Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi All,

In September I’m getting married to the most perfect man. He’s a mechanical engineer currently working on the next generation of Navy submarines. He LOVES working on cars, building things, and taking things apart. He talks constantly about his want for a welder. I always joke back stating “In his dreams”. Anyway, for a wedding gift I’m determined to buy him a welder. I know he will LOVE it and make him very happy!

So I come to you for advice. I understand it’s difficult to buy someone else a welder. It’s like him trying to buy me shoes or new handbag, it’s hard to know exactly what someone else wants. However, I do know a little of what he wants and what he plans on welding. He wants a TIG welder. I don’t think he plans on doing any complicated welding. He has said he wants to use a welder to weld up a cart frame. (You know, carting around a track. He wants to build his own cart) He also says he would use the welder on cars or fixing things. (I know it’s vague) I’m looking for a quality machine that a beginner can be successful with, yet something he will be impressed with.

Can anyone please point me in the right direction and offer suggestions on which machine I should buy for my future husband. I'm looking to spend under $1,000.

THANKS!

Best regards,
A Doting Future Wife

As long as he doesn't want to tig aluminum, a DC (direct current) tig will work great for steel and stainless steel.

I'd get him this: http://store.cyberweld.com/tharc201tsti.html

It has enough amperage that he won't outgrow it, and if he decides to sell in the future to buy an AC/DC machine for aluminum it will retain decent value.

It runs on 120volts and 240 volts.

Thermal arc is a solid company and not some fly-by-night importer.

As he gets going he will want to get a foot control to control the amperage even better - but it's not 100% needed right away.
http://store.cyberweld.com/tharcfoco60.html

Edit: almost forgot - so your future husband gets an awesome wife that buys him cool toys???
.....where do I sign up

Bride2be,
Welcome to the forum and congratulation on your future marriage!! I am glad you came to us for help. I agree with Dave on the Thermal Arc machine. Not to get to confusing but Everlast is a great brand and very affordable.
In the link is all their TIG welders and I would go with a 200 amp machine even though the price might be a tad higher than you want to spend. Overall I feel the 200DV would be your best bet. It can run off of 120v and 220v, it can weld aluminum if he ever wants to get into that and it will give him a ton of features he can grow into.
http://www.everlastgenerators.com/catalog-tig
Now, for us helping you he is to post up showing us the machine his lovely wife bought him and some of his projects.
-Jonathan

Another Everlast consideration might be the PowerTIG 185DV. It is also dual voltage, will also weld aluminum, but it is slightly less powerful than the 200DV and does not have a pulse function. It is several hundred dollars cheaper than the 200DV. If your budget is $1k you might use the leftover funds to buy some of the other equipment he'll need. The first item that comes to mind is a helmet, then gloves, 4 1/2" grinder (used to cut, shape, and clean metal), argon tank... It's an equipment-intensive hobby, not cheap.

If he has been thinking about and wanting a welder, and as an engineer working on nukes, in my opinion getting a DC only welder (meaning, won't weld aluminum) that would be like getting him a bicycle with no seat... he could do a LOT of cool stuff, but won't get the whole experience.

AHP200X is also a good choice @ $800. Will TIG weld all metals. So far proving very reliable.

I agree that having an AC/DC machine is a feature that he will be extremely impressed with, instead of just D/C which is limiting.

I have shelves for tools others have bought for me. They gather dust. This is a biggie. For a $1000. budget you wont get a very versatile new machine, but a used Syncrowave could be had. Miller, Lincoln, Esab, and a couple other European manufacturers offered great machines ten years ago he'd cherish forever. I believe in, as I've been there, Miller. They will keep the machine working many decades. Some swear by Lincoln. I suggest taking your time, doing your homework, asking lots of questions, and shopping around. I like 230 volt machines, square wave, adjustable AC balance, adjustable AC frequency, (AC for aluminum only). More important than this is service. Read through forums, you see lots of horror stories about Chinese welders that fail, and can't be fixed. Some of the best welders are using 50 year old Millers, & Lincolns all day every day.

Thank you everyone! I continue to do research to find the best fit. I did ask him if he'd ever weld aluminum and he said no. So I think I'll lean more toward a basic machine he will still enjoy.

Again, THANK YOU for everyone's time and effort in helping me. My future husband is a huge Forum person. I bet he would enjoy this one!

With many thanks,

Bride2Be

that would be like getting him a bicycle with no seat...
I know a couple guys that would like a bike with no seat

Bride2be wrote:Thank you everyone! I continue to do research to find the best fit. I did ask him if he'd ever weld aluminum and he said no. So I think I'll lean more toward a basic machine he will still enjoy.

Again, THANK YOU for everyone's time and effort in helping me. My future husband is a huge Forum person. I bet he would enjoy this one!

With many thanks,

Bride2Be

When you give him the machine, give him the link to this forum! There's no better place on the internet to ask and learn, and that is a promise. Here, he will be advised, not belittled, for his failures, and praised, not criticized, for his successes.

We'd be glad to welcome him. And we'd keep quiet about your presence if you wish.

Steve S

I plan to tell him where I got the suggestions from! I will most definitely give him the link to this Forum. He will enjoy it.

Thank you again to everyone.

Best,
Bride2Be

It's our pleasure.

Let us know what machine you decide on, and we may be able to tell you it's quirks, pros, and cons, and availability of service and parts, so you're ahead of the game.

Steve S

Bride2be wrote:Thank you everyone! I continue to do research to find the best fit. I did ask him if he'd ever weld aluminum and he said no. So I think I'll lean more toward a basic machine he will still enjoy.

Again, THANK YOU for everyone's time and effort in helping me. My future husband is a huge Forum person. I bet he would enjoy this one!

With many thanks,

Bride2Be

I would absolutely say get him the Lincoln 210mp. It will give him the most flexibility. As he does not need AC TIG for aluminum.