Choice of TIG Welder for Novice

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Hi everyone,I am new to welding and looking for a TIG welder suitable for stainless steel .065 wall thickness.My welding is very straight forward and with practise I should be able to produce a decent result however I do not know anything about choosing the right machine.Can anybody give me some suggestion what I should be looking for?There is lots of choices on the web under $2K but I without knowledge I might buy the wrong machine.There is a Hobart Mega-Flex RVS 650 here locally for $500 but I don't know if this machine is a novice machine as the owner uses for MIG only and never used for TIG.Thanks in advance,Mac
Reply:If you really want inexpensive and easy, find a Thermal Arc 95S.
Reply:Personally, I would be reluctant to recommend a TIG welder without a foot pedal, which leaves out the Thermal Arc 95.   But let's see what other folks say.  I suggest a Syncrowave, more info below.RichardIf you want a good basic TIG, without spending a lot of money, it is hard to beat a used Miller Syncrowave 180 or 200.  I have owned both, both are good.   Both have High Frequency, AC and DC, so you can weld any metal, including aluminum.  Both include stick and TIG.  The original version of the Syncrowave 180 is arguably better for beginners, as it has minimal controls, three switches and one knob, simple to use.  The  later version of the 180 (180SD) added an AC balance knob and digital displays.   The 200 has lots of bells and whistles, including pulse, which I like for thin copper.   The 180 is a little smaller, but both are relatively big and heavy, around 200 pounds.  Figure on at least a 50 amp 220V circuit for either welder, which is what I use.  Some recommend a 60 amp 220V breaker. I bought the 200 for $1300, too good a deal to pass up, and then sold my Synchrowave 180 for $1150.   The 180 price that I got was probably higher than average, and the 200 price that I paid was lower than average, so I did very well, paid only $150 to upgrade.Anyway, for somewhere between $1000 and $1500, you can buy a used Syncrowave 180 or 200, and have a welder that will probably serve all your needs for decades.   If you buy used, and you decide you need a bigger or fancier welder down the road, you can get almost all your money back when you sell it.  You will take a big depreciation hit if you buy a new welder and sell it later.  With TIG you can weld any thin metal, and you can stick weld any steel 1/8 inch or thicker.   I used the 180 as a stick welder for months before I got around to buying an argon bottle.  Some report that the 180 had a higher than average repair rate, but my original version 180 gave me no trouble.I am not a big fan of the Miller Diversion because it lacks stick.  Stick is what you need to weld thick steel.   The Dynasty is a great welder, but way too much money unless you have to have easy portability, or need 110V.   (Note that a 20 amp 120Volt outlet will only run a welder at very reduced power, so 110V operation is not that great an advantage).   The Miller EconoTIG looks good on paper, but a Miller factory guy said that it was not that great, that the Syncrowave 180 was a much better machine.  Lincoln makes the Square Wave 175, and Precision TIG 225, similar to the Syncrowaves, look for a used Lincoln as a possible alternative.  Many if not most inverter welders are DC only, so you can’t TIG aluminum.  (Examples:  Multimatic 200, XMT series, Maxstar series, the new Thermal Arc multi-process welders, Lincoln V350 and C300, etc.)Note that many inverter welders, such as the Dynasty or Invertec series, do not come standard with a TIG torch, regulator, and foot pedal, so they are even more expensive than they look at first glance.  The Syncrowaves come with everything you need except a gas bottle.  The welder manufacturers are pushing their inverter machines, but it is hard to justify the much higher cost, especially when you can find a used Syncrowave for not much more than $1000.  They have sold a lot of Syncrowaves, so you should be able to find a used one if you look.Just for comparison, a new Syncrowave 200 retails for $2900, a new Dynasty 200DX with torch, regulator, foot pedal, etc., retails for $4680.   On the used market, the Dynasty 200 welders are hard to find, and priced around $3000.   The Syncrowaves are easier to find used, and priced right.The Syncrowave 250 is an industry classic, a great machine, but big and heavy, and more expensive.  It should probably have a 100 amp 220V circuit.  The 250 is just more welder than most folks need, unless you need to TIG 1/4 inch thick aluminum.Sculptures in copper and other metalshttp://www.fergusonsculpture.comSyncrowave 200 Millermatic 211Readywelder spoolgunHypertherm 600 plasma cutterThermal Arc GMS300 Victor OA torchHomemade Blacksmith propane forge
Reply:Thanks. Amazing information!!!!
