Welding Tips and Tricks

I have had no other luck getting info from people. So I am an artist and I really love working in metal. I took a couple of welding/fabrication/casting classes back in college and want to continue doing metal work. I have been looking into getting some TIG equipment, but I am unsure exactly what to get. I have been looking at Miller and Lincoln products, but I can't tell what features would be something I would use, versus some that are more for professionals. Any insight? I have a budget of a few thousand bucks. Thanks10.0.0.0.1 192.168.1.254

DEcide what kind of metal you will be working with and have a look at some of the various videos presented by Jody and the other folks who do TIG welding. They will make adjustments on various "bells and whistles" that are part of the welders available. The more bells and whistles, the more adjustments will be needed to make things work together and the more "money" will have to be spent. Buying a new style welder is like buying a computer ... right when you think you have the best, along comes next week and there is new technology stuffed into the box. It will have to be YOUR decision that makes YOU happy. It takes lots practice and patience and patience and practice. All the best...keep us posted.
gramps

If you only plan to have one machine, then I definitely recommend getting AC/DC. Even if you don't plan on welding aluminum, the jobs will come up, so it's best to have the AC capability if you can afford it. IMO, DC-only TIG machines are really only practical as additions to shops that already have other TIG machines which are AC/DC or that have other various means to weld AL. Also highly recommend a machine that has both HF start and a gas solenoid...not a good idea to try and save money by getting a machine without these features since they will make your life much easier.

Recommend getting a machine with a foot pedal and a torch switch...you will likely benefit from having both, and this is not the place to try and save money. For me, pulse is not used much so I really have no need for all the fancy pulse settings, but it is nice to have basic pulse functionality. Recommend a machine that will also allow you to control things such as preflow, postflow, 2T/4T settings, and AC frequency/AC balance. Don't get too wrapped up in the AC frequency range of the machines....this is a lot of marketing wank IMO. 100% of the time I only use 50Hz to 120Hz for AC frequency, and even then it is almost always set to 100Hz or so. There is really no practical need to get up to 500-1000Hz unless you are doing some super special sheet metal work on the daily...and even then it is probably not actually needed. Pulse frequency ranging from about 0.5Hz to 50Hz will cover everything you could possibly need. Same deal with all the fancy waveforms these days...unless you have a specific need, square wave will suit you just fine. I also tend to prefer analog controls over digital controls since they are faster/easier for me to both verify my settings and to make adjustments as needed without even needing to lift my hood....but I'm oddly in the minority on that.

Just my 2 cents, and this is really only a summary since pages could be written about this broad topic. If you have any specific questions about specific features or capabilities certainly ask them and you will likely get much more detailed info from the folks here.

A great starter machine is the PrimeWeld 225x. It will handle all common metals, includes torch, foot pedal, hoses, regulator & etc. Even a stinger in case you want to stick weld. Real good price.