Welder question: MIG or TIG?

[lippy]

Months later, I've picked up this topic again. Still deliberating.

I ran into the guy who does these: BLOWN RANGER BUILD

He is an incredible craftsman. I asked his opinion and he said to do gas welding (like Razerwire). Said he does most of his welding with gas, and he likes it because you really get to know and work the metal and welding process, and it also doesn't require a power supply. I'll also add that I think that learning to gas weld (and teaching my kids) would be bad ass.

So, I'm now considering gas welding too.

The options for me and my budget right now are:
(1) Gas, which is cheap, works on steel/stainless/aluminum, and importantly is "clean" and doesn't splatter a lot
(2) MIG with a 115v Hobart Handler 125 or 140 [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Hobart-500521-Handler-EZWire-Welder/dp/B000SSUHW0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1447634395&sr=8-2&keywords=hobart+handler+125"]Hobart 500521 Handler 125 EZWire Feed Welder - Welding Wire - Amazon.com@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Af82it6zL.@@AMEPARAM@@41Af82it6zL[/ame]. The one concern I have with this is that my workshop is a bit confined though not tiny. I worry about splatter near the cars and my other stuff
(3) TIG, either a 2016 AHP Alpha for $680, which people say is a nice machine (AC/DC, 110/230), or a Thermal Arc 95s [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Thermal-W1003203-Inverter-Portable-Package/dp/B002JXZH86/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447634559&sr=8-1&keywords=thermal+arc+95s"]Thermal Arc W1003203 95 S Inverter Portable DC Welder Stick/TIG Package - Welding Gas Regulators - Amazon.com@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51f8g6NbgaL.@@AMEPARAM@@51f8g6NbgaL[/ame]. Or an Eastwood TIG 200, which is a DC unit (110/230) but has a foot pedal.

What do you think?

[redmt]

Gas welding is the most expensive by the time you buy the equipment and refill bottles, and buy quality equipment. It also is the slowest and generates the most heat.
I think I said before, You can try out any of the 3 methods in my shop and I have a 110 machine and bottle for cheap if you're interested.

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by redmt

Gas welding is the most expensive by the time you buy the equipment and refill bottles, and buy quality equipment. It also is the slowest and generates the most heat.
I think I said before, You can try out any of the 3 methods in my shop and I have a 110 machine and bottle for cheap if you're interested.

....and heat means distortion. Gas welding with steel is easy enough, but aluminium welding takes some confidence - ie a lot of practice - to get a reasonable result.

Cheers,
Glen

[Three Peaks]

Keep in mind that if you want to weld aluminum with a TIG, you will need an machine capable of AC.

For all that you plan to do, I'm thinking the MIG 140 would be the way to go. I have a Millermatic 135 and it is a sweet machine. I've used the heck out of it and pushed it to it's limit many times and it hasn't given me a bit of trouble.

Bob