Cheap TIG Welding Machines: (Tungsten, Inert, Cheap, Inexpensive, Welder)

[jclay]

Can any of you recommend an inexpensive TIG welding machine?

I'd like to build a long-john cargo bike out of 2" x 1/16" wall square tubing. I know that such thin wall material can be welded with stick (or gas) but the operator has to be pretty darn good....and my stick (and gas) skills never were terribly good and would take a lot of work to improve enough to get comfortable for this sort of thing; but 40 years ago my TIG skills could easily do it; and they can be quickly resurrected.

But:
I don't need a TIG machine other than this project; used TIG machines aren't growing on trees in my area and they're never inexpensive; I don't want a multi-process unit and don't need pulse or any bells/whistles; carbon steel....that's all I need to do.

So:
Last night I bumped into this: https://yeswelder.com/collections/ti...elder-tig205ds. It's $280 shipped, has hi freq start & foot pedal, and the YouTube videos look promising. I mean....unless it's smoke and mirrors people are making good welds with this thing. My head is spinning.

Have any of you used this machine or others like it in the sub-$500 range? Do they actually, really and truly work well and reliably?

I mean, for context, I'm blown away that a small TV can be built, put in a box, sent to the other side of the world, wind through all the distribution channels and be sold at a profit for next to nothing, so the notion of getting a competent welding machine for this kind of money is difficult to imagine.

Any comments, experience, nuggets of wisdom on this??

TIA

[false_aesthetic]

My understanding is that the cheaper welders do fine at the middle-to-upper range but suffer at lower amps and the problem lies in the sensitivity/quality of the foot pedals more than anything else.
IIRC, Jody on Welding Tips and Tricks commented that the cheaper foot pedals seem to have uneven "steps" as opposed to a smooth ramp.

I experienced something like this when I was first learning to TIG on a friend's machine. A month or so later I spent an hour or so using a better setup (Maxstar IIRC). With a different machine the process was significantly easier -- I just wasn't fighting the machine and could spend the time focusing building my technique/muscle memory. When I got back to the orig. machine things were still frustrating but at least I had a bit more time at the bench so I could navigate things a bit better.

I ended up buying a mid-level machine and am pretty happy with it. If I were to do it over though, I'd probably by an Everlast and save $700-$1000. At the time (2016/2017) I saw lots of complaints about customer service, warranty, etc. I'm guessing they've had enough time to dial things in better.

[jclay]

My understanding is that the cheaper welders do fine at the middle-to-upper range but suffer at lower amps and the problem lies in the sensitivity/quality of the foot pedals more than anything else.
IIRC, Jody on Welding Tips and Tricks commented that the cheaper foot pedals seem to have uneven "steps" as opposed to a smooth ramp.

I experienced something like this when I was first learning to TIG on a friend's machine. A month or so later I spent an hour or so using a better setup (Maxstar IIRC). With a different machine the process was significantly easier -- I just wasn't fighting the machine and could spend the time focusing building my technique/muscle memory. When I got back to the orig. machine things were still frustrating but at least I had a bit more time at the bench so I could navigate things a bit better.

I ended up buying a mid-level machine and am pretty happy with it. If I were to do it over though, I'd probably by an Everlast and save $700-$1000. At the time (2016/2017) I saw lots of complaints about customer service, warranty, etc. I'm guessing they've had enough time to dial things in better.

Thanks Tom, that's the sort of information that's extremely useful; and it makes sense.

I've started looking at general brazed joint design recommendations and it appears that lapped joint brazing (in this case after butt brazing the mitered joints) might, all things considered, be an excellent option; it certainly fits my equipment and area of expertise. I'll still work on the various welding processes if for no other reason to improve my abilities with them and while I'm not really hot to accumulate more "stuff" I'm still intrigued by the thought of inexpensive TIG machines.

[jclay]

For interested folks, here's a link to the particular cargo bike I have in mind. If you look at the structural joint design of the front end you'll see the two butt joints in the 2x2 tubing that were of concern to me; you'll also see what I think is a very useful machine for activities of daily living. It seems obvious now that brazing can work well if a couple of small lap plates are used to reinforce the tension portions of the two major joints that constitute the head tube support structure. I'd probably approach the BB shell/2x2 junction similarly.

[false_aesthetic]

That's RAD AF!

[jclay]

That's RAD AF!

I was puzzled and had to look up the AF! part. Too funny. Yes indeed, it RAD AF! With a good hub motor we could get rid of a car. Which brings me to a slight tangent: I don't think "devices", per se, will save humanity or the planet but if humanity decides to save itself (and the planet'n other occupants), this sort of transportation device will likely be part of it.

Watched a bunch of Everlast TIG machine reviews and got a PM about'em too; they sound like excellent machines. If I hadn't found out how to modify the joints for brazing I'd probably get one.

Thanks for the info.