Inexpensive Tig welders

[Downwindtracker2]

To TIG aluminum you need an DC machine, ideally with a wave or pulse arc. That's where Lincoln's Square Wave gets it's name, or my HuGong Wave 200. The quality welders will weld beer cans, but those electronics are very expensive. The $800 I paid was what KMS had likely paid, as they needed an influx of quick cash to pay for them. I had been dealing with KMS since their beginning, so I knew how they operated. The manager was moaning when I bought it. That was with an .85 dollar. Look what at ESAB wants for their 186i, same basic machine, just a much better manual. So if you are paying less than $1000, what kind of junk are you getting ?

 

[140mower]

I got one of KMS's Magnum Wave 200 TIG/stick when they first came in for $800 for a bare welder. It needed a stinger, flowmeter, pedal and of course a bottle . The pedal I bought at KMS, the rest at PA. it was cheaper. I had the argon bottle. It will do aluminum, DC Pulse, up to 1/4" They are clearing them out now at $1500. Again, bare. They are a decent welders, they are made in a different Shanghai factory than the ESAB 186i .They are both clones. Both are good but not great welders. It has done enough work that it is paid off .

I have the same machine, I think I paid $1200 ready to rock, minus the foot pedal, which I also opted for. That was probably about 10 years ago. It's still a better welder than I am.

 

[Downwindtracker2]

As a stick welder, they can be programmed to your arc preferences . Heck, I had a time with programming just to get a fire lit.