welder help

[ForcedFirebird]

availability of replacement parts

The parts in a welder are simple and are usually readily available. I have talked to people that have used caps and diodes etc to arc with. Unlike other products welders don't usually have propietary electrical components. The biggest thing with a TIG is the ability to make a square wave. Harbor Freight has a TIG for a few hundred dollars, but is unable to make a square wave needed to weld aluminum.

[geoffinbc]

If you stick to mild steel you can use a traditional DC Constant Current (stick) machine to do all your tasks. You will have to do a scratch start to get the arc going. You can also do stainless, however thin stainless turns out allot better when the machine has a pulse feature.

Aluminum absolutely requires an AC machine so for allot of people it might be too expensive.