Lorch Handy TIG

[ronnie35]

Hello,

Long time lurker, but only recently registered!

I’m after peoples experience of using the Lorch Handy Tig 200, how intuitive are the functions?

Having read quite a few threads about Lorch and the Handy Tig on here, it’s clear that it’s a capable product backed up with a good after sales service. Matt has been very helpful with my enquiries.

I appreciate that the ability to set up the welder for different jobs will come with experience, but what is it like navigating through the HMI panel? It will be my first TIG set, but I’ve had a little previous TIG experience many moons ago. It’s more hobby use than commercial, so there may be periods of a few weeks between use.

PS, use will be mainly light mild steel, ally and perhaps SS in time.

Thanks in advance, Reian

 

[Munkul]

Hi Reian,
I've had mine for 2 years now. I love it to bits. It's got all the features you'll ever actually need. After a few times of navigating the background menu and remembering what the codes mean, it becomes second nature.
It also has a good hot 200 amps... true amps. Enough to do butt welds on 1/4" alloy, with a bit of patience for pre heating. I'd want another 50 amps minimum if i did a lot of it though.

I use mine as part of a commercial hobby... ie part time work, mostly stainless, but a bit of all sorts. The powermaster torch and the two memory functions get well used

If you end up buying one as your first TIG set, then it sets a high standard for other sets to follow. I compare it to the other TIG sets I've used both myself and at work - Kemppi, Esab, Lincoln, and a few others, and the Lorch sets are just fantastic Yes it would be nice to have a graphic control screen like the bigger sets... but during use, you don't miss it.

 

[morssdn]

For the most part, you only adjust the current for the TIG things I do. So, being able to just go straight to the central knob and do just that, without having to push buttons or rotate through the glide slope to get to the central current setting and push again is the right way to do it. If you need to play with post flow or pulse values you do this less often, so the Lorch way suits me.

 

[Munkul]

It's worth bearing in mind that the post gas flow is automatic on the Lorch. It's adjustable by %, but essentially it caters gas time for amps and time arc-on, which is great. I don't think I've ever felt the need to adjust it, unless i tweaked it early on. I like 6 seconds give or take, so i probably bumped it up a little.
Also Upslope/downslope, start/end current and a few other main parameters is in % of main current. There's very rarely a need to tweak these things, as it automatically increases/decreases with main current.

Basically, select AC/DC, your current, knock slopes on/off, and off you weld. It "just works".

 

[peter l]

Like Reian, I'm also looking at getting a HandyTig 200 ac/dc. I would be using it occasionally for aluminium and stainless steel, sometimes also for thin mild steel. Do any of you have a recommendation of the torch options, eg wp17 basic or up/down, or the i-LTG Powermaster models 1700 and 2600?

Also Munkul, picking up on what you just wrote there, when would one have slopes set on and when off?

All advice/recommendation much appreciated; many thanks in advance.

 

[Munkul]

Power master torch hop-up

I've been after one of these for a while... Anyway Express made sure it would work on a plain updown torch, and then sent me this :D

www.mig-welding.co.uk

This might help

I'd get the a-LTG up-down. It's the non-digital torch, is cheaper, but still will change amps and job on the fly.
You can upgrade to the powermaster control if you like.

 

[no idea]

After having machines with either lots of knobs on or lots of menus, the Lorch is fantastic because it made me realize how much of a distraction all the adjustable settings are when tig welding. I improved my welds more by having a lesson than just being able to tweak every setting to the nth degree so, for me, the HandyTig is a perfect example of what a tig welder should be. Everything you need to adjust is directly accessible (mode, current) and everything else is in the background menu (and usually proportional to the welding current rather than absolute figures so you don't need to keep changing things when you change the current setting).

 

[Brad93]

I’m uploading some videos to YouTube now for you.

 

[Brad93]

 

[Brad93]

 

[peter l]

Very helpful videos, thanks a lot for making and sharing them.

 

[ronnie35]

Hi all, thanks for all the replies, much appreciated. And to Brad for taking the time to make those two videos. I think all that is left for me to do is go and find the best deal out there for a Handy TIG and get practicing!

It's great to see a forum in this day and age very much active with knowledgeable contributors.

Thanks again.

 

[Brad93]

Hi all, thanks for all the replies, much appreciated. And to Brad for taking the time to make those two videos. I think all that is left for me to do is go and find the best deal out there for a Handy TIG and get practicing!

It's great to see a forum in this day and age very much active with knowledgeable contributors.

Thanks again.

@matt1978 can probably point you in the right direction.