Jump to content

School me on Welders, might buy one....


Billiumss

Recommended Posts

Hi guys,

 

I'm thinking of buying a small welder to do light duty stuff, up to 1/8" thick.

 

I saw this in the latest Harbor Freight Ad, they one for $89.99 plus I can use a 20% coupon on top of it. 90 Amp Flux Wire Welder

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=98871

 

I do have some experience welding but very far from a pro, just want something to do light stuff and to learn. Would this work for what I need to do?

 

Any info or suggestions would be appreciated!

 

Thanks,

 

Bill

Link to comment
Share on other sites

this is one of those cases where you get what you pay for. I have used one of these welders and they are garbage. Find yourself a 100 series lincoln wire feed and do a gas conversion kit.

 

Hi guys,

 

I'm thinking of buying a small welder to do light duty stuff, up to 1/8" thick.

 

I saw this in the latest Harbor Freight Ad, they one for $89.99 plus I can use a 20% coupon on top of it. 90 Amp Flux Wire Welder

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=98871

 

I do have some experience welding but very far from a pro, just want something to do light stuff and to learn. Would this work for what I need to do?

 

Any info or suggestions would be appreciated!

 

Thanks,

 

Bill

Link to comment
Share on other sites

this is one of those cases where you get what you pay for. I have used one of these welders and they are garbage. Find yourself a 100 series lincoln wire feed and do a gas conversion kit.

 

+1

 

If you want to become a decent welder, you need to learn with a decent tool and that is not one. I can hold my own MIG welding and I couldn't imagine learning on a flux core welder anyway, next to impossible to make nice work. Invest in a smaller gas feed MIG.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Inner shield core blows. The shit welders wont feed the wire well the will always be sticking the wire in the nozzle everything you weld will look like shit with the inner shield.

Flux core is different than inner shield. Flux core uses a combination of a shielding gas and a inner flux. It works great on surfaces that are to dirty for solid wire. It is used with the bigger mig machines using a .035 or .045 wire. You can really lay the wire down with it.

So what you need is a solid wire gas shielded machine. Get a decent lincoln with gas shielding.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

+1

 

If you want to become a decent welder, you need to learn with a decent tool and that is not one. I can hold my own MIG welding and I couldn't imagine learning on a flux core welder anyway, next to impossible to make nice work. Invest in a smaller gas feed MIG.

 

Inner shield core blows. The shit welders wont feed the wire well the will always be sticking the wire in the nozzle everything you weld will look like shit with the inner shield.

Flux core is different than inner shield. Flux core uses a combination of a shielding gas and a inner flux. It works great on surfaces that are to dirty for solid wire. It is used with the bigger mig machines using a .035 or .045 wire. You can really lay the wire down with it.

So what you need is a solid wire gas shielded machine. Get a decent lincoln with gas shielding.

 

Shows how much I know, I didn't realize there were two differnet ways of having a non-solid wire.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I picked up the Lincoln 175 HD before they quit making it/changed models. They sold in Home Depot, Lowes etc for about $400. I think they now have a 180 model or something out there.

 

VERY nice welder for a beginner, or someone with just the basic knowledge (like me). Easily able to do 1/8" material, in fact it would be over kill,... but, buy bigger than you think you'll need.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

if your worried about price get a used lincoln or miller from CL or a some that services them.

 

I welded stainless steel 20ga-1/4" for a company here in town before I switched to my current job. I would deff. recommend gas assist. Mig is ok, but i prefer tig (much cleaner weld/lower temp/easier to do once you get familiar with it [than arc imo])

Something around 150-200amps would be ideal.

 

Heres one on craigslist, alot more $ than the cheapo form Harber Freight but its a decent welder and already has everything you need

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...