Flexibel_kampfe
Hopeful for building kart
So, is that inverter welder any good?
$50 Arc welder?
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Flexibel_kampfe
Hopeful for building kart
Or should I go with the AC/DC one? better duty cycle.. Plus the benefit of DC
devino246
Official DIYGK Chem Nerd
Arent they both DC? The cheaper welders are usually DC and the more expensive can put out AC.
Flexibel_kampfe
Hopeful for building kart
No, the cheap one is AC, the more expensive ones are either DC(Inverter) or AC/DC..
Flexibel_kampfe
Hopeful for building kart
Okay, well I should be going tommorrow: So general concensus: Flux Cored, or Stick... been reading alot of things on it, and it seems split 50/50...
So: HF Flux 90amp
OR
HF Stick 120amp
So: HF Flux 90amp
OR
HF Stick 120amp
Blazkowiez
Kart Aficionado
Stick is much more time consuming, flux core will be better for a beginner.
Bluethunder3320
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yeah, for kids its hard to get gas too, and may be a problem with mom or dad (yeah, my case there.)
it comes with a mask shade 10 that has a hande to hold it.
comes with 2lbs of wire (crappy wire but hey its free!)
slag hammer and wire brush
extra tip and tools (wrench, an extra screw)
so really its a win. all u do is plug it in and flip the switch right out of the box.
it comes with a mask shade 10 that has a hande to hold it.
comes with 2lbs of wire (crappy wire but hey its free!)
slag hammer and wire brush
extra tip and tools (wrench, an extra screw)
so really its a win. all u do is plug it in and flip the switch right out of the box.
Flexibel_kampfe
Hopeful for building kart
Okay well I got it... and welding is easier than I thought... albiet a slaggy mess, but I contribute that to the darned crap wire... I lost half the spool when it unraveled like a spring.. but I might have pulled the wrong side of the wire(I think so..)..
Now for the bad: Its easy to arc yourself, since the hot tip...
And on mine the Max doesnt work... so tommorrow I hope to return it for another.. And if that one fails, then its onto the arc welder...
But hey.. I got it for $80...(then I had to get another $70 worth of things... mask, piece of sheet metal(16 guage), gloves..)
I nearly burned my knee, when I felt something a tad warm land on me.. Then before that I turned my blue sweatshirt brown in a spot from the grinder... but that was my fault for standing in line with the grinder blade..
I can weld on a 10 shade, so thats good, its easier to see then I thought it would be..
So for now it looks like a slaggy mess.. tommorrow I will leverage it off, then grind it down(Wire brush) and make another attempt..
My father originally turned around and said no. But then after a heated discussion, he agreed.. he thought I was going to get an OA setup..
How do you guys keep people out when welding? I plan on posting a sign that says "Keep Out Welding"... but eventually someone is bound to get flashed(I told my mother not to look in the windows, or she might get flashed... she thought I meant I was going to drop my draws... lol... well then atleast i could get a full body sun tan.. or extra crispy nuggets... :O
Now for the bad: Its easy to arc yourself, since the hot tip...
And on mine the Max doesnt work... so tommorrow I hope to return it for another.. And if that one fails, then its onto the arc welder...
But hey.. I got it for $80...(then I had to get another $70 worth of things... mask, piece of sheet metal(16 guage), gloves..)
I nearly burned my knee, when I felt something a tad warm land on me.. Then before that I turned my blue sweatshirt brown in a spot from the grinder... but that was my fault for standing in line with the grinder blade..
I can weld on a 10 shade, so thats good, its easier to see then I thought it would be..
So for now it looks like a slaggy mess.. tommorrow I will leverage it off, then grind it down(Wire brush) and make another attempt..
My father originally turned around and said no. But then after a heated discussion, he agreed.. he thought I was going to get an OA setup..
