Need Advice on Generator/Welder Setup

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I have a small 70a shop welder that just won't cut it for the jobs I do or would like to do.First, what I weld: atv frames (steel tubing), trailer frames, general shop stuff. I'm a hobbyist, but looking to start some bigger projects.Second, what I would like to weld: fabrication of trailer parts, general farm and ranch repair, truck high rack (aluminum and steel tubing).Third, I was thinking that a welder/generator set up might be useful because I could use the gen. in power outages and it would be mobile too. What I don't want is the 600 lb. Miller/Lincoln truck mounted thing.  I know Lincoln (Weldanpower) and Miller (Blue Star) both have welder/gen. combos, but they seem to be limited. Would I be better off just buying a standalone generator and then trying to run a welder off of that? Is this possible, maybe for a TIG/stick combo?Totally lost on this...Thanks in advance.
Reply:I do have one of the Weldandpower 125, it was my first welder/generator. It worked fairly good, but only allowed DC arc's. I still have it, but I don't use it as a welder much. I ended up buying a larger Lincoln weld/ gen to do thicker metal and more options for welding. A sub of mine has a Miller weld gen that they use for tig as well and I know they love it. I would suggest that you buy a weld gen combo instead of buying them separately unless you can find a great deal on one of them. Also you should buy the welder/ gen  that is more powerful then you think you will need. When I started welding, I thought that a 135 mig would be powerful enough, I ended up upgrading 3 times on mig, and twice on stick, while now I have several welders to chose from, I would of been better off saving up more money the first time and buying a higher output welder the first time.
Reply:Originally Posted by h2oboyI do have one of the Weldandpower 125, it was my first welder/generator. It worked fairly good, but only allowed DC arc's. I still have it, but I don't use it as a welder much. I ended up buying a larger Lincoln weld/ gen to do thicker metal and more options for welding. A sub of mine has a Miller weld gen that they use for tig as well and I know they love it. I would suggest that you buy a weld gen combo instead of buying them separately unless you can find a great deal on one of them. Also you should buy the welder/ gen  that is more powerful then you think you will need. When I started welding, I thought that a 135 mig would be powerful enough, I ended up upgrading 3 times on mig, and twice on stick, while now I have several welders to chose from, I would of been better off saving up more money the first time and buying a higher output welder the first time.
Reply:Most welder manuals say you need a generator that prodocues 2X the power a welder draws.Ranger 10,000 will do all you want.  I used my older lincoln to tig occasionally.  It'll run stick and an add on wire feed.  I doubt you will out grow that one for a while.  I didin't until I started making part of my living with it.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by bluduk15What I don't want is the 600 lb. Miller/Lincoln truck mounted thing.  I know Lincoln (Weldanpower) and Miller (Blue Star) both have welder/gen. combos, but they seem to be limited.
Reply:After the purchase of my current welder I somehow got "sidetracked" into looking at the same Miller welder/generator.  I plan to build a 1085 sq ft cabin over the summer and was thinking that the adaptability would be nice.  Decided that my Dynasty and a separate semi portable generator (6500w)would be an even better idea as the generator will be left at the cabin, and the welder will stay portable! Also figured that since welders tend to last forever, but generators dont that it might be a better idea to have two tools separated.ThermalArc 185MillerMatic 180 w/ AutosetVictor Cutskill Oxy/AcetyleneThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 38and spite!
Reply:What about an inverted TIG machine? I could run that at my house and possibly off of a generator, if it had enough power. I know Miller has an inverted TIG, any others?Thanks for the help.
Reply:That would be my Dynasty 200DX.ThermalArc 185MillerMatic 180 w/ AutosetVictor Cutskill Oxy/AcetyleneThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 38and spite!
Reply:You mean an inverted TIG machine like this Miller? Attachment 7458WeldingWeb forum--now more sophomoric banter than anything else!
Reply:Originally Posted by 69 chevyYou mean an inverted TIG machine like this Miller?