I agree wholeheartedly. My first welder ever (and only one) is a
ThermalArc 185TSW with TIG kit that I got for $1700 on eBay. Before
ordering it, I read through both Finch's "Welding Handbook" and the
Miller TIG book (available free on their website), and practiced for
about half an hour with a friend's O/A rig. It took about two hours to
unpack the ThermalArc and get everything set up (I had an argon bottle
waiting that cost me $150 at a welding supply shop, along with $12 for
two pounds of 4043 rod in 3/32 and 1/16 thicknesses), and within ten
minutes of applying power I had my first molten aluminum. (all my metal
stock is 6061 from Boeing Surplus) The next afternoon I tried a butt
weld, and you can see the results he
http://www.audiogeek.net/images/firs...-tig-bead.html

It really is, as you say, meditation in molten metal. Highly
recommended!

Emmo wrote:
I bought a used Daytona Mig Power Pulse TIG welder on eBay for $450,
and I
love it. Had to add a bottle of argon for $75 to purchase both the
bottle
and gas, and I have been going to town. I did spend another $175 for
an
auto-darkening hood, as my eyes hurt after trying the HF $49 version.

I love TIG welding - I find it to be precise, accurate, and almost
meditation in molten metal...

"Grant Erwin" wrote in message
...
Jon Elson wrote:

Save your nickels up, watch eBay and local sources, and wait for a
good
deal on a TIG welder.

- snip -

I finally got a good eBay deal on a great Lincoln square wave TIG
300,
a totally fantastic machine.

- snip -

Jon, how much would you estimate it cost you to get into TIG
welding? -
GWE