Tig or Mig for home hobby shop

[marnewelding]

How does that work out.

it's the only welder in my shop that stays hooked up other than my synchrowave. I use it for all the small jobs and quick jobs, but have also welded some brackets for a mechanical thumb using it, along with tons of trailer work. i'm a cheapskate and hate turning on gas to make a 3" weld, alot of lost gas if you turning gas off and on.

 

[jwmorris]

If I had to live with just one, it would be a TIG, more versatile than the MIG. That being said, I would not put limits on myself like that.

 

[deereman75]

it's the only welder in my shop that stays hooked up other than my synchrowave. I use it for all the small jobs and quick jobs, but have also welded some brackets for a mechanical thumb using it, along with tons of trailer work. i'm a cheapskate and hate turning on gas to make a 3" weld, alot of lost gas if you turning gas off and on.

I think he was commenting on you saying er70s6, a soild wire. Need gas for that. I assume you meant a gasless flux core.

 

[jwmorris]

I wouldn't want to have to live with one or the other. If I had to have just one machine it would be one of the MIG, TIG, stick CC/CV multiprocess machines like the Miller XMT, Multimatic or in my case the older Maxtron. I have a few other TIG's that I use but the Maxtron could do it all of you don't mind swapping things around. They can be had for under $1000.

 

[CNC Dan]

I think he was commenting on you saying er70s6, a soild wire. Need gas for that. I assume you meant a gasless flux core.

yes. Exactly.

 

[joshuabardwell]

I should take an inventory and see if I need another welder!:laughing:

You got another friend who needs a loaner? That's all the reason you need!

 

[joshuabardwell]

Of all the answers people have given, I haven't really heard what kind of stuff you're working on. "Hobby" can mean a lot of things. What material thickness max and min? Clean fresh metal or rusty farm implements out in a field? (Good luck doing TIG out in a breeze. ) Just mild steel, or aluminum too?

 

[sparc]

I'd like to get a inverter stick/tig machine and I can get a good price on a Lincoln V-155 or V-160.

I searched the welding forum but didn't see much here about either of these two welders.
Any one care to comment on themor theV-205. I can get good prices on Lincoln machines, but not Miller. I have a mig and plasma which are both Lincoln and have had no problems with them but I'm not dedicated to red. The V-160 is dual voltage which could be handy at times, the V-205 is about double but offers more features and more amperage.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Of all the answers people have given, I haven't really heard what kind of stuff you're working on. "Hobby" can mean a lot of things. What material thickness max and min? Clean fresh metal or rusty farm implements out in a field? (Good luck doing TIG out in a breeze. ) Just mild steel, or aluminum too?

Mostly stuff relating to the tractor, just finished a ballist box for the back of the massey, and a TPH for a PTO generator. I hope to build a pea sheller and The list goes on. I do hope to be able to do aluminum but see no real use for it in the near future, mabie never. Do hope to do some heavier stuff in the future, if ....... I guess it is those 2 Boy scout meetings I went to when I was a kid, want to be prepaired.:laughing:

 

[bikerdib]

If I had to do with just one, it would be a AC/DC stick welder (and in fact, I did for MANY years with my Lincoln AC/DC tombstone). Capable of heavy duty work, will last forever, can do some tig with the addition of an aircooled torch (yes, I know it is limited by the settings but it can be done). I recently added a HH 210MVP GMAW and picked up a spool gun for occasional aluminum work. It has advantages over the stick but I can say I'll never get rid of the stick welder.