Per the TIG discussions. We all can't be like Woody and weld razor blades together. As someone who has *not* been formally trained to TIG like he has, I do enjoy my TIG, but as far as getting things done, I usually break out my MIG. (We will see since I built a new cart to haul all my machines with one plug-in and all bottles on board so I can just turn on the machine I want and start working if this remains the same. I think it will.)
With TIG, you have to hold your tungsten the right distance, get the arc started, get the puddle going, dab in your filler, move on. This takes two hands and a foot and lots of coordination. This is after I have set up by choosing: type of Tungsten (straight, lanathated, ceriated, thoriated), tungsten size, sharpened the tungsten (on a dedicated stone) find the same size collet, chosen the size of gas cap, type of back cap, filler rod type and filler rod diameter, then set my machine for AC or DC, electrode polarity, pre-gas, pre-amperage, start (hi-fi or lift), welding amperage, slope, wave percentage, and post flow. It's like landing the gol-durn space shuttle.
On a MIG, set the voltage, set the wire speed, pull the trigger and move the gun. To me, the MIG is much easier. Sort of like coloring with a crayon.
However, if you want to take the time to learn to TIG, you can weld and put less heat and filler in the metal (better welds), and with an AC/DC you can weld any metal that is weldable. You will just be much slower than a MIG, and it will take you a lot longer to learn how.
Miller is making a new TIG machine that is priced for the hobby market and doesn't take a ton of settings to get going. I'd look at that one if I was in the beginner TIG market.
Last edited by R-Bo; 02/20/2009 2:11 AM.
