Welder questions...opinions. ..MIG DISCUSSION

Jeger · **Posted:** Thu Feb 22, 2007 12:27 pm

I was browsing around harbor freights website and found this:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D ... mber=91811

It is the first tig welder I have seen in this price range, here's the specs:

Designed for TIG and Arc welding applications. Includes TIG torch, ARC torch, ARC welding electrode holder, grounding clamp, gas hose, shoulder strap and carrying handle.
Overheat LED light
Adjustable control knob
Input voltage: 220 volt , 18 amps, single phase, DC output amperage: 130 (TIG), 90 (ARC), Rated duty cycle: 35% @ 130 amps, 6 ft. 2 in; Electrodes: 1/16'' tungsten (for best results); TIG torch, 9 ft. 1 in. ARC torch, Overall dimensions: 14-3/4" L x 5-1/8" W x 6-7/8" H; Weight: 17 lbs.

ITEM 91811-5VGA

$259.99

I am kind of partial to tig welding and this seems like it would be great for lots of projects.

Does this sound like a decent little welder? 17LBs seems awfully light...but I am used to much bigger welders I suppose.

And finally, would it be possible to add a wire feed/MIG kit to this and just use it as a power supply?

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Thu Feb 22, 2007 1:01 pm

I don't know if it's still for sale, but the guy who I get my welding supplies has a real nice 120v miller tig unit for sale for $800 I can ask him if it's still available (he was selling it for someone who is retired in florida, but the thing looks brand new. I think that it needed something minor, but the price was good from what I remember...)

If you want me to look into it, I should be seeing him soon to pick up my MIG and Plasma (thread to follow)
-Mark

Jeger · **Posted:** Thu Feb 22, 2007 1:18 pm

I would be....but I dont have that kind of cash

Thanks anyhow though.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Thu Feb 22, 2007 1:29 pm

I do not have any experience with welders - however I have some experience with Harbor Freight - and I have great confidence buying things I will use once maybe twice - something noncritical.

If it's critical or I intend to use it long term - my minimum is Sears Craftsman, the quality makes up for the price if you really use the tools.

pixeldzn · **Posted:** Thu Feb 22, 2007 1:34 pm

I completely agree.

I buy things at harbor freight like tarps or bungie cords or spare tools for stowing away in the back of the jeep.

I have known people who love thier power tools becuase they can beat the crap out of them in 2 or 3 uses and buy another. I've even seen people buy 2 or 3 of thier cordless drills in one shot, becuase they know they won't last long. I'll stick with my Bosch, thank you very much.

I however have been tempted to purchase one of thier welders too, becuase I wanna give it a shot but don't wanna have too much invested if I find out I am awful at it.

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Thu Feb 22, 2007 1:42 pm

I have had good luck w/ most of their electrical or air powered tools but not so much w/ their hand tools. When it comes to welders, you usually get what you pay for but it might be good for a few small projects. You can always buy their extended warranty and keep exchanging it when it craps out.

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Thu Feb 22, 2007 1:47 pm

I saw advertised in one of the offroad magazines a TIG setup that runs off the alternator. I wonder if you could get a Lincoln stick setup for $250 and hook up the tig torch to work with it? I understand that a stick welders main difference to a TIG is the torch...
-Mark

BCool · **Posted:** Thu Feb 22, 2007 1:48 pm

TIG: .024” to .118”; ARC: .024” to .197” This is the material thickness that they publish, doesn't seem like it would be enough for alot of applications, but i'm not a welder.

Eddo · **Joined:** Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1214

I wouldn't buy a HF welder. Go for a Hobart, Lincoln, Miller, Clarke. Welding requires some skill, but skill aside a cheap HF welder will be more difficult to weld with and produce less quality welds.

Plus even if you decide that a welder is not for you, a name brand/quality unit will be easier to sell for a good price. Also, its much easier to find parts for name brand welders than the cheap HF.

Jeger · **Posted:** Thu Feb 22, 2007 2:06 pm

Eddo wrote:

I wouldn't buy a HF welder. Go for a Hobart, Lincoln, Miller, Clarke. Welding requires some skill, but skill aside a cheap HF welder will be more difficult to weld with and produce less quality welds.

