TIG Welder help

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Hi, im new to the forum so be nice I've been welding for about a year but has only been MIG and am wanting to try my hand at TIG welding.I'm after a single phase 240v AC/DC TIG welder (so I can weld both steel and Ali) in about the price region of £650 ($1300). Can anyone offer any valuble advice on models to get/stay clear of and just any info would be much appreciatedregardsIt's not that things are impossible that we doubt our ability...It's coz we doubt our ability that things are impossible!!
Reply:Hmm.. that's going to be hard in that price range.  At least to buy new will be hard.you might want to look at getting a TIG setup for an ac/dc stick machine.  Just a basic scratch-start TIG.  That way you don't have to worry about the cost of high freq., foot pedals, etc..."A winner isn't someone who doesn't lose, a winner is someone who doesn't quit."
Reply:Once again I'm going to push the advantantages of buying a good older machine. Their downfall (as always) is their power consumption. Most older machines from the big 3 that had high production numbers will fit the bill, parts are readily available if you happen to need a repair. Again, they are power consumption monsters but they will do anything you want as long as you're not looking for bells and whistles, your budget doesn't allow that anyway.Anything worth doing is worth doing RIGHT
Reply:Going to be very hard to find in that price range even used. It appears you are in Britain since you use pounds instead of dollars and most of us here are really not familiar with what is available to you over there. There are a few guys here from over there who might be able to give you some info. Pipefitter would be a good one to talk to about it. The only machines I know of in that price range are the Chinese ones and I don't endorse anything I have never used. Nothing I have heard about them has convinced me I need to buy one.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.
Reply:Hello I'm new to this forum but reading your post about wanting a Tig machine in that price range.you maybe better off having a look on eBay.I found this one if any good to you ... Oerlikon Citig 1500 DC Tig Welder 240V it had a buy it now at £718.never heard of it myself so can't say if any good but worth taking a look at Ebay http://buy.ebay.co.uk/welder
Reply:This isn't out yet, but should be close to or slightly above your price range .... not sure when or if it will be available in Europe .....http://www.millerwelds.com/diversionpc/details/
Reply:Thanks for all the advice people!I've been looking at TIGs on Ebay but im just not sure about all this chinese stuff! but they are the only welders with the specs around my price range.Think I'll just keep looking around but i'll still take any advice as it's much appreciated Would anyone recommend a brand/model (with the specs I need) forgetting the cost at the moment?cheersIt's not that things are impossible that we doubt our ability...It's coz we doubt our ability that things are impossible!!
Reply:I picked up a Miller syncrowave 200 this year. It will do ac/dc tig. I chose it over the Tigmate as it was only a bit more money and a better unit. Millers Dynasty 200is a very nice inverter machine but at 2X the costs. There have been several threads in the past 3 months comparing the 2 machines as well as the TA185(?).I can understand the budget thing. I just went thru it when getting the scyncrowave. I could scrape together the cash for that machine but not enough for the Dynasty.Good luck.
Reply:Your gonna have a hard to finding something that does both ac and dc in that price range... if price wasn't an issue, I would get a Lincoln Precision TIG 275The Welder Shop has great deals and reviews on Hobart, Miller and Lincoln Welders.
Reply:If you want to learn to TIG weld and you really want to know how it can be, DON'T  get a stick welding machine with a TIG torch hooked to it.As far as the $1300.00 YOU CAN GET ONE.You may have to get a larger old machine (like a refrigerator) BUT is will be the right thing.There are more old Millers around than Lincolns.Many times you will see a MILLER syncrowave 250 for sale on Ebay but it is being sold without the watercooler. You can always get the water cooler seperately.I do not like sellers splitting up all the components to sell their machine and make more money it is just stupid but hey if you can get the welding machine for $1300. do it.Time is on your side.On craigslist.com go to TOOLS and type in TIG.You can get one. Sometimes you will have to wait to find one in your area but you can find one.You want a real TIG machine with watercooling and a foot pedal.That is if you really want to do it. Not just play around.I know this is VERY opinionated BUT i have seen many people get an inverter machine THEN find out what it CANNOT do and have to start all over again after finding out it cannot mate up to a watercooling unit or foot pedal.Last edited by Donald Branscom; 07-24-2008 at 03:18 PM.AWS certified welding inspectorAWS certified welder
Reply:Note that the link I posted, also comes with a book and a video .... perfect for somebody just starting out.
Reply:Still looking for an inverter that won't hook up to a foot pedal or a water-cooled torch.....It seems we've been through this somewhere, before....I r 2 a perfessional
Reply:Maybe this will help with some of the questions about xfmr vs inverter, or as could be put, 40 year old technology vs. 20 year old technology.  From the Miller website, for you blue fans.  Sorry Lincoln guys, you're gonna have to do your own research.:-)http://www.millerwelds.com/education...rticles11.htmlI r 2 a perfessional
Reply:Weldingnoob,The only machine that comes close to what you're looking for (that i know of) is Butters 160 AC/DC at around £650 + the dreaded. Their hobby MIGs are pretty well respected, haven't heard much about their TIGs but they are badge engineered Chinese things- no interest to me. Should get a couple of years warrenty and you can buy from real people in a real shop though. It'd be worth having a look around mig-welding.co.uk/forum (it's NOT just MIG welding) for more local knowledge of what to avoid- the butters 160 may be a  for all i knowAs others have said, an older second hand brand name machine would be a better bet but your gonna have a hard time finding one that'll run from domestic 240VI wouldn't hold your breath for the Miller diversion- AFAIK their passport MIG isn't available here yetIgnoring cost (as requested) i would be looking at the offerings from Kemppi, EWM and Fronius if i were in the market for new plant
Reply:Thanks for all the advice/info people! Still looking around as I haven't found anything that I think would be practical enough for me On another note, the Miller brand has definetly caught my attention but I'm just going to see what comes about on the market for a little while longer! Time is on my side It's not that things are impossible that we doubt our ability...It's coz we doubt our ability that things are impossible!!