Reply:Stainless only requires DC tig. You can use any DC stick welder if you add a scratch start tig torch to it. I will agree the addition of the ability to run a pedal can be of help in learning. Many of the lower end machines won't allow the use of a pedal.The Syncrowaves are great machines to learn on, but because they are AC/DC, the price is a bit on the higher side. Where I'm at I see the used Syncrowaves a bit cheaper than raferguson posted.  Syncrowave 180's run $900-1200 and the Syncrowave 200's run $1000-1500 depending on condition age and accessories. You can pick up a nice lightly use Maxstar 150STL or STH for a lot less than the Syncrowaves many times. You will probably need to add all the tig stuff and that will bump the cost. Keep that in mind when shopping. Older used machines are also good buys. The older Dialarc HF, and Idealarcs that are set up for tig are good choices as is the 330 AB/P and it's rebadged cousins.  Prices range from $500-900 regularly on CL..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Take a look at a Thermal Arc Arcmaster 185. This unit is being pahased out and can be had for around $2200 with all accessories. This unit has a strong following on this site!!!
Reply:http://www.youtube.com/user/weldingtipsandtrickswatch every TIG video here and LISTEN to what he says throughout the videos.If you still can't figure out what you need in a TIG welder, then you should leave it to a pro.
Reply:Novice? How novice? No better learning tool than the Diversion 180 inverter tig.[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozNjNw5OWjo[/ame][ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb-X8CSxRxs[/ame]Once you have mastered this easy to operate tig, and saved/earned hundreds or thousands of dollars, trade up. As for stick,------------- buy a lincoln tombstone.Last edited by shovelon; 01-23-2013 at 11:41 AM.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and advises.A local welding store suggested that if I am not going to weld aluminium I can pick up and SIG welder and buy the TIG adaptor for it and save lots of $$$.Just wondering if this is a good way to go on my first TIG machine.Thanks again,Marcio
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonNovice? How novice? No better learning tool than the Diversion 180 inverter tig.Once you have mastered this easy to operate tig, and saved/earned hundreds or thousands of dollars, trade up. As for stick,------------- buy a lincoln tombstone.
Reply:I was in the same boat shopping around 2005. I chose the Lincoln Electric Precision Tig 225. It was easy to learn with. Without the knowledge of professionals who have been using tig for 20 years, too many bells and whistles can let you adjust yourself into trouble.  The machine has been 100% reliable and would buy the same machine, again. You can TIG and stick with it.  Good luck on your search and decisions.Northern Tool has free shipping and fairly good prices as does Lowes, at times.  Indiana Oxygen is around $2200 on Ebay, also. If you have a good LWS, see what kind of price matching/beating they can do, too.http://www.lincolnelectric.com/asset...ature/E337.pdfSome of its features include:--5-230 amps is the widest welding range in its class.--Patented Micro-Start™ II Technology delivers extremely stable low amperage starting, welding and cratering for AC and DC welding.--FREE TIG Pulser – Optimal heat input control results in reduced warping and burnthrough on thin materials and improved appearance.---Excellent Stick Welder – even with Fleetweld® 5P (E6010).---AC Auto Balance® automatically sets the optimal cleaning vs. penetration levels for great looking aluminum welds.---Standard NEMA 6-50 plug on 9 ft. (2.7 m) input power cord with receptacle. (208/230 volt models only).115 volt auxiliary power receptacles with 20 amp service reliably powers water coolers or    other tools (208/230V model only, all other models 6 amps).---Standard torch parts storage compartment and cable hanger keeps you organized.---Ready-Pak® models include a Pro-Torch® PTA-17 air-cooled 150 amp torch with 12.5 ft. (3.8 m) ---Ultra-Flex™ cable.---Fan-As-Needed™ (F.A.N.™) prevents overheating. F.A.N.™ reduces power consumption noise, motor wear and dust in the machine.---CSA C/US certified.TxDoc's Photos Lincoln SP175 PlusLincoln Power Mig 256Lincoln 250 LX Spool Gun Lincoln Precision Tig 225 Hypertherm 600 KMG 2x72 Belt GrinderBaldor 812RE Grinder
Reply:Originally Posted by Mac996Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and advises.A local welding store suggested that if I am not going to weld aluminium I can pick up and SIG welder and buy the TIG adaptor for it and save lots of $$$.Just wondering if this is a good way to go on my first TIG machine.Thanks again,Marcio