How do you guys keep people out when welding? I plan on posting a sign that says "Keep Out Welding"... but eventually someone is bound to get flashed(I told my mother not to look in the windows, or she might get flashed... she thought I meant I was going to drop my draws... lol... well then atleast i could get a full body sun tan.. or extra crispy nuggets... :O
HAHAHA! I use the HF auto adjust mask so that you can wear it to do little tasks around the work area without worrying about flashing yourself. But the migs I use also go cold. As one of your first projects, get a thick piece of steel and some rod and weld up a stand with a little hook. About 3' tall with a side ways 'S' on top to hang the gun on. We use this to hold our arc welder lead. Better wire will give you better results but it is good to learn on the HF wire before learning on good stuff and doing projects. Try to salvage the spool and keep it when you go to return your welder so you get some extra wire to play with. The HF people aren't the slickest.
Bluethunder3320
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i wonder why max dosnt work. does it not weld? or weld at min?
get a different one but if you cant it shouldnt be hard to wire up a differnt switch, you know they make it cheap and have to sacrafice some thngs.
get a different one but if you cant it shouldnt be hard to wire up a differnt switch, you know they make it cheap and have to sacrafice some thngs.
devino246
Official DIYGK Chem Nerd
Flexibel_kampfe, I know you probably dont want to spend any more money, but the ground clamp that comes on those welders are pieces of $h!t. The $6 for this one is more than worth it. It'll make you weld aloth smoother.
Also, where did you get the 16ga. sheet metal? Lowe's?
If your having trouble with you mom looking through the windows, get some medium thickness black fabric and make some curtains that can be pulled over the windows when welding.
As for people walking up and getting flashed, make a sign that says, "Caution, Burned retnas beyond this point" or something similar. Ive gotten arc burn once, and thats something I never want again.
Also, where did you get the 16ga. sheet metal? Lowe's?
If your having trouble with you mom looking through the windows, get some medium thickness black fabric and make some curtains that can be pulled over the windows when welding.
As for people walking up and getting flashed, make a sign that says, "Caution, Burned retnas beyond this point" or something similar. Ive gotten arc burn once, and thats something I never want again.
Flexibel_kampfe
Hopeful for building kart
I got the sheet metal at Lowes... It was like finding a needle in a needle stack... THEIR people arent the slickest... never mind HF's...
Bluethunder3320
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there is one guy that works at my local HF.
and thats the register.
you may want to find somewhere to make a shop so you dont have to work outside, thats a bad thing in mid winter.
if i were you i wouldnt buy brand new pieces of metal that are wicked expensive.... i get ALL my stuff for free, scrap.
even look in your trash if your parents are throwing something out that can be sliced up and recycled.
yeah, i guess you can say i garbage pick, lol, not in the kitchen garbage, at least.
im going to get a different ground clamp and see if it makes a difference, cant right this second though.
im thinking about upgrading the gun because the trigger sucks it flinches on and off the motor sometimes and screws up my weld.
and thats the register.
you may want to find somewhere to make a shop so you dont have to work outside, thats a bad thing in mid winter.
if i were you i wouldnt buy brand new pieces of metal that are wicked expensive.... i get ALL my stuff for free, scrap.
even look in your trash if your parents are throwing something out that can be sliced up and recycled.
yeah, i guess you can say i garbage pick, lol, not in the kitchen garbage, at least.
im going to get a different ground clamp and see if it makes a difference, cant right this second though.
im thinking about upgrading the gun because the trigger sucks it flinches on and off the motor sometimes and screws up my weld.
devino246
Official DIYGK Chem Nerd
For future purposes, get your metal at somewhere besides Lowe's. There metal prices are outrageous.
r97
Measure twice cut once
pics of welds?
people avoid the garage around my house when the lights start dimming, lol.
make sure your not welding galvanized metal.
get some 1/8"x1" flat bar, and practice welding them together, then trying to brake them.
people avoid the garage around my house when the lights start dimming, lol.
make sure your not welding galvanized metal.
get some 1/8"x1" flat bar, and practice welding them together, then trying to brake them.
