What Tig welder?

[Alex Tig]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and new to welding too. I would like to learn how to weld Stainless Steel and I have been advised that Tig is the way to go.

I currently don't own any equipment so I will be buying the whole lot from new.

My plan is to learn how to weld 316 Stainless steel tube and plate so that I can fabricate boat fittings like hand rails etc.

I have a budget of £500 to buy everything to start me off, so my question is if you were to start again and buy everything from scratch what would you buy?

Thanks in advance,

Alex

 

[FranV8]

I'm a bit biassed as I have an R-Tech machine and I love it. Had it about a year now.

For your budget, you could buy an AC machine, but it'll be one of the the pure Chinese machines from a box shifter, and they tend to be unreliable machines where support can be a bit of a faff.

Better would be to go for a DC, which will be fine for everything except aluminium. R-Tech do a 160 A machine that retails at £360, the remainder you could spend on gas, some rods, helmet and gloves. Add a flowmeter too, it'll pay for itself in no time.

That would be the new route, alternatively, you could go second hand, and AC may be a feature that can be added within the budget if you find the right machine. Transformer machines (older, more robust, but larger and demanding more of your power supply arrangements) are likely to be the one's to go for here. Inverter machines can be (are?) more fragile, if buying one of these second hand make sure you know it works.

You'll still need gas! Be aware this is the largest cost with TIG, I'm getting round to thinking that the 9l hobby weld cylinders (137 Bar fill) are a total false economy, so get a 10-20L 220 Bar filled one, that'll give you as a minimum enought welding practice to be worthwhile.

Hope this helps!

 

[Alex Tig]

Thanks for your reply, I'm glad you said that because I have been looking at the R-tech 160

I don't live that far from the factory shop so I may pop down there this week.

They do sell the gas and all the all the other bits as well but should I look around for a mask or is that for another thread?