How to Buy a TIG / STICK Welder

TIG is the welder you want for most welding, unless you are planning production work. In working with the TIG it is similar to the technique used for brazing. Heat with torch until the metal is turning liquid, then add additional metal with the filler rod. With the TIG, you can weld steel, aluminum, and stainless steel. The only thing you need to change from one metal to the next is the amp setting and weather the high frequency is on all the time, or on start only.

Try to buy with an eye towards the future. Aluminum takes a lot of amps to do thicker work. If you buy only enough welder to weld 1/4" aluminum, there may come a time when you wank to weld something thicker. Your machine would need replacement again. Buy a larger capacity machine with less bells and whistles. Buy them later as needs grow.

I have a Miller Syncrowave 250. I have not run the machine in about 10 years. I need to learn all over again. Talk to a welding supply shop. They may have a demo to let you try. Watch for used units. Many times they will have extras with them for free. If you don't plan on welding every day, a used machine that was bought back may be a bargain for your needs. Good luck.

I looked on eBay and there is a SW250 on there for $1550 and with shipping it would cost about $2000. So, guess I will hit the local welding supply stores here and see what they have.

We might use the welder 1 time a month and maybe not. So, don't want to invest $3-4000 in something that doesn't get used much.

Thanks for the reply, Bob.

I'll second Bob's TIG recommendation. I have a wire feed welder, which works fine for sticking together mild steel, but TIG would be much more versatile. I used to do a fair amount of TIG welding and enjoyed it. I remember being amazed at how easy it was to start an arc right where you want it, as opposed to stick welding, which was little hit and miss.

Of course, if you are welding heavy stuff, you'd get a much bigger welder in stick or wire feed form for a given outlay of cash.

Yes, I probably should look into the wire feed more. That would get most of the welding work we would do in a year. Like I told Bob, I think I had better hit the local welding supply here and see what they have, Ken.

Jason

Jason,

Make sure the duty cycle of which ever type you decide to get matches your welding needs.

Chazl

Hi Chazi,

I don't think the duty cycle will ever enter into our use of a welder. It will never get used that much.

Jason

Hi guest,

Good choice, for selecting the TIG process, you can say, its the need of the hour. Well, selecting, a TIG machine, is comparably simple rather old, DIODE based machines, to brief you up. TIG machines, are available in various options, a rectifier basically, can be used by adding an high frequency unit, to it. Now a rectifier, can be DIODE base, Thyristorised control [power saving more compared to diode base] and the latest INVERTER base technology [very good power saving factor compared to other two]. If you are going for INVERTER base machine, you need not add any additional HF unit to it, as the inverter operates on IGBT [Integrated gate bipolar transmittor] ( I hope i am correct on the definition). If i were to make a choice, I would rather opt for the inverter base TIG machine, which is compatible for both TIG process as well the Manual metal arc or Stick electrodes process. the only difference would be, in TIG you would have to attach an external ARGON gas cylinder for welding. A machine having 10amp to 150amp [single phase] variation of output power would be suitable to use 2.50mm and 3.15mm dia stick electrodes and job work base TIG welding. Over here, a fresh machine of the suggested ampere range, would come any where around your budget with one - year warrranty and standard accessories, The consumable part of TIG machine would be in TIG TORCH, where the ceramic nozzles are prone to breakage due to thermal changes and wear and tear.

All the best.

RAJIV

I Think an inverter based machine with 200 amps at 60 % duty cycle, will be a better choice as it will allow you to use 2.40, 3.20 and if required 4.00 size electrodes for SMAW process. It will also help in TIG process for welding CS, AS, SS materials using tungsten electrodes up to 3.20 mm size.. Alternatively 160 Amps machine will be OK , since you are using it for medium thickness materials. Since its OCV is so low it will help to save on your EB bills also.

Now a days the machine prices have become highly competitive and you can get a new machine instead of Procuring a second-hand Inverter as these type of machines are very sensitive and any wrong use/handling earlier, may reflect on you and your pocket.

Best wishes.

GA. I am only playing with my welder, almost as a toy. Your experience brings a welcome relief that I was not in error. Thank you.

Great answer.

I took a look at the Themalarc site: cool (hot) machines. I'd love to have a machine like the one you described, but can't cost justify it right now. I went for many years (20 or more) without doing any welding to speak of, and then bought a small Lincoln wire feed machine. Even it was a revelation, being about as easy to get an arc started as with the old TIG machine I used years before.

Another revelation is an LCD mask I bought after having the new welder for a while. I suppose there may a group of old school highly skilled welders who don't need such new-fangled stuff, but for me it's a huge help, especially when working with delicate stuff.

Ken I bought my first automatic shield in 1989 form Speed Glas, a company that at the time was located in Switzerland I believe. Allot of our buddies on the job thought we were crazy to spend so much on a shield back then. http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_WW/SpeedglasGlobal/Home/

I think this company first made the technology available to welders. Later Hornell and 3M bought out the company and moved it to the US. I have been through several of these shields since then and I would highly recommend them and the Speed Glas brand to all. The one I use runs about 400.00 but well worth it in my opinion. Now many different companies have their own line of self darkening shields and I am sure many are very good to use. These days the weight of a welding shield is very important to my neck and back and the lighter the better. I would refrain from buying the cheaper ones you find at some of the wholesale tool companies. I just got a good friend a Speed Glas because he kept getting his eyes burned with the cheap Harbor Freight model he was using. It was kinda funny remembering when my buddy showed us the junk shield he had purchased and the fact that he was bragging on how much money he had saved. In the end my eyes are my main resource and I think good quality shields have kept me from needing even reading glass while welding until the last couple of years.

pipewelder

Again I have to agree with you. I had an opportunity to purchase a Speed Glas. I lent it to a larger welding shop in another part of my workplace. A friend was doing some delicate work and the extra vision helped. He went to his supervisor and showed them the difference. Next month all the welders were issued Sped Glas shields.