Welding Tips and Tricks

So I'm a little tight on cash and I really want to buy a TIG/Stick welder. So I've been looking around and I just don't have $2,000 to spend on a welder right now.. So I'm thinking about taking the cheaper route and buying one from Harbor Freight. I know, I know, you get what you pay for. But the reviews on HarborFreight.com are pretty solid... I'd like to hear some of the feedback from you guys.

Thanks, Austin.

What's your budget? There are several to choose from in the $500-$1000 range and some are mig,stick,tig.

Austin,
I don't have any personal experience with the Harbor Freight Tig welder so I can't say how well they hold up. One thing I say about Harbor Freight is if you have a problem with something and have to return it they don't hesitate to just give you another one.

I believe you can buy a welder from Everlast that's comparable to them for right around the same money with a good warranty. They have about a half dozen machines under a grand, some even capable of welding Aluminum and at least one with a 60% duty cycle at 200Amps.

There has quite a few good reviews here on the HTP machines also.

Len

For just a couple hundred more you can get an AC/DC machine.
http://www.everlastgenerators.com/produ ... wertig-185

Thanks for the info guys!

Austin,

I just moved this from "reviews", as it was mentioned to me you were not reviewing, but rather asking for input, so here it is, where it will actually see more traffic.

Steve S

I have a thermal arc fabricator 181i. It's been a great machine. It does mig/stick/tig. I have done mig and stick and it has performed flawlessly. I'm not a professional just a self taught Jodi following hobbyist. I usually don't weld anything over 1/4". I have not tried the tig functions yet as I'm still trying to learn mig and stick. It seems that it was only around 800 to 1000. Great machine for someone on a budget.