Tigmate

[turkey]

I'm wanting to buy a TIG machine for my home shop. What seems to be unusual about my situation is that I've done a significant amount of TIG welding, but only on aluminum castings. I've never used TIG on steel or stainless. I have welded steel/SS with MIG and stick. I want to by a machine to learn how to do this. I was looking at the Tigmate, but see very little mention of it on this site. What can ya'll tell me about the quality of this machine. Is there another machine preferred in this price range? The TIG welding I've done has been with Miller Syncrowave 250's and 350's.

[sunpeople]

I have owned a Econotig made by Miller the same machine your thinking about buying. If i were you i would pass on this machine, not that its a bad machine, but i think you will out grow it very soon after you buy it and then you will wish you had bought a bigger machine.

What i mean by that is, it does not have alot of power (only 150 amps) or options (it has none) that after you get started welding you will wish you had, so don't waste your money, just wait and watch Craigs list and buy a bigger machine with more amps and you will be money ahead.

I know what i am talking about, no sooner than i had set up my Econotig i knew that i would have to replace it, because it didn't have enough power and when i went to do thin stainless steel sheet metal i had problems controling the heat.

So to make a long story short i sold it and bought a used 250 amp Hobart tig welder (what i should have done in the first place) and never looked back. With the bigger machine it gives you so much more control over every process that it just seems to make welding alot more easy.

[turkey]

Tigmate

Thanks for the feedback. I've about decided to either look at the Diversion or to wait and see if I can find a used Synchrowave. I believe this is also basically what you are suggesting. Thanks again.