Welding machine

[tcoupekyle]

I started to get to a hold up and was thinking the right direction to go to keep my build making progress is to buy a  TIG machine. I've never tig welded before, but thought maybe I could tack the pieces I need on and then take the car to a welder friend who could actually finish weld everything. I'm pretty proficient with MIG and arc figured I could figure tig out enough to tack and it's mostly miscellaneous tabs and dzus brackets etc not really structural stuff. It's easier for me to get a friend to weld for 12 hours than it is to get them to help fab tack and weld stuff a little at a time.
Wondering what machine you guys would recommend. Trying to keep the price down and going to try to look for a used machine or is that a no no? Any input is as always very appreciated.

[draper]

I find it easier to tack with the mig (especially working by self with only one free hand), when you start to tig you can just grind of mig weld. Tig welding takes practice and is difficult when tacking due to needing both hands. If you dont plan on finish welding or may not use tig in future save your money. But I have both tig and mig ( I am a total ameture at both) and I love the tig - excellent for fabricating small alloy parts etc and can be very rewarding when you get it right. Glen

[H.G. Wells]

I am in the same boat, I have a chassis on a jig now at a shop that is almost finished. The builder is not a full time chassis guy and works on it when he has time, but this is his busy season for his primary business. When he finishes the structure (not the tabs, like body tabs, misc. brackets, etc). I will bring it home. I do not trust my welding ability to do structural welds, but think I can handle tabs and brackets. I have purchased but not yet received this TIG.

http://www.amazon.com/AHP-AlphaTIG-Stick-Welder-PULSE/dp/B00REX6USW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463369135&sr=8-1&keywords=alpha+tig

Very positive reviews and less than the price of a used Miller or Lincoln. It will do everything I have in mind including aluminum.

[rooman]

I am in the same boat, I have a chassis on a jig now at a shop that is almost finished. The builder is not a full time chassis guy and works on it when he has time, but this is his busy season for his primary business. When he finishes the structure (not the tabs, like body tabs, misc. brackets, etc). I will bring it home. I do not trust my welding ability to do structural welds, but think I can handle tabs and brackets. I have purchased but not yet received this TIG.

http://www.amazon.com/AHP-AlphaTIG-Stick-Welder-PULSE/dp/B00REX6USW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463369135&sr=8-1&keywords=alpha+tig

Very positive reviews and less than the price of a used Miller or Lincoln. It will do everything I have in mind including aluminum.

I have the earlier version of that unit that I just set up in a roll around cart so that I can take it to the races. My shop welder is a Miller 250 Synchro but in back to back tests the Alpha does very well, especially at the price point.

Roo

[tcoupekyle]

Can I tack chromoly with mig?

[dreracecar]

People bring in stuff tacked with a mig all the time,, Pain in the butt to get a good weld without contamination

[Rusty Kramer]

Check out TrickTools.com for bracket and tab holders then you can tack with your TIG.

[H.G. Wells]

I am in the same boat, I have a chassis on a jig now at a shop that is almost finished. The builder is not a full time chassis guy and works on it when he has time, but this is his busy season for his primary business. When he finishes the structure (not the tabs, like body tabs, misc. brackets, etc). I will bring it home. I do not trust my welding ability to do structural welds, but think I can handle tabs and brackets. I have purchased but not yet received this TIG.

http://www.amazon.com/AHP-AlphaTIG-Stick-Welder-PULSE/dp/B00REX6USW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463369135&sr=8-1&keywords=alpha+tig

Very positive reviews and less than the price of a used Miller or Lincoln. It will do everything I have in mind including aluminum.

I have the earlier version of that unit that I just set up in a roll around cart so that I can take it to the races. My shop welder is a Miller 250 Synchro but in back to back tests the Alpha does very well, especially at the price point.

Roo

Thanks for that reply, you are the first "pro" that I have heard from on this piece. It looks to be just computerized enough to help in the learning process. I cannot mig weld worth a darn, but used to be pretty fair at gas welding. I have plenty of scrap to practice with and a couple guys to help tutor me.

[probird]

I bought the eastwood tig 200 as it was on sale and shipping to Canada wasn't too bad. Lots of schooling on utube and taking your time. Mr Tig, weldingtipsandtricks and chuckE2009 are great! I tacked my repairs and had a couple tig pros make it pretty LOL. Steel is fairly easy but aluminum is challenging.
Barry.

[rooman]

[/quote]

Thanks for that reply, you are the first "pro" that I have heard from on this piece. It looks to be just computerized enough to help in the learning process. I cannot mig weld worth a darn, but used to be pretty fair at gas welding. I have plenty of scrap to practice with and a couple guys to help tutor me.
[/quote]

I started out stick welding when I was around 16 years old after my dad purchased a small "buzz box" arc welder. A couple of years later I learned to gas weld and that was my primary way of sticking things together for a long time. In the late 70's there was a welding shop right behind my body shop and I asked the guy to teach me to TIG weld. His reply was "You are pretty good with gas welding and TIG is the same with easily adjustable horsepower".  I learned on his Synchro 300 but the first TIG that I actually owned was a scratch start deal with the amperage controlled with a twist lock, push pull choke knob so it was even more like gas welding except the heat was there right away.

Roo

[225digger]

i learned how to tig with a lincoln buzz box and a tig torch attached to it no voltage control , and no HF to start but i learned the basics on steel . then got this huge airco heliarc which made life easier but still not what i wanted , but i only gave 300 for it . have syncrowaves now a 200 and 250dx . if your just starting out alot of good reviews on the alpha tigs and they seem to stand behind them .

[tcoupekyle]

Awesome thank yall so much.

[tcoupekyle]

I bought Miller Syncrowave 250 DX. It has a problem with the coolant pump system. The guy I bought it from said that the repair shop said the main control board was bad. But they told him you could just hook up a chord and plug it into the wall to run the pump. Anybody ever heard of this?