Inexpensive TIG machines

jdm61

jdm61

itinerant metal pounder
Joined
Aug 12, 2005
Messages
47,357
Does anyone have any experience with the inexpensive TIG inverter machines like the Eastwood and Amico (Wal Mart online) 200/130-40amp 220-110 models? Also, why do most of these welders appear to be set up for 50 amp 220 plugs? My experience with boats is that 50 amp is very expensive and not all that common in the rest of the world.
 
I have asked my guy at ARC3 (airgas) about this before. He is honest about things, and told me that a Miller/Lincoln will outperform the cheap imports all day long. Duty cycle, life expectancy, getting parts and service, etc. are all going to be better with the Miller ( or equivalent).

They have a sale right now with a good home/small shop DC TIG/Stick unit running from $1200 (Maxstar 161) to a really good unit (Miller Multimatic 200) for $2400, with others in between.

Every welder I have talked to says don't buy the HF/Lowes/Northern tig/stick welders.
 
Well I have an Everlast Power i-TIG 201 and an i-MIG 200E on the way, so I'll let you know soon. One is being delivered today, but I don't know which one. The other hasn't shipped yet. They're each ~$500 machines.
 
I have seen a guy run a small semi off brand inverter and it was much better than I expected. I probably wouldn't get a store brand. I think there are bargains to be had but I would be aware of the price range. For a brand name it's hard to beat ESAB. If I were you I would find a ESAB that seams like it will do what you want and then look around if you can find a off brand power source and save a bit. That said it might just be a good idea to get the brand name welder. I think you can get a ESAB Tig/Stick for around $600. My experience has been that ESAB is much better quality for the economy welders with Miller targeting the middle ground and Lincoln and Fronius the high end. If you are worried about support like a full time welder Miller and Lincoln have better dealership availability. Bargains can be had. I was looking for a Miller but was willing to take a ESAB and the distributor had a bunch of esabs in a Miller area so he sold it to me for about $1000 off. I have used both welders and Millers controls are simpler but the ESAB has a little bit better capability and runs smoother. Dont get me wrong they are all good you just want as much machine as possible for your money. I can recommend Esabs fabricator line just because we demoed them for about 6 months at the school where I worked. If it can handle students doing nonstop weld practice its pretty good for the money.
 
That's a good point about students. I've been in about a dozen tech campuses this year trying to recruit. Most of them have been on Miller lease programs but a couple were all ESAB machines and they seemed to like them.
 
In my experience (that predates the modern inverter welders) the cheap welders just don't weld as well. It's not just about longevity it's about the quality of the weld and the ease of the weld. A good welder almost makes it easy. A cheap welder you'll just be fighting it.

I have not used one of the cheap inverter welders yet.
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
In my experience (that predates the modern inverter welders) the cheap welders just don't weld as well. It's not just about longevity it's about the quality of the weld and the ease of the weld. A good welder almost makes it easy. A cheap welder you'll just be fighting it.

I have not used one of the cheap inverter welders yet.
Click to expand...

I have a crappy old 110 stick welder, that I got for 75$ at a thrift store. Does it work? Kinda... it’ll weld once you’ve screwed up a bunch, welded at least 3 electrodes to your work, caught at least 2 of them on fire and wasted so much time that you curse the designer, the manufacturer, the assembly line workers and all their descendants.

In short buy a good welder it’ll save you time and make you a less hateful person!
 
Guys, here is the problem.People saying "buy a good welder" is about like saying "buy a Porsche GT3 RS" at this point. I would love to have both, but it ain't gonna happen. The $1200-2400 welders cost about $700-1500 more than I can spend. So lets work within the limitations. Also, my shop currently has 120 and 220/20 and I cannot afford to rewire. All I want is something to stick damascus billets together and the flux core 110 Lincoln from HD would not do that.
 
Last edited:
I recommend avoiding scratch start tig welders, a high frequency Arc start will reduce tungsten contamination in your Damascus
 
I'm sure many will disagree but I have a $200 harbor freight stick tig inverter I used it to weld my Rusty power hammer together (40 lb ram) and everything has held together and I can seal up (tig) a 3/4 billet no problem. I took it to my knife teacher and got a lesson that helped since I had no experience .
 
Well it was the MIG that arrived today, which is fortunate because I don't have a bottle of Argon right now anyway. Just 75/25 mix. I unboxed it, plugged in the whip, connected my bottle, plugged it in to 120v because I don't have the same 220v outlets as the plug it came with (30a, 2 flats and a round, I have all 3 flat dryer outlets), set the gas and started welding.

