high value low dollar TIG

long short. sick of not being able to weld aluminum, have several bits that need done and to pay someone else to do them starts getting toward the "i should just buy a welder" threshold.

however, i am not flush with cash. i can't spend a grand on a setup. i would like a machine that can handle aluminum, steel, stainless. already have a mig and stick welders and a plasma cutter, so do not need a multi purpose machine. would prefer a refurb name brand american machine versus an offshore unit, but open to any reviews. all 3 current welding/cutting machines are USA(lincoln arc, century stick, hobart plasma) and all 3 are doing fine. the lincoln is older than me, i bought the century mig when i was 18(17 years ago), and i got the hobart cutter last year as a factory refurb and got it for $250 less than non refurb unit on amazon from hobart with full warranty.

I use a Hobart 165i and it works quite well. Found it used for around 1k, which may be a bit out of your range. My buddy keeps raving about the everlasting machines which are cheap. I do believe they are made overseas. Might be worth checking out though.

Reminds me of Judy Syfers Feminist Manifesto 'Why I Want a Wife' ...
I have a similar one, 'Why I want a NC Machining Center'

ahp 200x is pretty much the best value out there

old_ wrote: ahp 200x is pretty much the best value out there

that one has excellent reviews and says tig and stick. i have a standing offer from my father in law of $150 for my old lincoln stick machine, so that would offset the cost significantly, seeing as how i spent $160 on the lincoln and a harris torch set with full large tanks, cart, new hoses, a box of welding rods and a tube of brazing rods.

I just stumbled across this deal yesterday and really want to pull the trigger just because it's such a good deal. Since I have access to a nice Miller TIG at work, and not much room in my shop, I'm not going to do it.

Amazon warehouse deals is having a promotion of 10% off all items in the Automotive category (I did score some good deals) and they have the AHP 220X TIG machine for $690 ($621 final price shown at checkout) With free shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00EL8UQH4/ref=sr_1_2_olp?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1442766192&sr=1-2&keywords=ahp+tig+welder&condition=used

I've seen tons of favorable reviews on this system so I don't expect it to last at this price.

That ahp machine looks like a smoking deal.

it is, just slightly horrible timing. planning on buying in the january range, when i start panel replacement on the chevelle. still paying off the tire machines i bought in february, have until march before my 0% runs out there.

Looks like someone snagged the discounted AHP. Anyone from here?

I see huge old Miller machines go for a few hundred bucks, regularly. Much like lathes and mills, big welders pull less $$ than "home shop" sized units.

motomoron wrote: I see huge old Miller machines go for a few hundred bucks, regularly. Much like lathes and mills, big welders pull less $$ than "home shop" sized units.

careful with those, many of them are 3 phase

I'm just going to buy either a Hobart, Miller, or Lincoln since my work happens to be a distributor for all 3.....granted I won't be able to enter my own order for that one as they kinda wigged out over that procedure when I bought 20rolls of 3m electrical tape....