Looking to get an starter TIG...thoughts?
 

I have been wanting to get a TIG welder and have been looking at the Miller Diversion 180. Any opinions/reviews on this welder or another one in that range?

This is for my home and will be used as a hobby machine. No need for a water cooled high end machine.

thanks.

Hey Jay, I bought a Miller EconoTig, I had to upgrade the tip, after doing that I am 100% satisfied with it. It can also weld Aluminum pretty good.

Looks like your wifes 69 is coming along nice!

When did you buy the econotig? I didnt see them on Millers site, but I may have missed it. I have a friend who has an econotig for sale, but its a transformer style vs inverter. I have been told inverter technology is better with reduced power consumption, etc.

Jay,

I am a beginner and just picked up a Lincoln Precision Tig 225. It's a transformer style, but has a pulser, ac/dc, post flow timer, and auto/manual balance adjustment. Plus the price is very nice. Check out the last page or 2 of my thread in the sig line below. There are pics of it. Love it so far!

This thread made me wonder what we had in our shop at my office. My guys use a Miller Maxstar 150 STL to make up ss fittings. It seems like a nice little unit. But I really have no clue. I played with it today and it's only my second time tig welding...

I have a Lincoln precision tig 185 for 5 years now and nothing bad to say about it.

Miller has the Diversion 165 and 180 that is fairly priced.

Yep, the 180 is the one I have been looking at.

I own a Miller 200 Dynasty DX.... It's an inverter style.

Jay -- spot on! No need for water cooling for a "hobby" welder... BUT I disagree on several other fronts. #1 being... once you go TIG you'll never go back. MIG is for trailer welding. :willy: :cheers: :woot: Joking here - but seriously - if it has to be welded - my FIRST choice is the TIG machine. I now view the MIG as "Miss Crudeness".

So... having said that.... it's like most things we do. You buy it - and then wish you'd have pulsing - and all the other little features that make life so nice and make the finished product nicer. And like most things - you didn't know you needed these features until you start using 'em. It's like heated seats in a car - easy to poo poo them - until you've used 'em - and then you can't have a car without 'em. Before then - they were a "silly" option.

I now wish I'd have stepped up and bought a larger TIG - because I really can't weld 1/4" or larger ALUMINUM well with mine and I tend to make brackets and stuff for myself or my friends that sometimes needs beefier stock. No can do with only 200 amps on tap. I can remedy that with a spool on my MIG machine cheaper than another bigger TIG so I live with my "little" 200.

Just my .02 here. Typically the initial cost is the killer -- but you're going to have this baby a LONG TIME... and you will absolutely LOVE TIG.... so sell your spare tractor and your wife and tap the house equity.... :lateral: :cheers: :woot: :rofl:

Shop around too! Prices are all over the board. Ebay has guys with free shipping and I'd also check your local hawk shop - so many people and shops have gone 'under' that there are some screamin' deals and lightly used equipment around!

Thanks for the input Greg! Its always welcomed. I will check with a couple of local welding stores and see if they have any nice used machines.