Opinion on welder...
03-20-2010, 03:26 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: South Louisiana
Posts: 846
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Opinion on welder...
I need ya'll opinion on this welder from Harbor Freight. Chicago Electric MIG 115 volt 90 amp. The way I see it is it's not like I'll use it to build a roll cage or anything. Just some bumpers and a few projects here and there...
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...=292&pricetype=
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...=292&pricetype=
03-20-2010, 03:55 PM
#2
Caracticus Potts The Mod
I had a friend give me one like that..............(don't know where he got it)
I use a Millermatic 260HL on the job.
This unit you show is a "real" light weight, serious welding is far from it's reach.,and if you don't weld everyday for a living or for yourself , you will find the thing fustrating to use. The head heat up to quickly and it causes the wire to stick in the gun. Does do spot welds but that is pretty much all.
Oh just my opinion.
I use a Millermatic 260HL on the job.
This unit you show is a "real" light weight, serious welding is far from it's reach.,and if you don't weld everyday for a living or for yourself , you will find the thing fustrating to use. The head heat up to quickly and it causes the wire to stick in the gun. Does do spot welds but that is pretty much all.
Oh just my opinion.
03-20-2010, 04:06 PM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: South Louisiana
Posts: 846
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I had a friend give me one like that..............(don't know where he got it)
I use a Millermatic 260HL on the job.
This unit you show is a "real" light weight, serious welding is far from it's reach.,and if you don't weld everyday for a living or for yourself , you will find the thing fustrating to use. The head heat up to quickly and it causes the wire to stick in the gun. Does do spot welds but that is pretty much all.
Oh just my opinion.
I use a Millermatic 260HL on the job.
This unit you show is a "real" light weight, serious welding is far from it's reach.,and if you don't weld everyday for a living or for yourself , you will find the thing fustrating to use. The head heat up to quickly and it causes the wire to stick in the gun. Does do spot welds but that is pretty much all.
Oh just my opinion.
03-20-2010, 04:14 PM
#4
Caracticus Potts The Mod
Hobart makes a good 115 volt mig/flux welder for home owner use, I think its model number500525 but not sure. It works well, and even a novice can weld like a pro with it. It is a good unit. I don't know much about catalog sales , but I know that Tractor supply and Home depot carry this unit.
03-20-2010, 04:27 PM
#5
CF Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 2,237
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
Year: 90
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I have the HF welder pictured(well the older version of it)...
If you use it for what it is and realize and respect it limits it works just fine.
I have welded 2 x 2 x 1/4 square tubing with it. Just fine.
The two biggest things to remember with it..
A. clean metal.. it doesn't have the power to burn through alot of crap on the steel so where you are laying the bead needs to be pretty clean for good welds.
B. Speed... you have to go slow when welding thick material
I have run almost 6 lbs of wire through mine now.. and it has never failed to weld. If you let the wire get some corrosion on it the feed will slip at times, but its light years ahead of the piece of garbage Lincoln 110v that I had. And no I'm not a welder by trade.. just another hack who likes melting metal together for fun.
Some pics of the projects welded with this welder....
A cart for it to ride on....
A rear tire carrier that holds a 33 incher on a steel wheel(85 lbs. or so)
Roof rack for my old XJ that held a 31 inch tire....
If you use it for what it is and realize and respect it limits it works just fine.
I have welded 2 x 2 x 1/4 square tubing with it. Just fine.
The two biggest things to remember with it..
A. clean metal.. it doesn't have the power to burn through alot of crap on the steel so where you are laying the bead needs to be pretty clean for good welds.
B. Speed... you have to go slow when welding thick material
I have run almost 6 lbs of wire through mine now.. and it has never failed to weld. If you let the wire get some corrosion on it the feed will slip at times, but its light years ahead of the piece of garbage Lincoln 110v that I had. And no I'm not a welder by trade.. just another hack who likes melting metal together for fun.
Some pics of the projects welded with this welder....
A cart for it to ride on....
A rear tire carrier that holds a 33 incher on a steel wheel(85 lbs. or so)
Roof rack for my old XJ that held a 31 inch tire....
03-20-2010, 04:30 PM
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: South Louisiana
Posts: 846
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Hobart makes a good 115 volt mig/flux welder for home owner use, I think its model number500525 but not sure. It works well, and even a novice can weld like a pro with it. It is a good unit. I don't know much about catalog sales , but I know that Tractor supply and Home depot carry this unit.
Trending Topics
03-20-2010, 04:33 PM
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: South Louisiana
Posts: 846
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I have the HF welder pictured(well the older version of it)...
If you use it for what it is and realize and respect it limits it works just fine.
I have welded 2 x 2 x 1/4 square tubing with it. Just fine.
The two biggest things to remember with it..
A. clean metal.. it doesn't have the power to burn through alot of crap on the steel so where you are laying the bead needs to be pretty clean for good welds.
