Tig welder

[likebull1]

I was wondering if any body knew where to get a decent priced tig welder.
I currently have a lincoln mig welder and wanted to get a tig.

 

[Oldsalt]

I would advise against a used one unless it's at a real bargan price and you can fully check out all funtions before handing over the loot. They're expensive to fix if someone has screwed it up. If I had to replace my Miller Syncrowave 180 SD it would be with another one just like it. A decent price? All are sorta expensive, but Miller probably makes the best low end commerical/high end home TIG welder. You'll only need to buy one in your life.

 

[steven Durham]

The Miller SD180 is what I have and the plan is for someone in my family to inherit it but so far no one shows much interest in what I do.
And Oldsalt is right it must be fully checked out before you buy a used one the excuse of no gas or power just won't do . It is too risky to buy a non working machine
Steve

 

[FootScoot]

The TIG definitely makes some nice welds.:thumbsup: I'm not a good welder by any means, so it would be wasted on me. I do have a Century MIG, just the hobbyist type, nothing fancy, but may buy a better one if I get more experience with this one.:smile:

 

[likebull1]

Thanks for your advice, the way the prices look i might just have to wait and buy it as a christmas present for myself.
Im also not sure if i would even buy used, i would not want to take yhe risk of buying somebody elses problem.

 

[5hpminitech]

if your not compotent with a tig it will take some time and patience also probably want a thumb amp controler and deinitely get one with ac

 

[j_miles]

Is the dudy cycle important to consiter when looking for a welder?

 

[Oldsalt]

Thanks for your advice, the way the prices look i might just have to wait and buy it as a christmas present for myself.
Im also not sure if i would even buy used, i would not want to take yhe risk of buying somebody elses problem.

IMHO. A TIG is a tool that you buy after:

1. An arc welder.
2. A good set of torches and bottles.
3. Drill press, cut off saw, and other power tools, work bench, and etc..
4. Then a MIG with a gas bottle.
5. Plasma. [If you do a lot of cutting].
6. Small lathe.
7. Small mill.
Then it's time to consider a good TIG if you have a couple of grand you don't know what to do with.

For almost any situation you are likely to encounter in a home shop a TIG is the least likely 'big ticket' item that will be of great utility. For instance you can buy a 12 or 14 inch metal lathe for less than the price of a TIG.

 

[steven Durham]

So Oldsalt your saying I got the tool sequence wrong ? I got the small Lathe but need a small Milling Machine yet. The tig also fills the gap for the stick welder for AC and DC .
The list goes on and on will it ever end? LOL I don't think so.
Steve

 

[Oldsalt]

So Oldsalt your saying I got the tool sequence wrong ? I got the small Lathe but need a small Milling Machine yet. The tig also fills the gap for the stick welder for AC and DC .
The list goes on and on will it ever end? LOL I don't think so.
Steve

I got it wrong too! I owned a lathe and mill long before a plasma or TIG. And you're dead right; The TIG machine will allow you to arc weld useing DC, which is real handy for stick welding aluminum and some other applications that can't be done with just an AC arc welder. Hell, Steven, you got more tools than the law allows so you know JUST THE GAS BOTTLE, empty, that's required for the TIG will cost more than a cracker box AC arc welder! Which reminds me, my bottle is on empty. I'll have to drop a C note soon to get an exchange. And even that's not a long way from what a cracker box is worth including a few pounds of 3/32 and 1/8 rod. I suppose my idea is that if a person acquires number One, Two, and Three he can build he can build complete mini bikes or race cars. If he has a TIG and no number One, Two, and Three he can only impress his friends with the really high tech weld he made on a broken frame tube on his Doodlebug.

 

[FordGalaxy]

I have one of the little red shoe box size harbor freight ones. They are DC only so tigging aluminum is out. I use it to weld steel that is to thick for my Miller 135 mig. You will need a regulater and argon bottle tig with it though. You can arc weld with it also. Look around on the net, the're hard to beat for $200.