v8jim
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,304
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Jul 10, 2019 20:19:55 GMT
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I’m thinking on buying a mid range (not professional but not your basic hobby spec) TIG welder just because I’d like to learn how and it would be useful to be able to weld aluminium for inlet manifolds, radiators, intercooler pipes etc What’s a good make of machine to buy? Any recommendations or reviews of makes good or bad?
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Max sig pic size: 80px
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TIG welders Deleted
@Deleted
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Jul 10, 2019 20:30:52 GMT
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I’m thinking on buying a mid range (not professional but not your basic hobby spec) TIG welder just because I’d like to learn how and it would be useful to be able to weld aluminium for inlet manifolds, radiators, intercooler pipes etc What’s a good make of machine to buy? Any recommendations or reviews of makes good or bad? R -Tech - Good quality kit with good warranties - link below - I would completely avoid the cheaper / unbranded end of the market its simply not worth the hassle or grief www.r-techwelding.co.uk/welding-equipment/tig-welder/
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jonomisfit
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 1,736
Club RR Member Number: 49
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TIG welders jonomisfit
@jonomisfit
Club Retro Rides Member 49
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Jul 10, 2019 20:37:21 GMT
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I cant proclaim to have much experience with other brands, but my R-tech one seems pretty good.
If you go on the mig welding forum there will be a whole host of recommended ones for various budgets and brands.
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Jul 10, 2019 20:42:14 GMT
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Use the credit if you have to and get one with a water cooler and pedal . Much easier to learn ally welding with .
You will struggle with a button torch and if will likely get very hot very quickly before it has enough ummph to weld stuff like inlet manifolds .
Ideally go for the 200 amp.
The main problem is AC for ally , if you don't need that you can get a 160 amp from rtech and it will be great . Having ally capabilty equals much more cost .
Other brands to bare in mind , although these are going to cost a fair bit more . Kempii [ not a favourite of mine ] Lincoln , Miller , Thermal Arc . Have not used parweld stuff .
I would avoid stuff that seems to good to be true , its a lot of money to spend so don't by SIP , Clarke rebranded draper curse word etc .
I would go rtech really , they are a good spec with good back up and a fair price.
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slater
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,390
Club RR Member Number: 78
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TIG welders slater
@slater
Club Retro Rides Member 78
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Jul 11, 2019 15:38:32 GMT
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What they said. It all about aftermarket support.
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Jul 11, 2019 16:24:15 GMT
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Jul 11, 2019 18:41:05 GMT
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It will come in handy even if you never use it
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Jul 14, 2019 14:24:05 GMT
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I have a Stealth Digitig AC/DC 200, sold by Specialised Welding Products. Good warranty from a UK company and a nice welder as well. They are getting good press on www.mig-welding.co.uk. They are well priced. Other good units are Jasic, Parweld and ThermalArc.
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Proton Jumbuck-deceased :-( 2005 Kia Sorento the parts hauling heap V8 Humber Hawk 1948 Standard12 pickup 1953 Pop build (wifey's BIVA build).
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bshaw
Part of things
Posts: 148
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Jul 14, 2019 16:41:10 GMT
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R-tech are great for the price, I'm hoping to get one of their tigs eventually. their customer service is the best ive experienced in regards to welders. They will even give you advice over the phone on setting up and what you need to do certain jobs etc. It's strange, their mid range of welders are considerably better than any of the big brands mid range and a fraction of the price.
I use some small ESAB tig at work that cost a fair wack, I'm confident an R-tech one for half the cost would be miles better.
As good as watercooled is, for what you plan to do its way way overkill. An aircooled torch can still take a fair beating before it gets too hot, yeah the torch is a little bigger but I manage well with mine, using it day in day out on ally and steel. Get a flexi head though, makes life far easier. And of course a pedal is a must.
These welders that supposedly auto adjust everything, nope... get one with loads of manual control I say this, because the above ESAB one does it and, yeah... give me manual controls please
Lincoln are great, probably the best out there, but you will pay a premium for it.
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Jul 14, 2019 17:07:05 GMT
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Personally use a parweld and have for about 5 years now.ac/dc machine so very flexible.
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Another thumbs up for R-Tech from me. I got a TIG from them about 2 years ago, and taught myself.
