Best TIG Welder For Aluminum: Buying Guide In 2022!

When it comes to welding a light material like aluminum, you probably want the exact amount of heat from the welder, isn’t it? A TIG welder is the machine you need to get the job done.

The best way to weld aluminum is through Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding especially when it is running on AC power. TIG welding provides more amperage, cooling, and precise heat which are crucial for aluminum welding.

However, TIG welding is one of the complicated processes and requires highly skilled personnel to operate. But, if someone masters TIG welding, there’s no other efficient way he would likely to follow to work with metals. This article brings some of the best TIG welder for aluminum that helps you to weld with ultimate precision.

Top 5 Best TIG Welder For Aluminum

See, the most important factor while choosing TIG welders for aluminum is how efficient they’re at controlling heat. After analyzing numerous blogs, posts from forums, and customer reviews, I’ve sorted out the top 5 TIG welders on the market that can weld aluminum precisely that you expect from a high-quality TIG welder.

Here’re the products with highlighted features. Enjoy!

1. 2018 AHP AlphaTIG

• Can weld aluminum up to ¼ inches
• Advanced inverter technology with PWM using IGBT technology
• Includes a foot pedal for great TIG welding control
• Power source: AC/DC
• 200 Amp, 3 years warranty

2. PRIMEWELD TIG225X

• PWM along with IGBT technology design
• High performance on both 110v and 220v
• Comes with a CK17 flex head torch
• features 225 amps of AC/DC TIG welding
• 3 years warranty

3. Lincoln Electric TIG Welder

• A great TIG machine for aluminum
• Easily portable yet powerful
• Features 200 amps of AC/DC TIG welding
• 3 years warranty

4. Eastwood TIG200

• High-frequency start for precise arc control
• Operates on both 110vAC and 220vAC
• 1/4″-thick welding capacity on 220vAC
• 3 years warranty

5. MTS-205:

• Capable of welding up to 1/2″ aluminum
• Features IGBT technology, wave-form control system
• Automatic compensation for voltage fluctuation
• Features 200 amps of AC TIG welding
• 1-month warranty

1. 2018 AHP AlphaTIG: Best Overall

Available On Amazon

Capability to weld aluminum: ¼ inches

Power source: AC/DC

Dual voltage: 110/220V

Duty cycle: 100% at 150A

Weight: 69 pounds

The 2018 AHP AlphaTIG offers the best quality welding for both beginners and professionals with enormous useful features. Combining advanced inverter technology with Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) using IGBT technology, the welder can cut and weld aluminum successfully.

Versatility

2018 AHP AlphaTIG is mostly popular for its versatility. The machine can be used on both thin and thick aluminum and other metals as well. It welds up to ¼ inch of aluminum on AC mode. However, being able to work on DC supply, you can also weld other materials with this high-quality welding machine.

Great Control

The welding machine features an HF start TIG that helps great control over the entire process. Also, Standard TIG torch consumables are utilized in the WP17 flex hose torch and a separate TIG control switch is provides for those who want to add the trigger switch to the torch.

The welder provides a fine metal foot pedal to make your work a lot easier with better welding control and operation.

Optimum performance

The pulse width modulation pairing with the IGBT technology promises to provide reliable and long-lasting performance. The PWM allows you to adjust the exact amount of heat you need to weld aluminum of different widths for the best welding outputs. The machine works on dual voltages to ensure you are getting the best result every time.

Considering the best performance for the price, 2018 AHP AlphaTIG certainly excels over the top-rated expensive TIG welders. Finding such a good machine under $1000 is rare.

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2. PRIMEWELD TIG225X: High-Performance Welder With Tech Support

Available On Amazon

Capability to weld aluminum: ¼ inches

Power source: AC/DC

Dual voltage: 120/220V

Duty cycle: 60% at 160amps

Weight: 90 pounds

PRIMEWELD TIG225X is the closest competitor of the AHP AlphaTIG considering the performance and build quality. The pricing is also very close, where TIG225X is slightly higher with 90 pounds of weight. It seems to have a stronger transformer than its rival and 225A maximum power output clearly shows the capability of the aluminum welder.

