Hi again guys. I've been working on finding a gas supplier, and I've settled for CO2 cylinders for the time being, considering that most welding gas suppliers (reluctantly) want to sell me a 2.5 m3 80/20 cylinder for like 400€, which I found rather expensive. They were pretty persistently on supplying me gas through a contract but I didn't take them up on that.
Anyways, I'm at crossroads between buying an inverter-based multiprocess Lincoln Bester 190C for 410€ vs a transformer-based Telwin Telmig 180/2 Turbo for 750-850€.
While the bester could give me the ability to try TIG later on, I heard multiprocess machines tend to not perform as well as single-process machines, kinda like a jack of all trades.
Being an inverter makes it less reliable from what I heard, and when they go poof, replacing the motherboard is usually more expensive than another machine.
On the other hand, transformer machines have been around for much longer, and are easier to fix if they go wrong, so if the seller gives me the middlefinger I can ask a relative if they can look into it for me. What worries me is that they work on voltage steps, and that they are harder to use. Since I've been having welding lessons and have only used inverters I have no perspective on this.
I just want the welder for hobby light fabrication like furniture and shop tools, and maybe an odd job here and there, but nothing too much, like 5mm thick stock at most. But I don't want to toss my money into a fire pit either. So, what gives? I'd appreciate some advice.
Anyways, I'm at crossroads between buying an inverter-based multiprocess Lincoln Bester 190C for 410€ vs a transformer-based Telwin Telmig 180/2 Turbo for 750-850€.
While the bester could give me the ability to try TIG later on, I heard multiprocess machines tend to not perform as well as single-process machines, kinda like a jack of all trades.
Being an inverter makes it less reliable from what I heard, and when they go poof, replacing the motherboard is usually more expensive than another machine.
On the other hand, transformer machines have been around for much longer, and are easier to fix if they go wrong, so if the seller gives me the middlefinger I can ask a relative if they can look into it for me. What worries me is that they work on voltage steps, and that they are harder to use. Since I've been having welding lessons and have only used inverters I have no perspective on this.
I just want the welder for hobby light fabrication like furniture and shop tools, and maybe an odd job here and there, but nothing too much, like 5mm thick stock at most. But I don't want to toss my money into a fire pit either. So, what gives? I'd appreciate some advice.