[TheForge] Choosing a tig welder

[Justin Fellenz]

Justin, I'd agree with Bill, get the best you can afford. Miller or
lincoln, doesn't really matter much...the only question is the model.
It's kind of a forever purchase, so the difference amortized over the
long haul divided by the number of times you want to throw a machine
that doesn't do what you need it to is, like, not much.

I did a lot of research before I bought mine. I started out thinking I
wanted an econotig, but I discovered they don't go down as low as the
big ones, either. The econotig four years ago went to 7 amps while the
squarewave 275 that I eventually bought went to 3. Now, there are
tricks to getting down way low but I really like the stable arc at low
amperages, and even with the lower bottom end I still need to play the
the welding-rod ground trick sometimes.

The one thing you might consider is the inverter machines that came out
(naturally) the year after I bought mine. My machine is 300 pounds and
huge, and the equivalent inverter machine is something like 30 pounds
and the size of a breadbox. Pretty cool for those jobs where there's
has a rusty or broken picket in an inside railing that needs to be
fixed without sparks or big flames. And I'm told they work just as
well. Never used one, just hearsay.

It can be tricky, but you can find used tigs too, and save yourself a
bundle. Ironically (no pun intended) the ones that hit the market are
the usually the big industrial ones. Sometimes they're cheap enough
though that even if theyre three-phase you can toss in a phase
converter and be money ahead. I have a good connection here on the east
coast for used welding gear if you (or anyone) wants to go that route.

One word more in this long email--wire your tig with a full airgap in
the primary line. The disconnect boxes required by code only break the
power legs, and lightning can travel up through the ground wiring and
fry your circuitry. So either put a plug in and pull it in lightning
storms (same as your computers) or rig some other kind of break in the
line. Word from my lincoln mechanic.

Cheers,

JRF
> 
> 
> Justin Fisher wrote:
> 
> > I am about to buy a tig welder, and trying to determine the best 
> > choice.  Advice, warnings, would be appreciated!
> >
> > I have 230V available (single phase), but would like a portable
> unit.  
> > The Miller Maxstar 150 looks a little hard to believe, it so small
> and 
> > light.  The Econotig has all the bells and whistles, but I haven't 
> > found a good run-down of pros and cons.
> >
> > Anyway, I've got a project coming up that I'd like to tig, so I
> just 
> > have to buy something!
> >
> >
> > --Justin
> > Celtic art & artifact: www.electriccelt.com
> > 01532
> >
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