Build quality

The Primeweld TIG225X is a robust welder which is designed to be resistant to impacts. The pipes, cords, torches are made of sturdy materials that help to deliver the highest performance. It also comes with a powder-coated strong metal foot pedal similar to the AHP AlphaTIG.

The ground clamp appears to be less than desirable considering other fittings. You can replace that anytime after buying.

Great for professionals

TIG225X offers a total number of 10 dials to provide great control over what you are doing. It offers impressive functionality with a pulse setting up to 200Hz.  The control should be handy for the professionals, whereas the beginners may find them a bit daunting. Nevertheless, if you weld aluminum or other metals precisely with the machine several times, you should be comfortable with it.

High-performance

The Primeweld machine is capable to be used with both 120V and 240V input voltage. It offers a maximum of 225A output at 240V and for 120V it delivers a maximum of 140A. TIG225X has a higher maximum output than AlphaTIG, which indicates that you’ll have a better duty cycle with this one.

The digital display enables you to monitor the premium welding, no matter how thin aluminum is.

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3. Lincoln Electric TIG Welder: Easy Using TIG Welder

Available On Amazon

Capability to weld aluminum: 1/8 inches

Power source: AC/DC

Dual voltage: 115/230V

Duty cycle: 40% at 160Amps

Weight: 73 pounds

Lincoln Electric Precision TIG welder is popular for being reliable, easy to use, and efficient. Even though the welder seems expensive than the others on the list, you can expect to get the highest return for the money.

Plug-in anywhere

The welder can deal with dual voltages that allow you to utilize both 120V standard household outlets and 230V when required. So, you can literally weld anywhere from the basement or shop to your home.

Easy to use

As you’ve seen, Primeweld TIG225X offers slightly complicated controls that may seem harder for first-time users. Lincoln Square Wave 200 welder, on the other hand, comes with a simple and straightforward interface that aims not to confuse people who’ll be using it.

The welder’s interface is easy to use. Yet, it offers advanced technologies for aluminum welding. You will definitely enjoy the high-frequency starts while welding metals. The Lincoln 200 also includes a flexible pulse mode for fast welding.

Welds different materials

Lincoln Square Wave 200 welds both TIG and stick welding. The versatility lets the welder weld a wide range of metals. When welding thin metals like aluminum, TIG welding needs to be applied. Alternatively, while welding thick metals stick welding method can be followed when precision may not be the prime factor.

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4. Eastwood TIG200: Preferable For Home Auto Fabricators

Available On Amazon

Capability to weld aluminum:  ¼ inches

Power source: AC/DC

Dual voltage: 110/220V

Duty cycle: 120VAC- 60% at 145Amps, 220VAC- 60% at 190Amps

Weight: 61 pounds

Eastwood TIG200 AC/DC 20565 is widely popular for its TIG welding thick aluminum. With its versatile design, powerful welding capabilities, and guaranteed quality, this machine might be the only product many auto restorers will ever need.

Adaptability

With the adaptable engineering structure, Eastwood TIG200 operates on both 110V-15Amps and 220V-30Amps circuits. This allows you to pick the appropriate configuration for your work.

Works on both AC/DC

The welder can be operated on AC and DC. While TIG welding AC duty cycle at 120VAC is 60% at 145 Amps, at 220VAC is 60% at 190 Amps. Again, the stick welding cycle of 120VAC is 60% at 140amps and for 220VAC, that is 60% at 185amps. It allows users to weld different materials by the same machine.

Great for home-use

Eastwood TIG200 provides a decent duty cycle if you want to experiment in the house. It delivers numerous features at its price. It features a high-frequency start to control the arc precisely. It also comes with a WP17 style torch that uses common consumables. The welder includes a remote foot pedal to give you better control over the machine.

Great technical support

Another reason to buy the product is the excellent technical support by Eastwood. Over the 3 years of warranty service and even after that, you’ll get the best customer service from the manufacturer.

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5. MTS-205: Best Portable TIG welder for aluminum

Available On Amazon

Capability to weld aluminum:  ½ inches

Power source: AC

Dual voltage: 110/230V

Duty cycle: 60% at 170A, 100% at 132A

Weight: 27 pounds

If you’re looking for a portable yet decent aluminum TIG welder, MTS-205 might be a great option. The manufacturer puts lots of modern features within the machine, that too at good pricing.

