What's the best welder for me?

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Hey all, I recently finished pipe welding school and passed my bend tests, I've got my certification for SMAW and GTAW.    I'm looking for a tig / stick welder to practice on at home.   I was using a Miller XM304 at school, which I loved to use . . But sadly it is not in my price range I'm looking for something around $600.   capable of using 1/8 6010 rods, and TIG with a 1/8.   I was looking at the ESAB mini arc 161 LTS.    But I wasn't sure how good of a machine it was / if it could use a 1/8 rod?
Reply:A lot of guys have had good things to say about that Esab unit. An old AC/DC Dialarc or Idealarc would probably suit you well also. Down side on them is weight and power draw.Keep your eyes open though and you may be able to locate a good used XMT reasonable. I've seen the power sources alone go for $1000-1500. Then add the tig gear and stinger. More than you are looking to spend right now, but then again you are talking about a lot more machine as well..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:The ESAB 161 has great reviews from most people on here.  I haven't used one myself, but 1/8 seems within its specs.  I dont know if it is one of the small inverters that struggles with 6010, but you can definitely run 6011 with it.   Search around a little and you will find quite a few threads on it.Multimatic 200Ellis 1800Haberle S225 9" cold sawMM 300;  Spoolmate 30A w/ WC-24TB 302GDynasty 280 DX Tigrunner
Reply:ESAB 161 runs 1/8" 7018 very well on 240 volts.I've tig welded with mine for several hours in the 125-150 amp range - works very well.Here's the thread I started on it: http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...50s&highlight=Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:Depending on your location, check craig's list for a used AC / DC Thunderbolt or a Lincoln tombstone.
Reply:Yup, any classic stick welder can be had for under 300 used and sometime NEW!!A NEW dc air cooled tig setup can be had for around 300 including bottle. Yeah it the bare bones basic scratch start tig but it will weld and weld most of what you can find to burn.Thunderbolts and tombstone are always on Clist,esab 260 multimasternew tech 150 invertorlincoln 140 cheapo
Reply:Esab 161....Just a couple welders, big hammers, grinders, and torches.Work will free you.Men in dirty jeans built this country, while men in clean suits have destroyed it. Trump/Carson 2016-2024
Reply:Welcome to the site and congratulations on completing school. What is it you want to practice at home? General welding? Pipe? Other? Are you wanting to practice in preparation for a job or job test? This information would help us answer your question a little more fully. You say you went to pipe welding school so I assume you wan to pipe weld and I would tell you to practice with the type of welder your potential employer has, and that may mean renting a machine to try. Good luck and keep us posted.
Reply:Young man.....lots of old men like me see young guys like you as an opportunity for them to pass on all they packin in hopes you will do it better than they did.In your search for a decent used welding machine, you may discover one you can't afford, but you may also discover an old fart that will welcome you to use his to learn with. He might even give you a key to his shop like I have young men just like you many times.You might have to put up with him, but in the end, you and he both win.
Reply:Thank you for all the replies and advice!    I'm more or less allowed to go back to my school whenever I would like to practice.     The problem is, it's an hour and a half drive.   Which is why I was looking for a machine I can use at home to practice and do some small projects with.    I normally do pipe welds, and recently I've been mainly working on 6g with a 2" pipe.