Have you used them much GW?
I also have a set, they seem slow to darken regardless of what I set the delay at. It's quick, no doubt, but I'm still getting a flash that I don't seem to get with my Miller or Jackson helmet...

I have not! Just bought them at SEMA and since I need bifocals -- I needed to get glasses for them. Just had my new eye exam this week. So now I have a new prescription.

Getting any kind of flash would bother the heck out of me!

Oh sheet. :underchair:

Now you are going to be looking for yours to flash because I said something. Deepest apologies GW !!!

I haven't contacted Miller because I was waiting for some outside feedback from other users (in case it was just me being too critical) but nobody has used theirs yet...

EDIT>>> Just went out and tried to do a short vid of the flash... now they seem to darken just fine. Go figure?!?
Also GW, I only had them put my lower scrip (Im bifocal also) in the whole lens of the cheaters since it is all close work and I didn't want to chase the sweet spot of vision while I was welding.

Miller Diversion 180 is a nice home machine, but the HTP Invertig 221 is a lot more welder (its actually on par with Dynasty 200 as far as features, etc) for just a bit more $$ than the diversion and a lot cheaper than the Miller Dynasty.

Good post Jay!


I said this a few posts back --- it's not the TIG machine that does the welding - it's the operator. A guy that can weld - will be able to weld with damn near anything.

It's a budget and "use" thing. In actual fact - the TIG, used at home, gets very few actual hours per year. Buy the one you can and learn to use it WELL.... If this is something you love to do and want to improve your machine - then you cross that bridge when you come to it.

Having said all of that.... a machine does have qualities that will help you do a better weld in various situations. Pulse - arc shape - stability of the arc etc. But these are things most likely used by welders that do this stuff for a living. If you weld for a couple hours every 6 weeks... you really aren't ever going to be that good at it. You'll be able to weld "fine" - and you'll be able to stick some metal together... but you're not going to lay perfect stacks of dimes going up and down and around. That's the welders hands not the machine.

If your still looking for a tig welder I'd also look at the Lincoln Squarewave 200. It's priced at $1399 and looks to have a few more features then the miller diversion 180.

Greg is correct. It's not the machine, it's the operator. For stainless welding I use 347, .035" filler rod. If you plan on fusing the joint (never fuse on a turbo set up) you have to prep the tube correctly. I'm a big fan of the Miller machines.

I concidered the HTP unit (dual voltage/watercooled) and it wasn't that much cheaper than the Miller Dynasty 200DX. I just got what I wanted. MILLER