What To Know About Purchasing Used MIG or TIG Welders

Laying down a good weld bead relies on a lot of factors, one of which is the quality of the welding machine. A brand-new welding machine with the most advanced feature will have the most reliable and consistent outputs, but has the downside of being very expensive.

Fabrication shops have a limited budget for new equipment. This has them often looking to the used market to purchase welding machines. There are many places to buy a used MIG or TIG welder but, it is best to find a trustworthy retailer like Red-D-Arc.

The Bad and the Good of Used Welding Machines

Buying a used MIG or TIG welding machine has some risks. Especially when that machine is several decades old. That being said, as long as you are aware of the pros and cons of purchasing this type of equipment, you can buy a good MIG or TIG machine at a significantly discounted price.

Some cons of purchasing used MIG and TIG welders are:

• You may not know the maintenance history
• The machine could have been abused or damaged
• Regular cleaning of liners, feed rolls, and circuit boards might never have been done
• There could be problems with the stability of the power output, gas delivery, or other settings, such as pulse frequency
• A machine with the features you want might not be available in your area
• You must take the cons of used machines into consideration, but there are several pros that make purchasing a used MIG or TIG welding machine a great option:
• You can sometimes find a machine with more or better features than a new machine at the same price point
• Welding machines which are several years old will have a history of customer reviews, which you can read to get a good idea of how well they perform
• The cost of a used machine is lower
• If you purchase the machine from a reliable retailer, you will get a machine which is ‘like new’ but at a significant discount.
• Reliable retailers like Red-D-Arc conduct thorough maintenance and inspections to ensure that the machine will work perfectly

Regardless of where you purchase a used MIG and TIG machine, test the machine first, ensuring that you use every feature and setting to get a feel for how the machine preforms. You should also do a complete visual inspection both inside and outside looking for any damage to the components and circuit boards.

Key Things to Consider When Selecting Used MIG and TIG Welders

When you are looking for a used welding machine there are several things that you must look at and consider. These aspects differ between MIG and TIG machines because of the nature of these welding processes. The important aspects to consider on a MIG machine are not those you would look at on a TIG machine.

MIG Welding Machines

MIG welders use a consumable roll of wire as both the electrode and the filler metal for the weld. Because of this, the critical elements of the welding machine to inspect are the parts which deliver this wire to the weld puddle.

• Inspect the feed and drive rolls for damage or poor operation
• Check that feed roll tensioners are in good condition and provide the right tension to the rolls
• Inspect the welding gun liner or have a new liner installed
• Check gas lines and fittings for leaks
• Inspect the welding gun for damage, trigger operation, and gas leaks
• Inspect all electrical connections and cables for corrosion and damage

TIG Welding Machines

TIG welders use a tungsten electrode and shielding gas to produce a weld puddle, to which you add filler metal with a filler rod. They do not have the number of moving parts that MIG welder has but still require inspection of many components.

• Ensure the gas lines and fittings are not leaking
• Inspect the TIG torch for damage
• Test all the settings to ensure proper operation
• Check the stability and quality of the welding arc
• For machines with a water-cooled torch, inspect the water lines for damage and leaks
• Check the condition of the coolant in the water-cooling unit
• Inspect all electrical connections and cables for corrosion and damage

Purchasing a used welding machine is often a stressful experience but going through a reliable and trustworthy retailer like Red-D-Arc will take a lot of the stress out of the process.