This is a specification that shows the extent which an uninterrupted welding period a device can achieve within intervals of ten minutes. From ten minute duration, the highest current at which the machine can weld is taken. After its limit, the machine is to be put off and left to cool down. Duty cycle representations are in percentages. Multiplying these percentages by ten enables you to find the number of minutes the machine will offer you to weld within each ten minute cycle.

Hobbyist/light industrial TIG welders have a low duty cycle of just 20%, medium machines 40 to 60% while high industrial welders rate at 60 to 80%. The modern formula of calculating duty cycles allows you to get the privilege of enjoying longer duty cycles since the percentages are based on lesser amp-settings. This implies that a machine that offers a ten 10% duty cycle and a 140 ampere optimum, it is possible for you to weld 115 ampere and 30% duty cycle.

When you are going for a product that will be used within the same location for several years or even for its lifetime, you may not need to look at the portability aspects so much. However, if you are looking for a machine to add to your mobile welding workshop, portability is a major factor. The use of inverters and the using of engine-driven welders are the two fundamental ways you can use these welders as portable machines.

Inverters are power converters that weigh about 10 lbs and run at between 115 volt and 230 volt currents thus enabling a machine to be lighter and smaller in size. The engine driven types are employed whenever there is no power supply for the welding. These can be used for pipeline welding, on-the-field plant maintenance as well as in doing construction work.

One vital feature that has to be present in the machine you are buying is the heat control feature. Pulse weld is just the best type of control. Under the pulsed rate, the welder will alternate between the lower and the higher currents. This act as a preservation of the arc while at the same time lets the welded surface to cool. The best TIG welders are designed with the important extra integral TIG pulser that supplies good input control of heat.

Different TIG welders come with different prices. They can range anywhere from as high as around $4000 to as low as around $200. The cost is always based on the packages/equipment together with brands/parameters you will purchase. Welders that cost around $500 are some of the best for professional work and for hobbyists. Those high end TIG welders are majorly used to weld titanium.

All the conventional TIG welders have a cooling system. There are different types of cooling systems. The most economical system is the air cooled torch which is also the simplest. The flowing of inert gas through the engine cools this; hence, the weld is shielded from contamination by the gas. The gas has a dual function with the other function being to cool the torch head. High amperage together with constant use for extended time results in the heating up so much that the person operating it would need to wear come special insulated glove on their torch hand.

The water-cooled is yet another cooling system option. This usually features a reservoir and a pump, which together circulate coolant fluids via a small line within the head of the torch thus keeping it cool. Such types cost higher and may only be necessary for large industrial use. If you are intending to use your model continuously for long, the water cooled torch welders would be your better option. They are more efficient, averagely have a better duty cycle and meant for heavier tasks.

Welders that come with interchangeable tips should be preferred. Permanent tips are quite limiting and will thus limit the types of welds you can do and the range of materials too. A stick weld capability allows your TIG welder to carry out some heavy duty tasks. This is therefore a pro when you compare it with those fixed tip welders.

Quality designs always have two major advantages: they are durable and they are also aesthetically appealing. Even if a welder is perfectly designed and built but it isn’t appealing to look at, you may consider not going for it. This is because there are so many welders that may be having the capability of performing the same tasks with the same qualities and features but are more appealing to appreciate.

About durability, you should go for welders that have been built with durable materials. The fan control is one feature that is in most cases overlooked. It is important that you consider a welder whose fan is triggered whenever an arc is stricken. This prevents the accumulation of much dust that is seen in the thermostatically triggered or the full time fans. It is also important not to overlook the wooden transformer windings if possible. This is because such windings shrink and swell with humidity thus unreliable.

Though TIG welding needs that the operator be highly skilled and experienced, it doesn’t mean that the welding machines they use have to be that complicated. The best TIG welders have to be user friendly, offering controls that are easy to understand. One key accessory is the foot pedal for control of amperage, which preferable should have been made of a durable metal. It simplifies the welding process since it allows the user the ability of decreasing and increasing the amperage as required.

Foot amperage controls are mandatory especially when intending to do aluminum welds. Cold aluminum demands high amperage ratings to weld but will quickly heat up during the course. As a result, you need to keep on regulating the amperage and that’s why you need a good welder with some of the best and easily accessible knobs. These enables you to maintain a consistent weld-bead shape as you also keep a constant travel speed.