Best TIG welding setup value today?

[Commander]

Have TIG welded in the long ago.

Would like to buy a new setup today. What is the best home equipment to use to weld aluminum? I have a 220V outlet wired. I am told that there is something better than MOSFET (whatever that is)? AC required?

Anyone with suggestions, I would like to hear from.

Thank you.

[kris-kincaid]

If you're going to weld aluminum, I would get a machine that can crank some amps out. I figure something that has the capability to do 150amps for extended periods would be nice. I'm partial to Lincoln, but last week at SEMA ESAB had some good deals on nice machines

[rat_rod_russell]

Lincoln is the only way to go. I love my Miller and my Hobart Mig's but for some reason I just could never get them to roll out beads like i could get the Lincoln. And If you ask around many pro Tig welder will tell you the same. I have a Lincoln 185, It's Air cooled, so you can’t spend all day on it, but it will do DC-, AC, DC+ so it can do the BIG stuff but we have no problem turning it down and welding aluminum radiators either

Russell

[BT SNAKE]

I went to SEMA and after many hours of decision making I finally picked the Miller Dynasty DX. I sat there and welded like I had been doing it for years, Aluminum and steel.
I think many of these machines are really way better than what most amatuers need to do a good job. For me it was the ease of settings and the inverter style which makes the machine a lot smaller so you can carry it with ease at just 47 pounds. It's not cheap though but I believe it will earn its keep.

Hersh

[Jerry Clayton]

220 volt outlet doesn't say how many amperes you have available to the machine--you will need at least a 60 amp breaker to properly run a decent sized welder, cooler, lights,etc

I have an old 60's era Linde(this machine was used to weld some of the stuff left on the moon), a 300 amp Lincoln and a Lincoln 255 with pulse control--I use a water cooled torch(smaller size for tight fits) and a dual flowmeter on the argon and used the water solenoid on the machine to control the one side of the argon for purging tubes or tanks, etc

The newer lincolns have micro start which is nice for oh-too-thin material

The current model number for the intermediate lincln is 275

Jerry

[kris-kincaid]

I bought my Tig welder from a local used tool shop (http://www.nvtools.com) and paid $900 for it. It is an older Lincoln 300 amp model. It welds very nice, and has all the features I could ever want. The only problem is I need a cherry picker to move it anywhere, but with 20' leads I can get all around my garage easily.

May be worth looking around for a used machine.

[Commander]

Thanks for all the input.

If I buy something used, is there anything I should watch out for?

Have any new features come out in the past year or so that are must-have as opposed to nice-to-have?

Thanks again