I was talking a couple years back about getting a tig that uses my DC stick welder as a power suppily for a tig. I was told I could put something together myself for farily cheap, but I know I have also seen a couple of companys that make tigs this way.

Does anyone have any info on a good directon I should go looking into this option?

if you have a DC stick welder all you need is a tig torch and a bottle of argon and you can be scratch start tig welding.

You could also get a high frequency starter/stabilizer like the miller HF-251D-1.

If you have a DC SMAW machine you do not need a "kit" just a GTAW torch with a built in valve, consumables and a flowmeter to have a scratch start GTAW setup.

It is not a conversion, all DC Constant Current power supplies are capable of being used for GTAW with the aformentioned items. You should be able to buy all of the items needed for ~$150 at your local welding store: ~$65 for a 150 amp air cooled torch with valve, ~$30 for a torch consumable kit, Argon Flowmeter ~$45 and 3/32" E-70S2 for ~$1.29/pound.

The Miller HF 251 would run about $800-1K for a complete setup which in the world of $1300 Econotigs is wasted money.

its a 250 amp dc welder. Should I go fo ra 250 toarch, or keep with a 130 since I probabally wont ever go much bigger than that?

Just for reference from bottom to top: 200A flex head with valve, 150A flex head with valve and 150A flex head with slide valve (My Favorite).

I would just stick with a 150A model, anything over 200A should really be water cooled rather than air. I would spend the money and get a flex head when purchasing, the choice between slide and rotary valve is up to you. Even though the 200A doesn't appear to be too much larger than the 150A the cord coming in is much bulkier as shown by this picture.

Oh, and also, is it worth my time to go for the tig gun? I have never tig welded before. In all honesty, I need a mig, but this is an affordable option to do stuff my stick just burns though (like exhaust tubing).

Yep, it's just as easy as everyone says. Just get a bottle and a torch and you're set to go.

On another subject, I would like to go a step further and get a high frequency box for mine. I've got a Lincoln Ranger 8. Lincoln has a high freq box designed just for this purpose but it costs $1300.

My MIG machine is a Millermatic 175. Should I just get a spool gun so I can weld aluminum thru the Miller or should I get a high freq add on box. Any pros cons to either?

My MIG machine is a Millermatic 175. Should I just get a spool gun so I can weld aluminum thru the Miller or should I get a high freq add on box. Any pros cons to either?

If you know how to TIG weld getting the HF box will give you greater welding flexibility. There's only so much that you can do with a spoolgun, especially on thin metals.

Really all I want is the capability to weld Aluminum. I can TIG steel just fine with my Ranger 8 and bottle/torch setup

I didn't think they made a Spool Gun that could be used on the Miller 175. If there is one I'd like to see it because it is exactly what i need. Thanks

OK, I found the 3035 but by the time you buy the 3035 ($485) and then the SGA 100 controller/adapter ($250) it costs more than my complete M175 setup! Anybody know where to get these things at a better price? Other alternatives? Thanks