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Jul 15, 2019 22:12:00 GMT
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I've got a Thermal Arc 180amp with pedal. I've had it since 2005 and has been trouble free. I've made manifolds, bellhousings, sumps repaired cylinder heads, radiators and alloy bodywork with no issues. It was expensive at the time(£2200) but can be had for considerably less these days. They are a good bit of kit. My mate swears by the Rtec Tig and he uses his commercially so gets a fair bit of use.
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TIG welders Deleted
@Deleted
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R-Tech have a 10% off offer + free shipping - valid until 31/08/19 - Quote: PC0619 on placing your order
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Jul 16, 2019 11:05:55 GMT
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Another vote for R-tech I got one of their cheaper 160amp ones and it's been brilliant for everything I want to do. Certainly a good entry machine, they don't appear to devalue too much either so if you need to move to a bigger or more capable machine later you will get something back for it second hand.
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pxr5
Part of things
Posts: 197
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Jul 16, 2019 17:04:47 GMT
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Mine is a cheap ebay Tig, ac/dc 200amp with pedal, its worked perfect for several years, no tech' back up but if it died tomrrow no problem, Ive had good value. A lot of the fancy name items are just re badged chinese made. If your new to this, turn off all the fancy features, learn the basics then try out the machines more advanced settings
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Mine is a cheap ebay Tig, ac/dc 200amp with pedal, its worked perfect for several years, no tech' back up but if it died tomrrow no problem, Ive had good value. A lot of the fancy name items are just re badged chinese made. If your new to this, turn off all the fancy features, learn the basics then try out the machines more advanced settings I've got one of these too, its about 10 years old and still working, but that is only occasional DIY use, there are some strange things like it packs up below about 5 degC (to be fair does say the operating range is 10 - 40 degC ) and some of the connectors are very mickey mouse but that is easily fixed, as said above no spares and no back up beyond what you can find on the internet but for a £300 AC machine with a pedal Iv'e had my money out of it anyway. If you are only doing one job it may be worth finding a pro, apart from the machine a relatively small hobby bottle of gas is £50 and it doesn't hold much either (argon can't be liquefied by pressure like CO2) so the cost soon adds up.
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loudsam
Part of things
Posts: 50
Club RR Member Number: 138
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TIG welders loudsam
@loudsam
Club Retro Rides Member 138
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Sept 15, 2019 11:09:14 GMT
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I have a jasic multi process mig welder and a jasic tig welder never had a problem with them and they have a 5 year warranty really good easy machines to use.
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madmog
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 1,152
Club RR Member Number: 46
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TIG welders madmog
@madmog
Club Retro Rides Member 46
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Sept 19, 2019 20:56:02 GMT
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I'm also thinking of maybe getting a TIG welder. I've found that my MIG has more than paid for itself in jobs I'd have had to farm out. I guess it would be the same for a TIG. I mean a custom stainless steel manifold can cost £500 to £750 or more and the materials are a small part of that.
With my MIG I've only welded outside the house on my rusty Merc. I wouldn't use it extensively in my wooden shed because of sparks and soot. My question, is TIG-ing a clean operation or does it spit sparks & curse word everywhere like mig can? Eg Could it be used in a shed with stored car seats and carpets nearby? Or is 'dirty' like MIG?
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loudsam
Part of things
Posts: 50
Club RR Member Number: 138
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TIG welders loudsam
@loudsam
Club Retro Rides Member 138
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Sept 19, 2019 22:10:22 GMT
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I'm also thinking of maybe getting a TIG welder. I've found that my MIG has more than paid for itself in jobs I'd have had to farm out. I guess it would be the same for a TIG. I mean a custom stainless steel manifold can cost £500 to £750 or more and the materials are a small part of that. With my MIG I've only welded outside the house on my rusty Merc. I wouldn't use it extensively in my wooden shed because of sparks and soot. My question, is TIG-ing a clean operation or does it spit sparks & curse word everywhere like mig can? Eg Could it be used in a shed with stored car seats and carpets nearby? Or is 'dirty' like MIG? Tig welding is very clean all the metal you would be using has I be clean because you don’t want to contaminate the tungsten and it is very minimal the amount of sparks from a tig if any at all but tig is a lot more labour intensive I’ve found but I don’t tig weld as much as I mig or ark weld.
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Sept 19, 2019 22:22:31 GMT
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