Tig welder

[homemade]

I'm looking at investing in a tig welder. I have experience in running one, and don't need anything too huge. I have a Lincoln AC arc welder and propane oxy cutting torch. I want something smaller that the stick welder just isn't practical for. I'm not wielding up beer cans or battle ships but I would think up to 3/16 would be powerful enough. What do u guys recommend to buy or stay a away from.


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[supertrooper]

Might as well have started a "whats better Husky or Stihl" thread. I bought a Miller Diversion when they first came out so i could learn tig. It has been a great little machine and does everything I need it for. It is rated to 3/16 steel or alum. I have only gone up to 1/8 with mine in steel/alum. I'm now at a point that I wish I would have took a bigger plunge in a nicer machine as I find myself bound by its limits. Spend some time on some welding forums and read read read and I'm sure you will come up with a good choice.

 

[mdavlee]

Any DC machine can do tig if you reverse the leads. F you want good control of the eat and arc force then the price goes up considerably. I like miller synchrowave but those are probably out of the price range.

 

[imagineero]

stainless and mild steel, or aluminum also?

 

[rocketnorton]

ac/dc, at least 200a, they will also run stick... im a miller guy, but Lincoln is good stuff too...

 

[Hoowasat]

After reading the original post in this thread, I'm left wondering why he wants TIG. Unless the OP is welding some delicate stuff, a good MIG outfit should suffice. I don't weld beer cans, but I do build aircraft carriers.

 

[dozerdan]

I like red. I bought one of these a few years ago.

http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/Equipment/Pages/product.aspx?product=K2618-1

I also bought the pulse panel for it.

http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/equipment/accessories/Pages/product.aspx?product=K2621-1

Later
Dan

 

[Big Natey]

if your only gonna be welding carbon and stainless, all you need is a dc welder with a scratch start tig torch.

look at thermal arc welders. they have some nice stuff at resonable prices.

 

[rocketnorton]

After reading the original post in this thread, I'm left wondering why he wants TIG. Unless the OP is welding some delicate stuff, a good MIG outfit should suffice. I don't weld beer cans, but I do build aircraft carriers.

g'luck weldin mag w/wire gun [mig]... I build boats too....

 

[rocketnorton]

i'll add to that, not tryin to be an a hole... much better heat control w/tig...

 

[Hoowasat]

g'luck weldin mag w/wire gun [mig]... I build boats too....

"mag"???

 

[rocketnorton]

"mag"???

id assume by postin here, at some point, he'd wanna do some "mag"nesium welding...

 

[Hoowasat]

Well, if that's the case, then TIG is the way. I've never welded magnesium. Does it flow like aluminum (fast)?

 

[rocketnorton]

Well, if that's the case, then TIG is the way. I've never welded magnesium. Does it flow like aluminum (fast)?

its very similar to alum, except that it will burn... is good idea to purge torch, if it sits very long between welds, or if machine has adjustable preflow, to avoid lighting up the mag...

 

[DavidBrown1212]

Look into Longevity welders. Tig is my gig, and I have one of each, a Miller Maxtstar, Lincoln V275s, Vantage 300, and a SA200.I bought the Longevity 200 when a Miller went for a swim while I was on a job in St. Louis, it has been a great welder ever since. It does not have low amp arc stability of the miller, nor the force of Lincoln, but it holds well down to 35 amps, and you can walk the cup pretty fast on a 4in joint. Plus, it comes with pretty nice hi freq start, and a decent warranty. Best homeowner/hobby choice, I use mine all the time in the field, if it had auto-link like Lincoln/miller, I would own three more.

Whatever you get, get an inverter style, the old transformer are crap to learn on, and use lots more energy.

 

[griff154]

Walk the cup that's funny! Must be a fitter. No offense sometimes you can't walk the cup. I have a lincoln precision tig 185 love it\1

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[mdavlee]

Yeah but 95% of the time you can walk the cup.

 

[griff154]

I'm so used to welding waterwall tube's . Free hand is natural for me.

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[mdavlee]

The I did freehand last time I did any.

 

[DavidBrown1212]

Walk the cup that's funny! Must be a fitter. No offense sometimes you can't walk the cup. I have a lincoln precision tig 185 love it\1

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Not sure what you are getting at here, most pipe joints ooutside of boilers are walked, sure there many you cant, but I dont understand how any of that matters. I was juy speaking to force of arc which allows you to walk faster. Any respectable welder can do both, and can walk a joint significantly faster than any welder could free hand it if given free accsess