Welders, I am in the market for a TIG machine. This will be for personal, hobby usage, not production usage.

For reference, I have a Hobart 230 MIG that is an excellent machine. Does Hobart have a good TIG machine?

Other suggestions?

I have heard good and bad about Hobert stuff. I have old as hell Miller we bought in 1985 and it is still going strong. I have used a few if the newer Miller wielders and they are lot easier to work with, especially on aluminum. Limited experience with any other brand and from what I have used doubt I will change.
I know few others here have a ton of experience with all brands and hope they chime in as I would like to hear opinion on Hobert and tohers.

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Woodfin:
Welders, I am in the market for a TIG machine. This will be for personal, hobby usage, not production usage.

For reference, I have a Hobart 230 MIG that is an excellent machine. Does Hobart have a good TIG machine?

Other suggestions?

Larry

Do a search in General, I started a tread for this. I ended up buying HF Vulcan Tig 205. I had a 25% off coupon also! A number of responses gave it the thumb up. I am just learning to TIG but I brought the machine to Dan Page Races Cars to give it a test. He has a few big Millers, older ones. He said it welds aluminum better that his Miller does. Tried steel too, all good. The regular price is 1199$, seen them on sale now for 999$.

Hobart is a division of Miller or to be more accurate Illinois Tool Works. ITW owns Miller since around 1997

Any Hobart is a Miller but built with less expensive components and somewhat lower features and quality

The Hobart name was purchased to be able to sell machines thru big retailers like Tractor Supply and Northern and many others

Miller welders are only sold by Miller dealers...

I repaired both brands as well as Lincolns for many years

Miller and Lincoln both make good machines but you pay a premium for either

Modern Tig machines are mostly INVERTER circuitry now....

Many, many machines out there available.....mostly IMPORT....

I bought a Harbor Freight Tig 205 a number of years ago.....works well for the $$....I could not justify the cost of a big name brand for occasional home use.

I welded a lot on my dragster both steel and some aluminum....Had zero problems

Made some shelf brackets out of angled steel a while back.....

Go on YouTube.....many reviews of various machines....

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SCDIV1,

I have a ~20 year old Thermal Arc Inverter machine. Have used quite a bit for home shop use over the years. Has been an awesome machine. Definitely feel I got my money's worth and then some. ESAB purchased Thermal Arc years ago though and can't speak on recent experience.

If I was buying again today for the same use it would likely be an Everlast import machine.

Jason G.

Ive been having GREAT luck out of a Lincoln 200 tig. It is an inverter style. Ive welded 3/8" with it, and didnt have an issue. I did have to have it wired to 240 for that. Everything else i only run an orange extension cord to it.

Go to www.usaweld.com. They are HTP welders. Very good machines and very good pricing. I have a tig and a mig and both have served me well for many, many years....

quote:

Originally posted by TOP38:

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Woodfin:
Welders, I am in the market for a TIG machine. This will be for personal, hobby usage, not production usage.

For reference, I have a Hobart 230 MIG that is an excellent machine. Does Hobart have a good TIG machine?

Other suggestions?

Larry

Do a search in General, I started a tread for this. I ended up buying HF Vulcan Tig 205. I had a 25% off coupon also! A number of responses gave it the thumb up. I am just learning to TIG but I brought the machine to Dan Page Races Cars to give it a test. He has a few big Millers, older ones. He said it welds aluminum better that his Miller does. Tried steel too, all good. The regular price is 1199$, seen them on sale now for 999$.

I'm on a welding group on facebook. The reviews on the hf machine are very good. No I don't think I would want to make my living with it. But seems to be a capable machine at a good pricepoint.

I have a Primeweld225 that I’m very happy with have a friend that is happy with their AHP and another one happy with his Everlast

Miller X2
Bob

We have 3 Miller machines at work (two syncrowave 250's and one Dynasty 200) along with a HTP 220. All good machines but the Miller is WAY to expensive for a home shop/personal use. The HTP while a decent machine has had two boards put in it over the years.

When I needed a home machine, I watched all kinds of videos online and the clear winner was the Everlast. Great welding machine, I'd say I like how it welds better than the Miller or the HTP.

I bought the Powertig 255ext water cooled with the Nova torch and pedal upgrade. Awesome machine for $2400. Miller would have been $6500-7000+ at the time.

Everlast has numerous machine be it AC/DC or DC only machines which are very affordable (under $1000, some under $500). Very good warranty as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Fabman:
We have 3 Miller machines at work (two syncrowave 250's and one Dynasty 200) along with a HTP 220. All good machines but the Miller is WAY to expensive for a home shop/personal use. The HTP while a decent machine has had two boards put in it over the years.

When I needed a home machine, I watched all kinds of videos online and the clear winner was the Everlast. Great welding machine, I'd say I like how it welds better than the Miller or the HTP.

I bought the Powertig 255ext water cooled with the Nova torch and pedal upgrade. Awesome machine for $2400. Miller would have been $6500-7000+ at the time.

Everlast has numerous machine be it AC/DC or DC only machines which are very affordable (under $1000, some under $500). Very good warranty as well.

Looks like the base 255 is on sale.

https://www.everlastgenerators...tick/powertig-255ext