Hello to all, I'm new to this forum, glad to have found it. I recently bought an oxyacetylene set up and have been learning to weld with it. Although I'm still a novice, the limitations of gas welding are quite apparent. I'd like to start incorporating metal into my work (furniture and high end carpentry) and for that I need to be able to make pretty welds. From what I've been reading and hearing, TIG is the way to go. Plus I'd like to be able to do aluminum, sheet metal, and have the arc welding option for general welding work.

Right now I'm trying to narrow my choices down to a catagory of welders. I've identified three: AC/DC stick with a TIG conversion kit, small entry level TIG like the Miller Econotig or Hobart Tigmate, Larger pricier unit like the Lincoln Precision TIG 185 or Miller Syncrowave 180. Basically I want one machine that will meet my needs for several years to come. I have to pinch my pennies right now, but not to the point that I'll be buying another welder in the near future. Also, because my shop is quite small, a smaller lighter welder that could be lifted would be nice -- not critical though. So what are the benefits and drawbacks of the different types?

Thanks for the help.