I am definitely buying a TIG welder

[northwest]

and I have narrowed my choice down to three:

This is my first choice R-Tech 160 amp AC/DC TIG which comes in at £1050 and I have this saved up.
My second choice, and I would need to wait a couple more weeks, is this one R-Tech 170 amp Digital because it is £1295, another £250. BUT there is a third contender and it is this one R-Tech 200 amp non Digital, so no Power Factor Correction and coming in at £1380, pushing the boat out pretty far really. The digital equivalent is just a TIG welder too far, I cannot afford it.

Yes, I realise there are consumables to factor in but I have taken the gas bottle into consideration and I already have a suitable helmet.

The main use for the machine is lightweight steel sheet (.5 and .75mm) bit of Stainless very occasionally and of course lightweight aluminium fabrication. But all small components. All of my work is on the small side of things. Okay, so once in a while I am going to need to weld up a new bench or a hanging basket for the boss but this machine is for home. I have access to a big Mig set for any heavy fabrication I need to do.

Which one would you guys buy? And do you have any other suggestions? Thank you all for your time.

 

[Hood]

I would look at Parweld XTT202P which I have and like a lot and it cost me £700 plus VAT ( £840 INCL).
Also worth looking at would be Jasic 200P ACDC digital and Thermal Arc 202 ac/dc, when I was looking the Jasic was about £800 plus VAT and the Thermal Arc £950 plus VAT, that was 6 or 7 months ago so the price may have gone up a bit due to the low £

 

[Richiew]

I would buy a Parweld 202 XTT over any of the R-Techs. I've been looking at AC/DC tigs at this segment of the market for a while and would buy the Parweld over any of those. Two are a bit analogue and the digital version is 170amps vs 200 on the Parweld.

 

[dan.taylor.1]

Are the thermal arc and parweld not the same machine inside?

 

[Hood]

Are the thermal arc and parweld not the same machine inside?

They are certainly very similar, panel seems slightly different though.
The real thing that swung it for me was Parweld have a 3 year no quibble warranty, found this out thanks to @Tom Orrow L

 

[Hood]

The one thing that puzzles me a bit about R-Tech is their Migs seem competitive when compared to others, especially their multi process one, the MTS255S which I have, yet their Tigs seem quite a bit more expensive than the competition.

 

[WorkshopChris]

As above i am not knocking r tech, i even own one but the competition has seriously upped it's game in the starter small tig market.
If i was buying again the i would be looking at the Parweld or even the the Tec Arc units.

 

[Richard.]

and I have narrowed my choice down to three:

This is my first choice R-Tech 160 amp AC/DC TIG which comes in at £1050 and I have this saved up.
My second choice, and I would need to wait a couple more weeks, is this one R-Tech 170 amp Digital because it is £1295, another £250. BUT there is a third contender and it is this one R-Tech 200 amp non Digital, so no Power Factor Correction and coming in at £1380, pushing the boat out pretty far really. The digital equivalent is just a TIG welder too far, I cannot afford it.

Yes, I realise there are consumables to factor in but I have taken the gas bottle into consideration and I already have a suitable helmet.

The main use for the machine is lightweight steel sheet (.5 and .75mm) bit of Stainless very occasionally and of course lightweight aluminium fabrication. But all small components. All of my work is on the small side of things. Okay, so once in a while I am going to need to weld up a new bench or a hanging basket for the boss but this machine is for home. I have access to a big Mig set for any heavy fabrication I need to do.

Which one would you guys buy? And do you have any other suggestions? Thank you all for your time.

What is it about rtech that makes them get all 3 of your choices?
Back when rtech started out they were the hobby units to go for. Very well priced, super warranty (still have this) and there wasn't as much in the lines of hard competition as there is now.
They have the finance offer and they do there cheaper shop soiled stuff but nowadays they are pricing themselves way above others and these others can pack a punch just as good as an rtech. Some are better imo.
Take £1000 you won't need more than that and research other ones

 

[Richard.]

Are the thermal arc and parweld not the same machine inside?

Yep. Identical pretty much.

 

[northwest]

What is it about rtech that makes them get all 3 of your choices?

Well actually, the two year warranty. Only because I had not realised there was a three year on the Parweld DUH! Okay, the three year is return to base, but it is still three year!
So, having a Parweld Mig torch Parweld is now my machine of choice. I see them widely advertised for £1150ish but one notable supplier has them for £950ish. All the prices are VAT inclusive.
Interestingly, r-tech include a "free" (nothing is free) foot pedal and something half decent looks to be around £150 so I am still back to £1100 no matter which way I look at it. Torches next, do I need a flex head torch I ask myself..........

 

[Hood]

Ask @Tom Orrow L about the warranty, I was thinking, although it says return to base, that they actually get picked up and delivered back to you. I know the boatyard killed a stick inverter and they did that for them and also it shows the no quibble holds true as the thing was choked full of GRP dust and overheated due to that and they replaced no problems. Tom may or may not also be able to do a deal on it so worth a PM to him.

I like flexi heads on my torches, you can probably get that in the deal, I did but I bought mine locally The torch that comes with the Parweld is the Euro style and is very nice, others prefer a round handle. It comes with a 3 button switch, one for on/off and the other two to increase/decrease the current. That is very handy for me as I am often a distance away from the set in a boat so it is good to be able to alter the current from where I am without jumping in and out of the boat.

 

[GrimReaper]

Give R-Tech a call, they will probably have a 'shop soiled' or otherwise imperfect (to them) option that may be in your price range.
I got a 210EXT from them a few years ago that was supposedly damaged but I can't find a thing wrong with it.

 

[Tom Orrow L]

Hood is right, it's an RTB but they collect it from you and send it back.

 

[Henrik]

How about the stahlwerk 200 amp ac/dc tig sets?

I've got one which appears to work fine, and some other members have them too.

The warranty is 5 years (though return to germany).

 

[northwest]

I bought a Parweld 202 in the end. It has all the features I need and is small, compact and fits in it's slot in the workshop. I also ended up with a great deal on the gas too.