Low cost TIG welding machines

[MaintenanceManDan]

Hi Folks,

I'd like to practice my puddle and heat control at home, but don't have the cash to buy a Miller or anything like it. Do you guys have any ideas on, or experience with, low end TIG machines? I'd like to learn to weld stainless tubing from 1/4" up through 3/4" and maybe sheet metal down to .0625 without blowing through before I have a puddle to put my rod in. I usually spend more time grinding than welding..

I've been a maintenance mechanic/technician for about 13 years and have welded a bit here and there, but I'd like to be more proficient. My current job doesn't require me to weld as much as I'd like, and I don't want to lose what little skill I've got. I work in a metal fab. shop now and the guys there tell me "with welding gear, you get what you pay for" and I believe them. I just don't have the money, like I said.

To summarize, I'm looking for a small DC TIG machine with a decent torch that I can power from a 110vac outlet in my garage that can weld stainless tube, small pipe, flat bar, and sheet metal.

Thank you all very much,
-Dan

 

[laser3kw]

welcome to GJ
Where you at? there may be a GJ friend near you who has just what you want. A lot of guys start just like you and then later on, move up to bigger equipment and sell their rig.

 

[dr_clyde]

What's your budget? You can pick up some decent used gear on Craigslist for less than $800 or so.

 

[txvwnut]

I'll be the first to say it, Alpha Tig 200. Whole lotta welder for a little bit of cash and will sit right there with high cost machines.

 

[mike13u]

I would buy a used Maxstar any day.
We have several. They take abuse, can be fixed locally, have readily available accessories (24mm dinse / 14 pin), and will have a resale if you want to move up. Solid machines in a tiny, very portable, package.

 

[byoungblood]

There are a lot of inverter stick welders that have a lift start TIG function, or you can use a DC stick welder to set up a scratch start TIG. I'll have more money in the gas bottle and regulator than torch and welder once I get my rig set up.

 

[HanShotFirst]

A friend of mine is a metal fabricator, mostly makes large stainless steel tanks for micro breweries. He has at least 10 welders, most Millers & Lincoln but he also has an Chinese made Everlast and even the $400.00 Harbor Freight HF start TIG welder. And although he's a dedicated Miller & Lincoln kind of guy, he actually has a lot of good words for the cheap HF welder, and told me for someone who does just a little welding over the year, the HF unit is remarkably good. I wanna say he doesn't recommend it for stainless for some reason but I don't recall why.

As for the Everlast he actually legitimately likes the thing and he admitted to me that he tends to use his Everlast the most. But for his large jobs he breaks out his Miller.

Now I don't think I've TIG welded in over 15 years, and I don't even own a TIG welder these days. I have need about three or four times per year where I could really use a TIG welder. I've been eyeballing the Everlast from time to time.

 

[Kmaysob]

Not sure what your budget is, but there is lots of used equipment of craigslist. I just picked up a Lincoln square wave 200. They are selling for 1399.99 right now. you will not have the capacity to go much past 3/16 with a 110v machine. A big 220v machine will be working hard for 3/4".If it were me, I would save for a few months and drop the cash on a name brand machine that is dual voltage. Then save some cash to add a 220v circuit.

 

[Loscaldazar]

The AHP AlphaStar is a good bet and well liked (AHP is the same company as Everlast FYI, just different target markets).

Everlast also is a good budget bet. Their initial stuff (mid to late 2000s) wasn't anything ever worth buying IMO, and the early 2010s was getting better, but a lot of the current stuff (they started a huge refresh cycle in 2014) is great. They've switched to a more modular design and shared parts between welders so that reliability is greater (more time spent engineering the same board for 4 machines, not 4 different boards for 4 machines) repairs are easier, and the features are unbeatable at the price. I wouldn't have bought one 7 years ago, but would buy one right now.

They also have a pretty good testing procedure for determining duty cycle. They test the machines at over 100F ambient air temp and base the duty on that, so pretty much wherever you are the duty cycle is the same or most likely better than advertised.

 

[Aroberson77]

I am interested in the everlast inverter stick/lift start tig machine for under $300, glad to hear they have gotten better, and the note about AHP/everlast is interesting as well. to the OP are you wanted to weld tube with a 3/4" wall thickness or just 3/4" OD.

 

[G-ManBart]

I own, or have owned, two Millers, one Hobart, and two Everlast, so I think I'm pretty neutral when it comes to brands.

My latest is an Everlast PowerTIG 210EXT. I'm still a very new TIG welder, but I've been impressed with the Everlast so far. Low starting amps, nice arc, and more features than I can think to use at this point.

My previous Everlast was a PowerARC 200ST that developed some sort of crazy gremlin. They sent me virtually every new part and we could never get it to work properly, so they took it back (even paying shipping) and gave me 100% purchase price towards a new machine, and then discounted that a couple hundred dollars as well. Needless to say, I was pretty worried initially when it started having problems, but they made it right, even though I was outside of the normal 100% replacement warranty time frame.

 

[superfragl]

I have Everlast AC/DC unit and it works pretty good.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Do you guys have any ideas on, or experience with, low end TIG machines? I'd like to learn to weld stainless tubing from 1/4" up through 3/4" and maybe sheet metal down to .0625 without blowing through before I have a puddle to put my rod in.

I think you are going to have problems on the thin stock with a cheap machine.

To summarize, I'm looking for a small DC TIG machine with a decent torch that I can power from a 110vac outlet in my garage that can weld stainless tube, small pipe, flat bar, and sheet metal.

There are several videos out there on how to convert the HF DC stick welder into a TIG welder. Yes, it really is TIG, but there are almost no adjustments that you can make and it is "scratch start".

As for a torch, check the "Welding Tip and Tricks" YouTube channel and others. They have reviewed a lot of torches. If you think you might "up your game" in the future, spend the extra on buying a top of the line torch.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I've had the AHP Alphatig 200X for 3 years now and no problems at all. I've done plenty of steel and aluminum, and hopefully some stainless once I get a tee fitting and second regulator for back-purging. I think they're still around $750 on Amazon. Stock torch is decent, but a CK torch would be a big upgrade. The foot pedal is finicky but works fine.

If you can't afford that I'd look at the small AHP Alpha-160ST which will do scratch start TIG, for around $240 I believe.


Everlast machines are good as well, but a bit more than AHP.

 

[Aroberson77]

I think the AHP Alphatig takes the cake, 750 for AC/DC is a helluva deal.

 

[bcradio]

OP??