TIG Welders
 

I'm looking to pick up a basic TIG setup for my garage with some of my tax return money. I've just started looking around, but wondering if anyone has any good input to give. Now first, realise I do not run a business, and this thing will probably see about 50 hours of use a year at the absolute most. Please don't recommend Millers Synchrowave 1billion or whatever. This is something for my home garage. Of course price is a factor, so I'm trying to find a good deal. Just wondering if anyone has any useful input to this. I'd like to get something that is not a strike to arc style, but maybe for my price range and my level of work I'm doing, a strike to arc will work just fine for me, I'm not sure. So if anyone has any input, please share!

Re: TIG Welders
 

My friend got a Miller econotig for $900 used. It works for what he does, you won't be able to weld bridges together with it, but its definately good enough for what you are looking for.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Miller-Econotig-...QQcmdZViewItem

Something like that FTW.

Re: TIG Welders
 

That looks pretty decent. I'd love to find a decent used unit, to save me a few bucks. Thanks for that link, I think I'll be watching that.

It looks similar to the Hobart units we have been looking at.

http://cgi.ebay.com/HOBART-TIGMATE-A...QQcmdZViewItem

Re: TIG Welders
 

Any opinions on this http://cgi.ebay.com/20-200Amp-Invert...QQcmdZViewItem

Re: TIG Welders
 

I know I Pm'd MAP about paul vang's(mnsc) TIG setup. It is a hell of a deal, everything you would need.

Used is the way for you to go. Stick with the name brand though, no matter what you do. Dont go cheap on a TIG, there are plenty of low cost Miller, Lincoln, ESAB units out there.

TIG is an art, it is such a reward when you get good at it. And it is so much fun to learn.

Good luck man.

Re: TIG Welders
 

What is his setup?

Re: TIG Welders
 

Whats up!!! Dude I use the Lincoln Tig 225 at work decently priced at $735.00 if its good enough for commerical equipment it will be perfect for all your DSM needs 5amp to 250amp which is a very wide range output -cc ac~dc input 1 phase 60hz very good stick welder and compact for easy storage. Hope this helps

Re: TIG Welders
 

What are you going to do with it, metal type, thickness, available power, budget? I would look at ither a Lincoln or a Miller TIG, they do have the suit case welders that seem to work for smaller projects, MAP has one you could talk with them.

~John

Re: TIG Welders
 

It is for small work in my garage. Welding intercooler piping, exhaust manifolds, aluminum elbows onto turbos, basically that type of stuff. We currently have a Hobart 135 mig, and have used that for all of our carbon steel items. But we'd like to start playing with SS and aluminum, and would like to use a TIG for that. High Frequency starting would be nice, but in the end it's probably not a really a huge deal. I would like it to be DC, but also have an AC option for Aluminum. Also having the pulse option would be nice as well.

Re: TIG Welders
 

Because Hobart and Miller are sister companies. I've heard good things on the Miller econotigs.

Re: TIG Welders
 

The best lower end TIG is the Thermal Arc 185. The prices have went up recently, but they are a full featured TIG. They were $1,700 new a year ago. I haven't checked too many prices recently. It is also an inverter TIG, so it is very small and light.

Stay far away from the Tig-mate and most other cheap TIG's, they are scratch start at some don't have RF for aluminum.

Re: TIG Welders
 

Well I am not going to spend 1700 on this. It is going to be something I just toy around with. If it ends up being a scratch to start, well for my application I don't think that would be all that bad. I'd prefer it not to be, but if I'm spendin 1500+ just to get something that isn't a scratch start, well then that just isn't going to happen.

Re: TIG Welders
 

I would think a suit case welder would work best for you.
http://www.millerwelds.com/products/...xstar_150_sth/
Or check Ebay/other online sales for used welders.

~John

Re: TIG Welders
 

Yeah, the MaxStar 150 would be the lowest I would go. Anything under that is pretty crappy. The problem with scratch to start is that you need a nice sharp point for a nice weld on SS, the scratching can kill that. This is why most people don't have a TIG at home, they aren't cheap for one that is going to work well.

The biggest changes with the better ones is the RF modulation. You can weld aluminum much better. Some of the cheaper ones won't even do cast aluminum.