Advice to beginner wanting to TIG weld tubular chassis. My experience.
I posted this as a reply on the welding Community but I think it might be more helpful here.
Am sick in bed so I have lots of time....... I also recently upgraded equipment in my shop and did the deep dive on all the equipment I mentioned here.
What is more important than the machine will be your supply of practice tubing and a device to Make fish mouth cuts into the tubing so you can practice. Lots of practice. And then some more practice.
This tubing notcher:
[https://www.harborfreight.com/pipetubing-notcher-71048.html](https://www.harborfreight.com/pipetubing-notcher-71048.html)
and the slowest turning drill you can find so you do not burn up the hole saws.... and some rendered tallow to lubricate the hole saw.
Proper preparation of the joint is just as important as the actual act of welding. So a 4 inch angle grinder and zirconium abrasive disks. Zirconium abrasive disks work better and cleaner than the standard black cheap abrasive disks and are worth the extra price. 60 grit seems to be the sweet spot.
A Silicone 3M 7500 series either large medium or small that will outlast every cheap respirator. And some 3M 2091 P100 Particulate filters. 3M 2097 filters if you are somehow encountering organic vapors. Keep a spray bottle of Windex and a roll of paper towels close by to keep your respirator clean.
I am on Reddit right now in bed Instead of welding because I have an upper respiratory infection from TIG welding steel at 200 AMPS with my face in the fume plume. I thought I had good ventilation but particulate emission from 200 amps is a different beast. Make sure you have proper ventilation and a respirator.
Then You need a helmet that will allow you to properly see the wetting out and flow of the molten puddle so you can develop an understanding of how the bead will develop. The 39 Dollar Harbor Freight Auto Darkening helmet has a Shade adjustment knob on the outside which allows you to easily tune in how well you can see the wetted edges of your puddle. I have the $44 blue flame Harbor freight helmet but it does not fit the 7500 series respirator underneath . it looks like you can fit a respirator under the 39 dollar helmet.
Shop around for a bottle of Argon shielding gas. Hopefully you can find a cheap rental. My supplier charges $68 a year for any size bottle. Another supplier wants $15 a month. Figure $80 for the actual gas. Figure you will use 15 cubic feet (CF) of gas an hour when you are running an arc. You do the math on what size bottle you want. 125 CF seems to be the sweet spot economically.
The harbor freight Bergen Multiprocess welding machine with the additional 80 dollar TIG package will get you up and running for under $200. If you are really strapped for cash the basic machine at $120 will get you started with MIG and stick welding which are still valuable skills to learn All you can afford the TIG package and argon gas. >>>> This is a scratch start machine, does not have Lift Start or High Frequency start which are essential for real TIG welding. Scratch start means you have to scratch the Tungsten on the work to get the arc started. Just no. Find a cheap non MIG machine with Stick and TIG Lift Start or High Frequency Start.
The $250 yes welder TIG-205P Pro is an excellent package outright and will give you everything you need and this is a better value than the Bergen Tig package. You will need to take the time to learn to program the TIG weld parameters. Then you can upgrade to the $80 foot pedal for tighter control but I myself use a thumb control on my torch and I can work away from the bench.
The TIG- 200P ACDC Pro at $550 will allow you to weld aluminum. The aluminum option is an important decision especially if the money is tight. Remember, money for materials and tools for practice are the real priorities.
Now go do your own research and shopping on the Eastwood and Primeweld websites.
I would even consider off brand Amazon specials.
I paid $69 for this Amazon deal:
[https://www.amazon.com/DEKOPRO-Welding-Machine-Digital-Electrode/dp/B09876DMS3/ref=sr\_1\_28](https://www.amazon.com/DEKOPRO-Welding-Machine-Digital-Electrode/dp/B09876DMS3/ref=sr_1_28)
and purchased the $80 Harbor Freight TIG Torch Kit for it.
This has lift start which is very important for TIG as any Stick or MIG welder can market itself as a TIG welder. It has to offer either lift start or high frequency start.
[https://www.harborfreight.com/tig-welding-accessory-kit-72984.html](https://www.harborfreight.com/tig-welding-accessory-kit-72984.html)
It will do what you want. I have not had the time to try out this little 69 dollar welder in TIG mode but it is awesome pushing a stick at a hundred and sixty amps for It's duty cycle
This Little three inch harbor freight grinder is perfect for grinding your tungsten.
[https://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-variable-speed-bench-grinder-with-39-in-flex-shaft-11000-rpm-58967.html](https://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-variable-speed-bench-grinder-with-39-in-flex-shaft-11000-rpm-58967.html)
It sits on my welding bench and takes up zero space. Throw out the flex shaft unit. Wear your respirator when using this and wash your hands after if not using gloves .
Thorium tungsten is slightly radioactive and was developed before modern electronics improved arc starting for the TIG process. Do yourself a favor and get lanthium tungsten electrodes which are not radioactive. Cerium tungsten electrodes are considered better for lower amperage welding but do your own homework on this. I use E3 tungsten electrodes and it covers all the bases. I could have saved some money by going with Lanthium for 3/32 and 1/8 inch electrodes.
Since you will be Cutting large quantities of small pieces For practice I highly recommend this little 50 dollar harbor freight 6 inch chop saw:
[https://www.harborfreight.com/8-amp-6-in-cut-off-saw-71251.html](https://www.harborfreight.com/8-amp-6-in-cut-off-saw-71251.html)
I use abrasive disks when I am outside with it and I have a diamond cut off disk for when I'm inside on my work bench. I go to great lengths to keep abrasive disk dust out of my shop.
A Bandsaw is my first choice for cutting stock. harbor freight makes a great frame for portable bandsaws to turn it into a chop saw or a manual table bandsaw.
[https://www.harborfreight.com/universal-portable-band-saw-benchtop-stand-59640.html](https://www.harborfreight.com/universal-portable-band-saw-benchtop-stand-59640.html)
This frame and any other portable bandsaw might be a better overall value than buying the little $50 chop saw depending on your budget.
Finally you will need a vice and a place to bolt it too so you can grind and bevel your practice coupons.
Go to your local steel supplier and develop a relationship with the sales people. Buy some 1/8 inch thick by 4 inch wide flat stock to cut into coupons for practice welding. Maybe they would cut the coupons for you for a reasonable cost if you don't want them right away. This first purchase Is just as important as your Welding machine purchase.
Metal stock from the home centers and big box stores is over five times the price of what you will pay from your local steel distributor.
Scrap metal with paint and coatings can be deadly without a respirator and proper ventilation. I recently did a project for a friend using some rusty bed rail angle iron. It started out O K because I have an outdoor work bench. But the wire wheel caught on something got away from me and ripped through my glove and still drew blood. Stay away from scrap unless you are absolutely broke. Doing repair work has the same problems. Do not do repair work for people unless you are charging top dollar and have years of experience and plenty of clamps and safety gear. Putting your hood down and making the actual weld is the easy part and a lot of times only 10% of the time and effort spent on the job.
Useful Projects. Good luck with those. You will have to use your own imagination. Time welding coupons and then maybe welding welded coupons in the little boxes will not be time wasted.
Summary for a tight budget
Deeko Amazon TIG Stick Machine for $80
Harbor Freight TIG Acessory Kit, $80
Helmet $40
Argon Bottle for $150
Respirator $40
Portable bandsaw, angle grinder, Cutting disks, zirconium sanding disks, clamps, workbench, fire extinguisher.........
Get the Yes Welder TIG-205P Pro as the better more reliable and capable value.
Have fun.
Learn as much as you can.