Tig welding

[mattycoops43]

Hiya

Been wanting to learn to tig weld for a long time, Been looking at the Arc/Tig welders available now from places like machine mart. You can get set up for around the £250 mark.

I KNOW a proper tig welder costs a LOT, but I don't have a LOT. Just wondering if anyone has used them? Do they actually work? I have been looking on you tube and it looks like they are not as easy to use as all singing and dancing ones, but for the money, if they work I would be quite tempted to have a go.

[Tango]

What about hiring one to give it a try first Matt.....see how you get on....

[mattycoops43]

Not a bad idea that. I am assuming you mean hire a cheap one? Not sure if they are hireable, tends to be the dear things that are available. I'll have a look for.

[Stu]

My brother who is a welder fabricator wont touch them!!

well he wont touch anything unless it 3 phase

they do work just not as well and the duty cycle isn't as long

they are ok for small parts if your not going to be too bothered about finish etc

if you want perfect welds then you have to spend the money

[rennie]

I have to weld occasionally at work!

Arc, Mig, Tig. plus soldering and brazing.

We've tried a few portable 240V sets they're all useless!

415V big, dirty industrial sets are a lot better.

[Fozzie]

If it's structural welds on a motorbike sub-frame for instance, MIG will be all you need all day long

I can arc/MIG/TIG weld and of the 3 I prefer MIG, and then arc.

MIG is colder than arc welding but it is more than strong enough, when I do work I prefer to use a MIG and grind back the weld flush with the surface. Unless a neat weld is what you're looking for?

Arc is good but you get a small amount of spatter.

I maintain TIG is the stronger weld, it's the best due to its versatility and high weld quality but for general fabrication it's a bit OTT if you're good with a MIG.

[Mr Fro]

You can't Arc aloooooominium though can you and it's piss easy to burn through thin stuff (or is that just me?).

[Stu]

You can mig weld it though and stainless too

But if you want decent you need tig and if it's thin again you need tig

Each welder is for a specific job and by far the best tool for aluminium and stainless is tig and the price you pay for the machine will greatly help.... For a low budget machine you will need more skill

[mattycoops43]

Thanks for the advice (mostly)

Been doing some research. You need AC to weld Ali, the cheap sets are just arc welders, you can put a tig torch on any arc welder basically. but only weld steel.

When you look at AC units you have a couple of choices, the chinese brigade can be had for about £350 plus gas and regulator. Apparently they weld ok, but it's a gamble on longevity, apparently they give up the ghost anywhere from 1 to 4 yrs into life and they are basically a bin job, no circuits are interchangeable (lots of circuit boards in an AC tig)

There are the mega bucks industrial units from 1.5k up to silly but they are out of the question for most of us mortals.

Third option probably the most realistic, there are a couple of companies in Germany making them and selling direct through ebay etc, about £550 plus £50 postage, they come with a 5 yr warranty and full parts and service back up. Personally, having experienced German audio gear from companies like Thomann, I would happily go this route, however, given that the all in cost with gas etc is about £750 it's going on the back burner for now! Got more important things to buy.

[klingelton]

I've been told the cheap units put you off welding as opposed to getting you into it!

It's something I've been looking into as well, but I figure I'm just going the MIG and angle grinder route. I already know how to handle that.

[mattycoops43]

I used to mig and arc weld for part of my job, plus welding tons of landrover chassis. I enjoy mig welding, and am quite good at coaxing a weld on dodgy thickness outriggers! Tig just offers so many options for things you can't mig.

[Tiggie]

can't you make do with no more nails?