Multipurpose welder

The MTS-205 is a 3 in 1 multipurpose welder which can weld mild steel, wire, alloy apart from aluminum only. The MIG welder includes a TIG torch and Stick. So, you won’t need to go somewhere else to weld different materials.

Safety measures

The aluminum welder features an automatic compensation function. It protects the machine from voltage fluctuation, over or under voltage, overload, over current protection, overload protection, and fan latency.

Excellent precision and control

The welding machine features Synergic control which makes the machine easier to operate.

It provides fast, precise, and clean arc ignition and arc ending.

The advanced IGBT technology ensures reliable performance. Also, the wave-form control system produces perfect waveform of volt and amp during, short circuits and arc burning cycles.

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How To Choose The Best TIG Welder For Aluminum

Whether you’re buying a TIG welder for aluminum or other metals, you want the best product, isn’t it?

To get the right welder, you should look for few considering factors that determine the quality of good welding. This section will discuss some of those.

Capacity To Weld Aluminum

Aluminum has less weight and strength which makes it easy to weld. It is only used in low-temperature applications unless it is mixed with other materials. Being a sophisticated element, specific methods are required to weld aluminum. Make sure the TIG welder is capable of welding aluminum.

What’s The Duty Cycle?

Duty cycle refers to the time the machine can work continuously and is calculated in percentage. If you see a label where the duty cycle is written as 60%, for example, it means that the welder can weld for six minutes before it needs a break. It needs some time to cool down after working continuously.

The duty cycle is important as it determines the quality of the welder. Usually, the welders to be used at homes, offer insignificant duty cycles, whereas industrial ones offer the opposite.

Each welder has rates for different amperages for determining their duty cycles. It helps you to determine the peak current to be used. So, consider the factor before buying a model instantly.

AC Capability

TIG welders usually work on two modes namely, direct current and alternating current. DC mode can weld all metals but aluminum. Alternatively, AC mode welds both magnesium and aluminum. AC mode at high frequency supplies consistent heat to the electrode which is a must for aluminum welding. So, make sure your welder can work on AC.

Amperage

The best TIG welder for thin aluminum delivers decent performance at low amperage. At lower amperages, welders may come across fluctuations as the arc strikes. If you don’t want to ruin your welding, make sure the welder has good amperage control.

Again, a higher amperage refers to its capability to weld a wide range of materials. One amp can be translated to 0.001mm of the thickness of the material for TIG welders. A welder of 200 amps works decently for thin aluminum of 65mm.

Portability

Now, if you want a TIG welder for DIY purposes, look for a light one. The weight may influence the quality of the weld, especially when you work continuously for hours.

Quality For The Price

You will find a wide range of prices while searching for aluminum TIG welders. Choose one within your budget. However, don’t forget to check the build quality as it matters a lot. Again, it would be best if the machine includes modern technologies such as IGBT.

Also, try to get one with a long warranty period, especially if you’re buying your first unit. Finally, make sure the unit can do all work that you intend to do with it. I suggest choosing the best welder for the price and firmly assure that all products on my list provide excellent welding.

Can All TIG Welders Weld Aluminum?

Okay, can all and any TIG welders weld aluminum? Well, while all TIG welders can weld aluminum, but not all of them provide the same quality of welding. Several factors influence the quality of your project.

Current: An AC is preferable for aluminum welding. However, if your welder isn’t capable to work with AC, you need to set up the welder in the right way to get the job done.

Frequency: It influences the output of the welder.

Amperage: It determines the penetration of the machine. Professionals use the foot pedal to fine-tune the amperage while working.

Pulse: Pulse prevents burn by supplying the current in pulse instead of in a steady stream.

So, make sure to welder you’re accessing allows you to control the factors for quality TIG welding. If you want to know more on how to TIG weld aluminum, click here.

Conclusion

If you’ve come this far, probably you’ve got the best TIG welder for aluminum that suits your purpose. I’ve put the products after researching a lot from various sources. So, any of them should meet your demand.

I hope you will be able to weld precisely with the machine you’ll buy. Do let me know if you face any difficulty while working with it.

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