i am looking into getting a tig welder, as i already have a mig (hobart handler 140) which i just use for hobby projects in the garage and has served its purpose very well. now i want to try and fab a few manifolds, and exhaust components as a garage hobby. the welder i am interested in is the hobart tigmate, im just wanting to see if anyone has any comments about this machine?thanks for any help

 

Yeah dont buy it !! For what you would spend on the tigmate , you can get a much better tig welder like a used or left over new syncrowave 180sd

 

have you checked out the Miller diversion 165?

 

yea your right about that.i have a 180sd its like 3 years old now.so used you could find one for around 800 or less.im not sure if the tig mate has ac?for a good hobby unit you would want ac so you could do some al.

 

the tigmate does have ac, and the diversion 165 and tigmate are the two i have been comparing together. i havent really looked for a used one yet but that is something i will keep in mind, and start looking around as well.

 

You might not find a used Diversion since they just came out this last year.

 

i know thats fairly new, and i was trying to compare the two while i was at work, and from what i could see the tigmate and diversion werent to much different.

 

I have a hobart tigmate does the job i have welded a ton of things but am looking to upgrade in the future. Deffinetly not a bad machine to start off with but if ur not in a big rush just save up a few more bucks and get you self something better ,One thing i dislike about it is its aircooled torch and limit to amp's.

 

i just bought a diversion 165 ait should be coming tomarrow, as for the tigmate i think its the same as the econotig, and i dont hear very good reviews about the econoti, as for the Diversion 165 i hear great reviews for the hobbiest and small jobs. if you nee somethign more i owuld go for the miller syncowave or the TA-185

 

alright so the tig mate has ac.i couldnt remember if it did.there was one at a shop i worked at.i never welded with it.i have used the econo tig.it was not to bad.it had a really crappy start function.also these two machines are a little short on amps but if the price is right i would think it would make a good hobby machine.

 

thats really all im looking for right now is a machine for hobby projects, but if there is something that is good for that and may allow me to grow with it and do some bigger projects would be great to.

 

the only thing that the 14o amp machine is down on is welding thicker aluminum.other that that the 140 will do all that you need it to.if you where to find a 180sd you would have a more user friendly machine with better high freq start and you could weld a bit thicker aluminum.also look at the thermal arc 185 inverter.they are very nice welders too.

 

any other suggestions?

 

there was a lincoln 180 close to the same as the 180sd same era machine no pulse.also would be a good machine to find used at a good price.