newbie tig welder

[sajad]

Hello!
im verturing into tig welding..after several years of mig welding,i need help! there are brands like miller and lincoln in US which i cannot find them in the UK i have spend days to end on ebay as well but confused ...plus the prices are rather too high.Can anyone advise me a good reliable tig welder available in the UK,im based in Leicester.Kindly advise,im into the automobile industry and will be working on aluminium and stainless steel - light fabrication as well as on motorbikes.

 

[Tom Orrow L]

Hi Sajad, I've just responded to your email.
As I said, you'll be wanting an AC/DC TIG and there are plenty to choose from on the UK market. Parweld, Jasic, GYS etc..

A few of the Miller machines you asked about aren't CE marked which is why you can't find them on UK ebay, they're not allowed to be sold here which is a shame because I'd like a diversion 180 myself.

 

[Richard.]

Miller dynasty 210dx
Lincoln v205 acdc.
Both sold in the uk.
There are loads to chose from at all ends of the market. eBay is not the place to buy new.
What's your budget.

 

[gt6s]

eBay is not the place to by new ?

Not necessarily true. The Rtech welders raved about on this forum trade on the bay of evil. My own Stahlwerk (shot down on this forum) TIG (3 months ago), my Stahlwerk plasma cutter (coming on for a year) TIG tungstens collets and ceramics, plasma consumables (All cheaper than local welding store) my metal folder, guillotine, hydraulic hole punch ( expanded set ), dimple die set (to suit hole punch). My previous DC TIG inverter, (which I passed on to a mate), wind turbine and charge controller, bass guitars, modifying parts for bass guitars (parts not available in local music stores), my 6kw 24v DC to 240v AC inverter, my photographic pro studio flash heads and stands. a pulley, taper lock hub and key bar ( to upgrade the motor on my lathe ) race car parts, All the bits to build the control box for my generator, generator electrical parts, 16 and 32 amp plugs and sockets, my DVD player, surround sound system, this laptop. And much more all came from the bay of evil. Problem is Ebay is far too bloody handy and some great bargains to be found even new retail. I use ebay a lot because it cuts out the need to go running round stores / suppliers to find stuff, or in many cases not find what you are looking for. Too handy ! Search, buy it now, paypal. JOB DONE !

 

[Jim Davey]

Peoples buying habits are changing.
We are installing training bays among other things, to try and earn some money from people who bought sets elsewhere but still need to learn to use them.

 

[Jim Davey]

Foster Industrial are near you.
Give them a try.

 

[gt6s]

I agree a lot of the cheap welders are aimed a people who have no clue what they are doing at all. TIG I know enough to be dangerous. Stahlwerk are guilty of this but there again so are Rtech with their (allegedly) interest free finance, Which I consider a con on those with straight sales.
Still each to his own. One of the serious complaints I read about a Stahlwerk welder was that the foot pedal acted only as a switch. The Stahlwerk welder will do that until all the power pots on the fascia are turned to zero. Caught me out for about 2 minuets too.

 

[Richard.]

eBay is not the place to by new ?

Not necessarily true. The Rtech welders raved about on this forum trade on the bay of evil. My own Stahlwerk (shot down on this forum) TIG (3 months ago), my Stahlwerk plasma cutter (coming on for a year) TIG tungstens collets and ceramics, plasma consumables (All cheaper than local welding store) my metal folder, guillotine, hydraulic hole punch ( expanded set ), dimple die set (to suit hole punch). My previous DC TIG inverter, (which I passed on to a mate), wind turbine and charge controller, bass guitars, modifying parts for bass guitars (parts not available in local music stores), my 6kw 24v DC to 240v AC inverter, my photographic pro studio flash heads and stands. a pulley, taper lock hub and key bar ( to upgrade the motor on my lathe ) race car parts, All the bits to build the control box for my generator, generator electrical parts, 16 and 32 amp plugs and sockets, my DVD player, surround sound system, this laptop. And much more all came from the bay of evil. Problem is Ebay is far too bloody handy and some great bargains to be found even new retail. I use ebay a lot because it cuts out the need to go running round stores / suppliers to find stuff, or in many cases not find what you are looking for. Too handy ! Search, buy it now, paypal. JOB DONE !

