want to disturb the connector. I should take a picture so you can see.

I also scraped some of the redish color sealer and protector that was all over the heat sink, it was covering some of the fin ends, to me that is probably not good, but until it burns or starts to smell I probably wouldn't have noticed it.

You could certainly void my warranty, and for what? For asking how to set the point gap? Showing you what my welder looks like inside? Questioning a bad solder joint?

And for what? A cheaply made Chinese welder? I think I got what I paid for, I'm not upset, but it is what it is.

Here's the funny thing...the first time I opened it up I didn't notice very much of it. The second time I noticed one area where sealer was smooshed under a clean plastic, it just didn't represent quality workmanship...and again not faulting you, I got what I paid for.

Fast forward, I honestly had my timezones and time screwed up, but I went out and removed the screws to open it up, and called with it open. That's when I got the message that they were closed...my bad on that... While doing this, that a crapplette of spooge feel out but it was on a strand, so it wasn't clear if the fan stretched it or if heat did, but it was as if it was stretched and hanging on the strange. I got it off.

[aland]

Ah, I think I see how to get pics on your forum. Above when I let it retrieve the image, it seems to have done that...

Let me try here...(bingo, this looks like it will work)

Mark, this is what I dropped out of my welder...when I turned it over to look at the points. Honestly, this could cause problem, it dripped down and the fan got it and pulled it, it was attached when it fell out, but I cut it. This is after I cut it.



Then I just started to notice more of similar type assembly:



What is this? Should I check radioactivity? (j/k, I call it WTF spooge)





Alan

[aland]

Some of the stuff was not bad, as an example, this clean and doesn't look bad.



I think this is the transformer possibly, is that right? It has pretty flimsy sheet forming the case. That is probably one of the parts that produces heat, it doesn't seem entirely robust...but the unit works. This is just what I observed, please don't get defensive about the industry quality, I'm just showing you what my welder looks like.



This looks ok to me.





In general it's ok, some of it is sloppy on the sealer and silicon, and I guess I got what I paid for. I wonder what the inside of one of your high end units looks like, would it be better? Or would I pay more for the same type of product?

Would there be incentive for me to upgrade? Cause if I paid $1500-$2500 for a welder and opened it up and saw the same type of assembly, I wouldn't be happy, but that's me...and we're all different.

Alan

[performance]

The glue they use is found in all kinds of electronics. While it may be a bit over generous, it is not a problem. Again, you did not read what I said. I specifically said that if you pull up the traces while removing something like that, it is not covered under warranty. I didn't say anything about regular maintenance. In fact I said that point gap adjustment was part of routine maintenance. Honestly, I think you like to try to find something wrong and pick about stuff, a basic contrarian in life. Fine that's who you are, but don't expect to slide on things you do that can harm your machine. What you find inside is not that much different from other brands. Being "cheap" chinese welder, you have no idea. Other companies manufacture there as well, including Miller and Lincoln. Just because they stick it to the customers on price doesn't mean it's made much different. Your slur about "cheap" and "chinese" has nothing to do with reality. The silicone was over applied, but again, not an issue at all. It holds things in place. You can nick a wire or pull off insulation and or conformal coatings off the board if you remove this stuff. If you do this to your unit, and something happens as a result, you'd really expect someone to honor a warranty because of your improper actions?

[Blaster]

WoW!! aland, you obviously don't know your way around electronics, taking the cover off of something like this is a new experience I assume...

First, "cold" solder joints don't look like that at all (are you getting this info from another forum after posting these pics there?). A cold solder joint is "frosty" looking, has no shine to it. Your pic has "blobbed" solder commonly used to add both strength & added current capacity (it's a good thing). Another good thing is the extra effort used to add copious silicone to bond & secure connections. You're posting pics positive attributes, sorry if looks sloppy, but it's really no place to be anal

I guess you also don't ever work on any engines (that's OK) because in any Auto parts store you'll find, what's called "feeler gauges" for plug & point gap/valve lash that are a selection of thin steel strips marked in thousands of an inch (like .030). Perfect for your needs.

[aland]

You can nick a wire or pull off insulation and or conformal coatings off the board if you remove this stuff. If you do this to your unit, and something happens as a result, you'd really expect someone to honor a warranty because of your improper actions?

No, not at all. I would take full responsibility and my welder works.

But I do wonder what exactly Everlast does in regard to engineering of these machines. It seems you have a Chinese manufacture do the engineering, assembly, QA, and that leaves Everlast as nothing more than a distributer.

From your comments I have to believe that most of your machines are similar.

