120v tig? Recommend me one

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Looking for a 120v tig because I don't have a 220v in my garage. What is the best bang for the buck?I see a lot of people like the maxstar and dynasty however I can't afford a $1200 welder.I was thinking of the thermal arc 95S. It can be $400 with the torch kit, unless someone else has a recommendation that is sub $600.Thanks
Reply:Read this thread first.http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=43760http://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:I did. All that says is basically buy a 220v and a miller 211 which I can't afford and don't have a 220v. I am specifically looking for a tig as I have a lincoln mig welder.
Reply:Could you possibly have a 220v outlet installed in your garage?KevinHobart Handler 210Tweco Fabricator 181iLincoln Squarewave Tig 175
Reply:Nope, I'm going to be moving soon and there is no point to spending any money on it. Also the box is at the back of my house, opposite end of the garage and I have a vaulted ceiling at 16feet.It's code by me that you must use conduit so I'm not going to shimmy through the room to run conduit.And I'm on a concrete slab so I can't run it under. It's the worst design ever for running conduit.
Reply:Its surprisingly easy to run conduit under concrete so long as you don't have a finished floor to contend with, but that's besides the point.I would suggest you consider a 220V machine that can run on 110V at reduced capacity.I'm not suggesting you spend the money on a Dynasty 200DX (although I absolutely love mine), but having the ability to step up when you have the power is a nice thing, and having the ability to step down to 110V (when I normally use 220) is great as well.
Reply:The box is in the garage? You could consider putting an outlet by the box and build a heavy duty extension cord. I have a 20 foot 220v cord that we made up that works for anywhere I can't reach from the outlets alone. Then do 220v at the new place.What are you wanting to weld with the Tig? Anything specific and how thick might it be (1/4" aluminum, 3/8" steel, etc)?KevinHobart Handler 210Tweco Fabricator 181iLincoln Squarewave Tig 175
Reply:The box is in the back of the house, opposite end of the garage.I have finished floors lolNothing to specific. Would like to make a exhaust and other stuff. Aluminum if possible. Just looking to learn it and do it as a hobby. Nothing that is 1/4" or bigger. I do have an elbow to weld on my turbo that is pretty big but I'll pay someone do to that one.
Reply:Originally Posted by Gamble97I did. All that says is basically buy a 220v and a miller 211 which I can't afford and don't have a 220v. I am specifically looking for a tig as I have a lincoln mig welder.
Reply:Originally Posted by Gamble97The box is in the back of the house, opposite end of the garage.I have finished floors lolNothing to specific. Would like to make a exhaust and other stuff. Aluminum if possible. Just looking to learn it and do it as a hobby. Nothing that is 1/4" or bigger. I do have an elbow to weld on my turbo that is pretty big but I'll pay someone do to that one.
Reply:What if my next place doesn't have a 220, then I have to do that again. No thanks. I'm not doing any professional type work so a 220 is not needed.And someone to weld my elbow on the turbo is only $30. I never did aluminum or tig so I will leave something that important to them.  I'll be chasing 700hp and want no possible leaks.Something less than $600 is my budget. As stated in my first post.
Reply:$600 AC/DC tig? Probably not I hate to say it. In all reality a 110v tig is good for about 3/16 material, or a lil more.  The TA95s has pretty limited useage, its a neat "add-on" machine but not versatile. Since it seems like you want to weld material under 1/4 inch, and as a hobbyist, I would suggest an OA setup like this. [ame]http://www.amazon.com/Uniweld-KLC100CT-Centurion-Braze-Tanks/dp/B0038MS5C2[/ame] This and a few more sizes of tips will let you weld steel, stainless, aluminum, brass, copper, monel, inconel, magnesium etc all in the same thickness range as a 110v tig with as good if not better of weld quality. In addition it brazes those same materials, solders, cuts sheet steel, etc etc. The portable cylinders are nice to a "take-a-long", and in the future you can always get larger cylinders. The set I gave a link for is high quality, US made and will outlast you. You can always add a tig later, the skills transfer.
