Beginner TIG Welder
Do you want to know more about TIG welding and where you can buy a beginner tig welder that could make it easy for you to learn the TIG welding process? Let’s talk about TIG welding first.
TIG welding is said to be the hardest welding method to learn compared to MIG and stick welding. Known as the Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), it happens by melting the tungsten rod with a plasma arc that is produced by gas and electricity and allowing the rod to melt in between joints which fuse the work metals. In some instances, filler metals are also used along with the tungsten electrode for better fusion depending on the type of metals that need to be welded. 
Why the need to have the best tig welder for beginner is because unlike with MIG and stick welding where the welder only uses one hand in holding the torch with the electrode, with the TIG you have to use both of your hands and your foot in controlling the amperage. Welding is done by the dominant hand manipulating the torch and the weaker hand holding the tungsten rod. In this case, you don’t need a powerful TIG welder yet but should practice first on thinner metals that require low amperage.
But why do people still prefer the TIG over the MIG and stick? It’s because of its versatility when it comes to fusing different metals.
Benefits of Using the Best TIG Welder
TIG welding is a versatile welding process because it can deal with thinner gauged metals compared to MIG and stick. It is also a better option for welders if they want to produce cleaner and smother welds which means the weld it produces is stronger compared to the MIG and stick. So in terms of welding quality, professional welders still prefer to use the TIG welding process for thinner metals. 
For welding critical joints and metals that cannot be dealt with by MIG and stick, the TIG can come to the rescue with more precise results. However, there is also the TIG’s weaknesses. Because it is complex to apply, its process is also done slowly and carefully and this is why we do recommend having the best budget tig welder first before going for the more expensive but powerful TIG units.
It’s true that with the cheaper units, you have minimal use of its capacity because of its limited amperage. But still, a 100-amp TIG welder can weld up to 0.10 inches sheet metals while its more powerful counterpart like the 200-amps can do up to 0.20 inch based on the metal’s quality of weldability.
Best Budget TIG Welder
The best budget tig welder doesn’t actually have too many components so if you need replacements for the TIG consumables these are easy to find and purchase. Here are its main parts and their uses:
Tungsten electrode/rod – These come in a variety of types. There are the thoriated, zirconiated, lanthanated, and the ceriated. Each has its preference for certain types of metals and DC or AC requirements.
TIG welder – Available are in AC/DC, DC+, constant current (CC), and AC currents.
Electrode holder or torch – Equipped with collet, gas lens, ceramic lens or nozzle and cap. These parts process the production of plasma.
Shielding tank with either helium, argon, or a mixture of both gas. 
Filler metal rod – optional depending on the type of metal to be welded.
PPE (Personal Safety Equipment) – For the welder’s personal use.
Pros of Using Beginner
If you want to know more about the advantage of using the beginner TIG welder, here are the good things you can get from it.
It uses non-consumable electrodes. Unlike with MIG which you have to replace the electrode spool or need to change the wire electrode when dealing with different metals, you only use one type of tungsten electrode on a certain type of metal continuously thus reducing your downtime in production.
Flux is already incorporated on the tungsten electrode which produces no slags but only refined welding results so sometimes the finishing process becomes unnecessary.
Tungsten melts easily and smoothly and can penetrate better between joints of metals so there is always a strong bond between welded metals.
Versatile. Even with a beginner tig welder, this won’t slack when it comes to welding non-ferrous and ferrous metals and can be used with or without filler metals.
Produces less spark and flames with a small heat zone.
Best choice for welding non-corrosive and ductile joints.
Offers an option for using DC and AC currents when welding aluminum and ally. 
The only downside that we see about TIG welding is that it’s a time-consuming process because it requires careful and slow pace for the filler to completely penetrate the joints. Another thing is its incapability to weld thicker metal sheets. So in simpler words, TIG welding is best for filling up cracks, for repairs and for fusing thin metals only. But in terms of cost, you don’t have to put up a high initial cost especially with the best tig welder for beginners.
If you are looking for the best budget tig welder, consider some of the assets that a beginner tig welder should possess. Here are the qualities?
Power. We may want to suggest the 120v if you’ll be using your TIG welder only for your hobby, small welding projects, and general home repair. However, you may also consider taking a unit with 120v/220v feature so you can bring it on your work site were 220v current is common.
What material thickness do you need to weld? Your requirements for amperage is based on the thickness of the metals you want to weld. The higher the amperage, the thicker metal it can do. 
Preferably with an inverter system (if available). This allows you to work on a stabilized current without the chances of your machine getting overheated while saving you from wasted energy.
Extra features. If you have a budget to purchase the best tig welder for beginners with added features, we recommend versatility features like MIG and stick welding. But this is your option.
Warranty – Your unit’s warranty can assure your protection for your purchase.
Our Recommendation for the Beginner TIG Welder
Why we are recommending the 2020 Weldpro 200 amp is because of its special features that a beginner tig welder could practice on and later use. Other than being a versatile welder for MIG, stick and flux-cored welding it is also capable of true lift TIG welding which means you don’t need to scratch the tungsten onto the metal to create a spark. Very compact, It has an amperage range of 15-200 amps for TIG at 30% duty cycle. 
It also has a dual digital display for quick reading and setting of the wire speed and amperage including indication for VRD high temp and overload protection. Looking at its simple features, the 2020 Weldpro 200 is packed with high-end features. And with its dual voltage capability, you can use this anywhere you go.
For people who want be in serious welding using TIG and MIG welders, we highly recommend this. Yes, it can be a bit costly than the imported units that claim to be the best budget tig welders but in terms of durability and performance, this is where this unit can be reliable even with years of use.
Pros:
Dual voltage – 120v/220v
MIG/Stick/TIG welder
Can pack up powerful amperage to weld 5/16 sheet metal in a single pass
With a pulse welding feature to keep metal cooler and prevent weld cracking
Dual analog windows for quick setting
Includes AC setting for aluminum welding
Ensures quality made
Cons:
Bit expensive for a beginner tig welder
Warranty not specified
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The best tig welder for a beginner should not only be limited to learning TIG welding. That’s why we looked for a unit to give the beginners a little more of the flexibility. TIG welding can be a complex welding process that requires a lot of practice to get that smoother welding results. Especially when you need to deal with horizontal welding, overhead, wall and joints, these are some kinds of welding tasks that the beginner tig welder should practice on.
TIG welding is best recommended for small welding jobs aside from being the right choice for dealing with softer and thinner metals. So basically, what the MIG welder can do, the TIG welder can also do but with thinner metals.
So no matter how complex TIG welding is, once you get to use your hands and feet in synchronicity you can do so much with TIG welding and appreciate its versatility. Yes, we know that some TIG welders are not capable of aluminum welding but we will tackle that on our next blog – best tig welder for aluminum.
