Tig welding tips, questions, equipment, applications, instructions, techniques, tig welding machines, troubleshooting tig welding process
mobile1
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Please recommend a low cost, economical, TIG welder, that can weld 1/4" steel.

How many amps should it have?

An Amazon link would be nice.

Thank you for your help.
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Personal opinion is that tig and cheap don't play nice together - but here are a few.
Also, any normal DC stick welder will scratch start tig on steel.

Thermal arc 161
http://store.cyberweld.com/tharc16stwep1.html

ESAB 161 LTS
http://www.amazon.com/0558101694-MiniAr ... B008S0OFB4

Tweco 181
http://store.cyberweld.com/tharcfa18miw.html
Last edited by MinnesotaDave on Thu Nov 06, 2014 7:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
Dave J.

Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~

Syncro 350
Invertec v250-s
Thermal Arc 161 and 300
MM210
Dialarc
Tried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
dsmabe
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140 amp everlasting stick/tig $275 and goes up from there.
http://www.everlastgenerators.com/catalog-tig
mobile1
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I should add that it needs to run on 117 VAC.

____________________________________________________________________________________
mobile1 wrote:Please recommend a low cost, economical, TIG welder, that can weld 1/4" steel.

How many amps should it have?

An Amazon link would be nice.

Thank you for your help.
dsmabe
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Most everlast machines are dual voltage, so 110 or 220.
Artie F. Emm
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Just for curiosity, what's your application, or are you just wanting to learn TIG? As Dave said "cheap" and "TIG" don't go together well. Once you have the machine you'll need to buy / rent / lease a bottle of pure argon (non-negotiable: no substitutions) shielding gas. There are some consumables that may or may not come with your machine, such as tungsten electrodes, cups, collets, and collet bodies. At a minimum you'll want some way to clean rust or mill scale off the steel, since you need to weld on shiny bright base metal- that means a grinder and consumables for that.

As Dave also mentioned, the cheapest entry point is all the implied items above plus a torch that connects to your DC stick welder.
Dave
aka "RTFM"
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I have the Everlast 250 EX and I have been welding 1/8 steel and aluminum. I am now working on a .250 wall steel tubing project. $1650.00 The welder is working better then the weldor. :lol: Jody gave it a good review you can see the video here. Everlast also has a Power Arc 280 STH DC only 280 amp machine. Does stick at 250amps. Lower duty cycle vs the 250 EX but is only $1,050.00. Call and order straight from Everlast, they can give discounts that way.
Everlast 250EX
Everlast I-Mig275 w/ Alum Spool Gun
Everlast Plasma60
Everlast 300 Water Cooler
soutthpaw
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The new Lincoln 210MP is a great choice if you can get your hands on one. http://www.weldingsuppliesfromioc.com/l ... =3573-3073
PickWelder
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mobile1 wrote:Please recommend a low cost, economical, TIG welder, that can weld 1/4" steel.

How many amps should it have?

An Amazon link would be nice.

Thank you for your help.
There are few factors to consider a Tig welder.
ex: Ampere, dutycle, weight...
You can read my review by link in signature
Millermatic 211
http://pickwelder.com
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PickWelder wrote: There are few factors to consider a Tig welder.
ex: Ampere, dutycle, weight...
You can read my review by link in signature
You're just a "click through" advertiser that gets paid to sell welders from your web page.
Dave J.

Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~

Syncro 350
Invertec v250-s
Thermal Arc 161 and 300
MM210
Dialarc
Tried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
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Seems to be the way. He is on warning [WARNING SIGN]
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I've had enough.

"Pickwelder" should have given it away.

"Byewelder"

Steve S
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I have an Everlast power TIG 200 DV and love it. It is dual voltage and a great machine.
It's always best to build your own, especially when it comes to hitches!!!
Matt
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