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Recommend me a tig welder

gmcxt

gmcxt

Jack of all terrains
Joined
May 21, 2020
Member Number
1051
Messages
97
Loc
Branson, MO
Looking to get a tig setup, but don't know what to get. A few I've been eyeing are listed. I don't really care if it has attachments for stick or a spool gun. I just wanna do pretty welds, maybe burn a truss in, drop panties etc.
HF has a fairly cheap setup with the Vulcan Protig 205. It has a pedal where the Titanium (green one) doesn't.
ESAB Rebel EMP 215 sounds magical and high tech.
Power tig 250EX looks good but I'm not framilar with this brand.
 
miller 330 A/BP
or the airco equivalent with an even more stupid and lengthier name
 
I have a primeweld 225 ac/dc. Got if for $675 on black Friday(black Friday sale and 20%cash back on paypal), it was doa they next day aired me a new one. It showed up at 10am called at 5pm previous night. Told me to take out new welder and pedal put old one in and tape the prepaid label to it. Hard to beat that for service, they also have real customer service 7 days a week based in New Jersey, seemed like a decent group of guys.

https://youtu.be/-YkWY3nVAlY
 
I've had my eye on a HTP invertig for a while but kind of got out of fab and into machining lately.
 
TIG Machine - CK Worldwide EN (ck-worldwide.com)

I have the CK tig, 200 amp dual voltage (140a on 115v). I like it. full foot pedal, torch that i like, knobbies, post flow control are all things that i like better about it than the similar miller/lincoln units.


it's basically an optioned up one of these

Razorweld - Suppliers of Razorweld & Razorcut Mig Welders, Tig Welder, Plasma Cutters, Gas Cutting Equipment, supplies and parts for your welding machines

but i'm not trying to do big heavy stuff with it
 
Old iron like Miller 330 if you have the space and way to lift it.
AHP 201xd if not or you need the dual voltage
 
Thanks guys I'll look into these. With prices ranging from $400-10000 it's hard to know whats a piece of shit and what's an over priced piece of shit.

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Look at your local pawn shops. If you see one you like, shoot them a lowball price and go from there.
 
Everlast makes some really good units. A friend bought one (325EXT) and it welds beautifully.
 
From the tiny bit of info you shared. :homer: You're bound to make the wrong choice.:flipoff2: I'll save you some grief and steer you towards an inverter machine. I prefer miller. However if you're on the cheap longevity makes a decent whore machine. Don't fuck around. Get AC/DC and at least 250 amps.

There is so much more that goes into making this decision but I'm assuming you want a good all around machine so that is how I advised you.
 
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ESAB Rebel 205I. 220/110, Stick, MIG, Flux core, AC/DC tig. One machine to do it all and its the size of a basic 110v MIG machine. We have a few at work and they are amazing.
 
Pocahontas said:
I have a primeweld 225 ac/dc. Got if for $675 on black Friday(black Friday sale and 20%cash back on paypal), it was doa they next day aired me a new one. It showed up at 10am called at 5pm previous night. Told me to take out new welder and pedal put old one in and tape the prepaid label to it. Hard to beat that for service, they also have real customer service 7 days a week based in New Jersey, seemed like a decent group of guys.

https://youtu.be/-YkWY3nVAlY
Click to expand...

I also have a Primeweld 225. It's way better than I am. I need practice. The only 'issue' that I'm aware of is that it's, shall we say, leaky. The high frequency start turns off my shop speakers when I light up. It also turns them back on when I light up again.
 
Bebop said:
Everlast makes some really good units. A friend bought one (325EXT) and it welds beautifully.
Click to expand...

ive been eye fucking those everlast machines for a while.

I really like the looks of TIG/Plasma multi machine.
 
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Click image for larger version Name: 5F8788D4-E8CB-41F1-8D51-28AB8D91EB14.jpeg Views: 0 Size: 114.1 KB ID: 279223

Tons of YouTube reviews on the budget TIG’s out there for what your looking at. Give them a look as far as what they are capable of. I was surprised for sure. Guys are throwing down with em.

