Whats the best Tig welder for the money?

Going to take a TIG class and my dad is going to show me a few things. I was wondering what Tig welder would be best for me. This is just going to be for a hobby out in the garage. (chassis, patch panels ect.) I had a Lincoln 225 and thought it was great, but had to sell it for some fast cash. My Dad is pushing me to get a water cooled unit, but they are 4 grand and up. What's your 2cents??? Miller has a 160 for around 1200 and lincoln's 225 is 2300ish$.

 

I got a Miller 200 synchro and absolutly love it. No cooler though, by the time the welder is hot enough to need a cooler,,,,, so am I. Take a break and let it cool down and go again.

It will weld anything I need it to and then some, and it turns down low for sheetmetal without freaking out too.

 

The Miller is a great machine for the money. But Lincoln is the best regardless of all else. Just stay away from ESAB!!!!!!!!!!!!! They have a bad rep for blowing circuit boards. I'm sure you can get by without water cooling unless your welding in the higher heat ranges (ie thicker material) All my Mig machines (4) are Lincoln But my TIG is an older Miller 350.

 

x2...

 

Ever think of buying a good used welder?
I bought my Miller 1980 vintage 330 A/BP TIG for $300 and never looked back....Sure it's HUGE and sucks electricity but you can weld anything with it and for home use it's ideal.

 

Miller is a great machine for the money. I had a local welding supplier put a heavier duty torch on it, and it never seems to get hot before I do!

 

I used a Miller for about 20 years,, it was alright for steel, but I struggled with aluminum. I had the chance to use a Lincoln 175 Square Wave. I now weld aluminum with no trouble at all,, that Square Wave is the berries.

 

I learned on a Miller It was a great machine. I need to save up for one. I've been think of a used unit myself.

 

I bought an Eastwood a couple of months ago. I'm happy so far. I have welded steel and alum. It isn't as good as as an industrial machine but it's an inverter and does everything I needed to build projects well. The welding is very good. We'll see about the durability.

 

X2 on the Lincoln square wave. It's awesome for putting broken A/C condenser tubes back together. Translation...does great on paper thin Aluminum.

 

Lincoln square wave is sounding good.

but what about the miller maxstar? how is it on sheet metal?

 

dunno, but the Miller has balance wave that makes welding aluminun radiator cores much less frightening, I assume this is the same lincolns square wave?

I used a lincoln at the last shop it was good machine but i like miller much better.

 

Miller Dynasty 200DX. Great little welder.

 

i was looking at the eastwood tig. you think its worth the money? i was looking at it for fab work with steel and alum. how do you like the foot pedal with the amp knob on it? how is the hand torch to use without the amp control on it ?

 

Miller Diversion 165 or the Diversion 180 are affordable and great machines.

 

Miller Syncrowave 200 ,have had mine for 5 years and it is a better welder than I am.

 

X3.

Only negative I have with the Syncro 200 is that it takes up more floor space in my tiny garage than a "suitcase" machine would. It was doing great with some 0.060" aluminum last week. I switched to ceriated tungsten, and that seemed to make a good improvement over pure tungsten.

 

My Miller syncrowave is better than me as well

 

For the money? A scratch tig attachment on your DC arc welder. $117 bucks.
Don

 

A good used syncro 250 or 200 with all the goodies should be able to be had for under a grand...have seen goldstars and the like set up for 400-600 on detroit C/L,just my 2 c....Shawn

 

My Miller Diversion 165 is a great home shop unit... havent found anything I couldnt weld with it

 

I spent years with a Lincoln Idealarc 300. It's large and thirsty elect. wise. The Eastwood and all the inverters for that matter are really great. I was used to a thumb control so The foot control is less to my taste but I didn't spend much money either. Space and amperage usage were big concerns. I decide against a Diversion 180 because Eastwood had a 30 day return policy. I figured the worst case was I was out the return freight. In which case I would have bought the Miller.

 

Don't by the ESAB Heli-Arc 161 unit. I bought one new 'on -line', but I didn't run it before the warranty expired. As soon as I did I discover the arc won't start with the foot pedal unless you ground the electrode to the work, then back off and activate the foot pedal. Drives me nuts! Called ESAB, told it was likely a problem with the main board. A new replacement board was just slightly less than what I paid for the entire machine! "Or you can take it to an authorized repair shop." Great! The closest is about 300 miles away!! I tried another pedal, same thing! So it's in the power unit. I don't use it much, so I just live with it. But I learned my lesson- no more ESAB or off-brand welders for me! I've always had Miller or Lincoln welders, never had a problem. My present mig is a Miller-Matic 175 and that puppy will definately burn some wire. Excellent machine! In my opinion, buy name brand if you want any kind of quality. it's well worth spending the extra couple hundred bucks to step up to a good machine the first time. You won't be sorry.

 

We have a Hobart 250 square wave, it has served us well.

 

I second this. I love mine.

 

a little pricey but a GREAT welder

 

I find a welder is like a wife, get the right one the first time and you won't need to buy a 2nd one. I own both a Miller mig and tig. Bought the mig new from cyberweld.com the tig I got off ebay 2 yrs old but never hooked up. (250). That was 6yrs ago now and it still works perfect. Wouldn't be without it.

 

Miller 180 here; I bought it just as the new 200 came out and ssaved about $250. If you need to weld aluminum a lot the new wave technology is probably worth buying a new machine. My Miller had a bad pin in the foot pedal connector when new and was repaired under warranty, so that's a point for new.

 

I love my Lincoln 185 Pro!

 

I second this, for what you get this is probably the best for a serious hobbyist/pro fabricator. I bought mine when they first came out, and I've done a ton of welding with it. I was a poor college kid, but I managed to get one.