i wana buy this welder

[go kart mozart]

has anybody used this welder before i need input!!
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=55060
im a first time welder and i dont have an accesable 220v outlet
:confused:

[GoAlterBridge]

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44567
If you have the money, get that; It's what I have. I know a lot of people (generally) don't think much of the low-cost, smaller welders, But they do alright.

[AutoMX]

the dual voltage HF arc welders usually have a 30amp breaker at 110v so its not nearly pulling all the power it can at 220v. the wire feed in the other link would be way more suggested, i got mine for $80 on sale. only $5 more than my arc welder at $75.
meanwhile the wire itself lasts much longer than the rods.

[Kenny_McCormic]

If your gonna go stick, go all the way with a 220volt 200+ amp unit. The only option I recommend to people who dont have a 50 amp outlet are the little gas less wirefeed units. They weld the stuff you encounter in cart building fine. The stick welder you linked to wont make the full 140 on 110volts.

Go with a cheap fluxcore wire welder.

[oscaryu1]

If you do plan on getting that fluxcore, go to Home Depot and buy some decent Lincoln Electric welding wire. I could see a instant improvement when I switched from the china wire.

[GoAlterBridge]

If you do plan on getting that fluxcore, go to Home Depot and buy some decent Lincoln Electric welding wire. I could see a instant improvement when I switched from the china wire.

Yeah, same here. I was like "Whooaaa.... those are some decent welds." When I switched to a new spool. The only thing I didn't like about it was that it had half the wire on the spool that HF had.
Still good though.

[johnboggs21]

If you do plan on getting that fluxcore, go to Home Depot and buy some decent Lincoln Electric welding wire. I could see a instant improvement when I switched from the china wire.

:iagree: :iagree:

Ive bin down that road before. i did buy the lincoln electric wire at sears for like 15 dollars. the improvement was crazy.

[jr dragster Tyler]

If you do plan on getting that fluxcore, go to Home Depot and buy some decent Lincoln Electric welding wire. I could see a instant improvement when I switched from the china wire.
Hmm and who do you give the credit too?

[modelengineer]

Welder looks a bit dodgy. Duty cycle of 15% at 65 amps. That means that at 140 amps you would have a very small duty cycle (funny how they don't give you the duty cycle at 140 amps). This WILL be a problem, believe me.

[oscaryu1]

Hmm and who do you give the credit too?

Durrr, me? :roflol:

Just kidding, Tayler o' course. :sifone:

[sayre315]

i just got the little 90 amp flux wire welder
its pretty good
i've been welding 1/4'' stuff just fine
but if you go stick
get one of those lincoln 225v 225amp stick welders
there are alot of them around
i've seen em everywhere on craigslist for about $100-$150

[go kart mozart]

ive heard bad things about fluxcore
will it hold up to heavy duty stuff?

[Kenny_McCormic]

Define heavy duty, you can do anything cart related.

[go kart mozart]

thanks guys but im jus gonna start with oxyacetalene and learn 2 braise. i found a cheap set at lowes near my house for $50its just disposable tanks of oxy and map gas there like $7 a piece
:cheers2:

[Kenny_McCormic]

You cant do large things like a cart at any reasonable amount of money with disposable tanks, those little sets probably dont get hot enough to braze a cart frame anyways. Save some more money and get a flux core welder or a 230amp stick welder($100 used).

[fluxcored]

You'll waste your time with that set and Kenny's right - it's gonna cost you more in the long run and from your description it does'nt sound like it's worth the investment in money and time.

Plus, brazing is a forgotten art and starts with proper joint design, fitup and prep - otherwise you'll lose a lot of strength and your kart'll fall apart on the first bump. There's a myth out there that MIG, brazing, stick is easy - it's easy to start off but real difficult to get expert in - nothing in this or at least my life is easy.

I regularly do OA and pay thro my teeth to maintain my set coz the versatility of OA cannot be beaten in my opinion but honestly I think you gonna hit a brick wall with that set.

But I've been known to be wrong and I hope I did'nt come on too strong, sir and best of luck.

You do know that brazing rods are more expensive than arc rods and they go just as fast?

[Kenny_McCormic]

The only thing brazing is good for is cast iron because its a ***** to weld. You can weld steel with oxy and a coat hanger but it takes more than a disposable tank setup and it takes about the same skill as TIG welding.

[go kart mozart]

ok thanks guys
yeah i got the braising kit only cus i wanted to try doin body work and stuff. Works pretty good on sheet metal and stuff.

next im gonna go arc and then ill try fluxcore. my buddys got all the different types of welders so he lets me try em.

Definitely gonna get an arc welder tho

:cheers2:

[Kenny_McCormic]

A 230amp AC stick welder is the best bang for your buck welder out there, keep the fan oiled, follow the duty cycle and it will last forever.

[go kart mozart]

did i mention im REALLY cheap

[SpyGuy]

I'm also in the market for a welding setup. I've never done any welding before, but I hear the wire-feed electrics are pretty good. Can anyone give me a good one to start with? I don't have access to a 220v, so I was thinking a small 110v setup would be good. I'm just going to be using it for small projects, like pocketbike repair.