I run a Miller Dynasty 280DX. Love it.
*bias ; I welded mainly with Millers Syncrowave 350’s and a Dynasty 700DX prior to retiring couple years back.

Watched plenty reviews on the budget ones, read good and bad. A buddy has the Everlast and is on his 3rd machine and couple replacement parts all while trying to build a mini jet. Pushed his project back months.
 
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gmcxt said:
Thanks guys I'll look into these. With prices ranging from $400-10000 it's hard to know whats a piece of shit and what's an over priced piece of shit.

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Click to expand...

You need to set some parameters to give you better goals

Dual voltage or only 220 or 110 (110 only tig will suck long term)
Steel only or do you want AL also
Will you ever weld even fancier shit (ti)
Are you doing work where pulsing is handy
Will you ever drag it to the work or will it sit in one place
What sizes of materials will you be working on
Do you need 4t capability with a finger trigger or will you always be using a foot pedal?
Are you doing a lot of aluminum or just sometimes (if lots freq adjust can be handy)

In general a machine from the big names will be ok as long as it has the features you need. Eg the tiny millers are fine if you only need 150 amps, steel lift tig.

There are good options in the import inverter machines. But there is a ton of junk too. Basically if you search a brand model and there aren't a ton of Youtube videos, web hits, etc then stay away. The good stuff rises to the top pretty quickly (Everlast, AHP, longevity, etc)
 
EricT said:

Tons of YouTube reviews on the budget TIG’s out there for what your looking at. Give them a look as far as what they are capable of. I was surprised for sure. Guys are throwing down with em.

I run a Miller Dynasty 280DX. Love it.
*bias ; I welded mainly with Millers Syncrowave 350’s and a Dynasty 700DX prior to retiring couple years back.

Watched plenty reviews on the budget ones, read good and bad. A buddy has the Everlast and is on his 3rd machine and couple replacement parts all while trying to build a mini jet. Pushed his project back months.
Click to expand...

That fucking wireless peddle rocks. I made the mistake of forgetting that detail when ordered the one for work.:homer:.

Have it at home though. Its a matter ot time before I say fuck it and get it though.:laughing:
 
Checkout the AHP 201xd. will do 110/220v, under 1k, has decent accessories (pedals/leads/torch etc).I love mine.
 
EricT said:

Tons of YouTube reviews on the budget TIG’s out there for what your looking at. Give them a look as far as what they are capable of. I was surprised for sure. Guys are throwing down with em.

I run a Miller Dynasty 280DX. Love it.
*bias ; I welded mainly with Millers Syncrowave 350’s and a Dynasty 700DX prior to retiring couple years back.

Watched plenty reviews on the budget ones, read good and bad. A buddy has the Everlast and is on his 3rd machine and couple replacement parts all while trying to build a mini jet. Pushed his project back months.
Click to expand...

That looks like a nearly $10k setup though lol
 
Boss said:
That fucking wireless peddle rocks. I made the mistake of forgetting that detail when ordered the one for work.:homer:.

Have it at home though. Its a matter ot time before I say fuck it and get it though.:laughing:
Click to expand...

Shit , I’d be taking my pedal and plug from home if that was the case haha. Awesomely useful upgrade/add on for sure !
 
I went through the sub 1k tig market at the end of last year, needed something to do some stainless/aluminum work. Seemed like prime weld and ahp were front runners on value. Then everlast(1.25k) but I heard some horror stories of people being down a machine for a month or more waiting on warranted service. Then you get into your name brands once you go over 1.5k

The only differedifferences I found between prime weld and ahp were 225 vs 200 amps, flex head vs rotating head and pre and post flow adjustment vs no adjustment and no pre flow.

Looks like ahp is on sale and with shipping and tax comes to 700 vs primeweld at 750 after promo.

Good luck with the search and post pictures of what you end up with.
 
I’ve been eye fucking that AHP for a while but haven’t pulled the trigger.
 
Bought an everlast, didn’t work out of the box. Absolute nightmare getting it warrantied, I have absolutely nothing nice to say about that horrible company and their bs business practices.

Before you you buy a machine, call them up and tell them you need your machine warrantied. See how many times they hang up on you. :laughing:
 
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