Tig welder for a beginner

67Dart273 said
With a tig, things are different. The fact is you NEED big for aluminum, and you CAN BUY big because of these dinosaur transformer machines that are out there. A 120V AC powered welder is going to go nowhere with aluminum. Yeh. There are lots of import/ DC only tigs (inverters), and you can't weld aluminum with 'em.

The fact is, you can "rig" an AC buzzbox with a high freq converter and a bottle and "do aluminum." But that does not get you a foot control, and with guys like me who are struggling anyhow, not having a foot control is a killer.

But but but.... does beginner just starting out and trying to learn how to tig need to start on aluminum? Nope not at all buy some cheap 18 gauge or 1/8 stock or use some old crap you already got and practice away. Personally I would like to have the option of welding aluminum but can't think of one think I have that is aluminum that I need it for especially not to spend big money on a dc unit! A beginner can get a cheaper ac unit and learn to weld without spending his 401k!