Don't worry, I won't ask you to repair something I have damaged by opening it up. It's my welder I can do whatever I want with it. I havne't asked you for any warranty work at all. My HF arc starts and works fine, but I wanted to understand what needs to be adjusted given how many posts I see where setting the point gap fixes the machines and allows it to operate as intended.

But you can bet on one thing...if I have a problem with my unit during the Warranty that is Everlast's problem, or whoever manufactured it in China, I will expect you to stand behind your product.

Blaster,

I have several sets of feelers, you didn't read my posts very well either. They will not fit in there without being ground down, there is absolutely no way to fit a feeler gauge in there. Rambozo had the answer once again, use mig wire...but unfortunately I don't have any. That is a good way to measure it, but I can make my own out of spring steel and measure the same. My hf arc starts and operates satisfactory, so I don't actually need to touch it.

Alan

[aland]

Your slur about "cheap" and "chinese" has nothing to do with reality.

No, actually I am going comment on this. It has everything to do with reality.

America has grown to accept lower quality, in many cases to make people rich at the consumer's expense. I know you're probably thinking, "but Everlast makes it cheaper for them", but let me explain. Everlast is very similar to Grizzly, you offer machines that have more functionality for less price. And just like Grizzly, you have your product manufactured in China.

Eventually China will continue to get better, but the shoddy workmanship is still seen, as I have shown with these pics. This is what I paid my $$$s for and I'm pretty happy with it. We watched an evolution happen with Japan, and it is now happening with China. I don't doubt their products are getting better, I can see that...but they still do not take pride in their work in all cases.

Some of the comments you've made to me in private as well as publicly on this forum do make me wonder about your service and support.

Then you threaten to void my warranty if I destroy a tracer...go ahead, if it will make you feel good about it, void my warranty. You haven't seen my machine and quite honestly that's not a very good way to provide customer support as I have done nothing to change the machine.

And sure I get it about the manual being out of date, that is pretty much exactly what I was asking from the very first message in this thread. We all make mistakes and luckily the manuals are pretty good.

I think the phone might be a better avenue for support in the future.

Alan

[performance]

No, actually I am going comment on this. It has everything to do with reality.

America has grown to accept lower quality, in many cases to make people rich at the consumer's expense. I know you're probably thinking, "but Everlast makes it cheaper for them", but let me explain. Everlast is very similar to Grizzly, you offer machines that have more functionality for less price. And just like Grizzly, you have your product manufactured in China.

Eventually China will continue to get better, but the shoddy workmanship is still seen, as I have shown with these pics. This is what I paid my $$$s for and I'm pretty happy with it. We watched an evolution happen with Japan, and it is now happening with China. I don't doubt their products are getting better, I can see that...but they still do not take pride in their work in all cases.

Some of the comments you've made to me in private as well as publicly on this forum do make me wonder about your service and support.

Then you threaten to void my warranty if I destroy a tracer...go ahead, if it will make you feel good about it, void my warranty. You haven't seen my machine and quite honestly that's not a very good way to provide customer support as I have done nothing to change the machine.

And sure I get it about the manual being out of date, that is pretty much exactly what I was asking from the very first message in this thread. We all make mistakes and luckily the manuals are pretty good.

I think the phone might be a better avenue for support in the future.

Alan

I hate to responed, but I have to because you are misrepresenting nearly everything.
Alan, your comments are beginning to sound paranoid. You are making claims I haven't said. Others here see it too I believe. You ignore other things that are said for convenience of your argument. Someone, another customer, tells you that should know about it and has a background in it, that you are blowing smoke where there's no fire and you discount it or completely ignore it, not sure which. Is it about ego with you? Has someone bruised it? Has no one challenged you to think critically about what someone says before and you are ill about it? Because you completely ignore what I say and pull something completely out of context and even lie about what was said. You even have screwed up and made a comment about the tech support closing early. And I even tell you that you were wrong, but go on about it anyway...and finally admit you were thinking wrong about it. If you can think wrong and be so biased about something like that and can't see you are wrong, it ought to cause you to think (and gives legitimate cause to others to think this about you) that you are not thinking clearly here in thought or actions. It sounds as if you have a critical thinking issue here. I don't mean to demean you, but enough is enough. You completely misread everything. You know everything and no one can tell you anything you don't already know something about and know more about. Call tech support, or whatever if you have an issue. But take time to listen and think about what is being said, and what isn't being said. Don't be a hard head about things. Rant off. Sorry if this offends you, but it seems you know everything...so I guess you'll discount this too.

