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View Full Version : is GTAW worth it? (tig)



phillyzj
05-20-2005, 12:22 AM
So, i have the chance to get a TIG welder for next to nothing. it's a millermax 150 so it's a 150amp tig welder, or 150amp stick welder.

i currently have the lincoln 135 flux core welder.

Should i go for the TIG also?

Nordic1
05-20-2005, 12:26 AM
I'd say yes...

TIG nice clean welds for aluminium, cast iron, etc.

Stick for doing cast iron and basic welding.

Although I know nothing of the AMP ratings for Tig/Stick so you may want to wait on other input.

BigDaveZJ
05-20-2005, 01:15 AM
Although I know nothing so you may want to wait on other input.

More like it . . . .



Have you ever welded with TIG before? It's kinda cool cuz it looks purdy, and yeah it's more versatile, but I don't see myself needing anything more than a MIG personally.

LouisianaZJ
05-20-2005, 01:21 AM
jbweld > *.*

if the tig is nearly free, id definately go fer it

deadman
05-20-2005, 03:40 AM
I got a Tig welder. Tigwelds look really nice.... If you can weld tig! I can't! At least for me it takes a lot of practise to have good tigwelds. So right now i got an expensive tigwelder, with wich I only stick weld. :smt003

phillyzj
05-20-2005, 09:01 AM
well....

nope, never done it before. heard it was hard, haven't had access to a tig to try.

Here's the deal. i can trade my 34's and 1-200 bucks cash for the welder. it's nearly brand new, etc etc. oh yea, i paid 200 bucks for my 34's 2 years ago...

The only pain is i'd have to wheel the 33's for a while till i get the cash for some 35's. but then i'd have 35's :mrgreen:

i gotta talk to the guy and see what accessories come with it, like torch and whatnot.

Kraqa
05-27-2005, 10:27 PM
GTAW is like gas welding. it isn't THAT hard. it is slow very pure and your joints need to be tight. for a do it your selfer in the garage a mig is more then plenty. unles your into doing christmas orniments. If it were me i would buy the welder. tig is cool. it take spractice you will get frustrated you will mostlikly shocl yoru self once. and you will go through talot of tungsten rods until you figure otu how to keep the tip frm sticking. if you plan on building an interior cage tig is great it wont spatter or burn yoru interior. go for it.

Jim311
05-27-2005, 10:31 PM
I wish I could TIG, but I've had no problems whatsoever with my MIG. Although I can't say that many of my welds have been really tested to the extreme... yet.

nate
05-28-2005, 03:17 AM
I don't know how to use TIG, but I can say that I haven't had much that my MIG wasn't able to weld. I kinda thought that with stick too, then I tried MIG one day... Yeah haven't used stick too much since then haha.

CurtP
06-24-2005, 01:46 PM
TIG uses a *lot* of gas too - at least in my experience.

Kraqa
06-24-2005, 04:22 PM
our tig uses less gas then our puls mig for s/s and AL.

ProjectZJOM617T
08-23-2006, 03:32 AM
If you have it configured right it will use alot less gas..

A narrow cup... Like a #4 on with a .040" electrode for thin sheet.. Set the flow way down to 10. The key is the narrow cup... TIG allows the arc to be more focused.. Match the focus of the arc with the focus of the gas then back off the regulator accordingly. In fact a torch with a gas lens setup is the best... If you are set up right you will use alot less.

Coming from alot of mig time it took me a while to get used to the DC TIG's near gas torch like sound. It also took some pointers of a TIG buddy watching me to dowsize the cup and flow.

fr3db3ar
08-23-2006, 07:31 AM
TIG is a nice bonus...I'd say go for it.

OverkillZJ
08-23-2006, 01:13 PM
Why are you pulling posts up that are over a year old?

I think I need to turn auto lock on at 6 months, i yi yi.