The Cal-look Lounge

I am thinking about signing up to a TIG welding evening course.

I am also thinking about getting a TIG welder.

Does anybody have an advice, I would have a budget, and it wouldn't be used for really thick materials.  Just sheet metal, but joints etc, welding carb manifolds for porting etc.

What would i need to get in terms of power etc, would prefer one that runs off 240v (mains)

I got this one


http://www.frost.co.uk/eastwood-tig-200-ac-dc-welder.html


as I am still in the learning phase as well,it works well,welds ally and steel,plugs into the normal 240v socket

cheers richie

richie how have you found the jump from Mig to Tig.  Are you just trying to learn as you go, or are you attending a course.  I'll inspect your work at SCC :)

I was pounding all the pawn shops and found one of these -- cheap -- owner of the shop didn't how the secret on how to get these to arc and thought it was broken -- The leads I got were worth more than I paid LOL

The great thing about these units is you can plug them into anything from a 110 socket up to 480v

http://store.cyberweld.com/maxstar200st.html

I have a old lincoln 300/300 tig. Bought from a auction 15 years ago, Love it. The older machines can be fixed cheaper than some of the newer machines. When the circuit boards go bad they can get spendy to fix. From what I was told the higher the amps the lower they will start up on, Which helps welding on thin material. Something that helps me get in the ballpark setting a machine up in one amp per thousnds of a inch welding. So if welding .035 thick steel sheet I run about 30-40 amps and I never use welding rod thicker than the material welding. Something that helps welding thinner metals is useing a magnifier lense in your helmet. Anyway hope this helps in some way for you.

Micheal,

I was lucky enough to work at a couple of places that do fab work,so had some basic lessons then,but there is a wealth of info on youtube,yes really,and that combined with trial and error has got me good enough to stick pieces of metal together ;D The frustrating part is being able to do a really nice weld for 3/4 of the work,then the last 1/4 being a bitch.I think going on a course would really help,but finding the time  for me being in one place long enough is difficult.The instructions with the welder for different materials really helped get it set up and welding

cheers richie

i borrowed one for a few days but i can barely weld with a mig :-X i spent ages welding 2 bits of ally together then tapped it and it broke  :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[
i have decided to keep paying the welder bloke a few units away to do mine for now  :D but it is one thing i will learn to do one day  ;) ;)