Let's talk budget TIG machines!

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First off i'd like to thank you guys in advance for all of the help. Good advice is priceless and TIG welding is a bit of a specialty.Anyhow, i've been TIG'in for a while now with one of those giant, old Miller machines. It has all of the bells and whistles and makes welding as easy as can be.Unfortunately it weights like 500lbs and is practically a stationary tool. Moving it anywhere is rather unreasonable. So, i'm in the market for a cheap and lightweight TIG welder. As that i already have a nice TIG, i just need a cheapo one to weld at places other than home.Maybe you guys can give me a bit of advice here.I'm shootin for spending about 300 buck0s. That excludes me from anything blue or red... The only option i need is a pedal. I can go with out all of the other nice stuff .What do you guys think of the Chinese welders on Ebay? As in the 200-300 buck machines by Rand, Lotos, Pitbull, Jasic, etc??..I've seen some bad reviews, and some really good ones. Any thoughts?I've also seen some really good reviews for the Harbor Freight TIG welders. They're cheap and if anything goes wrong i can just bring it back to HF. I'd bet they're also in the group of Chinese welders.Also, what makes stuff from Everlast, Longevity, and others better than the Chinese ones? Or, are Everlast, Longevity, Thermal dynamics and others Chinese built as well?
Reply:That price range will unfortunately exclude most welders that are reliable in any way, even the good import machines. As far as the chinese machines go, they are not all the same in my opinion. I have an Everlast that was assembled in china as far as I know. The parts they use are of higher quality than some of the others. I know this by comparing some of the other brands (lotos, simadre, tosense, collassaltech, etc etc.). As far as Longevity and GiantTech go, I cannot say, but see some talk on here about them, which means people are using them. A lot of the newer blue inverter machines are very similar to some of these. Many of the parts are made elsewhere, then assembled here with a "Made in USA" sticker on them. How much blue paint are you buying? I am not sure, I don't have the money to truly diagnose and compare the machines, but I would certainly love to do it sometime.
Reply:Originally Posted by gottarollwithitFirst off i'd like to thank you guys in advance for all of the help. Good advice is priceless and TIG welding is a bit of a specialty.Anyhow, i've been TIG'in for a while now with one of those giant, old Miller machines. It has all of the bells and whistles and makes welding as easy as can be.Unfortunately it weights like 500lbs and is practically a stationary tool. Moving it anywhere is rather unreasonable. So, i'm in the market for a cheap and lightweight TIG welder. As that i already have a nice TIG, i just need a cheapo one to weld at places other than home.Maybe you guys can give me a bit of advice here.I'm shootin for spending about 300 buck0s. That excludes me from anything blue or red... The only option i need is a pedal. I can go with out all of the other nice stuff .What do you guys think of the Chinese welders on Ebay? As in the 200-300 buck machines by Rand, Lotos, Pitbull, Jasic, etc??..I've seen some bad reviews, and some really good ones. Any thoughts?I've also seen some really good reviews for the Harbor Freight TIG welders. They're cheap and if anything goes wrong i can just bring it back to HF. I'd bet they're also in the group of Chinese welders.Also, what makes stuff from Everlast, Longevity, and others better than the Chinese ones? Or, are Everlast, Longevity, Thermal dynamics and others Chinese built as well?
Reply:Oh, it's like that.....Yea, i've been lookin into a cheapo machine b/c it's just tough to justify having a second welder that does the same thing as the first welder, except is just more portable. Having two of essentially the same tool just feels like an inappropriate use of money.
Reply:my hobart ez tig (miller divesion 165i) inverter based (small) tig was like $1200 new, with foot pedal, regulater and all...  All i had to buy was a tank and argon to fill it.It's extremely basic... but sometimes, basic works just fine.
Reply:a cheapo machine is not going to be anything like your "good" machine though, just because you want it to be just like it but dirt cheap don't make it so. if you really want to have a good machine and a portable machine & can't see the waist in having 2 good machines then why not sell your monster machine & buy one good portable machine? best of both worlds & have a good machine where ever you need it.miller 330a bp TIGmiller dynasty 200DX TIGmillermatic 185 MIGthermal dynamics cutmaster 101 plasma cuttersnap-on YA5550 plasma cutterhypertherm powermax 30 plasma cutterbaileigh CS225 cold sawetc....
Reply:If you just want a little machine that can do dc tig for stainless, any of the small 90-150 amp inverters would be fine.  Most of them won't have a gas valve or remote in that price range.  You'll have to scratch start if it doesn't have lift start.  The Thermal Arc 95S is pretty inexpensive and should be a quality machine.  It's a stick welder but you can still tig from it.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Find a used Miller maxstar 150 STL they can be had for a very good price and it will never let you down. I have a STH (version with HF and pulse) that I picked up practically new for $800, and I literally use the piss out of this machine.
Reply:http://cgi.ebay.com/MILLER-MAXSTAR-1...item53dc6e4178Under a grand brand new, and free shipping. If you check your local craigslist you can probably find a cheaper one used.
Reply:Originally Posted by gottarollwithitOh, it's like that.....Yea, i've been lookin into a cheapo machine b/c it's just tough to justify having a second welder that does the same thing as the first welder, except is just more portable. Having two of essentially the same tool just feels like an inappropriate use of money.