Looking for Tig welder

[KWIKR 1]

any suggestions for a decent home garage Tig welding machine ? Nothing crazy stupid ..I'll be doing some intercooler alum pipe work on a TT sbc project , and figured I should look into buying one . Thanks .

 

[TRYMYSIX]

Miller is the top of the line...and the best out there. Depending on you budget that is going to determine how good you get. I have welded for 18 years now and have experience with a wide range of machines. Stay away from the harbor freight and Ebay $400 specials. The arc they produce is not stable and jumps all over the place, giving you very inconsistant welds. If you want the "stacked dimes" look when welding aluminum, better off saving up the money and getting this http://www.millerwelds.com/products/tig/diversionseries.php

Lincoln makes quality stuff also. I would look on Craigslist for a used miller or lincoln.

FWIW......I would get a "dual purpose' machine. one will arc and tig weld... Don't get stuck with just one type of welding, unless all you fabricate is aluminum intercoolers... Just my 2 cents though.. Good Luck

 

[Mike E]

I use a Miller Diversion 165 and love it. I haven't run across many projects that it couldn't handle yet. I've done fuel cells, sheetmetal valve covers, charge tubes, headers, cages, 9" rearends almost anything you would do when building a car. I've even done a hand full of efi intake conversion with it. It won't be able to repair large castings like heads and blocks, but everything else is doable with some pre heat.

If I were in your shoes looking to buy a budget friendly new welder I woud buy the Hobart EZ-tig. It's the same basic components of the diversion, but it comes standard with the foot pedal instead of the hand control. I actually converted my diversion over to the same control setup a few weeks after I got the welder.

http://store.cyberweld.com/hotigweez16.html

 

[turbofabricator]

I have both Miller and Lincoln TIG machines. BOTH work great. I agree with all of the above. My Lincoln is a 175 square wave and it will weld 1/2" aluminum with pre-heat (but not all day long, only about 10 minutes before it shuts off). My Miller is a 250HF is the size of a school bus (or so it seems in my small shop) which I use for intakes and heavier aluminum. I bought the 250 off of craigs list and it needed a few things. I paid $1,000 and it works great for the heavy aluminum stuff I do. Most of the time I use the little Lincoln, though. I paid $1800 for it, new, and have added water cooled torch to it. I really prefere a water cooled torch over gas cooled. Step up on your Argon bottle size, too. And add a sign on your wall that says: "$75 fee to JUST turn on my TIG!!" All your friends will be handing you stuff to "Just a do a quick weld". (and have never bought a bottle of Argon, tungsten, rod, ect. and have NO idea how it all adds up FAST!) I'm sure the cops have had to check out my house after seeing my electric bill spike and they "think" I'm running a "Grow Operation" They do cost alot in consumables. The weld shop must have been giggling when I first bought it........"Oh YA BABY......we're gonna make some coin on HIM over the next few years!"

Then................................You WILL be wanting a plasma cutter, too. After you use one of those you'll wonder how you lived with out it. Just make SURE there is nothing flamable with in the surrounding counties or you WILL be trying out that old fire extinguisher on the wall. (you DO have a fire extinguisher........RIGHT?) Man them things put out some HIGH heat sparks!!!!

 

[KWIKR 1]

GREAT advice guys . Many thanks !!!!

 

[Mike Licht]

I have a Miller Dynasty 200 but I have a friend with a Thermal Arc that welds very nice
Mike