Newbie wanna-be TIG welder: What would you start with?

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Newbie welder looking to learn TIG. There's SOOOO many options out there it's making my ADD run wild. Right now I don't NEED aluminum, HF start, pulse control, ultra light torch and cables etc etc. I don't even know how to run a TIG bead at this point. My original thought is "Hey, just dip your toes in the pool, just buy a Everlast POWERARC 140ST, get your feet wet, and go from there". But the more I read and watch Youtube, the more I'm tempted to buy something more expensive with more features. Miller luring people in with their $1,700 entry level machines and flashy videos saying NASCAR teams use them. Everlast luring people in with entry price points around $500~.Not sure where I should start. At $300 you can't go wrong with the Everlast 140. It's basically a disposable welder. I have bought golf clubs more expensive. It would give me an idea on how much I am into welding and can upgrade if I want. If I decide welding TIG is not for me, I'm not out $2,000+. On the flip side...Miller. They are big and Blue and scream "I'm a welder!". No little green lunchbox. But they are also expensive.Ugh. What would you do? Start cheap and get your feet wet and see what I think, or dive into the deep end and buy something that's more expensive and has more features, or at least a foot pedal?Keven just released this video with the 140. Will NASA use it to build Mars rovers? No. Will it teach me to run and bead? Yes. But the Miller is so tempting. I was looking at the Dimension 160.  Decisions....
Reply:Since you ask... I'm in the "buy cheap to see if you like it" group.   That's why I have a 6 foot tall mill and a 2 foot tall one to go with my 600 pound lathe and my 98 pound one.    My neighbor loves it.  He has the HF stick welder and flux core wire welders that I picked up to see if I had any welding skill.   Like you, I have an internal number that I use to determine if a tool can be considered disposable.I do NOT recommend that you use my technique.   It's wasteful and you end up with junk.  The only advantage is that you learn about some of the features that you would miss if you don't have them.Pick up a decent one, and if you don't like it you can sell it on craigslist for the same loss that you would experience buying a cheap welder and not using it.Oh... I forgot to say... I have the alphatig and I like it.  DanLast edited by dbstoo; 02-04-2015 at 05:59 PM.----------------------------Measure twice.  Weld once.  Grind to size.MIG:  Lincoln SP100 TIG/STICK:  AHP Alphatig 200X
Reply:Get yourself a DC tig welder WITH HF. You can buy used welder. I would say that hf- start is a must for beginner, it will make your live easier. Also spend some money on quality auto darkening mask.
Reply:Do you have a stick welder? If you already have an AC/DC stick welder available, I would say none of the above. Save your money and buy an inexpensive scratch start TIG setup from Amazon or eBay. Should run you under $100. Either way you need to buy a bottle of argon, so I haven't factored in that costMiller Multimatic 255
Reply:Everlast 140 or Dimension 160...which do you think would bring you back most of your money on Craigslist?Lincoln PrecisionTig 275Miller 251Miller DialArc 250Bridgeport millHossfeld bender & diesLogan shaperJet 14 X 40 latheSouth Bend 9" 'C'Hypertherm 900Ellis 3000 band saw21"Royersford ExcelsiorTwo shops, still too many tools.
Reply:Do not....please do not buy a lunch box TIG. For a real experience in TIG, to find out if it is for you, you'll have to add two zeros to the price. I started with the $1700. Miller. It proved to be more like $2200 with gas and accessories needed to start. In the first few days I was hooked! Then I wanted more! My interest was in aluminum. The Diversion 180 has a duty cycle that drove me crazy! I soon learned a bit, needed more machine, and bought an old cream puff Dialarc HF 250. That might have been enough for me if I didn't learn there is something better. I now have a Dynasty 280. Borrow, beg, seek out someone who will let you use theirs, rent, but do not buy a cheap TIG welder. If you aren't interested in aluminum, a Diversion 180 will do.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:Originally Posted by WyoRoyEverlast 140 or Dimension 160...which do you think would bring you back most of your money on Craigslist?
Reply:I was in the same position....Ended up getting getting an AHP tig welder through home depot, with a freight 20% coupon off plus another $100 for a home depot power tool extended 5 year warranty....90 days to try it out and if it ever breaks home depot deals with it and not me...
Reply:What about power for the welder? I have 220V 30A outlet in the garage. But it's one of those plain 110 looking sockets. Do I need to change the socket?
Reply:Originally Posted by AKweldshopWhich one costs 4-5 times as much?
Reply:Musts for DC tig welding:DC Power SourceTIG Torch(and consumables)Argon GasPeriod!ok, hood, gloves, hat, starched Khaki shirt, etc.There is a lot of TIG work done in chemical plants and tank shops everywhere, using a basic DC Source, torch, and gas.I have done a ton of xray welds on SS and carbon steel, using what we used to call a 'dry rig'.(scratch start)About 4 or 5 years ago, I bought a Harbor Freight TIG/Stick machine for about 200 bucks that did a really nice job with TIG or Stick.The Everlast (can't testify to the machine itself) has a nice feature, which is Lift Start, which makes it a lot easier to start the arc with out messing up your tungsten.Not as good as HF start, but a nice middle ground.You can actually get good enough though, at scratch start to make clean starts 95% of the time.I gave mine to my son-in-law, when he wanted to learn TIG.I still do scratch start, but I use my old Miller 250 Twin instead of the little one.In stick mode, the little Harbor Freight machine does an admirable job with 1/8 6013, and 6011, and can weld all day with 3/32.Not pushing the HF machine, just sayin' you do not need all the accoutrements that come with the expensive machines.When I started cycling, all my friends were buying 2 and $3,000 carbon fiber bikes with $500 wheelsets.I got great pleasure kicking their a$$es on my $150 Centurion from the mid 80's.Just sayin'...in the interest of full disclosure, the sprints got easier to contend for after I upgraded from the downtube shiftersLast edited by geezerbill; 02-04-2015 at 08:06 PM.Hobart Beta-Mig 2511972 Miller AEAD-200LEMiller 250 TwinNorthern Ind. Hybrid 200Longevity Stick 140Longevity Migweld 200SThermal Arc Pak 3XR
Reply:Originally Posted by RockinarWhat about power for the welder? I have 220V 30A outlet in the garage. But it's one of those plain 110 looking sockets. Do I need to change the socket?
Reply:Dbstoo it wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't have something like a Nema 6-15R, 6-20R or 6-30 R outlet that look very similar to "standard " outlets just with a different blade configuration. The 1st two would even be the same approximate size of a standard outlet. The 6-30R being larger similar to a full size "welding" outlet with different blade configuration.I've seen a number of garages set up for this style 230v outlets, usually used for heavy duty wood working equipment. Old style AC units also used this style. Rockinar, to answer your question, chances are you will have to change the outlet over to a more standard one that's typically found on 230v welders, but you may be ok on amperage, depending what machine you get..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:Ok, well I pulled the trigger.Ordered a Everlast Power iTig 200. Was going to test with water and just do the lunchbox but decided on the i-Tig. Has all the basic features and still decently priced. I really wanted a Miller, bad. Just kept getting sticker shock. Felt like I was shopping for a Mercedes S550 when I don't even know how to drive. I have not heard anyone complain about the quality of the Chinese welds. So, as long as it don't not blow up, it should be fine. If it does and I can't get and help from Everlast, it's not a massive blow to the wallet. So I will give Everlast a shot and see what my experience is.