Options for new welder?

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New to the forum and have some questions:A little background - Started stick welding after high school when I went in the Navy as a shipfitter - became certified high pressure steam pipe and high pressure silver braze (pipe) - after 4 years in the Navy opted out and went to work for Bertram Yachts fabricating aluminum sportsfishing boats (58 footer) and aluminum gunboats (32 footers). There I learned aluminum & stainless MIG & TIG and became certified in both. Left Miami in 1980 and moved to Tallahassee FL and went into the utility buisness (Water & Sewer) which I recently retired from. I recently completed building my "playhouse" a 30' X 35' all metal shop on concrete slab and I'm now starting to outfit the shop. I've got a Lincoln stick welder but I'm looking to get back into TIG & possibly MIG and need some opinions on what to buy. I probably won't be welding anything over 3/8" aluminum and 3/16" stainless. I'd probably also like to add plasma arc at some point in the future.Now keep in mind I'm retired now so I'm on sort of a fixed budget (although I'm doing some part-time consulting work) so I don't want a machine that's going to break the bank but I also don't want something that I'll need to be upgrading in the next year. My budget is probably between $2,000 - $2,750. The shop has it's own electrical service with a 200 amp panel (not 3 phase) so 220 volt is not a problem. Any and all sugestions welcome.Thanks
Reply:IMHO...Get yourself a nice 250-300 amp Tig machine with a watercooled torch and you'll never regret it.Look on E-Bay..I got mine for 600$The deals are out there if you look..You can also use it with a stinger also if you wish.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Miller Dynasty 200DX.  You can choose whether you want to go water cooled or not.Ron ShopFloorTalk Millermatic 350P, M-25, M-40 gunsDynasty 300DX, Coolmate 3, Crafter CS-310 TorchTrailblazer 302, 12RC, WC-2430A spoolgunSpectrum 2050Thermal Arc Plasma Welder PS-3000/WC-100B
Reply:That Dynasty is a great machine but will definitely blow his budget.Here are a few good machines that don't cost a whole lotta money:MIG- Millermatic 180.  220v, small, semi-portable, easy to make nice welds with it, has enough balls to weld 1/4".  Can get into a new one for under $1000 with the bottle, reg, cart, wire roll.   We have the older model Millermatic 175.  It's been a great machine, very happy with it.   The equivalent Hobart (Handler 187) or Lincoln (Pro Mig 175) machines would be a good choice too.Plasma- Hypertherm Powermax 30 or Miller Spectrum 375X.   Both run on 115 and 230, both are super small and light, work great, cost about $1200 new.  You might still be able to find one of the earlier models, the Powermax 380 and Spectrum 375, both a little bigger than the newer ones but work just as good, same input and output numbers, just in a bigger case and weigh a little more.   My Powermax 380 cost me $850.  I'm very happy with it.TIG-  You'll have to do like Zap said and look for an older Miller Dialarc HF or Lincoln Idealarc or other such heavy, power hungry monster if you want to TIG thick aluminum and not spend $4000 or more on a new 250+ amp inverter machine.   Even my little Thermal Arc 185ACDC set me back $3500, with the water cooler, torch, cables, tungten grinder.  By contrast, the Dialarc 250 HF I picked up recently was only 3 digits, with watercooler, torch, cables, and extras.  If you only want to TIG steel, a Miller Maxstar 150 STL or STH cost about $1500.  They're small, light, run on both 115v and 230v.   I would like to have one to keep on the welding truck, some day...You can stick weld with most any TIG welder.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Thanks for all the replies.Yes - I've been looking on E-Bay and that's just got me more confused. Keep in mind I've been out of the buisness for about 30 years so I haven't kept up with things but I see brands I've never heard of. When I was welding for a living I was using ESAB MIG welders - big suckers with push motors on the unit and pull motors in the gun with cable leads about 1 1/4" thick that were a pain to haul around all day but could lay some fine welds. Also used large Miller TIG units, water cooled with foot pedal. Truthfully I don't know if I'd know how to use a finger control TIG torch. Does this limit me in my search? I know Miller, Lincoln, ESAB, Hobart, Idealarc but some of these other units I've never heard of. Like this Mitech - what's that? Is this a case of what you pay for is what you get? These units seem awful cheap - is that exactly what they are? (Sorry I'm new - am I allowed to say this?)Any and all suggestions or replies are greatly appreciated.
Reply:DYNASTY 200 SD 120-460VAC 907099  $3229.00  (list)DYNASTY 200 DX 120-460VAC 907099011  $3470.00 (list)Typically these units sell for 20% off list so the,200SD is $2583200DX is $2776That is not blowing his budget (he stated it was 2000-2750) and sometimes you can find them cheaper than that.When you add in a torch $150-300 and a cylinder it might stretch it a bit.  But he will have a hell of a machine for stick or tig.http://www.millerwelds.com/products/...ty_200_series/Also I would suggest you stay with Red or Blue, one they are American made and owned or as much as anything is today.If he wants a MIG I would point him at a MM 212 with spoolgun, or a 210 with a spoolgun if any are still laying around a local showroom.http://www.millerwelds.com/products/...llermatic_212/Last edited by Shade Tree Welder; 12-21-2007 at 09:58 AM.Ron ShopFloorTalk Millermatic 350P, M-25, M-40 gunsDynasty 300DX, Coolmate 3, Crafter CS-310 TorchTrailblazer 302, 12RC, WC-2430A spoolgunSpectrum 2050Thermal Arc Plasma Welder PS-3000/WC-100B
Reply:Sorry, I understood it as his budget was for both a mig machine and tig machine together for that amount of money....MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:If you have no intention of going mobile, I'd get a solid old transformer machine like Zap suggested. If you want something you can throw in the truck and take to a customers place and plug into any 230V 1 Phase power then I'd go with Shade Tree Welders suggestion of the 200DX. Like was said, stick with the big 3 names. Enjoy your retirement Sir !!Anything worth doing is worth doing RIGHT