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Two years ago, the world’s shipping systems got flipped on their head. What this meant was that welding manufacturers couldn’t get the parts they needed to build new welders. Realizing their inventory was going to be limited, most of the major manufacturers pulled back on all their rebate programs or even cut them entirely. The thought was, “No point in selling machines for a discount, if that’ll just cause us to run out and then have nothing to sell at all.”
There were some worries that manufacturer’s rebates would never come back. Here at IOC, we do everything we can on our end to get you the very best price, but there’s only so much manufacturers will allow us to do.
Thankfully, for the first time in a couple years, Lincoln has introduced a new rebate. And the best part is, it’s for one of their most popular machines of all time. It’s hard to put into writing how massive this is. If you’re thinking about a TIG machine at all, here’s why you absolutely can’t afford to pass this up.
The Champion of TIG Machines
In 2021, the Square Wave TIG 200 was our most popular TIG machine. That’s a title it’s held for a number of years. Why is the Square Wave such a favorite among TIG welders?
It all comes down to capability, reliability and power.
Capability
The Square Wave TIG 200 does it all. It can weld steel, stainless, chrome-moly—and most importantly: Aluminum. Aluminum is a big one as it’s being used more and more in fabrication every year. It doesn’t rust, it’s lightweight and incredibly cost-effective. However, welding aluminum with anything other than AC TIG usually ends up as a complete mess.
Most professionals will say the only way to weld aluminum is with a machine like the Square Wave TIG 200. It has an AC TIG mode, which is the only way to TIG weld aluminum. One problem with aluminum is that it can warp like a mother hugger. By using as little amperage as possible, you’ll have a much easier time keeping your piece in the correct shape. The best way to do this is with a foot pedal. This allows you to adjust the amps as you go, giving you extra power when needed, but then allowing you to ease off so you’re not using any more heat than necessary.
Besides AC/DC TIG and stick modes, you can also adjust your frequency, balance and pulses per second. This is excellent for being able to fine-tune your arc for basically any application.
Reliability
The Square Wave TIG 200 is no spring chicken. It’s been around long enough, it has proven its longevity. In fact, if you go around to different welding shops, it’s not uncommon for Square Waves to be the oldest TIG machines there.
The Square Wave isn’t just built to last, it’s built to last well. The arc is incredibly reliable, making it easy to lay some precise, smooth beads. Honestly, they look so good, we hesitate to say you’ll save time—because instead of having to clean your welds up, you’ll be posting so many pictures of your perfect beads.
Power
The “200” in the Square Wave TIG 200 comes from the amount of amps this puppy can produce. If you’re not familiar with TIG welding, 200 amps might sound a little low for a superior machine. One benefit of TIG is that it can do the same type of welds as MIG, but with lower amps (and therefore lower heat and less warpage). 200 amps is usually all that most TIG welders need outside of certain industrial applications. The Square Wave TIG 200 is capable of welding up to 3/16” aluminum or steel.
For the most part, going beyond 200 amps TIG gets exponentially more expensive. For instance, the Miller Dynasty 280 DX can do up to 280 TIG amps, but the cost for that machine is $12,781.00. That’s an apple to oranges comparison, since the Dynasty 280 DX is definitely an industrial machine, but it puts into perspective why 200 TIG amps is usually perfect for most welders.
If you’re looking for a TIG welder, you’ve got to consider the Lincoln Square Wave’s capabilities, reliability and power. It’s one of the top contenders for the best TIG machine ever made and doesn’t often go on sale. This $400 rebate puts the price under $2,000. You don’t want to miss this chance. See more details about the Lincoln Square Wave TIG 200 here.