[zoama]

aland,
I'm a regular customer and I do not work for Everlast. Everything in your machine looks fine and I would even say above average, especially the soldering. That's not silicone it's acrylic hot glue and it's commonly used as an adhesive and to prevent coil whine. I think the machines are great for their price point. No need to butt heads over non issues. Use the machine and have fun, I'd bet you'll never have a problem out of it. The owner of this company has gone well out of his way to help me with anything I've asked of him over the years. Far better customer service than I've had from any other company.

[christian]

Yeah, Alan,

Are you a Manchurian Candidate, or the proverbial Saint Bernard, who licks your face while he's pissing down your leg?

Ha, ha, ha...

You know, how just recently, on another forum, you're deriding your new Everlast machine and their staff (of course, they can defend themselves quite well, without my help), and even engaging in negative gossip about me (apparently since I'm not an Everlast or China-basher). Not that I'm bothered. I'm just a little surprised, as, if I recall correctly, I did take some of my time to gladly share some of my opinions with you not long ago. I mean, I guess I'm important enough to you, and those others, that you take your time to gossip about me. But the incongruence of your reciprocation is odd, to me.

Otherwise, have you even used your new Everlast welder to do some of those projects you mention, yet?

How about start burning some rod, and post those photos, rather than whining about some spilled glue on a switch inside the unit.


http://forum.weldingtipsandtricks.co...p?f=19&t=12956

[Grizzly1944]

I'd have to say Amen to that!

[aland]

Are you a Manchurian Candidate, or the proverbial Saint Bernard, who licks your face while he's pissing down your leg?

This thread showed me exactly the type of support I would expect from my inexpensive inverter. That's not a slur, that's a fact. My machine is the cheapest tig machine that Everlast sells, how can it be anything but? The fact I had to take a picture of the points to get anything useful from Mark pretty much says it all.

I'm not sure why you all got so p.o.'d at me for showing you what my machine looks like and more so for trying to understand how to adjust the points. WTF do you care why I want to set the point gap? The manual says it can be done, period. The quality of the machine is show in the quality of the assembly, nothing more nothing less...

I see plenty of Everlast failures, it's not as if any machine doesn't or can't have problems. But I stand by my statement that you're a lot like Grizzly. You offer more functionality at a lower price that most all of your competition. This is not bad, just that you will not hit a home run with every machine. Same like Grizzly, they have a number of lemons...Everlast is likely to as well, you have dozens of machines..., but I'm sure some will be a home run. The previous 210EXT shows that. Maybe you'll hit a home run with the latest version, but doesn't seem good with those previous version 210s...

I'm happy with my machine for what I paid for it. And if you don't like me saying I would be upset if I paid $2000 for a machine and it looks the same as mine, so be it. My money is green, just like your machines, but I can buy any machine with my green money that I like...it's up to me. Whether you like how I say it to you, or you don't, it really doesn't matter to me. One day I will have some money I'll spend on a nice machine, we'll see if it's an Everlast...at this point I would laugh at you...

If it makes you feel better, go ahead and void my warranty, I could give 2 f#@$s about it...

'nuff said, you won't have to read any more from me here on these forums.

Amen is f#@$ing right...

[performance]

You already said that you were leaving once previously. No one has banned you or threatened to void your warranty on the basis of showing pictures. Monkeying with your board by doing something unecessary that actually caused damage to it, would. Any manufacturer will do that. Laugh a way, laugh with us, or laugh at us. People have been doing that for years. And most all laugh all the way to the bank when they buy our product over someone else nit picking over reasons why they wouldn't buy our product. You really have no clue as to what goes on with our product or what goes into our product. You simply armchair your criticisms in a vacuum personal knowledge ...of nothing of experience to compare to...no context of what is standard practice. You ignore statements by experienced customers and users to counter your claims. You twist words that I said into something that wasn't said. Speaks volumes to everyone. You never even contacted technical support for direct help. Again, volumes.

[christian]

Hey, Alan,

Thanks for sending back to me those two 1/8" wedge collets I gifted to you, when you were still waiting for your extra torch stuff to arrive. I had forgotten that you were the one I sent them to.

I guess that means that you're upset about my above post.

Of course, I happily gifted them a second time to another fellow Everlast forum member. So, thanks for that new opportunity to share them again here.

Good luck with your TIG learning process, which you seem to be getting supportive help with, over at the tipandtricks forum.

[Grizzly1944]

Does your machine work? It seems like it does.
If So! Leave the machine alone and learn how to use it properly.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

I've had my 250EX since 2011 and have only had two minor issues that were easily fixable within 5 minutes. Guess what? It still does its job very well.

[rick9345]

Seems most everyone has fallen to the keyboard baiter Mark you need't fall for this crap
.2013 250EX, happy customer,service/advice dept excellent.