AlphaDogChoppers
Science is true whether you believe in it or not.
Harbor Freight has a couple in that price range.
http://www.harborfreight.com/240-volt-inverter-arc-tig-welder-66787.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/tig-mma-inverter-welding-machine-with-digital-readout-98233.html
Am I happy with it? Well, it is worth the price, but I do intend to get a much better welder when I can afford it. The cheap welders have a number of disadvantages. There is no pedal, so you have to scratch the electrode to start it. It takes practice to do it without ruining the electrode tip. (Keeping a sharp electrode is very important.) There is no high-frequency arc stabilization, so working with very thin material is difficult because it is hard to maintain the arc at low current. I have gotten the hang of welding 16 ga steel, but thinner material is tough. They are DC TIG's, so you cannot weld aluminum with them.
So, the entry level TIG is OK for what it can do, but I do find myself confronting it's limitations. I need to spend around $3,500 -$7,000 to get what I want. I have been watching craigslist from time to time, and will eventually find a more capable welder.
http://www.harborfreight.com/240-volt-inverter-arc-tig-welder-66787.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/tig-mma-inverter-welding-machine-with-digital-readout-98233.html
Am I happy with it? Well, it is worth the price, but I do intend to get a much better welder when I can afford it. The cheap welders have a number of disadvantages. There is no pedal, so you have to scratch the electrode to start it. It takes practice to do it without ruining the electrode tip. (Keeping a sharp electrode is very important.) There is no high-frequency arc stabilization, so working with very thin material is difficult because it is hard to maintain the arc at low current. I have gotten the hang of welding 16 ga steel, but thinner material is tough. They are DC TIG's, so you cannot weld aluminum with them.
So, the entry level TIG is OK for what it can do, but I do find myself confronting it's limitations. I need to spend around $3,500 -$7,000 to get what I want. I have been watching craigslist from time to time, and will eventually find a more capable welder.
