Never welded before looking to TIG aluminum in the future

[Freestyle72]

I have no idea why there is a price and warranty difference between the Canadian and USA market for Everlast. Perhaps the additional cost of delivery from the West Coast to Ontario? And perhaps Canadian laws differ regarding warranties?

For a casual user or hobbyist the difference between a well made import inverter style welder such as Everlast and the domestic, or European, models such as Lincoln, Miller, and Esab are primarily cost. The domestic machines are probably (I say "probably" because I'm still waiting for my first Everlast machine, a 250EX, so I don't know for certain) more robust in their design and are meant to work on a daily basis for years and years. For the casual user this is not an issue. Consider that the primary enemies to these machines are heat and shock. I have seen a Miller Dynasty 200EX (about $4000 retail) drop from 8 feet onto concrete and keep right on welding. I would not expect that to happen with a $1400 Everlast, although you might get the same result if you're a lucky person. And I've seen Miller and Lincoln machines run from 8AM until 9 PM in high school and college welding labs, and suffer every kind of abuse known to man, and still work well after years of such sadistic treatment. I doubt that an Everlast machine would survive that long or we'd see more of their machines in the field. Also consider how important local availability, service, and support are to you. Many of us have been waiting literally months for the latest shipment of Everlast machines. You could probably walk right out of your local Lincoln or Miller dealer today with the machine of your dreams under your arm, if you're willing to pay the steep price. The devil is always in the details. That being said, everything is a trade off. If you're a thoughtful and cautious person who takes care to learn the limitations of his equipment, and respect that, a less expensive machine can be a real value.

Regarding the issue of power; more is almost always better. Remember that the power rating is the maximum, and the "sweet spot" for a welding machine always lies somewhere in the mid range. So for the very little in added cost up front, it is best to get the larget machine you can power up in your shop. And if you are going to TIG aluminum or other alloys and exotics then the greatest amount of frequency control is essential for the best results.

Regarding learning to TIG; it is the most versatile of all the welding processes available, but it comes with a steep learning curve. Unless you're Einstein I strongly recommend taking a class or two at your local community college or trade school. Or, at least buy a good textbook if you're a disciplined self learner. The other processes like SMAW, FCAW, GMAW, have highly refined the various welding parameters for you and eliminated much of the decision making process. With TIG you are the "welding engineer" and must set all the parameters yourself. But the payoff is that with adequate skill, knowledge, and material, you can weld virtually anything, and do it well with TIG!

Good luck with your new adventure!

Thanks for the insight David. I am usually pretty good about taking care of my stuff. The other thing that makes me paranoid about these machines is as I understand it when failure occurs it usually catastrophic (this includes the millers inverters as well). And you know how the old saying goes " I am not rich enough to buy cheap stuff". And this is why I am curious about the warranty difference. I mean 2 years is a hell of a difference, I would understand if the price wasn't more expensive as well.

DavidShearer has offered very good and sound advice.

Duncan will explain the cost and other items related to Canada as he is the owner of Everlast Canada. The machine are the same, however he does make changes on some machine. Also, he double tested each machine. Sure there are duty or fee at the port as well, as his unit come to his building.

Far as not welding as well as the other color machine. I would search the internet for reviews from weldingtipsandtricks.com. In the hands of a good welder you will see they both weld as a professional would expect. In fact, ours tend to look a little better which was mentioned here sometime back by a member.

I have used the 225LX and 250EX for a couple years. If you can swing the EX, more power and freq range is worth it. Some feature like lift, etc., you might never use. The LX is a great unit and I have done aluminum with it as well with no problems. I have never use the DX personally, but many customers love them. The power factor is a big key for me.

So the 250EX is more appropriate for aluminum? I also noticed no one is selling their Everlast welders second hand, so either they are really young right now, or everyone likes them and keeps them! If I bought a unit from the US would the warranty be Honoured? Or lets say I bought a unit from Canada and moved to the US would the warranty work the other way? I tend to move quite a bit and this would be a concern for me. Also can anyone elaborate what the warranty covers? Is it a replacement as long as it wasn't a user induced death for the machine?