Advice on which TiG welder

sanseru · 2026-02-22T17:46:03+0000

Hi all,
Looking to purchase a TIG welder for car restoration, already use MiG a lot just want to try TiG for a cleaner weld and a bit more finesse.
I’m a hobbyist working on my own car, Budget around £350.00 I guess any recommendations please.
Would prefer a dedicated TiG unit not a multi.

tom2207 · 2026-02-22T19:22:31+0000

If it helps any ,,, in over thirty years I have never used a tig welder on a car ... I use them on the bench to do work on some car things , but if I am doing car stuff , especially steel stuff its mig all the way , once in a blue moon I braze things , but thats gas .Dont believe all the hype that tig is the magic bullet ,, Im guessing your not needing ac/dc to do aluminium work on your car , if you are working in alloy then things would change .

sanseru · 2026-02-22T20:08:24+0000

Thanks Tom2207,
I get what your saying, just I fancy giving it a go as well to be honest. I do get asked if I can do stainless steel from time to time which would be paid work.

BrokenBiker · 2026-02-22T20:10:13+0000

sanseru said:
Thanks Tom2207,
I get what your saying, just I fancy giving it a go as well to be honest. I do get asked if I can do stainless steel from time to time which would be paid work.

For 350 are you just wanting DC?

I still swear by my hitbox AC/DC but do be aware they are as Chinese as the wall and as much as people love them, myself included, they do have the capacity to only last a week.

That said mines been going strong just over a year now

As with tom though, I wouldnt even think about the added faff of welding a car with a tig unless it was some custom manifold work or a broken ally bracket or stainless exhaust or something...mig is far quicker, easier out of position, against what most people think it is easier on thin metal, especially when upside down and if you have clean metal and good wire, it's just as clean as Tig. Plus Tig consumables are more expensive, it's a harder learning curve, argon is more expensive, Tungstens aren't cheap etc.

By all means buy a tig, but for car work it's going to be limited to roll cages and exhausts, anything else doesn't make sense

tigdlo · 2026-02-22T20:13:15+0000

TIG is just the modern alternative to a gas torch for carrying out the prefered repair technique of many restorers. If there is rust on the backside of a panel that can't be cleaned well enough TIG can be very frustrating and MIG would be my choice, e.g. chassis repairs. If I can get to both sides of the panel, TIG then hammer dolly everytime.

sanseru · 2026-02-22T20:26:22+0000

Ok I get it guys, maybe I should just get better a mig and be done.
Thanks for the advice..

tigdlo · 2026-02-22T20:38:21+0000

sanseru said:
Ok I get it guys, maybe I should just get better a mig and be done.
Thanks for the advice..

Why not both? They bother have their uses, I actively put in extra effort to make TIG welding possible. Check out @Tupers work on here, not really achievable with a MIG and would have been done with gas before TIG became popular.

Advising a £350 Tig welder isn't easy, it's cheap Chinese welder roulette, cheapest branded welder with a warranty is £550+