New TIG welder thoughts, What do you suggest? Options

[obscurity]

I would like to buy a TIG welder and give it a try. What do you suggest I look at? I need it to be 110V capable as my garage has no 220V. I plan to weld mostly sheet metal and have a MIG if I need to go much thicker. It does not have to do aluminum but it wouldn't hurt. What have I been looking at?

Eastwood TIG200
Primeweld TIG225x - Leaning toward this one
Vulcan Protig205

I know there are those who will say that I should buy a $3500 Miller but that is not realistically in he cards for me as I am by no means a professional nor will I ever be. I just like learning new things and developing new skills. This will be a weekend warrior machine and not for everyday use. As you can see from the list above I have been looking in the $800-1,200 range. Most of these machines have a pedal, pulse and are AC/DC.

Anyone have any of these or should I be looking elsewhere?

[mb911]

On last thing to consider as I have tried the big 3 my favorite smaller multi process machine is the ESAB 205ic rebel. Does all processes really well and takes up little space. Here are the welds it produced yesterday

[Gatornapper]

No Ben - respectfully -they didn't produce those welds. YOU did! Just as guns don't kill people - people use guns to kill people - your great welder didn't produce those beautiful welds - you did.

And they are works of art, flawless.

As an amateur stick & MIG welder of 40 years, I could never produce those. And because of what you noted about TIG (friend can TIG weld like you - has his own welding business), I would never even attempt TIG - especially due to the cost.

But I hope you like what came to me when doing some welding long ago. I asked myself why I love welding so much, and why it's my fav hobby.

1. You don't gotta wait for the glue to dry.

2. When you screw up - which I frequently do - you just pull out the cutting torch and grinder and nobody knows......

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

GN

On last thing to consider as I have tried the big 3 my favorite smaller multi process machine is the ESAB 205ic rebel. Does all processes really well and takes up little space. Here are the welds it produced yesterday

[mb911]

No Ben - respectfully -they didn't produce those welds. YOU did! Just as guns don't kill people - people use guns to kill people - your great welder didn't produce those beautiful welds - you did.

And they are works of art, flawless.

As an amateur stick & MIG welder of 40 years, I could never produce those. And because of what you noted about TIG (friend can TIG weld like you - has his own welding business), I would never even attempt TIG - especially due to the cost.

But I hope you like what came to me when doing some welding long ago. I asked myself why I love welding so much, and why it's my fav hobby.

1. You don't gotta wait for the glue to dry.

2. When you screw up - which I frequently do - you just pull out the cutting torch and grinder and nobody knows......

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

GN

On last thing to consider as I have tried the big 3 my favorite smaller multi process machine is the ESAB 205ic rebel. Does all processes really well and takes up little space. Here are the welds it produced yesterday

So an interesting data point. I welded 3 tanks this week one on my 205IC one on a newer Miller MP212 and 1 on a Miller dynasty 210.

The best weld quality came on the ESAB 205ic the second best was the Miller MP212 and the worst was the dynasty.

Was surprised by the results.