Mygoat1

Whats up guys....Ive owned a mig welder for a couple of years now and want to start tiging it up. Dont want to spend 3k for a tig welder but will spend 1k or $1500.00 for a good used machine. I want a little input from the tig welders out there. Should I even worry if the machine is used or new?....not brand loyal either.

Old Geezer

iTrader: (3)

I'd check with the local welding supply guys... they get trade ins and may also know someone wanting to sell outrite in order to move up to another machine..

I'd want to see any used machine working, B4 I laid out the cashola...
A used machine in a garage, and not hooked up would be a red flag..

ATwelveSec02Z28

iTrader: (17)

One down side to an older machine is the power requirements. Not sure what youre trying to weld, but for most car/chassis stuff, but I would look at the Miller Diversion series.

SATAN

iTrader: (2)

Used tig welders are fine as long as you try them out before you buy them. Chances are good that if they have been working for the past X amount of years, they are not all of a sudden going to take a crap on you.

I have found all of my welders used on Craigslist. Except for the Everlast I just returned. I had a Hobart Tigmate (Hobart is Miller) Then I just recently got a Lincoln Precision Tig 185.

Older machines vs newer machines has nothing to do with power consumption. Power consumption comes into play when you are talking about transformer vs. Inverter technology. Inverters require much less power to perform the same work. They also have a price tag to match.

Lots of people prefer Millers for TIG welding. I had my Hobart, but it had a limited low end of 30 amps. This made it very hard to weld thin stainless. My Lincoln can go down to 5 amps.

You can get quite a bit of machine for $1500 used. You have to be a craigslist sniper though cause they go pretty damn quick.

2000_SS

iTrader: (24)

good advice so far...keep your eyes peeled for a syncrowave 250 or a diversion...both great machines that can be had in your price range....don't be afraid to shop for dynasty's either, you might find a deal....i'm miller loyal though, hobart and lincoln make great machines for your needs.

just be sure you see it run before you buy it. make sure it isn't all beat up either. there's no reason for a tig welder to have anything more than minor scuffs on it. if it looks physically abused, it probably is.

wkdivr

iTrader: (8)

I just purchased an HTP Invertig 201. It's a great machine, and in the middle, pricewise, between the Dynasty, and the cheaper offshore machines. Although, in doing TONS of research, I've found that NONE of the inverters from any of the manufacturers is made in the US. The Chinese equipment is awful tempting at 1/3 the price, but the Italian made inverters seem to be the best. Eastwood has a mighty tempting 200 amp AC/DC tig machine, but the inverter is an older MOSFET style, while the newer ones use IGBT technology. Don't ask me what those 2 are, but I know the older MOSFET stuff has had some problems, and the newer IGBT stuff has been relatively good, so far.

BADD SS

iTrader: (4)

dynasty's are made in the us, might wanna go do some more research...

Gregory

iTrader: (4)

Check this out. Eastwood's TIG 200 AC/DC Welder, Item #12746, Only$899.99.
http://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-s-a...00-welder.html

v8pwr

iTrader: (19)

I have 6 Dynasty 350's and they are not made in the USA, they're assembled here. The electronics are made overseas just as nearly all electronics are. I think it sucks that a $7500 welder isn't made here. I've looked @ the Chinese stuff for home and they seem alright. You can pick up a used Syncrowave for what you're looking to spend and have enough machine to do a lot of fabrication.

wkdivr

iTrader: (8)

If that Eastwood had the IGBT instead of the MOSFETs, it would be a lot more interesting. I'm extremely happy with my HTP.

inde-fab

any reason a miller would make a nicer bead then the eastwood machine?
I'm also in the market for one right now but have alot to learn still. Seems to me for the price and capacity of that eastwood machine it makes a really affordable initial setup. I would think by the time you could outweld the machine it could still serve well as a backup or even a 2nd tig station for production. obviously at that price its not going to have the newest technology.

LS1NOVA

iTrader: (12)

I recently got into TIG welding with the need to do aluminum and stainless piping. I bought a Miller Diversion 165. It is a small inverter type machine. After the argon tank and regulator, and a cart from Harbor Freight it was about $1800 new. Good deal I think. Ive done a little of everything with it and I love it. Aluminum intercooler tubing, chrome moly rollcage tubing, stainless exhaust pipe, does it all very well. Very simple to use. If Eastwood had come out with thier TIG earlier I would have tried that one first. Great price and warranty, but Millers reputation is hard to beat.

I did change to a gas lense on the TIG torch.

Mygoat1

LS1NOVA Thanks for your reply man I am going to go with the same machine you purchased or the 180diversion. I want to play with sheet metal and some chrome moly. I'm a home hobbiest and would like to make all diff kinds of ****. I love the welding world I just got a new helmet too. Getting a plasma cutter as well...im overseas for 2 more weeks and saved up some good cash. When I get home...shopping time.

2xLS3

iTrader: (3)

When you're shopping check out Indiania Gas's prices on welders, I bought my Tig and mig both millers from them, I also bought my plasma cutter from them. Even with shipping they beat all my local deals by several hundred dollars and I'm good friends with my local welding gas supplier. For a Tig I have a syncrowave 180, which I bought about 10 years ago when they first came out. i really love it, ut if I was doing it over I'd buy the 250. I also upgraded to the thumbwheel control, because sometimes you're doing something, where it make it difficult to use the pedal.