Need help Selecting a welder

[youngwelder_154]

I was online looking at the Maxstars and there out of my price range thats going to be somethingill need to buy when i start to work in my own shop on my free time

[Professur]

Unless Canadian Tire's a lot better in PEI than Quebec (and it wasn't last time I was there) you really don't want to buy a welder there. I know it says Lincoln on the side .... but the quality really, really isn't there. Not to mention that most (if not all) of the Lincoln machines they sell aren't Lincolns at all, but are in fact 'built for Lincoln' by an italian company. Get friendly with your local welding supply shop (who you'll need to know if you ever want to buy gas) and see what they've got in the way of trade ins. You'll likely get a much better machine for the same money.

[fun4now]

you might look into a ryland, wile i dont know much about them i did make a cover for a guy with one and he likes it verry much, about $900 US for a 200amp AC/DC unit. i also did some work for a ryland dealer and he swears by them(he could well be byast) but i can see if he can ship to CAN. for ya
it saw a ryland WSE 200
here is a pic of it that he sent me to make the cover, its been a long time scence i made it for him and he has not sent word of it causing him any truble.
as i said i personaly have never seen or tryed it i can only go by what another owner said, but it seems like an inexpensive option to get into TIG.
good luck in your venture to get a TIG unit, it took me over 3 years to save up the spendable $$ to get my TA-185 but i am verry happy to have it in the shop to play with. when they are just toys its much harder to justify the big $$ out of the house hold expence fund if its tight. my first TIG savings went to a new living room rug, couch , and chair as well as a used subarue station wagon. yep all that from what was saved up for a TIG welder but we had just found out we had a new babby on the way so thouse things needed to be done and i had to start over saving. i also got lucky to get mine just befor the price increase from $1700 to $2000 so that was a good move, within a week my welder was werth more used than i payed for it new .

any way good luck, you will injoy TIG when you get there. well that or you will hate it.

[youngwelder_154]

hmmm.. It sounds very tempting. But it wont be until at least the summer before I can even think about getting a welder. Right now I'm just trying to save up for all the other things I need, But when I start my job ill have a better idea of what kind of money I'll be making but I'll keep you updated in messages and we can go from there.

[wireburner]

A Lincoln 3200HD is 115 current plug in you can use Flux- core or gas I got mine for about $459 at the local Hmoe Depot



Git-R-Done,Wireburner,(Chris)

[MattT]

For under $500 home use I'd go with oxy acetylene. You'll be able to weld heavier than 10 gauge and cut and bend and braze. Plus you won't outgrow it no matter how many electric welders you aquire in the future.

[fun4now]

MattT makes an exilent point, you might want larger tanks later but the torch remains the same, well if you get a good one it dose and will last a life time. just get a good mane torch like the victor or smith and you will have it 10+years down the line.

[youngwelder_154]

Hmm I like the idea of oxy/fuel, I herd you can use propain. Ithe only problem with oxy/fuel is the rental of the tanks and where can I really store them when not in use I know you shoudlent in your house, I have a shed but im not sure how much room is in there.

[fun4now]

you can use propain for cutting and brazing but not for welding, you need acetelene for welding. i would buy the tanks. i have a small set that were not that bad on $$