[Speedyoldtruckdotcom]

Is a high-frequency arc stabilizer (i'm looking at one) going to lift the arc up for me if I get the tig torch close to the metal, or will I have to strike the arc and the tig stabilizer will just keep the arc more stabil and less likely to go out (requiring a re-strike)?

Can anyone suggest any good set-top boxes for a regular stick welder to make doing tig easier? I fab a lot of steel but want to get into aluminum.

[Littlered wagon]

Not sure what you mean by "lift the arc up for me", but anyway a high feq. function is designed to establish the arc w/o touching the base metal.As far as a box talk to a local weld shop an see what they suggest because I feel dedicated TIG welders are really the only way to go.

[Speedyoldtruckdotcom]

Originally posted by Littlered wagon
Not sure what you mean by "lift the arc up for me", but anyway a high feq. function is designed to establish the arc w/o touching the base metal.As far as a box talk to a local weld shop an see what they suggest because I feel dedicated TIG welders are really the only way to go.

By "lift the arc up for me" I mean establish an arc without me having to scratch-start the weld with the tig torch. No tungsten-to-welding surface contact.

I somewhat agree with you on the dedicated welder business, however my dad (whose garage I use) already has a descent stick power source (that I didn't have to pay any part of), and a set-top box would not only take up less garage space (which is already at a premium and I just added a huge 300 amp hobart mig) but right now I definitely can't afford the tig welder I really want to buy (a miller econotig)

[Littlered wagon]

What is the amperage of the stick machine because tig welding can push it to it's duty cycle pretty easy if you weld for any length of time also if you've only got a air cooled torch they get hot fast when you're doing aluminum.LOL