Hey,
Thinking about buying a new tig Dc welder, I would need pedal and pulse, also one of the standard torch plug…
Not looking for the cheapest but a nice balance between quality/money
What do you have ? Any advice ?
Thanks 
I have this. It is my first tig welder so I have nothing. To compare it to. From the videos it does a great job. For me I am learning still. Every so often if seems like I know what I am doing.
I wish the pulse was digital so I know what the setting is.
I have the unit below, been using for 4 years with zero issues. Definitely a gamble buying an off brand and I’m sure a Miller would weld much nicer but it’s hard to beat the value. Only complaint is the pulse setting graduation is 1pps and I’d like to be able to do 1.5pps.
This machine is also probably a better option from a better known brand, especially if you only need DC.
I use this, no complaints so far. Biggest pros: All digital controls, all necessary accessories if you’re just getting started, ability to run off 120V so I didn’t need to rewire my garage. Biggest cons: Longevity? It’s a gamble with an off-brand, but i’m also a hobby builder so i’m not putting serious hours on the machine. Plenty of YouTube reviews are out there to learn more.
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Wow thanks you all, I’ll check that 
Those alpha welders are a good value, I’ve used my friends a few times and it works like it should. I’ve heard the foot pedals and torches on the cheaper machines could use an upgrade. I haven’t researched these machines in at least 5 years, so I assume they have gotten better.
Amazing times we live in, cheap machines that actually work well! I have an HTP invertig 221, more machine than I needed at the time but they were on sale. Buy nice or buy twice.
If you’re mainly welding using low amperage I think those machines are a great buy. Might be worth looking into what control you have over the pulse settings. Some machines don’t give exact read out of the PPS and you have no control over the peak time and background current.
I got an earlier one of these (different display) https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-elite-tig-200lcd.html and I like it. 220 only, nice digital pulser. The solenoid occasionally sticks open but that’s probably more my sandy environment than any fault of the welder.
I’ve been happy with the Vulcan ProTig 205 from HF. Full control of the pulse settings. Can do AC as well. About $1200. Seperate cords for 110/220 instead of a pigtail feels more secure to me. Brick and Mortar store instead of mail order.
Had an Everlast 160 for many years and was still going strong when I sold it. The only thing that broke was the pedal rheostat. Replaced the whole pedal with one from USA Weld and it was quite the improvement. I’ll probably do the same for the Vulcan in the future. I would have upgraded with an Everlast again but they were months from being available at the time.
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Look at these. I have the AC DC pulse version, looks like it’s no longer available, and it is great. Absolutely great value machine that does everything I need. This is what I would buy if I only needed DC
I’m considering buying another new TIG machine also. The Everlast Power I-TIG 200T that RxDesigns had linked to is also a good suggestion. Check out the Everlast Power I-TIG 201. I’m thinking about maybe getting that one, but not totally sure. I like that it has an analog display, meaning more buttons and knobs than the comparable welder with a digital display menu. And the Power I-TIG 201 is a little bit cheaper than the Power I-TIG 200T. I also like the Alpha and Prime welders because they have more features, but the Alpha and Prime machines are a little bigger and not as portable.
Long-time listener, first-time caller. I built a frame (gas welded) with Danielle Schon in late October up in Squamish and can not wait to build another bike.
I’m taking a TIG class at my local JC. It’s going well, but I’m making all the newbie mistakes—poor torch angle, too much/not enough heat, travel speed, dipping my electrode, etc. My technique is improving, but it all comes down to torch time in the lab. I’m nearly halfway through the semester and want to buy a machine sooner rather than later to practice class projects and mitered tubes.
I’m not worried about the cost, but I don’t want to waste money. I’ll be welding aluminum in class but making bikes out of steel (I’ll want the option to do DC/AC). I want to learn to work with titanium eventually.
If you could buy a new TIG welder today based on the above constraints, what would you buy? As an added benefit, my local welding supplier offers a juicy student discount, so I’d like to make the purchase sooner than later
Are there any units sold through welding stores that are price competitive with the direct to consumer units like Everlast, Primeweld, or AHP Alpha? I’m sort of in the market, but there is a huge price delta between the name brand machines at welding stores and the DtC options from what I’ve seen, and a lot of people having good experiences with the DtC machines.
I haven’t even started looking online. I intend to speak with my instruction tomorrow evening about machine selection, but I wanted to first poll the hive to see what others might recommend so that I don’t show up empty handed. I did speak with Paul from Rock Lobster on Friday and he’s still rocking a beast of a Miller Syncrowave from the 80’s with a pulser add-on, but isn’t very experienced with newer inverter machines.
Everlast and AHP are the same company - I have an everlast multiprocess and it works flawlessly for what I need it for. Mine being an older model it lacks the pulsing and AC modes but I can do without for now.
I went multiprocess because I needed a MIG to build a trailer, if I could go back I would pick a cheaper/smaller mig and a better TIG as separate machines but I digress.
Today my choice would be:
I don’t need the 225A but because it’s a $50 extra compared to the 203A… Why not.
Whatever you chose, check that all the TIG parts are there, sometimes for the sake of a lower price they don’t include pedal or torch and if you have to buy them separate it could add up multiple hundreds of dollars.
Get a tungsten grinder as well (or an adapter for a Dremel), there are plenty of options on amazon for cheap gadgets that should do the trick.
I have heard good things about HF welders as well - I believe a good selling point is how close to you a reseller may be, for example Everlast and AHP are a short drive from where I live, makes for easy support if need be (never needed it but I have heard of people that did and being close is a life-saver) so if you are in Norcal, Everlast and AHP have that added bonus.