Topic: Welder help / recomendations

[scribble]

I'm looking at getting either a Mig or AC/DC Tig
There are heaps of brands out there from no-name Chinese stuff on trademe through to Lincoln / Miller etc.
What brands to people recommend / had good experiences with?
I know Lincoln / Miller are basically the best (well that seems to be the consensus from my research) but not really sure I can afford or justify that kind of price.  AC/DC Tig would give me the most flexibility but is slow (compared to Mig, I think?) and the machines tend to be more expensive.  One project is a front end loader for my tractor, so that would be up to 10-12mm steel (so mig?) but then also intercooler piping and other alloy stuff for the car (so ac/dc tig?).
I don't really have a budget as I'd like peoples input on what machines they've used at work or home and if they've had issues with them etc.

[morrisman1]

if you can justify spending the money on a decent AC/DC tig and having argon gas then go for it, but otherwise Id stick to MIG. Theres nothing wrong with welding steel with MIG it just wont look quite as pretty as a tig weld, but it all depends on how much value to place on some bling. A tig would not be suitable for your front end loader.

XCEL make some good Migs, I opted for their mig 165, which has been a wee beauty, but for what you plan on doing I think it might be best to go the next one up with a little more snot, the 200. Not for the overall grunt cos I think the 165 has plenty but for the extra duty cycle, also has digital settings rather than analogue dials.

My 165 cost a grand, then a gas bottle was about $280. CO2, costs 60 to refill and lasts bloody ages. For your alloy stuff you could always find someone with am AC tig and give them a box of beer for some welding, but that depends on how much you will be doing.