Tig for sheet metal

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I need to replace a bunch of body panels in an old truck I am working on (18ga).  I have a miller mig, but I am probably going to need to hammer and dolly the welds, so I am leaning towards looking for a used Tig.I don't have a lot of money for the welder, so I probably have a cap of 700 bucks for a used one right now.  Any recommendations for a used Tig to look for, or do you think the welds would be workable with a mig?Thanks
Reply:If you dont plan on welding aluminum you could buy a thermal arc 95 scratch start tig welder. All you need is a tank and you could scratch start tig weld with it. They looked pretty good but only have a one year warranty. I'd say use what you got until you get more funds saved up. Tig welders are high and nobody wants to spend money on junk when they could have saved a little more and got a good machine with a good warranty. Id like to hear more peoples opinions on the 95s though, it may be just what youre looking for.My vintage equipment 1957 Lincoln sa 2001980's Lincoln 225 AC1952 F-2 ford truck1957 F-250 ford truck
Reply:It's certainly doable with scratch start but thin sheet is harder work without something that has lift and/or HF start and slope controls (panel or remote like a pedal)- the extra control makes a bigger difference on the thin stuff than thicker materialBiggest drawback with MIG is that there's too much metal in the bead to planish out. Knock the bead back and it can be worked some, not as much as if TIG or oxyfuel were used with oxyfuel being the most workable. Obviously depends on the rest of the panel but on the plus side there's typically less distortion with a MIG weld
Reply:Working thin material with out a foot pedal can be a little tricky. But once you get used to it, it's not hard. I own a Thermal Arc 95s, just welded some 14 guage across a 5/32" gap yesterday, no problem. You can find them on ebay with the tig accessories for just over $400. It's a nice little machine for the money. I like mine alot. You'll have to decide for yourself if you need a foot pedal or not.