Reply:Hm,I guess I don't really see the value in getting a TIG that doesn't have AC and can only weld 3/16 when you already have a machine that can do that (your Lincoln mig).I don't do any 'professional' work, just work around my house and little projects for my parents s and I would have outgrown a machine like that on the 1st project.  I ended up with a syncrowave 250 and I wouldn't go smaller.  I spent $1500 on it including gas and consumables and everything (but I bought the machine used).  It's about double what you want to spend, but it's a tool that will last the rest of my life, and has already paid for itself in 'enjoyment' not to mention the amt I've saved by having to pay somebody to do all of the welding (or buy the parts I've made).  If it were me, I'd keep what I had and wait until I moved (plus waiting would give me some time to save a little more money) and see if I had 220v.  If you're moving soon, why not just wait and see because if you do have 220v at the new place and you get a little 110v machine, you'll kick yourself.  Either that, or if I had to get rid of some money right away I'd get the oxy setup makoman suggested.  Gotta have an oxy setup anyway, I think.  Millermatic 135Syncrowave 250
Reply:Alum with a 110v tig is just abiout useless. Even a top of the line 110v machine like the Dynasty 200 DX with all the bells and whistles to get the max effective use of the 110v, will maybe do 1/8" and to do so you need a 30 amp + breaker on 110v! If you can't get 220v how are you going to run a specialty 30 amp 110v line? You might get away with 1/16"  on a 20 amp breaker, but at that point why bother?With steel you could probably do some stuff up to 3/32" but again you're going to run up against that large breaker as you move up. This would definately require a 20 amp dedicated breaker at a minimum to be effective with tig on thicker materials.All of these issues are on a machine thats probably the best thats available out there on 110v and that runs $3K. Don't expect much from a machine at 1/5th the price..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:Originally Posted by DSWAlum with a 110v tig is just abiout useless. Even a top of the line 110v machine like the Dynasty 200 DX with all the bells and whistles to get the max effective use of the 110v, will maybe do 1/8" and to do so you need a 30 amp + breaker on 110v! If you can't get 220v how are you going to run a specialty 30 amp 110v line? You might get away with 1/16"  on a 20 amp breaker, but at that point why bother?With steel you could probably do some stuff up to 3/32" but again you're going to run up against that large breaker as you move up. This would definately require a 20 amp dedicated breaker at a minimum to be effective with tig on thicker materials.All of these issues are on a machine thats probably the best thats available out there on 110v and that runs $3K. Don't expect much from a machine at 1/5th the price.
Reply:Originally Posted by Gamble97What if my next place doesn't have a 220, then I have to do that again. No thanks. I'm not doing any professional type work so a 220 is not needed.And someone to weld my elbow on the turbo is only $30. I never did aluminum or tig so I will leave something that important to them.  I'll be chasing 700hp and want no possible leaks.Something less than $600 is my budget. As stated in my first post.
Reply:Save up more and go with the miller diversion 180. 110v and 230v capable, and it is Ac/Dc. It also comes with everything you need even a foot pedal. Well worth the $$ imo.Ya gotta spend money to make money!
Reply:Originally Posted by Gamble97  I'll be chasing 700hp and want no possible leaks.Something less than $600 is my budget.
Reply:Compromise often leads to dissappointment.
Reply:Thoughts on the HTP 160DC?
Reply:Originally Posted by insternoThoughts on the HTP 160DC?
Reply:Originally Posted by Gamble97I know this. I made 500awhp this year and going for better. This I do not skimp on, welding is something I'm getting in to and don't want to spend soo much money incase I suck at it and can't get any better. Know what I mean?
Reply:I see no problem with an inexpensive 110V TIG setup.  Small, portable, and lightweight.  Scratch start and a gas cooled torch with a valve.  Plently of projects can be TIG welded with only 90 amps or so.
Reply:Originally Posted by pulserI see no problem with an inexpensive 110V TIG setup.  Small, portable, and lightweight.  Scratch start and a gas cooled torch with a valve.  Plently of projects can be TIG welded with only 90 amps or so.
Reply:Originally Posted by pulserI see no problem with an inexpensive 110V TIG setup.  Small, portable, and lightweight.  Scratch start and a gas cooled torch with a valve.  Plently of projects can be TIG welded with only 90 amps or so.Originally Posted by ZTFabThere is absolutely nothing wrong with a 110v TIG....I don't believe anyone has said that a 110v TIG is a bad thing....except for the criteria that the OP is looking for with such a limited budget. AC/DC 110v TIG unit with enough power to weld up to 1/4" aluminum for under $600. It's like trying to build a 700hp engine from a lawn mower and a used turbo.
Reply:I think what people are trying to help you understand, is that for your budget, and power availability, the tig process is not very cost effective or user friendly. An experienced tig weldor could do nice work with pre-set amperages and scratch start ( which is pretty much all thats in your price range ), but for learning on......thats an unnessesary uphill battle. Some of us tried giving you reasonable alternatives from real world experience, thats all. Unfortunately to me it seems like you had your mind made up on a process you wanted, without the experience to make such a decision. Part of life is making mistakes, and learning from other peoples mistakes. Learning from other people mistakes is usually cheaper....
Reply:Originally Posted by Gamble97Nothing to specific. Would like to make a exhaust and other stuff. Aluminum if possible. Just looking to learn it and do it as a hobby. Nothing that is 1/4" or bigger. I do have an elbow to weld on my turbo that is pretty big but I'll pay someone do to that one.
