Anybody use the new "cheap" TIG welders?

[ShawnR]

 I am having the overwhelming itch to buy myself a TIG welder. I have a old Lincoln AC stick welder and a decent older Miller MIG, but I want to be able to do aluminum and stainless. 

I am mainly looking at the Eastwood TIG 200 and AlphaTIG 200X. Both are in the $600-$700 range without the argon tank. The old me would go with a big heavy older beast of a machine, but I am thinking now that the new technology might just actually be better. This is purely a hobby/fabricating welder. Any big jobs would be done by one of the other welders sitting a few feet away.

So, has anybody used anything like these and has any useful information? Please no telling me to spend a ton of $$$ on a high end unit, I ain't got it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00REX6USW/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=NP3PWZS6AWX0&coliid=I18ADLJ3UV6W1N

http://www.eastwood.com/tig200acdc-53012.html

 

[Wandering Soul]

If you already use someone to supply needs for your other welders you might check with them.  You're already a customer that they should remember; it's in their best interest to help you along.

If they get snotty about it, I'd be looking for a new supplier.  You and a lot of small home garage guys are getting into welding; spending what you can for gas, wire and other stuff you need.  A smart business will learn to work with the little guy.  There's a lot that won't.

[Hoblick]

i have the eastwood TIG200, its a great machine for the hobbyist

[ShawnR]

I ended up buying the Vulcan Protig200 from Harbor Freight. Supposed to have a 1 year money back policy so I didn't figure that I could go to wrong.

Seems to work fine so far, but haven't used it a lot yet. Used DC stick a bit for the first time and didn't really notice much difference from the old AC buzz box.

Plan on just using it for hobby work and keeping my eyes open for a good deal on a Miller or Lincoln before the year is up.

[PhilD'oh!]

Haven't used a Vulcan, but I've had an Everlast PowerTig 185 for a year now and have been really happy with it.  My understanding is that these cheap inverter machines either last the first month of use and are fine or they fry themselves in that short time.  Either way, the warranty should cover it, but make sure to use it a bunch during the warranty period.  The other con is that some of the components are pretty cheesy, but the reviews are pretty positive on the Vulcan.  The lack of a real flow meter is one of the big downfalls, as well as the really cheap stick clamp.  Otherwise, the components seem very adequate. 

[Limitedslip7]

I've heard the foot pedals and torches are terrible on those machines compared to the higher end brand name TIGs, so you might want to factor in the cost of upgrading those if you are going to use it much. I'm a Miller guy myself, but I've heard really good things about the Lincoln Square Wave TIG 200. It's quite a bit more expensive at $1500 but probably has a decent pedal and torch already. Still quite a bit cheaper than the higher end $5000 TIGs...

[PhilD'oh!]

Last weekend my son was welding thin wall titanium tube sections with my little Everlast and a Furick cup with great results.  He first built a box that the tube sat on to fill the inside with argon.  Pretty neat watching him, he's way more patient than I am.  

[serpentracer]

The eastwood welders seem nice.  They have a lot of videos on youtube showcasing their welders and using them in how to's.  If I could get a miller for the same price or slightly more id get the miller.  Btw, i love millers welding shirt with the leather arms.  And their gloves.  They fit so good it improved my welding

[ShawnR]

1 Year update on the Harbor Freight Vulcan TIG200. I am actually quite pleased with it so far. Not a lot of aluminum welding, but enough to confirm that it works. 

Now I don't have much to compare to (we used Lincoln 275's in class), but this one has done everything I have asked of it. The torch gets pretty hot on long runs so I have to let it cool just so I don't melt it. I don't do enough to justify a water cooled torch.I will be upgrading from the regulator to a flow meter soon. This one has a 15 second post flow that is not adjustable. I don't know if that is the reason, but I do go through a lot more argon that I expected.

Internet people bitch about the pedal but it works just fine for me. I had planned on returning it to Harbor Freight before my year was up, but I am now planning on just keeping it.