Inexpensive tig

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Just wondering what you guys would recommend for a home shop welder.  This would just be used for minor repairs, and light duty.  Thanks snitz.
Reply:hmmmm  econotig?IF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:if you got an econotig it will double as a stick welderIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:Already have a Miller 135, and an old 225 Buss box, but I guess that wouldn't make much difference.Being "over the hill" is much better than being under it!
Reply:Depending on space, power available etc. I'd say go vintage. I have an old idealarc that goes fron 2-300 amps that I have about $500 in.
Reply:What is inexpensive?  What size stuff to you want weld?  Do you want to do aluminum?  I have a Thermoarc Dragster 80.  Now the sell the 85 amp version.  It is under 400 dollars.  I tig well though not ideal if you want to do a lot of tig welding. I use it for stick welding mostly.  It is more of a utility tool.  It weighs 7 lbs. and is the size of a small shoe box.  Miller also make there Maxstar series welder starting around $900.  They are small too.
Reply:The only thing I do not like about the econotig is that it will only go down to 20 amps. I had ruined jobs because it will not start out lower than that. Other than that, it is a really good machine. It was my first welder. I paid 300.00 for it at a swap meet in Phoenix, and brought it back to El Paso. I had to buy a tig torch, foot pedal and regulator. Spent about 175.00 cause some friends owed me favors. Jot a new torch for 30.00, pedal (the good one) for 125.00 and a flow gauge for 25.00. I made the connector for the torch and I was up and running. When I sold it, I sold it for 900.00 to a friend. Not bad. I don't know what they go for now, but back then (about 7 years ago) they were at 1500.00 new.