Folks Of Interest Magic Welder?

This should probably go in the Garage Journal but here goes. I get up between 4-5 most morning and this morning I'm on Facebook and this random ad comes up for the Saker Portable Welder. It shows this magic machine laying down some unbelievable welds that resemble the best Tig job. Is this thing for real or just a clever sales video? Says plugs into a 110 volt outlet. Priced a little over $100. is it worth the gamble or is there something hidden? If it does what it shows it would be a great addition to a hot rod builders shop. Anyone have experience with this gizmo?

 

You get what you pay for. Don't think anything more really needs to be said.

 

It looks much too good. If it looked basically just OK, then it'd be more believable. I'm not buying, I'll just keep grinding down my strong, but ugly welds.

 

Would love to know if anyone has used one, was a video included? I recently tagged along with the wife to local Hobby Lobby & made my way over to the China made tin signs & various car orientated goods etc. We have all probably seen those faux appearing tin trucks fabbed from thin gauge hammered metal with equally thin gauge wire welded or soldered to represent the fender edges & body reveals, any clue of the process envolved ?

 

I think it’s a laser welder which is something that came out of china within the last few years. I think they are strong enough to glue panels together. Zero penetration.

 

$100.00 order it and if you even get something I'd b surprised, if it worked half -***ed I'd **** myself.

 

welders that work aren’t expensive. I bought a Hitbox Arc 200 which is a 150A DC arc welder on a whim. It was $62 and other than the negative lead being a laughable 6”, it’s a little lunch box sized thing that will run 1/8” rod on 220v. I bought a longer lead which was like $20. It really wasn’t usable with the 6” lead

 

I'd love to see a real, unbiased review on something like that. Does it really involve a laser? Never heard of that before. Certainly interesting.

 

It's amazing how far and how cheap welders have gotten from overseas.

I've seen guys weld 1/8 " thick plate with a 150.00 mig welder and it looked like it was done with a 2000.00 $ Lincoln.

For small stuff and occasional use I see no problem with the cheap welders.

I'd do some Google-foo and see what I could find out about it and then for 100 I'd almost try it out. If it does 1/16" and thinner it would do sheet metal. And from what I've seen on YouTube these laser welders have almost zero heat distortion...

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Same machine from a different vendor. Like anything else, it would take some getting used to.

 

Years ago a welding supply salesman came into the dairy I worked as a mechanic. He was pushing some miracle arc welding rod that made beautiful welds. Only trouble was almost zero penetration. The boss sent him packing.

 

$50 on Temu. I might have to buy one.
welding machine 110v handheld welder 120a portable - Temu

 

Two words- duty cycle.
Many on the HAMB are critical of Speedway, yet you see this and ask for opinions? Looks like the ultimate Chinesium.

Thanks, I needed a good laugh.

 

Keep looking, Started this morning at $130 now down to $50. Do I hear $25?

 

I think there is something new and different about Inverter Technology that us old guys may have missed. I bought a combination stick/Tig a couple of years ago and was greeted with the same kind of derisions It has turned out to be an excellent piece of equipment. (I only use the stick capabilities.) I notice the A/C unit in my new seniors apartment has Inverter Technology stenciled on the side. It also seems to work well so far.

I don't know what's going on in China, but I bought a 55" flat screen TV off Amazon for $249 a couple of months ago. It also works great and seems to have all of the features I need.

 

a new boss at my company was trying to make his bones and bought some drills for the mechanics at a "farbor haight"-type store, and the first one caught on fire the first time it was used...

 

I'd rather try three car batteries connected in series with some jumper cables, and any relatively small size welding electrode that works well on DC.

 

I wanna see seb fontana **** himself.

 

I just don't see the use for something like this in a shop. It seems like a thing that might be useful for an emergency repair somewhere that you don't have easy access to a welder but have AC and you are going to do a proper job of fixing later. It's stick so pretty much useless for any sort of decent sheet metal work and I can't see using it to build anything substantial like a frame as it would probably die 20 minutes in with any sustained usage. It's also super bulky so it can't be easy to use. I can't imagine trying to weld with a big cordless drill which is essentially what you are doing. The guy in the video saying it's easier to handle than a regular stinger lost all credibility for me as soon as he said that.

 

Just hit this and it came back with a "This item was discontinued" message. They must have been reading this thread, and thought "the jig is up!"

 

Probably accomplish the same thing by shorting out a car battery connect the ground, put an 1/8" rod in the + battery connection, ground the rod, work fast, the power from the battery goes away fast, don't even need electric. The car battery probably last as long as the welder does, too.

As far as what is going on in China, when there are no concerns for human life, you can make anything cheap. There are no consequences for any injuries for anything related to Chinese production of any kind.

 

I'm wondering if it is a bit like the little 110 Monkey Wards welder that I bought in the 70's for 49.95 that only worked when you used their rather expensive welding rod. That one worked for me in that I could tack something together at home and get it all squared up and then carry it down the street to my buddy's place where he could weld it right.

 

two things
if it seems to good to be true......

a fool and his money are soon parted.....

If it works for you great, but it probably like those Aluminum soldering sticks of the 90's, they only worked for the presenter.

 

This little bad Larry at $80.00 works very well. Stick welding anchors and welding pins onto the boilers at work. Haven't broken one yet and they see harsh environments.

 

I'm not endorsing it, but it is not too hard to make a big spark. And if held still for a bit, it can melt steel.

My father was an electronics geek in the era when radio was big and television was newly introduced to the m***es.

One day, he came home with two rather large transformers, each about the size of a high top athletic shoe.

He bought a 220 power cord, a couple of ten foot welding cables, a welding helmet and some welding rods, and some how hooked this all together.

Next thing he's modifying the frame for our go cart. Welding up a storm.

He thought it was not a big deal to make a big spark.

 

...weird....I just clicked on the link and it still shows available at $49.51 and there are a dozen more at various prices, colors and vendors.

 

essentially the same unit I have but a different manufacturer. Pretty cool units. The arc force works great. Mine runs 220v or 110v

 

I know this is asking about a welder, but I bought this really neat soldering iron that had the solder roll attached on the back of the soldering iron. The solder was fed with a trigger. It worked awesome until I plugged it in. Once it got hot, the solder melted to the feed tube and wouldn't feed anymore. I spent way to much time trying to unstick it than it was worth. Besides that the soldering iron didn't get hot enough to heat up the electrical wire so I could even solder it. I saved the roll of solder, and threw the rest away. I think this welder that's being asked about would be the same. Buy a nice 220 wire welder, not flux core, get a bottle. You'll be much happier, and safer.