Thanks for the posts, comrades. In a nutshell, it sounds like you're saying that square wave = better arc stability = easier to get a better neater looking weld, right?
What I'm trying to figure here is which TIG machine would be a good one to start with (and which one am I most likely to be able to keep without needing to upgrade). The candidates are:
1) Lincoln Square Wave 175 Pro vs. Miller Syncrowave 180 SD: I don't want to start a brand debate here, but I'd like to know if either of these machines has features that the other simply does not. From the specs, they look very similar. Both are square wave, but both have a fixed or "automatic" balance control.
2) Miller EconoTIG (Hobart TIGMATE, same machine): these are not square-wave, but seem to have the other features. Since the above models are only about $200 more than these sine wave models, I'm thinking I might be less likely to "outgrow" one of the above two than these too entry-level models. Is the square wave feature and a little more power worth an additional 15% or so in the purchase price? I dunno, please give me your opinions!
Also, are they any other brands/models in the same price range that I should consider?
Dave