[Jessed16]

Hey guys I wanna buy a tig/stick welding machine but I don't wanna spend too much($1000). Any suggestions on which machine can burn 6010-7018 with 60% duty cycle at least. I'm a beginner. My goal is to become a combo welder.

[Mike]

Jessed16, welcome to the forum.

[cj737]

There are numerous Stick/TIG boxes for under $1,000. Often, the TIG is only a "Lift Arc" start which is less desirable under certain circumstances (instead of being a "High Frequency" start too). Also, the TIG will likely only be DC so it won't weld Aluminum. If that meets your needs, Hobart, Lincoln, Miller (MaxStar) come to mind. Many of these boxes may only be 120v, so that will limit the single pass thickness and duty cycle you can weld.

You might also look around your area at Craigslist for a used welding machine. Or, find a local Repair shop, they often have used boxes for sale too. Craigslist items would atlas allow you to personally inspect and verify the machine before you buy it used.

[C. Livingstone]

Yeah,

That's an easy one. The AHP is a proven, full-featured AC/DC TIG and Stick unit that comes with all of the typical acessories included, and reportedly burns even the 6010 rods well. And it's priced at only around, $750, delivered, via Amazon, with no State extortion (tax) imposed when shipped to most areas. There's YouTube videos aplenty on the unit.

AHP.jpg (51.95 KiB) Viewed 952 times

So, it's a happy time to be in the market for a unit like this, as only about 5 years ago you would have had to pay about $2000 for a unit like this.