Welding Jacket
 TILLMAN 9230 XXX-LARGE WELDING JACKET US $46.75 
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 TILLMAN 9030 X-LARGE WE WELD AMERICA JACKET US $23.37
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 TILLMAN 9030 XXX-LARGE COTTON WE WELD AMERICA JACKET US $27.37
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 WELDING JACKETS US $1.99
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What do I need for a tig welder?
Aside from the welding gear. (Jacket, Helmet, etc...) I'm talking coolant system, power supply, gas, and everything in-between. Cost ranges and where to buy. I could really use the help. Thx
Whether you use a gas-cooled or a water-cooled torch depends on the current range of your power supply.
For AC welding of aluminum it's often helpful to have a water-cooled torch. AC places a higher heat load on a torch than does DC. The downside of water-cooled torches are reliability issues. With an eye towards Murphy's Law, there are a lot more things that can go wrong with a water-cooled unit. If your coolant system fails for whatever reason,(or you forget to turn it on) you will ruin a $200 torch in very short order.
Weldcraft makes a heavy-duty 300 amp gas-cooled torch. This is very recommended by me, if you plan on welding a lot of aluminum. For a torch it's on the expensive side, but well worth it considering you don't need a water-cooling system.
Anyway, the rated current of your torch should be compatible the rated maximum output of your power supply. A torch with a higher current rating than your supply is unnecessary overkill, while one with a lower rating means you risk accidentally burning up your torch.
Power supplies depend on what metals you intend to be welding. For welding carbon steel and stainless steel, (as well as brass & nickel alloys) you can use ANY low-cost DC constant current (CC) power supply. DC Stick welding power supplies work just fine for TIG-ing steel and SS. You can buy a decent DC stick welder for around $600-$900
If you plan on welding aluminum I strongly suggest an inverter-type power supply with "square-wave" AC, basically a power supply specifically designed for TIG. These are expensive though. A good unit that has square wave AC will run $1500- $3000(new) depending on the maximum output. More than 200 amps AC isn't necessary IMO unless you're doing automated TIG welding, or maybe if you plan on welding aluminum for several hours every single day.
Always buy name-brand power supplies like ESAB, Thermal Arc (firepower), Miller, or Lincoln. If you buy bargain basement no-name equipment, you will certainly be getting what you pay for.
The gas for TIG welding is almost always 100% argon. For welding thick aluminum, occasionally it helps to use 60%Argon+40%Helium. This may improve penetration but it's rather expensive and I don't really see you ever needing it. You can rent gas cylinders from sellers of industrial gases and welding supplies. It usually helps to rent the largest tank size (within reason) they have available. The gas itself is less expensive that way, since a lot of the retail cost of the gas comes from the labor involved in filling the tank.
Gas flow regulators usually run about $30-$40. They're not a big expenditure.
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