B. Speed... you have to go slow when welding thick material
I have run almost 6 lbs of wire through mine now.. and it has never failed to weld. If you let the wire get some corrosion on it the feed will slip at times, but its light years ahead of the piece of garbage Lincoln 110v that I had. And no I'm not a welder by trade.. just another hack who likes melting metal together for fun.
Some pics of the projects welded with this welder....
A cart for it to ride on....
A rear tire carrier that holds a 33 incher on a steel wheel(85 lbs. or so)
Roof rack for my old XJ that held a 31 inch tire....
If you use it for what it is and realize and respect it limits it works just fine.
I have welded 2 x 2 x 1/4 square tubing with it. Just fine.
The two biggest things to remember with it..
A. clean metal.. it doesn't have the power to burn through alot of crap on the steel so where you are laying the bead needs to be pretty clean for good welds.
B. Speed... you have to go slow when welding thick material
I have run almost 6 lbs of wire through mine now.. and it has never failed to weld. If you let the wire get some corrosion on it the feed will slip at times, but its light years ahead of the piece of garbage Lincoln 110v that I had. And no I'm not a welder by trade.. just another hack who likes melting metal together for fun.
Some pics of the projects welded with this welder....
A cart for it to ride on....
A rear tire carrier that holds a 33 incher on a steel wheel(85 lbs. or so)
Roof rack for my old XJ that held a 31 inch tire....
03-20-2010, 05:52 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Grand Haven, Michigan
Posts: 922
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Year: 1998, 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Duty cycle: 10% @ 80 amps, 18% @ 60 amps
Numbers off the add above... not too impressive! How bout' a Craigslist Lincoln or something you can run gas on? Gas, very, very Nice!
Numbers off the add above... not too impressive! How bout' a Craigslist Lincoln or something you can run gas on? Gas, very, very Nice!
03-20-2010, 05:57 PM
#11
CF Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Indianola IOWA
Posts: 2,059
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Year: 1992
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
just go get a hobart(made my miller) handler 180 or something comparible. northern sells them and it will do 99% of what ever you want including heavier stuff. a welder is one thing not to cheap out on
03-20-2010, 07:01 PM
#12
CF Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: West Deptford, NJ
Posts: 1,839
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes
on
7 Posts
Year: 97
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
not if you know how to weld. i can weld flux and make it so you would have a hard time telling the difference on the surface. may not penetrate as deep without preheating but for what you wanna do you'd be good.its all about getting your machine and control dialed
03-20-2010, 07:10 PM
#13
CF Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Indianola IOWA
Posts: 2,059
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Year: 1992
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
cant diss flux core to bad. you can get better penatration with flux on a 110 that you can with mild steel wire and gas.
again 220. exspecially if your just learning to weld
again 220. exspecially if your just learning to weld
03-20-2010, 07:14 PM
#14
CF Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northern Vermont
Posts: 1,671
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Year: '89
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 242
I have the HF welder pictured(well the older version of it)...
If you use it for what it is and realize and respect it limits it works just fine.
I have welded 2 x 2 x 1/4 square tubing with it. Just fine.
The two biggest things to remember with it..
A. clean metal.. it doesn't have the power to burn through alot of crap on the steel so where you are laying the bead needs to be pretty clean for good welds.
B. Speed... you have to go slow when welding thick material
I have run almost 6 lbs of wire through mine now.. and it has never failed to weld. If you let the wire get some corrosion on it the feed will slip at times, but its light years ahead of the piece of garbage Lincoln 110v that I had. And no I'm not a welder by trade.. just another hack who likes melting metal together for fun.
Some pics of the projects welded with this welder....
A cart for it to ride on....
A rear tire carrier that holds a 33 incher on a steel wheel(85 lbs. or so)
Roof rack for my old XJ that held a 31 inch tire....
If you use it for what it is and realize and respect it limits it works just fine.
I have welded 2 x 2 x 1/4 square tubing with it. Just fine.
The two biggest things to remember with it..
A. clean metal.. it doesn't have the power to burn through alot of crap on the steel so where you are laying the bead needs to be pretty clean for good welds.
B. Speed... you have to go slow when welding thick material
I have run almost 6 lbs of wire through mine now.. and it has never failed to weld. If you let the wire get some corrosion on it the feed will slip at times, but its light years ahead of the piece of garbage Lincoln 110v that I had. And no I'm not a welder by trade.. just another hack who likes melting metal together for fun.
Some pics of the projects welded with this welder....
A cart for it to ride on....
A rear tire carrier that holds a 33 incher on a steel wheel(85 lbs. or so)
Roof rack for my old XJ that held a 31 inch tire....
Nice Work!
Cant wait to start fab'n myself. nothing crazy like a cage, tho.......yet
03-20-2010, 07:24 PM
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: South Louisiana
Posts: 846
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Thanks guys! Yeah I really don't wanna cheap out cuz I want it last. My dad's stick welder is probably 20 years old and still kickin! That's what we used on my rack but I don't really wanna dump $800 on that right now! My cousin has a mig that I may start practicing with