Tooliom 135s

[Dan Dubeau]

I have read that oxy/acetylene is the training ground for TIG as it helps train puddle control.
I went straight to TIG and as a result I'm like a pilot that can fly the plane once in the air but cannot take off or land

I learned tig first too. shop had a synchrowave 250, and I got about 5min of "instruction" from one of the toolmakers I worked with. I stayed after work practicing for months until I got less and less crappy at it lol. Then didn't touch it or anything for about 6-7 years till I got my own and had to learn all over again. I don't really do enough of it anymore so there's still a relearning process everytime I pick it up again.

I can be pretty damn stubborn about learning stuff my way on my own sometimes, but having some instruction the past few weeks makes me really wish I would have done it years ago.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Looks like the Pro version will do TIG as well.

I considered that. Would really be handy for mobile stainless, but honestly at $135, if a job ever comes up where I'd need it, I'd just buy that one too.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

My first shot at welding was OA, then stick, then MIG. I did ok with OA but hated it. Hated stick even more. I sorta like wire but it's a love hate thing.

Wish I'd had someone to look over my shoulder and yell at me but never did. At my age nobody will yell at me anymore. I doubt I'll ever get any better.

If i get down your way this year, I'll toss this in the van with some rod. You can weld all you want, I'll yell at you till you get tired of me

Mig is my least liked process, but the one I use the most. It's fast, and a means to an end. Stick is my fav, with tig a close second. Oxy moving up the list. Need to do more real world stuff with it, not just test plates.

 

[YYCHM]

I considered that. Would really be handy for mobile stainless, but honestly at $135, if a job ever comes up where I'd need it, I'd just buy that one too.

Where do you see a pro for $135?

 

[Dan Dubeau]

It's an option at that same link

 

[Chicken lights]

I learned tig first too. shop had a synchrowave 250, and I got about 5min of "instruction" from one of the toolmakers I worked with. I stayed after work practicing for months until I got less and less crappy at it lol. Then didn't touch it or anything for about 6-7 years till I got my own and had to learn all over again. I don't really do enough of it anymore so there's still a relearning process everytime I pick it up again.

I can be pretty damn stubborn about learning stuff my way on my own sometimes, but having some instruction the past few weeks makes me really wish I would have done it years ago.

Susquatch looked at me funny when I said this, but you can "hear" when mig or stick are welding well. Yes that's a highly scientific explanation

 

[Tom O]

I have one like that from Princess Auto but I also bought the lift tig kit to use with it for patching panels in a truck

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Susquatch looked at me funny when I said this, but you can "hear" when mig or stick are welding well. Yes that's a highly scientific explanation

Yep. I notice it much more with mig. Maybe because I never get it with stick lol.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

I have one like that from Princess Auto but I also bought the lift tig kit to use with it for patching panels in a truck

Canadian tire has one too. Probably all very similar under the hood. There's a small part of me now that maybe wishes I sprung for the pro model with tig, but it's not the part connected to my wallet

 

[historicalarms]

Worth a try or would it just frustrate a beginner?

very much worth a try Craig....just one tip, good welding is very much dependent on good eyesight , whether natural or artificially corrected you must be able to position your head for the focal distance your vision requires otherwise it will be frustrating to an extreme!!

by the way....awesome looking little machine.

 

[Susquatch]

Craig....just one tip, good welding is very much dependent on good eyesight ,

NOW YOU TELL ME!

My eyesight divorced me just before I tried welding. It's only gotten worse since then and so has my welding!

 

[Kernel Sanders]

OMG I have to get one of these... so tired of digging out my old 80lb 220 stick welder for small jobs when I could flip this over my shoulder and go lol