My initial impression is holy s&$^T! I didn't think you even could weld this well, this easily with a 120v MIG. I've had this Century 130 for 23 years since I was 16 years old. It's never welded like this thing. I've made it work, and I can weld damascus and rebar with it, but it's not easy to do and it's incredibly slow going.

uxQqXuu.jpg


Here's the new 200e. No bells or whistles, just infinitely adjustable voltage and wirespeed and a connection for a spool gun.

UuGUbyU.jpg


Here's welding rebar to the end of a billet I had laying around:

enTzBVD.jpg


Here's breaking that rebar off. The rebar bent this far, then the base material failed as it should. It's high carbon and as the weld shrank it put a lot of stress on the joint. If this had actually gone into the forge a couple times I doubt I would have been able to just snap it off.

z7t6Vrj.jpg

rSIT9S7.jpg

qtEvICb.jpg


Here's a canister, notice how nicely the welds tied together at 2 o'clock? Impossible with the Century. They'd just lay on top of each other no matter what you did.

ALwbhpY.jpg


Here's some 1/4" thick mild steel. Fillet on both sides. Then I cut it and macro etched it to see penetration. It's not great, but again this was .030 wire on 120v and I think I could do better with a little weave.

MAZHiR1.jpg

wfqsjaK.jpg

lqfrZpV.jpg


So my initial feelings about this $500 inverter MIG is it's god damn awesome and I haven't even plugged it into 220v yet. I bet the TIG will leave me feeling the same. I'll update when it arrives.
 
Last edited:
I've got the Everlast power pro 205si I can't possibly say enough about it. I'm just a home hobiest but have been welding for over 30 years and always wanted a tig. This is a tig plasma combo. The day I got it I was welding razer blades and pop cans together having never used a tig before in my life. I even cut a 1" by 4" steel bar in half. This is beyond the specifications but it worked. this is by far my favorite tool and I'm shocked how often it use it.

I know it's out of your price range but look at their tig machines. They don't pretend to be a commercial machine. They are clear about duty cycles but I've never had the thermal trip because I don't do huge welds. Btw I think their boards are made by seimens

There's some good reviews at welding tips and tricks.com and by Chucky something but I take these with a grain of salt as they all seem sponsored.
 
Just a thought on 110 VS 220... As far as wiring goes, that shouldn't be a problem. Assuming you're in a state that allows you to do your own wiring, add it yourself, it's not hard. You need an empty spot in your panel, a double breaker, some 10g wire and a box & plug. Hardest part is potentially puling that wire from the box to where you want it.
 
I can rewire because I had the whole shop rewired and my own breaker box put in the shop 9 years ago. But I can't afford it right now and can't do it myself.
kuraki said:
IIRC he can't, rental, etc.
Click to expand...
 
My complete lack of competence prevents me from doing it. ;)
NPT said:
Just a thought on 110 VS 220... As far as wiring goes, that shouldn't be a problem. Assuming you're in a state that allows you to do your own wiring, add it yourself, it's not hard. You need an empty spot in your panel, a double breaker, some 10g wire and a box & plug. Hardest part is potentially puling that wire from the box to where you want it.
Click to expand...
 
Inverters just change everything. My little 30 amp tig can weld 1" 6061 aluminum plate to 1"round bar with no preheat. I used to use a 350 amp Miller transformer that weighed over 300 lbs and it would have struggled. Industry is having some problems because the machines are more complicated and its amazing how resistant to technology welders are. Aluminum welders use the newer tech more often but I think that's because you have to fiddle with your machines all day to get good weld. There are some sales going on right now. You can probably find something in the $600 range that would work great.
 
I have seen the two machines that I mentioned on sale for like $429 and $329. I will never weld aluminum so I just need the one that will do steel.
skillgannon said:
Inverters just change everything. My little 30 amp tig can weld 1" 6061 aluminum plate to 1"round bar with no preheat. I used to use a 350 amp Miller transformer that weighed over 300 lbs and it would have struggled. Industry is having some problems because the machines are more complicated and its amazing how resistant to technology welders are. Aluminum welders use the newer tech more often but I think that's because you have to fiddle with your machines all day to get good weld. There are some sales going on right now. You can probably find something in the $600 range that would work great.
Click to expand...
 
jdm61 said:
I have seen the two machines that I mentioned on sale for like $429 and $329. I will never weld aluminum so I just need the one that will do steel.
Click to expand...
Unless you really really need to weld aluminum I would avoid looking for that option just because it adds a lot to the complexity of the machine and the price. When I was looking it added about $1000 to the machine. I checked out the little Eastwood and that would probably work great for what you need. If you can find a option that has lift arc or high frequency start but doesn't have a foot pedal it would give you maximum value. Foot pedal is needed for aluminum and ultra thin materials but is rarely used for other steel tig work. I would recommend getting some 3/32 E3 purple tipped tungsten although the red thoriated is fine. You will also need a bottle of argon and a regulator. I prefer a flow meter over the guaged type.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top