Plus even if you decide that a welder is not for you, a name brand/quality unit will be easier to sell for a good price. Also, its much easier to find parts for name brand welders than the cheap HF.

I suppose thats good advice...Im not worried about my welding skills, I think I will get at least a passing grade in that department...

Fact is I really wont have much time to use a welder for my projects. I might be able to get away with a lesser unit since it wont get used very often anyhow. Heck I bet my wife would use it more than me, she really wants to get into using metal in her artwork, and a tig is perfect for that stuff.

G-funk · **Posted:** Thu Feb 22, 2007 2:07 pm

since I work as a welder I'm kinda spoiled by using a 600 amp tig source

I would say you should go to a welding supply store talk to someone about the kind of fab work you want to do and save your money until you can get the rite machine. one thing you don't want to do is buy some thing too small and burn it up, the cost of repairing welders can get crazy realy fast. I wouldn't buy anything smaller than a 150 amp DC unit if you are going to stick with steel. If you plan on doing any ac aluminum welding you need more power. or if you want to get into anything more exotic than stainless you'll want to spend some money to get the fine adjust ment. I have used Hobart, Miller, Linclon, ESAB, Clarke, C&H, and a number of other power sources. If I had to pick I would go with the big three Miller, Linclon, ESAB, they all have pretty good customer service and warrenty. Hobart is a good option if you want to save some money, they're basicly a Miller painted a different color with a little less warrenty and options. I would go for an ESAB if you are looking for a dedicated GTAW (TIG) machine.

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Thu Feb 22, 2007 2:38 pm

... or look for a local welder repair shop. Anywhere that isn't a huge franchise will inevitably have used equipment that they have purchased off of someone who didn't want to pay the repair bill, and you can get stuff cheap, or they will have customers selling used equipment cheap. Just make sure that you bring some scrap metal to test the equipment on before you fork over some $$$ on something that doesn't work well.
-Mark

1300ZUK · **Posted:** Thu Feb 22, 2007 2:51 pm

if you aren't planning on doing alot with a welder.

I'd recommend taking a Welding class at a community college and get to know the instructors.

If you are nice they will let you bring projects in, and you get to learn how to weld, etc.

and sometimes they sell their used equipment to students at a nice price

Jeger · **Posted:** Thu Feb 22, 2007 3:05 pm

I will look into the used equipment market for sure, there are a few welding supply places around. Thats a good tip.

I did all the welding for the machine shop I used to work at for the last two years I was there. Im not real good with stick welding but I do alright with MIG & TIG and can do some aluminum as well (not real pretty..but functional). I have access to a Miller Syncrowave 300 here at work, but it would be nice to have something at the house.

If anyone has any experience with any Harbor Freight welders I would still like to hear it.

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Thu Feb 22, 2007 3:16 pm

I'll second that, I don't know of anyone who has purchased a HF welder.

I do know a few people who have purchased a decent lincoln MIG from home deopt, and have been happy with them.
-Mark

BCool · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 5:54 pm

what about gas welding that seems to be inexpensive.

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 6:33 pm

BCool wrote:

what about gas welding that seems to be inexpensive.

Do you mean brazing?

The initial cost of the equipment (a decent set of torches) is over $250 which is what a decent 120/240VAC MIG would run you.... not to mention the two tanks of gas.

(Unless you're not talking about brazing.... then i'll go and chew on my shoe)
-Mark

BCool · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 6:35 pm

I was, but I was looking at the cheap harbor freight stuff. It is 100 bucks without tanks.

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 6:37 pm

That's not a bad price for torches, but I don't know how much I would trust the seals with pure oxygen :shock:

OzLtd · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:14 pm

Jeger, I know you like Tig and it is one of the best types of weld, but as far as i've seen, TIG is for experts only. Its a real craftmans' craft, and you dont have a spare hand to hold things whilst trying to tac on before doing a complete weld.

Regular ARC (stick) is simple and has one of the strongest welds as you control the pool of weld and how much you want of it there. ARC is a really good way and has the most simple setup - like mobile phones, technology has made them small, lightweight and cheap - easy to carry around in the car.

Welder questions...opinions. ..MIG DISCUSSION

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