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Hey y'all,
Thinking about getting a TIG welder for the home shop, nothing serious but don't want it to limit me either. Any advice for a first time buyer would be appreciated. Right now the Lincoln Squarewave 200 is looking good for my needs but I've heard mixed reviews on pretty much every brand, whether US or China-made stuff. I'm limited to 120V, 15-20A outlets for now...
Thanks,
Hansen Su
Hansen,
Your electrical limitation really only is a handicap if you want an older transformer machine, as almost all the new offerings have the multi voltage plug, allowing use with 115 or 230 voltages.
The first thing I would suggest to do is go to your local weld supplier and take their machines for a test ride. Although you will undoubtedly get a machine cheaper over the internet, having a local shop to help troubleshoot / repair issues is valuable and often worth the extra cost upfront.
That said, a nice solid machine for the home shop/hobbiest would be to find an older Miller Maxstar 150. I know a number of professional builders who still have this little workhorse in their shop and are satisfied with the performance. It is inverter tech, uses a MVP, fan on demand, and has the ability to run both tig and stick. It is DC only, so no aluminum, if that is something you are considering for the future.
Grabbing a used one keeps the investment inexpensive...should be able to get a set up for around $800 off CL.
cheers,
Rody