Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire tig welders

Hi guys, I'm hoping the post title snags a few experienced tig guys.

I've reached a point in my classic auto restoring business where I no longer care to MIG my open panel body repairs. I spend a ton of time fitting joints, I currently mig with .023 ez grind solid wire, 75/25 gas, grind, planish etc.

The mig process is my boat anchor, I'll still MIG stuff, but I don't want it for my open panel butt joints on exterior body panels.

So I want a TIG machine. My primary use will be 14 to 20 gauge steel. occasional 1/8-1/4" structural, not much though.

Butt joints with plans to metal finish the weld areas as smooth and true as possible.

What should I be looking for in a machine? HF start important? Pulse?

I've been looking at some miller machines. Maxstar (DC only) and the syncrowave series specifically.

I guess I'm looking for suggestions.

Thanks.

Miller EconoTIG.

A very nice quality high frequency outfit.

They don't give them away but you can pick one up for much less than the huge, industrial rigs and they will do anything you need out of a TIG unless you get into some very exotic stuff.

I looked for the EconoTIG and don't see it listed by Miller. But this model seems to be the closest to the econoTIG in features that they currently offer.

https://www.weldingsuppliesfromioc....-907626?gclid=CLPdn5WT3tECFZKCaQod0wYPRQ

Very pleased with the Miller Dynasty 200DX. My first tig welder; just learning.

Any D.C. Arc welder set to straight palarity can tig weld carbon or stainless steel. All you need is a tig torch and set the leads to negative on the tig torch and positive to the ground and a flow meter and argon hose.

Once youv'e "tigged" you will never go back, if it works for the thickness you are working on !!! even if something is too thick you can always pre heat also, does help to have an extra set of hands if you are doing that though!!!

I'm not a welder, but I hire a lot of welders. Miller is the only machine I've ever seen unloaded into our plants, no matter what company it is I've hired.

The entry level tig units fall short in two places, advanced features for exotic metals, and low amperage for use on thin metal. While the exotic metal features aren't a concern for body work, having a unit you can't turn down is frustrating +P+ when working on thin metal. And those advanced wave control features further help when dealing with thin metal. Personally I'd want a tig unit that went down to 5A for working sheet metal patches.

Since this is a money making machine, I'd suggest going to your local welding shop, describe your use and have them go over the features of the various machines and let you test drive them. It's one thing to make due with an econo machine for home use where your willing to work around the short comings. It's an entirely different game when your burning rods to make a profit and want a machine that will reduce or eliminate re-work.

I've had a Lincoln Precision TIG 185 for the past 8 years. For doing sheet metal work it shines. It has a sweet soft start. It doesn't come with liquid cooling so doing heavy stuff it gets hot. I build custom bikes and it will do anything I need. I do thin wall stainless exhaust, 16-10 gauge steel sheet and full frames. Kinda week for aluminum.
If you get to my neck of the woods stop by my shop and test drive it.

I never welded body panels, but I've welded lots of steel about the same thickness. These guys like 50 to 60 amps. They also use silicon bronze rods for some welds,..which I've never done, but it looks like it makes a pretty bead for seams.

Kee-ryste all mighty. I post on a metal finishing section in another forum and I get crickets. Post the question here on the general forums section of the campfire and get run over with replies in the time it takes me to step away and do a small fender repair on an old ford.

I'll be damned.

Maybe there is hope for the campfire after all. lol.

^^ guy buys a Dynasty unit to learn on ^^

Wanna be friends? lol!!

That's freaking outstanding.

Of course, with a TIG, the amperage setting that you apply will be the maximum possible at that setting. You can feather it down to whatever works best with the pedal.

Most of the time I find myself working with the pedal at about 2/3rds regardless of the thickness of the steel unless it's a chunk 1/2" thick or more. Then it's "pedal to the metal" from the start.

HF start, kind of a big deal or no? I've heard guys complaining about tungsten sticking on a scratch start and having to stop and sharpen etc....

I never could tell the difference. If you've got your tip the right distance from the steel and you hit it with the proper amount of amps, it's not going to stick. It's just something you get the feel for.

After a couple of sticks where the filler rod becomes an extension of the electrode, you'll learn how *not* to do that,...lol,..

especially if you don't like wearing gloves when TIG'in.

I'd be looking at a small (light industrial class) ac/dc inverter with a liquid cooled torch and fingertip control like the Dynasty 210DX. For the difference in price I'd buy the 210DX over the 210.

Have only run tig a little but IIRC high frequency helps stabilize your arc when running low current and short arc, like when working sheet metal. Sure someone here can confirm or debunk that. Also IIRC some reverse current helps clean the metal but not sure if that is only aluminum or also with steel.

What's DX stand for? liquid cooled?

It's the Deluxe model vs the Base model. IIRC it's like $300 more...