Tig welder on the CHEAP

[Gamble97]

Had a few people ask me how or where they can get started.
Just playing around on the web and found an everlast DC only welder (means no aluminum) for $300 shipped.
You will need a helmet, consumables, gloves, argon tank, and regulator.
Also does not support a foot pedal.
EVERLAST 140a 140amp LIFT START TIG / STICK WELDER IGBT | eBay

Everlast welders are not made in USA but the reviews are pretty solid and you get a decent machine for the price. Hell for $300 it's a great deal seeing how it does stick welding also!

Another thing that makes it very valuable is that it is dual voltage meaning 110v or 220v!

 

[99gst_racer]

Huge bummer that it doesn't support a foot pedal.

 

[hubz91talontsi]

I like how they include the mask you have to hold in front of your face. I guess you use your foot for that. You'd have quite the talent if you can tig with 1 hand.

 

[Gamble97]

Huge bummer that it doesn't support a foot pedal.

Ya but it's also $300!

 

[99gst_racer]

I like how they include the mask you have to hold in front of your face. I guess you use your foot for that. You'd have quite the talent if you can tig with 1 hand.

My plasma cutter came with one of those. I feel bad for anyone who uses one. But it's definitely even more funny that they include one with a TIG welder. Step one: grow a third arm...

 

[Gamble97]

My plasma cutter came with one of those. I feel bad for anyone who uses one. But it's definitely even more funny that they include one with a TIG welder. Step one: grow a third arm...

It's for the stick side of it I assume or the people in china have 3 arms
I don't use a helmet or shades with my plasma cutter.
Wait, you bought one?

 

[99gst_racer]

Yeah, I finally bought one. I don't like cutting without shade protection. It's equally damaging as a welding arc. I set my Viking helmet to the grind setting. It's the perfect balance between eye protection and being able to see what I'm cutting.

 

[Calan]

Speaking of helmets and shields... ever tried DC welding steel with a Harbor Freight helmet?

Don't.

 

[Bud92gsx]

No foot pedal...No buano..

 

[99gst_racer]

Speaking of helmets and shields... ever tried DC welding steel with a Harbor Freight helmet?

Don't.

Yup, got flashed everytime. DC welding with a cheap helmet is exactly what prompted me to buy a nice one. And nice ones are worth their weight in gold!

 

[Bud92gsx]

I have a harbor freight auto darkening helmet..Just squint when you first pull the trigger, it push the pedal..

 

[jjrock5]

Any cheap tig welders that can do aluminum?

 

[turboglenn]

actually i just did a weld job on a 7 second drag car, I had to put new tabs for the updated spec window net in it and when i went there to do the work they had an "everlast" TIG and said it was junk, they said it would scratch a start then go out like a wet match..

as for foot pedals, they are a bit over-rated, yea i use one on daily work, but when i'm in a tight place or in a non upright condition, knowing how to uise scratch start ot lift-start (the better version) or knowin how to use a hand amp=trol is vital, but when using scratch start you MUST have a programmable ramp rate if you're gonna do any quality of work on anythinng aside from 1/167th nsteel plate

also they are DC and you need AC to do aluminum and you also need a high frequency box and if it's not an inverter machine you better not sweat and you better wear thick gloves and long sleeve leather welding coat when welding aluminum or you'lln get the piss shocdked out of you often , I love the old synchrowaVE 250, BUT THE GETTING SHOCKED is one part i don't miss a bit with my new dynasty

as for auto tints i'll say it till i've told everyone i see one on one if i have to , don't use it for more than learning, once you get good you wont need the "light side" of the tint to know where you are and do good wok, and you'll also find that if you're welding for any length of time that all those 1/20,0000th's of a second WILL ADD UP to a bad case of flashburn in a half a work day or so, they aren't as bad for a mig welder but for TIG use i won't use them anymore period, in fact i have a 300 dollar miller auto tint and a HF 49 dollar one and there's honestly no differernce in potection, i've been flash burnmed wearing both and now both sit there for others to use to watch if i am welding something they wanna see

 

[Gamble97]

Yeah, I finally bought one. I don't like cutting without shade protection. It's equally damaging as a welding arc. I set my Viking helmet to the grind setting. It's the perfect balance between eye protection and being able to see what I'm cutting.

It doesn't even hurt my eyes to look at it. Maybe because one of my eyes are bad, I have no idea. I did put on sunglasses but I'll have to find them again. Maybe if I get a stronger plasma cutter it will be brighter but I don't know.

Any cheap tig welders that can do aluminum?

TIG Welder | TIG Welders | TIG Welding ? Eastwood TIG 200 AC/DC Welder

Amazon.com: Everlast Powertig 185 Micro AC DC Tig Welder 110/220 Volt Inverter: Home Improvement
That's about it for cheap and AC. Keep in mind I don't think the everlast comes with the foot control, I believe it's an option.

 

[Calan]

Yup, got flashed everytime. DC welding with a cheap helmet is exactly what prompted me to buy a nice one. And nice ones are worth their weight in gold!

It was weird. This weekend was the first time I tried steel with the Eastwood. I flipped it to DC, checked things over, and struck an arc. It was really dark....to the point that I didn't think it was doing much....then I saw a blinding flash.

So I lifted the helmet to find a big puddle of glowing molten steel on the table where the angle iron used to be, and went inside to cry and search the internet for what I was doing wrong.

Sure enough, it's the helmet. It works great for aluminum, but for whatever reason it can't register a DC arc. So for now I use my fixed helmet for steel, and the HF helmet for AL (which still works fine).

