Inexpensive TIG welders?

[spongerich]

I'm thinking about adding a TIG to my tool arsenal. I've gotten along for years with an old Lincoln tombstone, but I recently got a good deal on a Eastwood MIG setup. It's nice and all, but I really have more of a need for welding aluminum and for brazing than I do for steel, so I'd like to sell the MIG and replace it with a TIG. I don't do a whole lot of welding and fabrication, so I don't want to spend $1000. 3/8 to maybe 1/2" would be the the maximum capacity I'd need.

120v would be nice, but I imagine that the 120v models are probably underpowered.?

 

[toddoky]

I'm thinking about adding a TIG to my tool arsenal. I've gotten along for years with an old Lincoln tombstone, but I recently got a good deal on a Eastwood MIG setup. It's nice and all, but I really have more of a need for welding aluminum and for brazing than I do for steel, so I'd like to sell the MIG and replace it with a TIG. I don't do a whole lot of welding and fabrication, so I don't want to spend $1000. 3/8 to maybe 1/2" would be the the maximum capacity I'd need.

120v would be nice, but I imagine that the 120v models are probably underpowered.?

If your budget is capped at $1k, then you will be looking at a *********** model for any new A/C machine. Be prepared to absorb the extra cost of the Argon tank and at least another $100 to stock up on consumables.

 

[zkling]

Chap good tig=old, large, heavy, power hungry dinosaur. You might be able to find one of the smaller used syncrowaves in your price range. 120v tig you are looking at an inverter and on the quality machine side they are not cheap.

Additionally 1/2" TIG capacity is quite a bit, even then you are looking at multipass welds. You need to be in the 250amp w/ decent duty cycle capacity to do that. Other option is to use the stick side of the machine for the thicker items.

 

[AA/FC]

I'm not much of a TIG guy but I dont think a 120 volt machine capable of 1/2 steel, for under $1000 even exists. Not to mention having a few different tanks of gas for different processes, along with the various consumables to go along with it..... $1000 is a "good start"

Trust me, I wish it was cheaper. I've considered doing something like you're doing but I just cant justify it for the amount that I would use it.

With all that said..... there is that new Lincoln multi process machine for $999 that will MIG and TIG but you can't change polarity so it will limit the stuff you can TIG with it.


Edit: treed by others while typing my reply. Lol

 

[OxJaw]

Here's a similar thread

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=305017&page=2

Here's a comparison video of a few machines.

 

[spongerich]

I'm not much of a TIG guy but I dont think a 120 volt machine capable of 1/2 steel, for under $1000 even exists. Not to mention having a few different tanks of gas for different processes, along with the various consumables to go along with it..... $1000 is a "good start"

I should have been more specific... I'd be doing mostly aluminum, maybe some thin stainless.

If I ever needed to weld a large piece of steel, I'd definitely break out the stick welder for that.

I read everywhere about how much everyone loves their MIGs, but so far, I'm finding it harder to get decent looking welds than with stick. Seems a lot more fussy about power and wire speeds.

 

[michaelf]

with the equipment cost and the time it takes to learn to make a decent weld it is far cheaper to take it to a real weldor

 

[toddoky]

The A/C machine requirement to weld aluminum is where the higher cost comes from...you're still not getting anything under $1K other than a rice powered rig.

 

[AA/FC]

...... so far, I'm finding it harder to get decent looking welds than with stick. Seems a lot more fussy about power and wire speeds.

What type of MIG machine are you using? Is it a 120 volt machine? Flux core wire perhaps? Sometimes 120 volt MIG machines struggle to produce nice looking welds.... they just don't have enough power. Then, if using flux core wire on top of a weak machine it becomes very difficult to to get nice "looking" welds. If you're using a 240 volt machine, and still getting poor welds, then you probably need to practice your technique. And lastly.... moving to a TIG machine is NOT automatically going to give you nicer looking welds if you are currently struggling with your MIG machine. I have no idea what type of welding experience you have, so please don't take this negatively, but TIG welding takes FAR more practice to perfect your technique.


Many years ago when I was welding, one of the guys I worked with always said.... "The hardest part about teaching a monkey how to MIG weld, is teaching him to keep his welding helmet on"

 

[RXtacy]

I'm not much of a TIG guy but I dont think a 120 volt machine capable of 1/2 steel, for under $1000 even exists. Not to mention having a few different tanks of gas for different processes, along with the various consumables to go along with it..... $1000 is a "good start"

You only need Argon for TIG.

I should have been more specific... I'd be doing mostly aluminum, maybe some thin stainless.

If I ever needed to weld a large piece of steel, I'd definitely break out the stick welder for that.

I read everywhere about how much everyone loves their MIGs, but so far, I'm finding it harder to get decent looking welds than with stick. Seems a lot more fussy about power and wire speeds.

Not to be rude, but if you are having trouble getting decent welds with a MIG the TIG process is not going to be any easier. It takes a lot of practice to get good at TIG welding.

That being said look into the Eastwood AC/DC TIG it falls into your price range and does what you want.

 

[royesses]

Here is a link to Millers welding calculator. https://www.millerwelds.com/en/resources/weld-setting-calculators
It will give you the amperage range you need for any thickness of most metals. Then adjust your machine needs according to the amperage. Hint - 300 amps for root pass on 1/2" aluminum. 120 - 220 for the other 4 passes. No 120v machine will do that. For under about the 1000 dollar level the Alphatig machine will get you about 200 amps.
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_yteaphrv0_b

At 200 amps you'll want a cooler too if you weld for more than a couple of minutes at a time, the torch gets hot!

I'm not trying to discourage you, just giving you some examples.
BTW The Alpha Tig gets very good reviews. Also if you have a smart phone both Miller and Lincoln have welding calculator apps for free. I get mine at the Itunes store.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gas-tungsten-arc-welding/id922198516?mt=8

Roy

 

[theoldwizard1]

You won't be able to TIG weld 3/8" steel with 120V !

If you want to just "play" with TIG and are willing to to do "lift arc" get a HF 80A inverter arc/stick welder. Then you can convert it to "lift arc" for a couple hundred more. Check YouTube, there are several good videos on how to do this.
This should do 3/16".

 

[spongerich]

Not to be rude, but if you are having trouble getting decent welds with a MIG the TIG process is not going to be any easier. It takes a lot of practice to get good at TIG welding.

I've watched a number of TIG videos and have no expectation of it being easy.

I was just a little surprised by the MIG since I've read so many things about how ridiculously simple it is. I was expecting it to be easier than stick, which hasn't been my experience so far.

My MIG machine is a 120v, but I haven't used it on anything large. Tried a mix of flux core and gas shielded. It works and the parts are stuck together, I was just expecting it to be more point and shoot.

My main motivation in looking into TIG is really to be able to work with aluminum. I occasionally want to be able to weld some parts. Until now, I've gotten by with things like dovetails and screws and other mechanical joints. Maybe I should just build a furnace and cast parts instead...

 

[RV8guy]

I just sold a Miller syncrowave 250 because I didn't have the room for it or the power to run it. My current tig is an Everlast 225. It takes up a lot less space and is easy to power.

 

[zekeymonkey]

Given your price range, I'd go old, big, and heavy. I picked up and Licoln ideal arc 300/300 for a few hundred dollars. And, if I decide to buy an inverter machine, it's still worth what I paid. But, you need 240 for these old machines.

If 120V is a must, look at an everlast machine. They seem to be pretty good for the money.