Looking to get this. Chicago Electric 110 AMP, 220 VOLT FLUX AND MIG WELDER. Runs from gas or the flux core. Is something like this good to fix small patches on the body of the car? None of them are bigger than 3x3 inches.
It's horrible for any kind of welding...spend twice as much and get 10 times the welder with a Lincoln, Miller, or Hobart...
Don't waste your money. I wouldn't even use it to fix a garden chair. If you are going to buy something, and don't have a lot of dough, check craigslist in your area for a used lincoln or miller. You can go to Home Depot and pick up a decent Lincoln 110 volt unit for 500 bucks or so, add a bottle, and you can use it for everything. It's the set up I use for most all of the work I do.
When you buy a welder, expect it to last a long time and it is possible you will maybe need a part or two through the years; Harbor Freight stuff will be hard to find parts for. Your local welding supply won't be able to help. Spend a couple of bucks more and get a better welder. Even if you decide to sell it later, you'll be able to get some of your money back.
HF welders are junk. You will regret buying one. Spend a little more money and get a nice namebrand welder. I have used a Hobart 180 for the last five years and it does it all as far as cars are concerned. Not to mention parts like your tips are easily found and replaced. HF welders are mismatched with the cheapest parts and after a little time goes by you cannot find any replacement parts. Not to mention your heat and speed settings never stay consistent on a HF welder. I had a HF welder I used for a time but ended up beating it with a sledge hammer!!
"HF welders are junk. You will regret buying one." Absolutely true. For me, I really enjoy my Lincolns.
i dont think its been said yet but harbor frieght welders are junk lol my friend bought one so i know first hand they really suck even with gas
Wait A dang minute ! I have had one for two years. in fact i bought a warraty return (burnt hose)for 99 bucks. Have used it to built many things. Duty cycle we will touch on first. The difference in duty cycle is directly related to cooling.((not voltage as many think) Mine used to be limited but i checked out other similar machines and found HD models had cooling fans. I bought a computer cooling fan and mounted it in the cooling fan spot already stamped into the machine. The swtch even has the prongs for the fan and since that day it has never shut of on overheat.Not even once. I use it on 1/8 steel tube and while i have used it with gas I use it almost always with fluxcore and use only Lincoln NR211 which is a huge step above other brands. Welds clean up with a mild brush. I use 030 in it. If I had a complaint it is the hose and handle but since I have built several really involed projects with it including my rail it wouldnt be fair to complain to much. For the money it does the job and yes i know there are far better machines out there but as hobbiest machines go it isnt all that bad. Feed works well and heat ranges are adaquete. I like mine. Not the best am sure but a inexpensive servicable machine for the hobbiest. I much prefer gas welding but hate paying 140 bucks a year for rent on gas bottles I would use only half of per year. this little Ch Elc machine filled the gap for me nicely.
It all depends on what your going to do, and what your expectations are, and how much $ you have to spend. A HF tin can is better than a kick in the butt by a guy with a bad hair cut. If you can afford better get better, because at some point you will need it, Iv'e got the HF dual mig, along with their cheapie TIG---and they held me till I could get a Big Miller TIG machine, just don't expect to much from HF
one word lincoln, i had a walmart special it sucked,bought a lincoln it werked good.i assume the same goes fer other cheapy vs. brand name welders
Like any other great tool you will keep finding more and more stuff to do with it. Then you will wish you had have went with a little better quality. Borrow the extra money if you have to. Just my $.02........
my nephew bought one and we welded much of his streetrod with it - a 110v. unit with flux core....it takes a while to get used to it, but that goes with a miller or whatever you have....i prefer my miller with gas for important welds in critical spots, but for tacking work together and mudding over it, the unit worked ok - sloppy welds with the flux core and splatter are the drawbacks - also, put a pan fan on the unit to keep it kool as with most higher grade welders...personally, he is CHEAP, and i would NOT recommend buying one unless it was your last resort and uncle guido had a gun to your head!...jb
I've read in a hot rod book "If you want $4000 mags, don't spend any money on some others in the meantime, save up until you can afford the ones you want". In your case, if you plan to use it alot, get a real one. If you just want to use it once or twice, then you don't need the biggest and best.
WHY are you paying RENT on the bottles for oxy-acetylene? Lease them or buy outright. I have four bottles and never pay demurage. And yes, for thinner metals, oxy-acetylene is definitely the strongest and the best form of welding. Or at worst second best. Tig could be a little better. But you have to know how to do it and watch the warpage because of the spread out heat.. But it is MUCH stronger than mig welding. I do both and still have a couple old stick welders also for the heavier stuff. Brazing has its place too. Though it is not welding. I have a cheap Lincoln 120 volt flux core electric welder that works quite well for most hotrod projects. I also bought a Harbor Freight oxy-acetylene outfit a couple years ago and use it, but it leaves a lot to be desired as far as quality of workmanship goes. Tips leak and pop no matter how much I tighten within reason. Especially the bigger tips. I would recommend a Victor or similar instead. I buy a lot of stuff from Harbor Freight, but some I recommend and some I would not. You have to pick and choose and be ready to return it fast for exchange or refund IF it doesn't work good. JimBoB ###
I have used Lincoln, Miller , Hobart, and Harbor Freight. You get what you pay for. For long service life and for the sake of safety, save up and buy a Lincoln or Miller, or have someone with a Lincoln or Miller weld for you.
Think of it as an investment as all good tools are. All the big box stores sell Lincoln or Hobart, which will be around when you need parts down the road. When you need tips or nozzles for you HF machine, they'll probably be selling something totally different and you'll be looking for a different machine. Just my .02.
Look around for a decent used 110V machine if you are just doing patch panels. However I am willing to bet at some point you will have the need/desire for a 220v higher amp. machine. I bought my Lincolnd weldpac-100 (mig ready) for $150.00 at a local pawn shop. I see similar deals on Craigslist quite often. Just a thought....Todd
Why spend money on overpriced chinese HF tools? Build You own welder like these guys. http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Microwave-Transformer-Homemade-Welder/ http://www.afrigadget.com/2007/06/03/home-made-welding-machine/ Yes you too can make precision welds like these!
now more than ever we should be supporting our american made goods my friend..... pay a little more now or we'll pay alot later.....
I hate to say it, but when shopping for a welder, you most certainly get what you pay for. You can buy a 300 dollar welder that will be great as a paperweight, or you can spend 800 or more for one that will actually produce a weld bead instead of chicken scratch. Trust me, if you can't afford a Miller or a Lincoln or other well known quality name, you can't afford a welder.
I had one. Bought it over 15 years ago. Used it with the bottle (the little one you can buy with it lasts less than an afternoon, BTW) and mostly with flux core. First, off the shelf tips do not fit it and I had to rethread the end of my gun to use tips readily available around here. When feeding in wire off a new spool, I ALWAYS had to disassemble the handle to get the wire to go all the way through, it always hung up on something in there and needed "special care." The thing I hated most about it, was that it was always live when on....meaning if it was on and the tip touched, you were gonna get a spark. That's bad news and just plain unsafe. But, I was in school and poor and it was what I could afford at the time. Always wished I had waited longer and bought a better welder with a name you recognized. That day finally came and I am now the owner of a Miller. Shoulda bought it the first time......my 2 pennies (well, actually the cost of a poorly designed welder plus 2 pennies).
The Jalopy Journal