One of these days I'll break down and buy a good 4-sensor helmet.

 

[99gst_racer]

TIG Welder | TIG Welders | TIG Welding ? Eastwood TIG 200 AC/DC Welder

Amazon.com: Everlast Powertig 185 Micro AC DC Tig Welder 110/220 Volt Inverter: Home Improvement
That's about it for cheap and AC. Keep in mind I don't think the everlast comes with the foot control, I believe it's an option.

^^^ Those are the two best AC/DC options for under $1000 that I know of as well.

 

[Gamble97]

It was weird. This weekend was the first time I tried steel with the Eastwood. I flipped it to DC, checked things over, and struck an arc. It was really dark....to the point that I didn't think it was doing much....then I saw a blinding flash.

So I lifted the helmet to find a big puddle of glowing molten steel on the table where the angle iron used to be, and went inside to cry and search the internet for what I was doing wrong.

Sure enough, it's the helmet. It works great for aluminum, but for whatever reason it can't register a DC arc. So for now I use my fixed helmet for steel, and the HF helmet for AL (which still works fine).

One of these days I'll break down and buy a good 4-sensor helmet.

Mine has done that on SS once. My cheaper one did it a few times but not often.
A quality helmet is literally a night/day difference. Mine was just under 200 shipped from cyberweld and it hurt a little to spend that much but then again I'll never tig without it again. I do tend to grab for my $99 lowes helmet when I mig so I don't get my good helmet lens all dirty And great for people that want to watch.

 

[dsmornothing]

The Eastwood tig 200 is amazing! I honestly use it more than my dynasty because it is so much easier to move around. Have not found a job it won't do. Also never had an issue with it and there is well over 100 hours of time under the shield with it!

 

[turboglenn]

The Eastwood tig 200 is amazing! I honestly use it more than my dynasty because it is so much easier to move around. Have not found a job it won't do. Also never had an issue with it and there is well over 100 hours of time under the shield with it!

the 200 is nice by eastwood, the one i said was not so nice (a.k.a. junk naccording to a person i welded for who owned one and had it right there last week) was the everlast 140 TIG scratch start, eastwood stuff may not look as pretty as miller but everything i've used of theirs has been pretty damn good for the cost especially

 

[Calan]

I love my Eastwood. Couldn't be simpler and produces really nice welds on almost any material....in the right hands of course.

3/16" aluminum on 110v, 25amp breaker....for < $900. Nothing else can compete with that for twice the price that I know of.

 

[Devilsfutbol17]

Is TIG really that much better than MIG? I am planning on buying the Eastwood MIG 175A with spool gun and I don't see why I would ever want to buy a TIG welder. MIG sounds much easier because you have a free hand. It would be easier to hold something up like an exhaust pipe under the car, then tack it with the MIG. Am I missing something here?

This is my Black Friday Gift to myself. MIG 175 Amp Welder with Spool Gun | MIG Welders | MIG 175 Welder ? Eastwood Welders
It does mild, SS, and aluminum. I don't plan to do any extensive welding, just downpipes, exhausts, intercooler pipes, flanges, and other miscellaneous things. I can't see why this wouldn't work for most people, and be a lot less hassle.

 

[Gamble97]

Is TIG really that much better than MIG? I am planning on buying the Eastwood MIG 175A with spool gun and I don't see why I would ever want to buy a TIG welder. MIG sounds much easier because you have a free hand. It would be easier to hold something up like an exhaust pipe under the car, then tack it with the MIG. Am I missing something here?

This is my Black Friday Gift to myself. MIG 175 Amp Welder with Spool Gun | MIG Welders | MIG 175 Welder ? Eastwood Welders
It does mild, SS, and aluminum. I don't plan to do any extensive welding, just downpipes, exhausts, intercooler pipes, flanges, and other miscellaneous things. I can't see why this wouldn't work for most people, and be a lot less hassle.

Many differences.
Tig is more precise, more controlled, and prettier. Also you can do any metal with 100% argon.
For Mig + steel = c25 (25% co2 and 75% argon)
Mig + spool gun + aluminum = 100% argon
Mig + stainless = trimix. arong,co2, helium.

Also some people will say you can't do much that is thick with a mig and a spool gun, but it all depends on what you want to do. I really want a spool gun to play with. Also the aluminum in the spool gun will probably bind up and birds nest a lot. None of those issues with tig plus you only need 1 type of gas with tig. You control the heat with your foot and you control the feed rate with your hand.
For what you want, mig will be fine. A lot of people don't give it enough credit you can do some great things with any welder, it's just how creative you get and what your skills can do.

 

[dsmornothing]

Also dont forget, If you ever do anything with chromoly, It HAS to be tig. You have less Heat affected zone with tig therefor it does not change the actual tensile strength of the metal as much as mig does. But it also takes practice and skill to get a minimal HAZ.

 

[Gamble97]

Also dont forget, If you ever do anything with chromoly, It HAS to be tig. You have less Heat affected zone with tig therefor it does not change the actual tensile strength of the metal as much as mig does. But it also takes practice and skill to get a minimal HAZ.

And pulse, that helps minimize haz.

 

[dsmornothing]

And pulse, that helps minimize haz.

Getting into pulse brings the price range to a whole new level. Granted if you have good foot control you don't need it. Old timers have been welding for years with no pulse. I find the main thing is to use the smallest tungsten you can. AKA have really good fitment. Fit is everything with a tig.