Reply:ZTFab, I hope you don't mind if I add one last bit of info to this thread. If you do, feel free to delete it as needed.Gamble97, I was in your position not long ago (couple years). But I did it backwards. I started seeing used TIG welders changing hands for under $1k and started thinking "Gee, that could be useful". I missed a deal on one and decided that I might just forget about it and a second machine fell in my lap (almost). At the time I paid around $800 for a used Lincoln 230v machine (175 amps) with a small bottle. It was complete, torch, pedal, regulator and all (he even included some assorted steel, stainless and aluminum filler rods and some extra tungsten). So it followed me home (I got a deal since it was local pickup and a friend picked it up in the New York area and hauled it to Ohio for me...no shipping). I spent a fortune on extra tungsten (looking for the "magic" tungsten that was going to turn me into a pro welder just by opening the box...and when I found it I realized it wasn't the tungsten at all...it was the practice I was putting in while trying all of these tungstens. Now I have a TON of the stuff in all flavors, but anyway...) and a better torch (Weldcraft WP-17 as an upgrade for the WP-9 that I got with the welder) and a 330 cu ft gas bottle...and...and...and. The point is, there are good machines out there that will get you started and that are near your budget. But "most" of them are going to be 230 volt (and maybe a few dollars more than you are hoping to spend). More importantly, I have had times where I wish I had more power and I'm starting to look towards a 230 amp (or larger) tig.I also own a race car project and I have more money in it than is sane and reasonable. I do understand where you're coming from. And I started in a similar position (though I wound up wiring my garage for 230v). You can't accomplish much with a 110v TIG that you can't do with a 110v MIG. They will do similar thicknesses of steel. The TIG will do stainless, which is a nice bonus. However, a second gas bottle (full of tri-mix) and some stainless wire and your MIG will do that too (for about the same, or less money). The real benefit of a TIG (over your mig) is the ability to do aluminum (unless you're dying to be able to stick weld, that's the other thing a TIG will typically do that the MIG won't). But it takes a LOT of heat to do aluminum. So, a small TIG isn't going to have the heat available to take advantage of the major benefit that you will gain from buying a TIG...welding aluminum. The point of all of this is to say that I don't think these guys are trying to give you a hard time as much as they are trying to save you money and guide you to align your needs, wants, budget and expectations and match that to help you take advantage of the benefits of adding the TIG capability to your shop.Despite how this thread seems to have ended, I decided to add this information because I do understand exactly where you are coming from because I've been there and I can share what I learned from the experience.KevinHobart Handler 210Tweco Fabricator 181iLincoln Squarewave Tig 175
Reply:Trackbird, not a problem. I purposely didn't lock the thread to allow for further responses, hopefully for the exact type of response that you gave. You offered insight and experience with viable information to back it up. Thank you.I, like you and many others who offered their advice, have been right where the OP is. When I was in High School building cars there came a point when I needed to weld in a lot of chassis components. Rather than pay someone to do it, I bought myself a 110v MIG welder. I practiced for years before ever welding on a vehicle only to wish that I had bought a bigger welder.I have been building vehicles my whole life. Started with my '70 Duster, then my '66 Mustang, '63 Nova, and then I started Desert Racing and building off-road vehicles. I graduated from college with a degree in Automotive Technology, 13 ASE certifications, and worked as a Master Tech for Toyota for 5 years. I then went on to build hot-rods and own my own Fabrication/Race shop.All because I didn't want to pay someone to weld on my car....but apparently my opinion isn't worth a damn. Gamble got upset because nobody here offered him a "golden ticket" to his problem. He had nothing but wants with very little compromise and information on his part to get to the final solution. Years of experience can't help those who won't help themselves....and I wouldn't expect a response from Gamble anytime soon. He's on timeout for a while. http://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:Originally Posted by Gamble97Again I never said I need to do aluminum. None the less you are an *******. Turbo is brand spanking new like all my car parts and built from the ground up. Yes I'm on a budget for a tig because I'm putting money into my car. I guess I'm done here since I didn't need a55holes like you replying just looking for options and opinions from people that are worth a damn.
Reply:The short answer is... you won't be happy with a $600 110v tig welder....of course, you aren't happy with the answer either.No one is trying to give you a hard time.  You're just the 1000th person to come in, ask for advise, then think they know better than the guys they wanted advise from in the first place.  Go buy your $600 110v tig.  Then come back after you've figured out it won't work like you want.  The guys on here are just trying to save you $600.  You should listen.Dynasty200DX w/coolmate1MM210MM VintageESAB miniarc161ltsLincoln AC225Victor O/A, Smith AW1ACutmaster 81IR 2475N7.5FPRage3Jancy USA1019" SBAEAD-200LE
Reply:The End....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:I guess if I want a happy ending I'll have to go to the "massage" parlor, eh? http://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories