Help me spend my money on a TIG welder!

The Airgas branch in Hazard won't sell what I want. Only lease. Worth a phone call though.
 
I lease 4 different bottles I believe it’s a better deal for you. Any retailer will NOT fill your bottle or another suppliers bottle. A leased bottle will be cheaper for you than buying outright. Only downside is your limited to that supplier to exchange your tank. Why would you want to buy a bottle anyways? And such a BIG bottle.
 
I just bought 2 80 bottles from Airgas. One for my mig and one for my tig. They are easier to handle than the bigger bottles.
 
I'd just rent the tank if you want to get started right away. If you use that much gas, you should be renting. I have an unpleasant childhood experience loading full size liquified gas tanks onto trucks. It was horrible, even though I got paid. Now, I love small tanks, even if someone else is moving the tanks for me. Why do you need such a large tank? If you are doing that much welding, you are either in a shop or you need a stick welder. Same with me. If there is a lot of welding, I bring out either the stick or the mig and make a mess. The mig uses gas too, but it is carbon dioxide and goes a long way. Also, you can weld faster.
 
I would purchase a bottle because I hate recurring payments on anything. I have a prepaid cell phone simply for that reason, and I buy a year at a time. Can't swing that with the electric company, but I do the best I can on everything else! I figure the bottle isn't going to go bad in three or four years, and even if it needs to be recertified I'll be ahead after five years or so.

I want a big one so I can go further between fills, and because fills tend to be a cheaper unit price for larger ones. But I'm rethinking the hassle at the moment. I might just go with a 125. Or maybe a 125 and an 80, so I can have a spare when the 125 runs out... Decisions, decisions... Actually... I think that's what I'll do.
 
I don’t pay a reacurring fee. here’s The kicker I don’t know exact sizes but my 3’ argon tanks just cost 64 dollars to exchange at airgas. The guy told me they are harder to come by and more expensive because they tend to be for homeowners and such who sit on them. Larger tanks are generally for industry.
I have a five foot argon tank also, last time I exchanged it maybe 2 months ago it cost me 43 bucks from terrace gas. Almost double the gas for 2/3 the price at other location.
My 5’ tank last a good amount. You better start buying different wire,cups, collets, tungsten, tungsten grinder, if you plan on burning through this much gas. It adds up!
 
You would be hard pressed locally to find any one to fill an owned tank, about 3-4 yrs ago, it got to no lease no gas.

There was a shop that filled user owned tanks, but they had a 2-3 week turn around, so it got out very quickly to avoid them.

I have 11 leased tanks, don’t like the rental fees, but that better than owning a tank, I can’t get filled.
 
Buffalo21 said:
You would be hard pressed locally to find any one to fill an owned tank, about 3-4 yrs ago, it got to no lease no gas.

There was a shop that filled user owned tanks, but they had a 2-3 week turn around, so it got out very quickly to avoid them.

I have 11 leased tanks, don’t like the rental fees, but that better than owning a tank, I can’t get filled.
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New York sucks! My Local welding shop Baker's Gas will take any tank even if it has a hole rusted in the bottom, $40 test fee and they give you a brand new filled tank on the spot... I own 8 tanks and don't have any issues getting them filled in Michigan...

I buy used tanks on Craigslist and pay a $40 test fee....
 
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Cooter Brown said:
I just bought a Lincoln Electric Square Wave TIG 200 recently and I hate it, dont buy the Square Wave TIG 200, I should have bought the Miller Syncrowave 200..... If you make a decision dont let a salesman talk you into something else...
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What is your reasons for hating it. I learned on a Miller multi-process but that was nearly $4000. I bought the TIG 200 and it works great. Only wish the minimum amps would be less than what they are. Some other stuff would be nice but not necessary.

My friend has an ESAB and really likes it.
 
7milesup said:
What is your reasons for hating it. I learned on a Miller multi-process but that was nearly $4000. I bought the TIG 200 and it works great. Only wish the minimum amps would be less than what they are. Some other stuff would be nice but not necessary.

My friend has an ESAB and really likes it.
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I can't control the background current, I can't control the post flow, no sine wave, no triangle wave, and it doesn't have a 100% duty cycle at any amperage... The Miller Syncrowave 200 does all of that... Ohhhh and the Lincoln has a cooling fan that turns on right when you power up the machine that is loader than my air compressor.... But its biggest problem is the color its RED.... lol

ESAB Only has one cool feature the MIG welder with the rotating wire feeder on top....
 
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