I looked at the machines that just tig and I agree with you that the tig/stick seems to be the way to go. If I have my choice I will tig it if I can, just don't trust what they put in the coatings on those welding rods but I guess as long as I've been breathing it now is not the time to start worrying about it, but there are times that you need to stick weld something heavy. Did you get the dual voltage 200dx and does it have the new type of foot pedal. I saw on the 2013 review of the 200dx that they changed it to where you set the max amps at the machine and when you have the pedal depressed all the way you get those amps and as you let off on the pedal the amps go down as you pull out. I have never used a machine where the pedal set the amps and over rode the panel but I guess it is what you get used to, I used a tig torch with a slide control for years and when it broke the gave me a new one with a thumb wheel and I hated it took me months to get used to it. Thanks in advance for any feedback on the machines, Ed.