Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi guys. Im just curious as to what the best tig welder for the price is. Now im not great at tig by any means but id like to practice at home and learn to weld aluminuM and chromoly. Doesnt just have to be a tig welder since i can mig and stick too but for the price what can i get away with and still put down quality welds for years with? Any help is appreciated guys. Thanks.

Welcome to the forum.

Thank you. I just saw the introductions thread.

Thermal Arc 186 with foot pedal the company is owned by Victor technologies which owns (Victor, Tweco, Thermal dynamics, Arcair, stoody)

Then buy a CK torch with superflex cable from usaweld. 17 or 9 or both depending amperage you plan to weld prolly best start with 17. Then get gas lens or gas lens kit. Jody sells a gas lens kit Can get it from him when you buy TIG fingers.

Chromoly tubing get 10lbs of each
ER70S-2 .045
ER70S-2 1/16
ER70S-2 3/32

Aluminum filler get 10 lbs of
4943 1/16
4943 3/32

Biggest Argon bottle you can

TIG is not a cheap process but well worth it

Welcome to the forum! Take dirtmidgets advice because your going to get bombarded with opinions on this and get confused. DM gave you everything you need to get started at a price that won't break you. Good luck!

for the price, a good used transformer TIG machine like a Syncrowave or precisionTIG is the best bang for the buck if you find a good deal. I picked up mine for $450 without leads. if you are going to buy new, I think the HTP America InverTIG is the best buy. You can search all you want i don't think you will ever find a single horror story about an HTP welder.

i have a 250 Syncrowave transformer and a HTP American 221
both are excellent ,both do steel and aluminum very nice but HTP only
needs 30amp and uses way less juice. if you only weld a little
how cares but if you are worried about your electric bill
go inverter. plus more bells features.
just my thoughts ..
craig

Depends what your price is

IF going inverter route, choice is simple: HTP Invertig 221 or Miller Dynasty 280DX.

Yes, You could go the transformer route like a Square Wave 175 Great machine and you can do a lot of welding but transformers are plain Jane machines. As opposed to what I suggested especially when doing aluminum. The machine I suggested is going to let you change your wave frequency and wave balance. Not to mentioned it has pulse capabilities. Which after you have basics down is another option it would open up for you to do certain things. Basic Transformers do not give you these advanced features which are really useful especially wave balance and frequency for aluminum.

Reason I gave you a list of stuff is that is what you are gonna need to get started welding. everyone wants to work there entire budget into machine then they have nothing left for the other stuff That other stuff Can become $1500+ quick. equals mad wife "you said it was only gonna be yabba babba amount." Couple of things I left off there is gloves, helmet (nowadays get a good autodarking one plan on $200-$300 bucks on that), jacket, prep tools if you don't have them clamps (lots of them), grinder, tubing notcher, tubing bender, welding table, fire extinguisher, stainless steel wire brushes (several), etc, etc.

Time for beer and pretzels this could go for awhile LOL just joking

I've been beating the hell out of an Everlast PowerTig 200DX for a few years now and have zero complaints.

the machine I suggested is going to let you change your wave frequency and wave balance. Not to mentioned it has pulse capabilities. Which after you have basics down is another option it would open up for you to do certain things. Basic Transformers do not give you these advanced features which are really useful especially wave balance and frequency for aluminum.

Actually that is not completely correct. No a transformer machine will not change frequency, but most of them have wave balance and pulse.

For a new guy starting out, looking to stretch his budget, a sub $1000 syncrowave will let him learn and grow for quite some time, will easily weld aluminum, and if/when he needs more advance inverter functions, he will likely get every dollar back when he re-sells his transformer machine. No one can argue with a straight face that a syncrowave can't weld aluminum. The money he saves on the used transformer machine will fund all his consumables and PPE.

He looking for most bang for his buck hence cheaper price. Miller starting series is diversion $1700-$1900 limited options
Lincoln squarewave $1800-$1900
Miller syncrowave 210 $2700

Lot of options and reliable? =look at next two options
Thermal Arc 186 $1700
HTP - is a great machine also. They might not have any in stock currently remember getting an email from them not long ago.

Used machine prices well if you wait long enough maybe you could get a dynasty for $1000 I don't like eBay or craiglist, garage sales. I like new. Plus option of plugging it in from a new box if it doesn't work are is damaged in box it is going back to store. Used who knows how many times machine ran past duty cycle and tripped overload, dropped off truck, left in rain, cat urinated on it when covers off yep I hate used

Not necessarily, bang for the buck is like a unit rate in mathematics. It all depends on what characteristic is being considered and the value it presents compared to the all mighty dollar.

