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I have seen a few threads and done a little research but wanted some first hand experience.
What do you all like to use, on what, and why?
I have been seeing some decently priced TIGs for sale here and there. Example: Eastwood or Woodward Fab. Any experience with either company? Of course I think Miller has the Syncrowave on point but what if you only use it for small accurate projects where MIG is not the best choice.
I use a TIG for everything, I don't even own a MIG anymore.
I just learned to tig a couple years ago, and ended up buying a Miller diversion. Its a lightweight inverter machine that does ac and dc. Its very user friendly and easy to use for beginners. Doesn't have the crazy adjustability of higher end units but I have had no problem welding mild, stainless or aluminum with it. No experience with the eastwood units but I'm not sure I would use a cheap tig. Maybe tge migs are ok but I'd go with a quality tig
Tig is more for a pro, that does 1/4 and under, it can be done in thicker stuff be it kinda becomes time consuming. It's pretty if you are good. And is amazing for stainless and aluminum.
Mig Is great for tacking parts up because it leaves a hand avalible to me steel. Mig is very simple to use avd learn and you can get a good machine for 7-800$. A Lincoln 180HD 220v weld Pak at lowes or homedepot is a great garage machine, they run very well.
I weld on aircraft tooling. I tig and mig daily. IMO neither tig or mig is for pro's. Actually mig welding on a job is often harder and requires more skill then tig welding. Bench welders are punks. Learn on a bench to start for sure. But you need to be able to produce the same weld above your head, laying down on your back/side/stomach, leaning over something, on a ladder, around corners, around circles, ect. In the real world everything isn't horizontal fillet conditions. I tig weld aluminum from 4 inches thick to .030" thick, same with steel. I mig weld anything from 1mm(.0395) thick to unlimited thickness. It depends more what you want to do. You can weld anything with either process. If you want a tig, stay away from the ones you mentioned. Pick up a Lincoln Precision tig or a miller syncro. 200amp will be more then plenty for whatever you do in your garage.
i mig already, but my buddy is teaching me how to tig soon. im kind of excited to start making my own innercooler piping soon.
planing on building a custom turbo system this winter and selling this one.
I have both, both have their benefits. If I'm custom fabbing, I like to use my MIG to tack if needed, TIG to finish weld if it needs to look pretty. I've TIG'd 2 complete exhaust systems together, it's nice looking but takes 2x the time (or more) than MIG. On the motor mount brackets I sell, time is money, and nobody sees them once they are in the car. I want reliable penetration, solid welds. I picked up a 200A/60% duty cycle MIG to reliably weld 1/4" steel just for this purpose. I am still practicing aluminum with the TIG. It's a 20 year old Syncrowave 250 that can do more than my current skill level can extract. X2 on the 200A Miller or Lincoln. I would not put one brand over another, I have used both with equally good results. It starts to get to be a Chevy vs Ford debate with those 2.
I picked up a Lincoln MIG 180 (208/230v) with a spool gun, tank, Auto-dimming mask, and a bunch of consumables for a great price. I will be purchasing a TIG down the line.