[Yoyodyne]

+1 on an old transformer machine if you can find one. My big machine is a Lincoln TIG 300/300 I bought new in 1977, it's still the best for very small welds, goes down to 2A, I welded a ball onto a broken off 4-40 screw this winter to back it out of it's hole, the hardest part was seeing it. And it goes up to 375A. Has never missed a beat in it's life. My everyday machine is a TIG 250/250 from the 80s because it runs quieter. You can buy both of those at giveaway prices and there is precious little to fail in them, no solid state and no circuit boards. Newer machines are nicer for aluminum because of square wave technology and pulsing for thin stuff, seriously consider square wave if you want to weld aluminum, it makes a good welder out of a mediocre one. Inverters are not necessary unless you want to carry it like a suitcase, and come with shorter lifespans and higher repair costs. +1 for a beltsander to sharpen tungstens, and get a quality helmet sooner or later. Get a small torch like a #9 air cooled or #20 water cooled, a big torch makes small work exhausting.