Chinese tig (any good)

[Paul552]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-MISHTO-200FT-DC-TIG-MMA-ARC-INVERTER-WELDER-WELDING-/271168493261?_trksid=p5197.m1992&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D14%26meid%3D6115631547272108249%26pid%3D100015%26prg%3D1006%26rk%3D2%26sd%3D271167302370%26#ht_2578wt_1175


Anyone used one of these?
Are they junk?

[oldfart]

Read feedback .... seems a bit shonky to me.

[ChrisACT]

I bought a Mitec TIG (Chinese) a few years back. 



It worked great until it blew up.  Then I couldn't get it repaired in Australia.

So it's still sitting in my shed and doesn't work.

Then I bought a Unimig Tig welder. 



It also works great but I can get parts and service in Australia if anything goes wrong with it.

It only cost about 15% more than the Mitec.  I wish I'd known that before I wasted my money on the first unit.

[pancho]

 Where do they sell the Unimig tig and for what $ ?

 Maybe someone will buy me one for christmas.   I can wait!

[ChrisACT]

Where do they sell the Unimig tig and for what $ ?

 Maybe someone will buy me one for christmas.   I can wait!

I bought mine in Goulburn from www.machines4u.com.au

It was about $1,500.  But they have smaller DC only TIGs from about $300.

http://www.machines4u.com.au/search/?action=Search&order=&cndtn_Used=1&cndtn_New=1&cndtn_Hire=1&cndtn_Pwr=1&brand=unimig&industry_id=13&category_id=0&subcategory_id=0&location=&delivers_nationally=1&dn=&price_min=&price_max=&keywords=&order=rank

Don't forget that you will need Argon too.  My tank is about $150 a year rental and about $150 to fill it.  So there's another $300 up front plus filler rods, electrodes, mask, gloves etc. just to get started.

DO NOT weld with a TIG without gloves and long sleeves on.  You will burn your skin.  It's like sunburn only hurtier.

[torm92]

Good advise , TIG burns hurt for sure

[Marc.com]

All the inverter TIGs can die if exposed to power fluctuations, run off generators etc. But the expensive ones like Lincoln are more robust, the Italian ones are also usually pretty good.

We sell a few CIGWeld and they seem to do pretty well. My pet hate is combination machines, TIG/MIG/ARC/Plasma .... never seen one gimicky bastards that delivered the goods and held together.

[Lozza]

Had more trouble with an expensive Italian machine(poor back up service as well) than I ever had with a Chinese tig. My ebay tig has only had a fan break which I got fixed under warranty at the Central Coast. With inverters they must be left running for 5mins or so after welding to cool the caps.