Not saying you can't find good used deals but it can be a hassle. I don't have patience for shopping around driving from place to place trying out used equipment. Then people selling it don't have 220 or argon to test machine (makes me suspicious You have this machine but have no way to run it hmmm stolen or it doesn't work ) Not including I am soooo picky drives wife nuts new is better for me.

Thanks everyone for the help i really appreciate it. i have a few more questions too.
1. I'll mostly be welding bicycle frames and mainly want aluminum and chromoly. since im new to tig welding should I even bother on trying carbon steel Or go straight to aluminum? are aluminium and chromoly much harder to come by for scraps?

2. What type of power outlet am i going to need for a tig welder? Volts? The only welding I do is at work so this will be my first garage set up.

3. with your welding helmets what shade do you use for aluminum, chromoly, carbon and stainless? Is it the same as stick welding? Just curious because my current helmet only goes down to shade nine.

1. I'll mostly be welding bicycle frames and mainly want aluminum and chromoly. since im new to tig welding should I even bother on trying carbon steel Or go straight to aluminum? are aluminium and chromoly much harder to come by for scraps?

some people say you are better off learning on aluminum since it is supposed to be easier to weld than steel. Chrome Moly is a steel, so I suspect its not going to be all that different than regular steel (for full disclosure, I have experience with steel and aluminum but specifically chrome moly.) I started with steel myself.

2. What type of power outlet am i going to need for a tig welder? Volts? The only welding I do is at work so this will be my first garage set up.

Depends on the welder you buy. You are going to want to run 240 volts. Welding on 120 volts is problematic at best. Most 240 volt welders use a 6/50 3 prong plug (2 hots and a ground, no neutral). Check the owners manual for the size of conductor needed to feed the machine. Most all Miller owner manuals will tell you what you need. I think Lincoln is the same way. Generally speaking, wiring a dedicated welder circuit is different than wiring a range or a dryer. Because welders have a duty cycle, you are allowed by code to use smaller wire than you would use for a similar range circuit, etc. For a 90-100 amp circuit you can use 8 gauge instead of say 2 gauge which would be required under normal circumstances.

with your welding helmets what shade do you use for aluminum, chromoly, carbon and stainless? Is it the same as stick welding? Just curious because my current helmet only goes down to shade nine.

Its not the same as stick welding. Welding on Aluminum is brighter than welding steel for some reason. I generally run shade 10 or 11 on Aluminum and 9-10 on steel. I never really need to use less than shade 9.

Oscar wrote:Not necessarily, bang for the buck is like a unit rate in mathematics. It all depends on what characteristic is being considered and the value it presents compared to the all mighty dollar.

What's the unit rate on my $225 Airco 300?

Big ol' welders rule Dave

Here's a great example. This machine can probably be had for $250. If it works it is likely to work for a long time. If you run it for a few years and it craps out, how bad is it really? Its a square wave welder, has lots of amps, balance control, post flow and a few other bells and whistles. Lots of bang for the buck. will certainly weld aluminum quite well.

http://nwct.craigslist.org/tls/5009764785.html

MinnesotaDave wrote:

Oscar wrote:Not necessarily, bang for the buck is like a unit rate in mathematics. It all depends on what characteristic is being considered and the value it presents compared to the all mighty dollar.

What's the unit rate on my $225 Airco 300?

Depends what unit is being compared? Lol. DCEN, it wipes the floor with everything else. Haha.

Oscar wrote:

MinnesotaDave wrote:

Oscar wrote:Not necessarily, bang for the buck is like a unit rate in mathematics. It all depends on what characteristic is being considered and the value it presents compared to the all mighty dollar.

What's the unit rate on my $225 Airco 300?

Depends what unit is being compared? Lol. DCEN, it wipes the floor with everything else. Haha.

I think we should go by weight...at 900 lbs that would be $0.25/lb.

But the coolness factor of being 900 lbs of 1963 awesome? Priceless

Gosh...if the OP wasn't confused before, he sure ought to be by now

I'm in the same situation I'd like to buy new was looking at everlast and ahp but I don't much care to buy a China machine bad enough most small household items are from there. I like the features of the thermal arc and seeing that Victor website has an esab logo is reassuring. Haven't seen many reviews on the thermal arc the only thing I've heard mentioned is there is a little delay from the pedal to the machines response but as my first tig I don't see that as a issue. Been looking all over for used machines but there hasn't been much to choose from. As for new miller and lincoln both the diversion and the square wave are same price as thermal arc and yet thermal arc is much more adjustable starting out isn't a big deal but as I improve my skill those features will be nice to have. I'm thinking a thermal arc is in my feature....any thoughts?

If you live near Austin, Tx you can get a steal...


Miller Dynasty 200 DX - $2200 (south austin)


Otherwise the Thermal Arc 186 seems like a fine machine.