Advise sought on TIG options for newbie

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Just trying to ask some advice from you Pro's on what the best options are (Make, Model, Options) for a newbie welder regards buying his first TIG machine ? I am looking for a machine to do aluminum and sheet metal fab work on a few hot rods. I'm 57 years old and am planning on retirement in 7 years so looking ahead to doing my own shop work. Nothing on a production scale just for small shop and personal work. Mostly .065" thickness with an occasional bit of work on frames, etc. I have a budget of $ 1500 and don't mind searching for a good used machine. My welding background is minimal mostly stick welding on a farm as a young kid, I still have a great old stock machine but need something a bit cleaner.Any suggestions and/or advise is greatly appreciated.dusty
Reply:Two years ago I was 57. I felt if I didn't get the TIG I'd wanted a very long time, I likely never would. I bought on the advice of the manager of Airgas branch a Diversion 180. I hated it! No adjustments, terrible duty cycle, I was frustrated! Diversion is a great auto body welder, aluminum, even thin sheet needs lots of BTUs. Diversion, along with most entry level TIG welders has about a 10% duty cycle. I started asking questions, shopping around. I walked into a far from home branch of Haun Welding. The manager was very well informed. He recommended a Syncrowave 250 reconditioned. Trading my Diversion 180 would cost $2000. I shied away from it from sticker shock! Ultimately, I found a cream puff Dialarc HF 250. All the power I could want! It welded beer cans, or battle ships! Still, it was sine wave 50/50% balance, 60 cycle, sort of limited. I gave in to obsession, and bought a Dynasty 280 DX. It was expensive! It would have cost less without buying the two other machines I sold at a loss. In answer to your question, I'd ask another question; What level of quality do you want your aluminum welds? At beginner skill level, a great welder will make you look good. If lower quality welds until you progress to great are acceptable, look for a big old name brand Miller, or Lincoln. Minnesota Dave swears by his 900 LB Airco, (repainted Miller), he bought for scrap price. They are very hungry for power. Mine does with 30 amps what his does with 90. Of course his could go to 120 input amps with unlimited capacity.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:Older Syncrowave 200's are great starter machines and often sell used in the $900-1300 range. Older machines like Dialarc HF's and Miller 330 AB/P's go for less, but are bigger and heavier and use a bit more power. I've seen the 330's go as low as $400 and the rebadged airco's like Dave bought for $250 in working condition on occasions.Don't let the high input amps scare you away from an older machine even at 100 amp draw wich would max out many of those 300 amp plus tigs, at 11 cents a KWH, that's only something like $2.50 an hour to run the machine 100% of the time. Something no one does with tig. A more realistic price on a machine drawing say 50 amps ( enough for most machines to weld 1/8" alum or steel to about 3/16") would be maybe 50 cents an hour in electricity. You have to do a lot of welding to reap the rewards of the more economical inverters..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