Combined MIG/TIG are they recommended

MBiz

MBiz

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Hello Gunnutz friends,
I coming back to seek help from you. I want to purchase a MIG welder for my shop. In my research for a MIG, I saw some combined MIG/TIG which I am thinking could be useful for some delicate gun work. Any of you have experience with such a combined welder?
 
If I was looking at a new multi use welder I would be looking at the Miller 3way suitcase units for about 2 grand.
The exact model escapes me but is mig/tig/stick and has high frequency for running aluminum gun.
 
DC TIG is a very basic process as far as machines are concerned; it really doesn't take much to "add" TIG functionality to a machine. I would argue that it's more useful, especially on small parts, than MIG is (less risk of just globbing metal on and thinking you've welded something. More skill required though)
 
How much money do you want to spend?

I initially bought a MIG (Miller 211) for general use.

After a couple of years decided what I should have bought was a TIG which does AC/DC TIG, Stick and MIG (with a spool gun).

At that point bought a Miller 210 Synchrowave.

Full retail, $1900 vs $4000.... buy once cry once. Discounted they are probably $1700 vs $3600 now.

Depends what you are wanting to do with the welder. A good TIG setup will do it all FWIW. The 210 is an awesome piece of gear IMHO.
 
I have a Thermal Arc 211i and its great for what I use it for (Roll cages, general hobby fabrication). But if you want to do any detailed work or welding on materials such as 4340 or 4140 you'll want a pulse tig with HF start.

Dream machine for a multiprocess is something like this https://www.millerwelds.com/equipme...ltimatic-220-ac-dc-multiprocess-welder-m30190

If budget isn't a massive issue, I would just get a decent MIG for laying down lots of inches and buy a water cooled Dynasty used then you can do everything.
 
Mainly, I want to use this welder to fix the woodworking machine in my shop. The metal to be welded will range from 0,03” to 0,25”. Sometimes I have to work around control panel, this is where I thought TIG is more appropriate and of course why not take advantage of that machine for my preferred hobby. I am hoping to find a machine for around 2000,00$ and I will certainly consider used machine.
 
I don't know whether its wise to buy a 2 or 3 in one machine. If it stops working, you have lost all welding capability. I know they can do a lot with electronics these days for cheap, but a combination mig (gmaw) and tig machine is kind of stretching it. Mig / GMAW is constant voltage whereas both tig and smaw (stick) is constant current. I have to wonder what they might be compromising to make that combination. Stick or tig welders that don't have good voltage characteristics (high open circuit voltage) are hard to start the arc on. And personally I prefer high frequency start for any tig machine. And you have to either have high frequency high voltage or high frequency AC to weld aluminum with tig.

If you don't need portability, something like that AKwave 350 is really a great machine. Allows you to weld stick with any conceivable rod diameter and tig steel and aluminum with ease. You can often pick up machines like that for cheap and they last forever, and if anything does go on them, they can be fixed. Buy those two machines for sale above, and you have some very good equipment you can do just about anything with. That's some nice equipment, not some made in China crap that won't last.
 
I have an Esab EMP215 IC and it's been a great machine so far!! Super smooth, very consistent and reliable. I think particularly for Mig, having a slightly higher end machine has huge benefits. It provides more consistency in wire speed and current outputs with more precise adjustments.
 
If you want to tig weld aluminum, buy a stand alone tig. Over 1/4”? Better get 250 amps or more. When I bought mine , inverter based machines (light, compact) were just getting popular. I bought a transformer based (heavy, huge) 275a machine. It requires a 100a circuit to run. Dc tig and stick as a bonus.
Stick and wire together is good to go. 300-350 amp multiprocess cv/cc inverter will literally run anything with the right attachments. Feeder/spool gun for wire on cv
Stinger and air/gas cooled tig torch for stick and dc tig (steel, stainless, exotics)
I know there’s machines to do it all, but as a professional, I’d avoid them. Same with the Chinese plasma/stick welders. Just asking for trouble.
 
I started with a miller 211 mig, bought a TIG for greater precision and so I didn’t have to add metal. I then upgraded my TIG to a miller 280 for duty cycle and adjustability. I never use the mig anymore.
The fact is, both types of machine are useful in specific circumstances, they both stick metal together. There are some things that a mig can’t do and so me that it does more efficiently. A TIG can do anything a mig can do.
So I guess it comes down to how much and what kind of welding you want to do. If you’re only casually welding buy a multi process machine but if you want to get serious, I think single process machines are far superior for the money.
I have completely omitted stick for two reasons; first, you won’t use it, it’s difficult and dirty and unnecessary for most applications, second, you won’t use it.
 
I think with the inverter technology we have today, the only thing you will limit your self with, with one of the smaller multi function machines is duty cycle and power. It’s not practical to have a couple of 10000$ welder sitting in your home garage.
 
I have a Lincoln Electric MIG-Pak 140 Multi-Process Welder. It lacks adjustment to do delicate TIG work on steel. It is only DC so it is not suited for aluminium. I did some TIG welding with it on 1" square tube. Does the job but not much adjustment on the TIG arc.

I also have a Everlast 185DV, AC/DC TIG made by a company in Hamilton Ontario. It did a good job on aluminium and good arc adjustment for delicate work.

For a few hundred dollars more, the Everlast 200DV puts out more current and has more adjustment. Check youtube to see all the welders in action.
 
If it’s in your budget I would spring for a good quality 180-200a ac/dc inverter machine. I use mine far more often then my 200a mig. Tig is admittedly slower but more versatile and if it’s for hobby use time spent welding is less important- imo. I also find I use it to stick weld more often now than mig as the inverter helps lay down better beads than the old buzz box, uses less power, and is more portable than my mig w/gas bottle

i find every type of multifunction/purpose machine is generally a compromise leaving you with a piece of equipment that is lacking in some aspect where you don’t know you need it until need it
 
Thank you for your good advice. I did some research and find two company that are making welder here in Canada. I don’t mind paying more for Canadian made product. Any of you have experience with those business.

-https://www.canaweld.com/index.php/mig-welders/#.XgAVvMqu-hB

-https://www.rjrequipmentinnovations.com/
 
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