Larger MIG or TIG

[FrkyMnky1487]

Alright so here is the deal, I need a bigger welder as the 125 Hobart that I have right now will not cut it on anything over 3/16 single pass without having to bevel the shit out of what I am welding. As of right now, the only thing that I will ever be welding is Mild Steel and MAYBE Aluminum when I get a little more comfortable with welding. I pretty much was taught and have learned how to weld over the past 2 months welding up my frame for my Jeep. The Mechanic that works at the shop has been giving me pointers and looking over my welds for me. That being said, I obviously do not know how to TIG weld, however after watching him O/A an exhaust I so very much want to learn how.

So heres the deal, I can get a Hobart 210 which is what I am looking at for a MIG for $900 and then later on down the road get a spool gun should I feel the need. Or, I can save up some money and get most likely a Synco 180/200 maybe the 250 if I find a good deal for around $13-$1500 and then add a water cooler and a new torch down the road. The one real big kicker is I do NEED the ability to weld outside, however, I will most likely be keeping the 110v MIG and will likely keep FLUX in it so that I can tack stuff outside.

So help me out Pirate, do I save up some extra money and force myself to TIG or save money and buy the MIG? Oh, I am also not the best fabricator in the world either.

[frontier2k1]

Alright so here is the deal, I need a bigger welder as the 125 Hobart that I have right now will not cut it on anything over 3/16 single pass without having to bevel the shit out of what I am welding. As of right now, the only thing that I will ever be welding is Mild Steel and MAYBE Aluminum when I get a little more comfortable with welding. I pretty much was taught and have learned how to weld over the past 2 months welding up my frame for my Jeep. The Mechanic that works at the shop has been giving me pointers and looking over my welds for me. That being said, I obviously do not know how to TIG weld, however after watching him O/A an exhaust I so very much want to learn how.

So heres the deal, I can get a Hobart 210 which is what I am looking at for a MIG for $900 and then later on down the road get a spool gun should I feel the need. Or, I can save up some money and get most likely a Synco 180/200 maybe the 250 if I find a good deal for around $13-$1500 and then add a water cooler and a new torch down the road. The one real big kicker is I do NEED the ability to weld outside, however, I will most likely be keeping the 110v MIG and will likely keep FLUX in it so that I can tack stuff outside.

So help me out Pirate, do I save up some extra money and force myself to TIG or save money and buy the MIG? Oh, I am also not the best fabricator in the world either.

If you want to learn to TIG go take a class at the local CC before you drop some serious cash on a tig machine, I think that 13-1500 is the low end of the cost for those tig machines mentioned. A new syncrowave 200 costs about 2200 not counting the argon bottle and consumables and the values don't normally depreciate much for used machines. You'd spend a whole lot less if you just took a class and used their consumables to learn on and then you can see if you're cut out for it before you drop the cash on the machine.

I'd invest in the MIG machine and a TIG class if I were you.

[dopeassjackson]

get a bigger MIG somthing in the 200a family there a little cheaper than a good sized TIG. spool guns suck ass for aluminum, you need a tig to get decent results for that.

[FrkyMnky1487]

If you want to learn to TIG go take a class at the local CC before you drop some serious cash on a tig machine, I think that 13-1500 is the low end of the cost for those tig machines mentioned. A new syncrowave 200 costs about 2200 not counting the argon bottle and consumables and the values don't normally depreciate much for used machines. You'd spend a whole lot less if you just took a class and used their consumables to learn on and then you can see if you're cut out for it before you drop the cash on the machine.

I'd invest in the MIG machine and a TIG class if I were you.

Thanks for the advice. Regardless of if I drop the money on the TIG I will go to the CC to learn how to do it most likely anyways. As for the price, that is all for used machines and slightly older 200/250s. I am really trying to figure out if it is worth it spending a little bit more money for a machine that can do everything I am ever going to want or just get the MIG for what I know I need it for and maybe do the aluminum later on down the road. I really would like to learn TIG and would force myself to become good at it if I bought one, but at the same time I know MIG is cheaper, quicker, easier, and most importantly I know I can MIG weld decently right now. So really I guess I am trying to get peoples opinions that have been there so I do not spend money for a 220 MIG now and then spend the money for a TIG later as well.

[Wyoming9]

Why is it that you can`t run gas shielded wire outside I have done it for years. you just have to think a little.
You might have trouble in a hurricane but it more often than not is raining which sucks when your welding.

I myself think the self shielded wire sucks on little machines, but I have not run any in years it may have gotten better.:shaking:

If you are going to do a lot of Aluminum the hot set up seems to be the Miller 350p with the Aluma Pro gun. I have to agree spool guns suck.

I am toying with the idea of getting a Miller Syncrowave sort of torn between that and a Trailblazer with the high frequency Box.

I find the mig to be used a lot more than a Tig unit would be, that is with the work I do at this time.

[SeaBass44]

I recently got a longevity.com 200a ac/dc tig, I think the deal right now is $825 shipped
I have a 187 hobart, & am having fun with the tig:)
being able to weld aluminum & SS is cool:)
look for my review in here with pics, + another guy with same tig