Whats the advantsge of TIG?

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First of all, I'm an electrician, not a welder. We use 2 different MIG welders to repair our trucks, and to fabricate racks, fixtures and mountings relative to our electrical contracting business. We sometimes have to weld stainless which we do with our MIG by switching the wire and shielding gas. Comes out pretty good. Have tried aluminum with the teflon gun liner, alum wire and argon gas. Didn't work very good. Would a TIG setup be better for us? Whats the advantage? Any disadvantage? Cost of machine?
Reply:the disadvantage is mainly the price if you are on a budget, for a good tig expect $1500-2500 minimum
Reply:Advantages:  Best way to weld aluminum.  One gas.  Can switch from one metal type to another changing only tungsten.  Better control of heat input.  Disadvantage: Slow process and takes two hands and a foot.
Reply:Are the machines different sizes? We got our 200 amp MIG because we needed to weld some 3/8" plate for a job. What size TIG would we need for less than 1/4" aluminum, or SS?
Reply:150 would suffice.  I have a 185.  The higher the amperage the nicer the machines are and the more special features they have.  It pretty much depends on the thickness of your wallet.
Reply:Is it hard to learn TIG? I tried stick welding once after a short lesson. Just gave up on it. Seems stick welding requires a lot of parctice.
Reply:I will let you know when I learn how.  I would say it takes same practice  and learning curve.
Reply:the best way to answer the " how hard is it to learn" question is, do you ever gas weld?  it is a similar process except the tig has better control of the weld puddle.   oh and stick is easy, but thats what I learned on
Reply:Hi Guys,I'm new here and was reading a few of the tig posts and might as well throw my 2 cents in.CPSS, since it sounds like you have a good machine(200Amps) for mig, why not spend about $400-$500 on a spoolgun for the Aluminum?To answer your question about the complexity of learning Tig, let's say that if you did O/A , tig will be a little bit easier. There is a big difference Tig welding Aluminum and Mild steel in the way the "puddle" forms both in speed and the way it looks. As someone else said before, it will take about $2000 to get into Tig welding for steel and Aluminum, and then the learning curve.Anyway, not to discourage you, go have some fun!Seth
Reply:Sounds like you guys are welding the same thickness material that I do and I get by pretty good with a Powermig 200 with the spool gun and .030 wire.There's a method to the madness, disregard the method and the madness begins!!
Reply:Tig welding is my favorite form of welding. Saying that, I find that I seldom do it. As was said Tig is slow. I do most of my aluminum work with a 3035 spool gun and .030" 5356 wire on a MM210. not as pretty, but much quicker.
Reply:I weld at home and love doing TIG over the rest. Here is a pic that will show you the advantage of TIG over stick. Notice how clean, small the HAZ(heat affected zone) is and how good the bead fit in between the chain links. The TIG beads are about medium quality for me and the stick are the best i was able to get.Lean mean TIG weldin' machineSquarewave 175
Reply:I would like to get into tig welding.  I have signed up for welding school this coming fall to learn mig and tig.  My primary goal right now is tig because I will be doing a lot of aluminum.  I have my eye on a Miller Syncrowave 350LX  what do you think?  Yes I know it's pricey  but I would rather pay the price now and have a machine for life.
Reply:Starting a new thread would have been better than bumping one over two years old to ask a related question.  Though it did show my point about allowing offsite hosting of pictures that don't get hosted for very long; gives us dead links in searchable threads.That machine, while not being portable, is going to kick butt big time.  Do you have the power available to feed it at its upper end?  Is this a realistic machine choice for you?  Or a wish list?
Reply:2 yr old thread...search is a wonderful thing no comment otherwizzzzzze  ...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:Yes I have the power and yes this is a realistic machine for me because I am signed up for welding school this coming fall and I plan on purchasing this machine and I will use it at the school so I can learn how to operate it correctly, I figure if I learn on the machine I intend to be using back at the shop I would benefit from it.
Reply:SWEET!  I hope you live near me, 'cause I'd love to weld with it, too!  Don't forget everything else that needs to be in your budget to go with that expensive machine.
Reply:When I purchase the machine I already plan on getting the total package.  Miller Syncrowave 350 LX w/TIGRunner, Torch  Includes Syncrowave 350 LX TIGRunner Package (completely assembled) - Plus a 250 Amp, 25 ft. Water-Cooled Diamondback Torch, Work Clamp, 10FT Gas Hose, Cable Cover, Regulator/Flowmeter and an AK-4 Accessory Kit.  Like I already mentioned, pricey  but I figure pay the big buck now and get it over with cause it only gets more expensive each year and I will have it for life.  I appreciate all of your help with all those stupid questions I have sometimes  but I thrive on learning, and I want to be the best at what I do.  Beleive me when I get the machine and have it set up I will have tons of questions for you I'm sure.  Too bad we didn't live close to one another I would have you over teaching me.
Reply:Funny thing is, I "subscribed" to this thread and just got an E-mail that there was a new post. Pretty cool!
Reply:And you thought *two* years were a blast from the past try 5 :-)How did it turn out?  Did CPSS get a TIG welder and learn to use it?Did iroc really find the money for the total package?How would you fellows answer your own questions?BTW, please don't be offended for my revival of past conversations, it's the first time *I've* read them and I really want to know ...-MikeNorth Bay, ON
Reply:Beats me.....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:Go to Youtube and check out ' welding tips and tricks' for great visual learning help.......Once you have a Tig outfit...then Hand steadiness (by bracing )  , being able to see your puddle ( correct lens and perhaps magnifier added ) ...and being willing to change your settings until you get what you need....and then practice...Weldandpower Lincoln 225 AC,DC with Briggs 16hp gas engine.WW2 era Miller TIG.
Reply:The funny thing is, now that the thread has been "resurrected" there will be a whole host of people offering advice to the OP.But then, 7 yrs isn't THAT long ago. Maybe he's still thinking about it.E.
Reply:The nice thing is that people learn stuff even from old questions/answers... AND Youtube was not around with the help it affords now....Weldandpower Lincoln 225 AC,DC with Briggs 16hp gas engine.WW2 era Miller TIG.
Reply:And here I am again!   Yes I did get a TIG machine, a ThermalArc.Wow!! an 8 year old thread just got dug up. And most people go awol from their threads in a couple days. Glad its turning out well for you [Account Abandoned 8/8/16 Please Do Not Attempt Contact Or Expect A Reply]. See you on YouTube! -ChuckE2009
Reply:more amazing, the original poster responded to it after 8 years and he only has 18 total posts!!miller syncrowave 250hobart handler 140home made 400 amp engine driven in progress...
Reply:So how about a review of the Thermal Arc??