New eBay items such as welders are easy to purchase from your arm chair and will seem to be a cracking deal but most of the time you will get it cheaper from a supplier. Most of these sellers are suppliers and the eBay fees, free shipping and pay pal fees are put into the price. I've done it before where I've looked on eBay at an item then looked up the user name to find it's a supplier, rang them up directly, done the deal with a decent lump knocked off because they ain't paying fees on it. I would never buy a new welder from eBay, you will save money by shopping smart and picking up the blower. Used is a different kettle of fish

 

[gt6s]

Understood. But I do much of my ebay transactions in the evenings and over the weekend also I understand that direct contact can work out cheaper but then you loose ebay and Paypal's buyer protection. as for MIG, TIG and plasma consumables I certainly can not buy cheaper locally. Filler rods and wire I do buy locally.

you will save money by shopping smart and picking up the blower.

Really ! I think £ 300 delivered for the plasma and £ 6oo delivered for an AC/DC TIG with five year warranties can not realistically be considered bad deals. Ebay or not.

Neithier do I have available the £ 2000 to spend on a TIG welder If I had I would not do it on ebay.

 

[Richard.]

Understood. But I do much of my ebay transactions in the evenings and over the weekend also I understand that direct contact can work out cheaper but then you loose ebay and Paypal's buyer protection.

Not if you buy a machine with warranty. This covers you for the warranty period. It's a debate that can bounce back and forth all day. I do get the eBay thing and I use it myself like you say it's very if not too easy to spend money but there are certain things I wouldn't buy new. Welders been one of them. Support our local guys I say and they will support us.

 

[Jim Davey]

By the time you take eBays fees out of the equation the local guy can often give a better deal, given half a chance.

This conversation reminds me of a picture I saw on my Facebook feed recently;

 

[gt6s]

But what would Ebay, Paypal, the Post Office, and couriers do without me ?

 

[Jim Davey]

I think your local supplier would appreciate you more than eBay and the post office would feel the loss

 

[gt6s]

Just came across a receipt from local welding shop 2 TIG collet bodies £ 4.60 + VAT.

BTW that is with trade discount. £ 2.47 retail + VAT each !!!!!!!

Same two collet bodies I bought off Ebay

£ 2.75 Inclusive of Vat. Free post.

 

[Jim Davey]

Same make parts? Genuine or pattern?
Are you a regular or a walk in off the street once client?
These are all factors.
I find I get the best deals from shops if I save up and group purchases together. You had a machine to buy for instance, if you had approached the dealer and said what you wanted, then made a deal for that and everything else you needed all at once you'd have some leverage to get a good deal and more than likely a good chunk of what extras you needed thrown in. After that you'd be the guy who bought a set, not the guy who came in and bought two collets.
People are appreciative of the business by and large, and can be very reasonable.

 

[gt6s]

40 years dealing with them. BTW that receipt totalled up at £ 300. The main reason I buy off ebay is I have no car. Nor I do not need one, the local welder shop used to be just up the street a bit. They moved to the other side of town but still in walking distance, there and back but it is a bit of a hike. I find the value and convenience, stuff delivered to the door exceptional. Same thing with electrical hardware, My local electrical store used to be really good. they did contract work. These days they never have what I need in stock, I do not even ask any more. So I buy off ebay. Sorry but that is just how it is.

 

[Richard.]

Same make parts? Genuine or pattern?
Are you a regular or a walk in off the street once client?
These are all factors.
I find I get the best deals from shops if I save up and group purchases together. You had a machine to buy for instance, if you had approached the dealer and said what you wanted, then made a deal for that and everything else you needed all at once you'd have some leverage to get a good deal and more than likely a good chunk of what extras you needed thrown in. After that you'd be the guy who bought a set, not the guy who came in and bought two collets.
People are appreciative of the business by and large, and can be very reasonable.

Exactly my thoughts.
Collet bodies are certainly not equal, in fact all front end parts vary a lot on ranges of quality.
eBay is probably the best place to get two collets from because it's not worth the drive out for £4 worth but like Jim rightly said if your going in with a shopping list you'll do much better from your lws. It's not just about price anyway it's about relation ships.
If Jim sells a welder to a regular guy in his shop that guy can ring Jim up at any point for a little help and I know Jim will help him out. Try doing that on an eBay purchase if your struggling with the manual. No chance!!!!

 

[Jim Davey]

I guess they could've done better then, but it's easy to pick out one item in a list that is dear compared to eBay, they might have saved you money when you look at the purchase as a whole? Or maybe not.