Flexibel_kampfe
Hopeful for building kart
Blue: Im not welding outside... I cleared a spot on my bench, that I am welding on... got a few nice little burn marks in it.. but oh well... as long as it doesnt catch fire(sawdust is mostly wiped off...) I use the garage... it has tons of electrical sockets...
Dev: I only went there, because I wanted a piece to practice on, and my brother was pitching a fit... Im pretty sure it wasnt galvanzed, because it was oilly, and had a few spots of what looked like rust.. It was a 6x18.. I got it for $7... blown through a few times.. but my beads look like a bird crapped on it... still working out the Speed:Temp ratio on it....
R97: Give me a day... I dont want to be embarrased yet! Sheetmetal was all I could find...
Is welding a little galvy okay? I think I welded some pipe that was galvanized.. I had it sitting around from an old garage hanger(you know those things you hang your hoses on, and some times your bikes... I did that when I re-did the garage... went from garbage dumpster to nice area... as long as we dont have fish that week..(garbage cans..) Of course I didnt think of that at the time.. I am a tad achy..
Are the fumes harmful? I kinda breathed a bit of fumes... until I figured out that it was okay to open the garage door..
My welds are pretty strong.... although not pretty... I took a regular hammer, and beat it as hard as possible.. but it wouldnt break... it bent.. I then tack welded that piece down, and couldnt leverage it up... I then welded the pipe to it(it looks like modern art) and couldnt break it off.. I then angle cut it... still no breakage... So I think the strength is good..
I am going to have my other family members try it... its fun... but I do fear I will have a tan line around my neck...
Also, I found nylon shoes melt... So I do believe work boots are in order tommorrow.. lest I be left with crispy feet....
As I go I am sure Ill get better.. I just keep doing the strokes in circles... But I am sure they will look better after I get some real wire...
I for the love of me couldnt get "stacked dimes" though... I got bird scat....
Dev: I only went there, because I wanted a piece to practice on, and my brother was pitching a fit... Im pretty sure it wasnt galvanzed, because it was oilly, and had a few spots of what looked like rust.. It was a 6x18.. I got it for $7... blown through a few times.. but my beads look like a bird crapped on it... still working out the Speed:Temp ratio on it....
R97: Give me a day... I dont want to be embarrased yet! Sheetmetal was all I could find...
Is welding a little galvy okay? I think I welded some pipe that was galvanized.. I had it sitting around from an old garage hanger(you know those things you hang your hoses on, and some times your bikes... I did that when I re-did the garage... went from garbage dumpster to nice area... as long as we dont have fish that week..(garbage cans..) Of course I didnt think of that at the time.. I am a tad achy..
Are the fumes harmful? I kinda breathed a bit of fumes... until I figured out that it was okay to open the garage door..
My welds are pretty strong.... although not pretty... I took a regular hammer, and beat it as hard as possible.. but it wouldnt break... it bent.. I then tack welded that piece down, and couldnt leverage it up... I then welded the pipe to it(it looks like modern art) and couldnt break it off.. I then angle cut it... still no breakage... So I think the strength is good..
I am going to have my other family members try it... its fun... but I do fear I will have a tan line around my neck...
Also, I found nylon shoes melt... So I do believe work boots are in order tommorrow.. lest I be left with crispy feet....
As I go I am sure Ill get better.. I just keep doing the strokes in circles... But I am sure they will look better after I get some real wire...
I for the love of me couldnt get "stacked dimes" though... I got bird scat....
Bluethunder3320
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you need to grind the galvanized metal and get better wire.
i repeat the wire it comes with is CRAP
as for family members trying it... my dad has tried it but my mom probably wont.....
oh and get this my grandma said she would give it a try when she comes up next time. !!!
i repeat the wire it comes with is CRAP
as for family members trying it... my dad has tried it but my mom probably wont.....
oh and get this my grandma said she would give it a try when she comes up next time. !!!
Flexibel_kampfe
Hopeful for building kart
I know the wire is awful.. but its good to practice on the free roll, rather than the $15 1lb roll...
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