Hello from California! New 210EXT PowerTIG owner!

[GaveUpOnTV]

Hi,
I just received my PowerTIG 210EXT a couple of weeks ago, and I'd like to get as much information about using it as possible. I don't have any experience, other than currently taking a beginning welding class at the local community college. It is a class that runs through some theory (about an hour each week), and then has a 3-1/2 to 4 hour lab class session. We spend 3 lab sessions (about 10-12 hrs.) on the MIG, Flux Core 'MIG', TIG, and SMAW processes. I'm really enjoying the class, but I don't think I can get enough experience in a (about) 4 hour class that meets once a week! The instructor, Mark Reese is a darned good instructor (and a AWS official) but he has his hands full with the 30 students, and probably I'm a little below (seems that way) the average beginning welder in my manipulation of the various welding processes.
I'm close to using the welder, maybe I'll try the stick process today. I need to get the water cooler going (because I only have a water cooled 20 torch) before I can use the TIG. I purchased the welder directly through the factory (thanks Mark, Oleg, and others!)
I'm in Roseville, CA, which is about 10 miles north of Sacramento.

[DaveO]

Welcome, and congrats on the new machine!

Cool that you found a class, although you're right, it sounds a little crowded and a little short. There are some excellent how-to videos at a site called WeldingTipsAndTricks.com (and its sister site, Welding-TV.com) where you can get a pant-load of exposure to all those processes. For instance there are some recent "TIG Basics" videos here:
http://welding-tv.com/category/tig-welding/

If you don't have a water cooler you've got some options: "buy" is obvious, "build" is more fun but time consuming, and "improvise", where you connect the torch to the faucet of a nearby sink, and drain it from the torch back into the sink or into the yard.

Good luck with it, and let us know how it goes! Do you have argon and tungsten electrodes? I've had good experiences with this seller (no affiliation):
http://www.weldingcity.com/

[everlastsupport]

Welcome to the forum. When I added you as a member, I got a laugh out of your username.

If you have a faucet nearby, it works quite well just running the water from the tap through the WP20. We do it all the time and out bernard cooler sits in a corner, to heavy (all SS construction).

Here is a couple links.

http://www.everlastgenerators.com/fo...memade#post282

http://www.everlastgenerators.com/fo...hlight=redneck