[Kenny_McCormic]

A cheap $100ish fluxcore wire feed unit from a tool sale/harbor freight would be fine for you, just watch that duty cycle and use high quality brand name wire.

[SpyGuy]

Thanks, appreciate that. There have been a lot of things I've wanted to do, but I never learned to weld, so this will be a first for me. I've heard from several people that wire-welding is fairly easy, now I just need to pick up a rig and do some.

[Kenny_McCormic]

The flux core unit is very easy to learn. Once you figure out the settings its pretty much point and shoot. Buy the best mask you can afford.

[SpyGuy]

Point and shoot ... that's what I'm looking for, lol. Yes, a good mask and gloves are a must. Thanks for the help.

[KingCobra]

has anybody used this welder before i need input!!
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=55060
im a first time welder and i dont have an accesable 220v outlet
:confused: I say go 4 it!I looked at it at my local Harbor Freight and liked the system and set up! I have a Sears 120v mig welder that I have been using for 10 years and all I have replaced are shielded 1 lb. spools of .030 wire. I have successfully welded 1/4" with settings on high. 3/16 is a snap though. YES, that welder should perform as well as mine does. I paid $200 for mine 10 years ago.

[KingCobra]

While you are at H.F., get the auto solar helmet. My setting is on 9 and I love the fact that I don't flip my lid :D anymore! YES, cheap auto helmets work. Paid $49 for mine.Worth a million to me though. Scott Ooooooooops. I see now that it is a STICK welder. Me and stick welders don't get along!!!! Go to MIG if you can. Not much more money either and very nice welds and no 'STICK' sticking! Migs are a dream to use!

[Kenny_McCormic]

Stick welding is the only way to weld heavy duty stuff! There are rods that make stick almost as easy as fluxcore. 7014 comes to mind, flux burns too cold for the arc to peel it back on the rod, it automatically holds proper arc length, scratch and drag.

[KingCobra]

I have been practicing with my Craftsman 120 v. Arc welder and find that it gets easier if you are on a higher than normal setting or the tip of the stick gets hot from sticking enough times LOL. I like my stick welder and will continue to practice. Them 120 volt systems are hard to kick start. I will soon buy a 230 v. from my buddy. I am sure things will click then. But for now, you need the setting higher than normal to arc easier. Yes, they work once you learn the settings. BTW, I did pay $99 for it at Sears 10 years ago also.

[Kenny_McCormic]

If you want to get into stick welding a 230 amp unit is the only way to go. The sears fluxcore welders are now some crazy price last I checked.

[rhytonen]

Buy a Chinese TIG off eBay, but shun the 110v and the combo (+plasma) units.

I got very lucky (knock knock) with an orange Hutai brand 220v/200a/pulse machine for $350. (but the seller hid the brand name until I got the welder and could read it on the case.) Although the workmanship inside is obviously cheap, I baby it (lives in the house until needed,) and I've never had it shut down during kart work (which is sporadic, and all I do.) It would probably not be acceptable for a pro using it every day on jobs.

If your house will support a clothes dryer you have a 220v line readily available. ALL electric service is at least a 220v (i.e., 2-phase, split into two 110v circuits) line. Learn about it. On every (at least 220v) welder you need to choose, buy and install a plug anyway. They usually come without one, just a bare wire. IMO 110v welders just aren't stable enough, even though you may not need the extra current for kart work. Of course an expensive welder, like the vastly preferable small Miller machines, will also be stable at 110v, but they're well over $1K.

TIG welding is so clean, precise and confined, that you can safely do it on your kitchen or dining room table.

(- of course you wouldn't, as it also involves lots of grinding, filing, fitting and cutting of metal beforehand...) And once you weld your piece it's usually VERY hot. But the "arc" itself is tiny, contained in a gas (you need argon) envelope, and soooo precise. There are NO sparks or slag with TIG.

[modelengineer]

I'm about to purchase an AC/DC 200 amp TIG machine (made in China) but from a local company. I'm going for one of the IGBT machines (as opposed to the more common and cheaper MOSFET machines), because of the apparent increase in reliability and they're cheaper to repair if they do fail.

I'd be a bit wary of buying a machine from e-bay. Even if they offer a warranty you don't know if the seller is going to disappear at any moment, and any warranty claims require you to freight the machine to the seller (at your cost) leaving you without a machine for some time.

Though here in Australia an American made machine isn't really an option, seeing as a Lincoln machine of the same specs as the chinese machine I'm buying is close to $7,000 AUD, and the chinese one is less than $2,000 and looks just as good.

[Kenny_McCormic]

You can find em used here in the states for less than a few hundred. Does the Chinese unit weigh as much as the Lincoln? Is it a copper wire transformer?

[pmat]

i just got the little 90 amp flux wire welder
its pretty good
i've been welding 1/4'' stuff just fine
but if you go stick
get one of those lincoln 225v 225amp stick welders
there are alot of them around
i've seen em everywhere on craigslist for about $100-$150
i have one and it is amazing... anyone looking for a stick welder should get one

[porsche930dude]

beware flux core wire is super expensive compared to plain gas wire. i have a licoln 100 use it weekly for 9 years no problems 75% argon 25%co2