Looking to buy a TIG

[trendkill88]

Hello folks.

I've been MIG welding now for around 10 years and currently own a Portamig which has been ace for the last 8 years.

I'm looking at buying a TIG welder to do some Ali & Stainless welding. Will be welding Ali sheet up to say 4/5mm thick and Stainless wise it'll be things like exhausts etc.

I asked on here years ago about which mig to go for so purchased the Portamig after advice on here from Weld Equip.

My question is - What would you guys recommend for my first TIG? Budget is £500-1000.

Thanks guys

 

[Barking Mat]

Welcome (back) to the forum.

Something AC/DC, I always go transformer based.

Just me though.

 

[Country Joe]

Welcome to the Forum!

I'd think that you'd need about 200 amps to go that thick on the ali, and for fairly short periods if welding near to the top of it's range.
The price will likely be the limiting factor, as they're quite pricey most, if not all, AC/DC Tigs.

The range is huge, and is generally (if not always!) limited by budget!

All the Best,
CJ

 

[Country Joe]

Welcome (back) to the forum.

Something AC/DC, I always go transformer based.

Just me though.

Which has me thinking of a Miller Synchrowave or something similar!
I'm guessing he might want something a bit smaller!

All the Best,
CJ

 

[trendkill88]

Do you have any machines in mind for me to do some research in to? Happy to throw my hard earned at something the WeldEquip guys have in their online store.

Cheers matey

 

[trendkill88]

Send us some ideas guys. If £1000 aint enough I'm sure I can find another couple of hundred quid for the right machine

 

[Tom Orrow L]

Some great sub 1K options:

• Parweld XTT 212
• Jasic TIG 200 Digital
• Stealth DIGI TIG 200

If you’re willing to go to the top end of your budget the GYS ProTIG 201 is a great choice for around 1.5K - 1.6K.

Happy to help with any information on any of those sets

 

[Barking Mat]

I got my 3ph Miller Dialarc for 500 euro-dollars, doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles, but it'll probably still be working in fifty years time.

Small, compact and light it is not.

 

[Hood]

Parweld XTT212 AC/DC would be a good choice.
Jasic digital Mini AC/DC, good but probably quite a bit over your budget.

 

[Country Joe]

Well, I've just looked on there, and the one I'd get, for the budget, from this page would be this parweld.
Obviously others will have different opinions, though - and from all different places, too - but I was being lazy and only looked as far as the top of the page!

I bought an AC/DC Tig from the same fellow quite a while (10-15 years) back, but I don't think it exists any more - at least not in the same form!
It still welds better than I do, too!

All the Best,
CJ

 

[Country Joe]

Parweld XTT212 AC/DC would be a good choice.
Jasic digital Mini AC/DC, good but probably quite a bit over your budget.

Also, bear in mind that Hood knows infinitely more about all aspects of AC Tig than I do!
And will likely have used any of the sets he recommends.

Not many folk (in their right minds!) would let me loose with their AC Tig, so I had no choice but to get hold of one!
I only reaaly know anything about mine, really - for reference, it's one of these.

All the Best,
CJ

 

[Popcorn]

I've got one of these https://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/tig-welder-240v-ac-dc-200amp/
After the initial problems documented here, which where fixed by r tech. I've been well chuffed with it and it's done everything I've wanted including stuff I was told it wouldn't.

 

[Hood]

Also, bear in mind that Hood knows infinitely more about all aspects of AC Tig than I do!
And will likely have used any of the sets he recommends.

Not many folk (in their right minds!) would let me loose with their AC Tig, so I had no choice but to get hold of one!
I only reaaly know anything about mine, really - for reference, it's one of these.

All the Best,
CJ

Not used either of them but did have the last version of the xtt and it was good and have heard the new one is better. I have the Sherman version of the jasic and it is superb so as it just a blue jasic mini the jasic will be excellent.

 

[trendkill88]

This is looking like a pretty good option then.

Forgive my ignorance now. Guessing different gasses for S/S and Ali?

Have an account with Air Products for my Mig setup.

What will I need for the above machine to do Ali first off? I have more Ali work to be getting on with learning than Stainless at the minute.

Cheers for all the comments and advice - It's greatly appreciated!

Random question. What do people think of the KEMPPI EVO200MLP?

 

[Country Joe]

Forgive my ignorance now. Guessing different gasses for S/S and Ali?

Have an account with Air Products for my Mig setup.

What will I need for the above machine to do Ali first off? I have more Ali work to be getting on with learning than Stainless at the minute.

Cheers for all the comments and advice - It's greatly appreciated!

Random question. What do people think of the KEMPPI EVO200MLP?

Same gas for either on a Tig - pure argon.
Wrong person to ask on the Kemppi - I think they're all good!
I can vouch for the MinArcMig EVO 200 though, it's very good, and extremely easy to use, too!

All the Best,
CJ

 

[Barking Mat]

Also, bear in mind that Hood knows infinitely more about all aspects of AC Tig than I do!
And will likely have used any of the sets he recommends.

Not many folk (in their right minds!) would let me loose with their AC Tig, so I had no choice but to get hold of one!
I only reaaly know anything about mine, really - for reference, it's one of these.

All the Best,
CJ

Tig handbag sir?

 

[Tom Orrow L]

Parweld XTT 212 is definitely a great option.

 

[500e]

I have used the Jasic for 3 years nearly, on loan from a mate who is still somewhere abroad it has been trouble free & a vastly superior welder to me was going to get a Sherman but that avenue is closed.
If it works for @Hood that's good enough for me, he also has one of their plasma cutters on a CNC I believe & is happy with back up
Tom AT WSD will see you right

 

[Country Joe]

Tig handbag sir?

Oi - Monsieur Le Barking (Fou?) - it has to follow me around sometimes - I don't have a dedicated MMA setup!
Well, that's my excuse!

But, I do tote around a bag of "useful" stuff everywhere I go, and I suspect it weighs slightly more than the welder.
Maybe I just view too many things as "useful", but it sort of keeps me fit(ish)!

I'm guessing your Miller (with a heavy transformer in it!) is massive, so you wouldn't want to lug it anywhere, just to lay a few rods!
Maybe not Synchrowave size, but I bet it's a huge item!

All the Best,
CJ

 

[Barking Mat]

Oi - Monsieur Le Barking (Fou?) - it has to follow me around sometimes - I don't have a dedicated MMA setup!
Well, that's my excuse!

But, I do tote around a bag of "useful" stuff everywhere I go, and I suspect it weighs slightly more than the welder.
Maybe I just view too many things as "useful", but it sort of keeps me fit(ish)!

I'm guessing your Miller (with a heavy transformer in it!) is massive, so you wouldn't want to lug it anywhere, just to lay a few rods!
Maybe not Synchrowave size, but I bet it's a huge item!

All the Best,
CJ

Never seen a welding machine like that.

Yep, my Millers stupidly heavy, ok on flat floor, getting in and out of a trailer is a nightmare.

Just jesting mate...