Time for a TIG

I'm sick (and tired ) of not being able to weld my aluminium parts. I have put this off for over four years and now its time.
I need some guidance on what kind of unit to buy. I'm not thinking this will be a primary welder since I can burn a good bead with my MIG, but I don't like buying crap. I believe they make an upgrade kit for my Lincoln (SP 170 T) that would allow for aluminium but I'm not sure how well they work.
Any suggestions here?
Rick R:sunshine:

If you don't want to spend the money to but a tig machine just buy an aluminum spool gun for your mig welder. I use one and they work just fine.

even the spool gun is like $900 though, at least is was for the Miller 250x at a place I used to work. and I really didn't like using it, it was too fast, with aluminum I would prefer to go slower like TIG

i agree, welding aluminum w/ a mig, you have to go 2-3x faster than you do w/ steel

All I have to say is that if your wanting to Tig aluminum without the big costs... I would recomend the Miller Econotig, 220v and both ac/dc capable for under 1500 bucks... I got one and love it... Now I just need more practice...

Clean-RC said:

All I have to say is that if your wanting to Tig aluminum without the big costs... I would recomend the Miller Econotig, 220v and both ac/dc capable for under 1500 bucks... I got one and love it... Now I just need more practice...

Click to expand...

Practice, practice, practice...
This sounds like what I'm looking for.
Let me see about a distributor now!
Rick R
Thanks guys!

Jump,

I have the same welder (SP175T) and bought the aluminum kit... comes with new teflon cable liner, different drive rolls and sleeves and new tips. Kinda a pain to switch the liner out but overall it work OK for aluminum.

Big thing is keeping the cable straight to keep the Al wire from kinking/birdnesting. Welding to Al takes a bit of practice but the kit is much cheaper than springing for a TIG.