I'm going to get a TIG.

Which one?

Only posted this to keep an eye on the thread, i'd be interested to hear peoples opinions.

the biggest you can afford

It really depends on your budget, if its no object go for a Lincoln, Cebora or similar 'name'. The cheap Chinese sets are just that, but, many people on here are very happy with them. Ideally an AC/DC set so you can weld stainless and aluminium as well as steel, with much practice.

Buy the best you can afford, cheap sets may not do all they portray to, and you could blame lack of skill and learning for their short comings.

There are TIG welding forums on the net, see whats being said there and ask this question too.

Are you doing ali or only steel as this will drive the cost.

1st thing, TIG is not cheap, the gas costs soon mount up as does the time, good news is very satisfying to use and clean.

So ideally you want HF start and foot control for power.

Air cooled torches are unwieldy to use as the cables are heavy, you can get a water cooled torch for ~£50, make yourself a water cooler using an old central heating pump which will I promise make things easier.

Lots of bargins in Ebay, invertors need a good long guarentee, if they fail they are knackered, quality makes such as millers cost a lot more.

Coil wound units are big and heavy but are less lightly to fail.

Mine will go to 350 amps, never wound it above 200 even then its drawing massive amps from the mains!!!

Pays your money really, a quality second hand unit will probally be a better bet than a new one and should at the end of the day last better, have a higher constant user rating (need this for TIG) and retain its value if you lose interest.

Regards Mark

Ive a cheap Dc one and love it. I will upgrade to Ac/Dc when money and skill gets better.

Mine also has plasma cutting function.

May be worth starting a poll on how many cheapo's have failed and within what time scale ?

I've just bought a Lincoln invertec 150s which is really just an inverter stick welder & I've got the tig kit to go with it. If after having a go it looks like I can make use a of a real TIG machine I'm going to go for a quality second hand AC/DC transformer type one.

Has anyone on here had a cheap TIG go bust??? Their reputation isn't the best but it doesn't mean they're not any good!!

See my thread HERE

My TIG is still going strong

Neil

Friend paid £1050 for a butters unit, failed twice in the first year, on his third now which has lasted 5 years. he thought he was getting top quality, would have been better off with buying three cheap ones I recon.

I have a marshall dynabolt, massive thing identical to a commercial miller huge transformers inside, cost £500 but as american you can strap for single phase. Needs a separate fuse box alongside the house one, Nothing to go wrong on this.

Regards Mark

Miller Dynasty is the ideal for everyday use but they don't come cheap. I think it's what 907 Paul uses. I have a 200 amp Stel which has more functions than I can understand but it doesn't get much use as I use mig more often. Beginner doesn't really come into the equation as they don't do any "tig for dummies" models

Bought a cheap clarke tig inverter thingy and it's been going strong for 3 years, good for pracrice and ok results but I must admit that using the big industrial ones at work was quite a revelation, much better results! I still can't really knock my cheap one though for what it's coped with vs the cost.

Buy the best you can afford, its hard to learn anything using cheap tools, as you won't know if its you or the machine letting you down.

I use an old esab coil based ac/dc tig, simple but very robust.would have cost thousands when new, but not too bad second hand.

Al.

If you intend to weld aluminium, make sure you get a unit with adjustable frequency on the AC.

I've been using one of the WSE200P machines for a few years, and it works well, but is not up to a Miller or similar, because of the AC frequency issue, not adjustable.

Cheers,
Nev.