want to buy TIG Welder

[showbags]

O.k. Boys and girls here goes. I want to buy a small TIG Welder for home use. I'm sick of waiting for my local engineering shop taking so long to "get around to it" every time I need some aluminum or stainless welded. Just wondering if anyone has bought/used/has one of these small welders. Now I have no intention of spending to thousands of dollars on something I'll only use half a dozen times a year. So if anyone's used one of these your help would be appreciated.

[sweefu]

I wouldn't buy a crappy welder, especially TIG. That picture looks like an inverter ARC with a TIG attachemnt?, you need gas for TIG. Decent welders cost money, especially TIG. What's your budget? Unimig make some nice welders, you might get out with a setup under $1k. Don't forget you'll need a decent helmet too.

[showbags]

Definitely don't want to spend any more than $1k. Like I said it'd pretty hard for me to justify spending anymore than that for the amount of use it will get. I already have a decent MIG, so safety equiptment and accessories isn't an issue. Yes the pic is of an inverter with TIG attachment, just curious about them. Don't know anyone who's used one.

[juiceie vh sle]

you need a lot of amps (200-300amps)to be able to TIG weld aluminum and it also has to be able to change form DC (what ya use for stainless steel/mild steel welding) to AC (what you need for aluminum ) there normally a lot more expensive for a AC/DC welder.

[TGR 35S]

Check out everlast tig welders I been using a power tig 200 top top little tig machine and good price,,,

[ari666]

you need a lot of amps (200-300amps)to be able to TIG weld aluminum and it also has to be able to change form DC (what ya use for stainless steel/mild steel welding) to AC (what you need for aluminum ) there normally a lot more expensive for a AC/DC welder.

^^^ this.

ac/dc tigs start at 1500 bucks as far as i have been able to find

[showbags]

Hmmmm, may have to continue getting raped by my local engineering place for those sorts of dollars.

[ari666]

yeah but: an ex JC user bought one. he stretched to around 2500 (from memory) and he reckons the amount of odd jobs for mates (coin) he has done with it since then has paid for it.

so i am still um'ing and ah'ing too.


not only do you have to spend the coin, you also gotta know how to use it. which i dont.

[showbags]

That's a fair point ari, all the people I've seen TIG welding make it look piss easy, but I'd be tipping its not. I guess I'll be burning holes in shit for a while.

[greenacc]

What are you getting charged for welding ? It might pay itself off in a year or 2 ... and if you charge mates 20 bucks for doing their stuff it will be even quicker. Not that i like charging mates for help, but sometimes its justified. Everyone needs some sexy tools in the grage.

[ari666]

heads up: this will weld ally and isnt too badly priced

Allmax 200amp Pulse AC/DC Tig Arc Aluminium Welder | eBay

[OFF T4P]

Don't know if anyone has already said it ( could not be f*#ked reading the hole thread) but them cig weld trans migs are the shit. $1000 you get a mig, tig, and stick all in one.

[Pub247]

heads up: this will weld ally and isnt too badly priced

Allmax 200amp Pulse AC/DC Tig Arc Aluminium Welder | eBay

Ari thats the same brand i have mine is the 250amp model does the job had it for a couple of years now hasnt stuffed up yet (besides easy fix stuff). It's not the best for welding alloy it has stability issues down low and they cant handle the heat up high (should hook up a water cooler though) I burnt out my water cooled lead though and had to buy just a normal. On DC its pretty damn good i piad $1000 for mine at auction on ebay retail was 1600 but for a chinese welder its pretty good this was a couple of years ago aswell

Don't know if anyone has already said it ( could not be f*#ked reading the hole thread) but them cig weld trans migs are the shit. $1000 you get a mig, tig, and stick all in one.

Cigweld are shit now everyhting is made in china and theyre just as good as any other chinese welder. For a decent well banded invertor tig AC/DC expect to pay - $2.5-6k i have a fronius at work and its magic best damn invertor welder i ever used retail on 220amp is about $4000

[showbags]

heads up: this will weld ally and isnt too badly priced

Allmax 200amp Pulse AC/DC Tig Arc Aluminium Welder | eBay

Ari, you da man! Will probably suit my needs perfectly & he's only a bit over an hour away from me.