Tig with a Stick Mate

[Scrapman Industries]

So I was trying to relearn tig but don't have the need for it all the time (although some of my projects would be better tig welded vs. mig) nor do I have the funds to buy a dedicated tig machine. I have a hobart Stickmate Ac/dc machine and have seen people get adapters to run a manual scratch start tig torch with a stick machine. I was wondering if anyone ever tried that with the Hobart stickmate. If so would that be a decent way to start tig welding steel and stainless again until I can get a good multi process machine? I realize aluminum would be out of the question but I couldn't tig weld aluminum to save my life when I was in school anyway.

[MinnesotaDave]

Works fine really - first machine I tig welded with was a very similar stick welder.

After a while you'll know if you want to buy a dedicated tig machine.

[jpump5]

There’s a Welding Tips and Tricks YouTube video that
shows tig welding with a Thunderbolt (same machine). Investment
for gas bottle,regulator/flowmeter and torch is pretty high,but if
you do wind up upgrading to a real tig machine,you’ll need them
anyway.

[Louie1961]

I started TIG welding on a stickmate. Not sure how many of the posts survived the recent server crash, but I had lots of pics, etc.

[Scrapman Industries]

thank you all. Thats probably what I'm gonna end up doing then as I really can't justify getting another machine at the moment. maybe one day I'll have one of those nice multiprocess machines that can tig stick and mig along with a huge plasma machine. But as for now I think the stickmate is enough for what I use it for.

[Scrapman Industries]

I watched that video of jodie and his lincoln buzzbox rectifier thing. I kinda like it. out of all the ghetto rigged up welders I've ever had to use at work, I won't ever come close to having a set up as ghetto and rigged up as that. he's got me beat by a long shot. And the worst of it is, even if I was using the best machine in the world he could still probably tig better than me on that rigged up monstrosity.

[One1]

You don't need anything special for running on a DC machine. Just a lug and the usual. Bottle, Reg.

[Broccoli1]

I'd be inclined to try out a HF DC tig machine.

https://www.harborfreight.com/240-vo...out-62486.html


Use a 20% coupon and yer OTD for $300.00