I know everybody is sick of threads about HF but the tig is on sale for $199 right now and I also have a 15% coupon I can use on it. Has anybody used it and is it worth it? I can't afford a Lincoln or Miller right now and I know it's only DC so no aluminum, But still it's all I can afford right now. I would just like some input from you guys.
Post a link to the specific item you are talking about. 120 or 220? Will you need to weld aluminum in the future? Anyone that has purchased one of these units, did you buy an extended warranty? Have you used it yet? If so, post pics of welds made with machine. It sound pretty inexpensive. Good Luck.
I have one from my friend from habor freight...I havent used it yet.dont know how good it works....anyway..... I would only use it only sheetmetal..nothing critical....and of course no aluminum..... If u can scrounge up money and want to make some money if ur good welding...then get the real deal....a big miller or lincoln.....boss has a syncrowave...can do alot but only goes up to 200 amps...i freaked him out when i jumped its duty cycle...on thick...aluminum got it low hours of craigslist for 1500 w/bottle n parts..... if ur after doing serious stuff n thick metal u need the big machine.....if u want just sheet metal n to screw around that cheap one mgiht work...
If you are a really good welder, you might get some performance out of it ... but, if you were a really good welder, you wouldn't have to ask. I tried one that a buddy bought. (I used to own a great older Airco TIG but now use a MIG at home.) I've made better welds accidently with a loose battery cable than with the Harbor Freight. I admit that I'm a below average welder ... a good TIG gives you a lot a control and will improve your welds. Harbor Freight has a return policy. Try it. If you don't like it, return it like my buddy did.
If you want to buy a welder that may work until you need parts,go ahead. A good American made tig will last 50 years,and you can still get stuff for it. Just sold a real nice Ltec machine for $500. Only sold it to get another Miller with accessories, so both our machines match now.That was $500 also. Buy a good machine, learn to use it ,it'll pay for itself with side jobs. Plus ,buy American,even if used,at least you aren't part of the problem.
My buddy bought one and I tried it out and my thoughts ar its total junk. I use a miller 35 all the time and that may have some influence on my response. Over the years I have tried many of the "cracker Box welders" and you just get what you pay for.I say save a few bucks and get a good unit or start looking in want ads or craigs list for a good used name brand welder.
I have one and it is worth the money to me. Keep tour tungsten sharp and don't "scratch" it to get an arc, but lift it to start your weld. Takes a little practice. Sure if you have more money get a better machine, but if your short on cash...Its better than nothing. every likes to blow crap on Harbor freight, and it's usually when somebody expects a 2 dollar tool to act like a 200 dollar tool. Sure its throw away stuff, but sometimes that will make you enough money to buy some good equipment.
I have a strong Lincoln Mig to do all my heavy welding and chassis work, I just wanted use it for sheetmetal work. Can it handle that?
Dude - save your $$ for a few more weeks. Do what you need to do - trim the beer budget, carpool, and clip coupons - then go buy a nice, used welder off Craigslist (found several for $5-700 in one search), or find one at a pawn shop. A Lincoln or Miller will last a long time, and you can fix them if they have a part break. Harbor Freight tools are cheap chinese junk. I have had several of them break on me at critical times, and I just don't use them anymore. Happy hunting!
ask if you can try it out first or if they can tell you the name of someone who bought one and see if you can try theres out, or call them and ask how they like it.
A friend used that model to weld on a TCI front end on his 48 Ford. I am a welder, and the welds looked pretty good. YOu could call this second hand, because to give it my recommendation I would have to do tests for penetration.
Lots of good advice, but if it were me I'd save a bit more and get a machine that will do it all. Sooner not later you'll have an aluminum project to do, and you'll wish you had the AC/ HF PK
Hi man... Silly question, what are all those abbreviations represent there? I wish I had a TIG, I've got some aluminum welding to do for my blower manifold (and I'm sure plenty of other things), but I doubt I'll ever get one, since I'd rather buy a used "big" name instead of a cheaper model (and people that buy the good TIGs seem to hang on to them!). I would like to get one of those Hinrob gas torch to do my aluminum welding though... Used stuff can be an excellent option, you can find some really good deals on good equipment. I'd rather buy a good, solid, used name brand than buy a new cheap model. I bought a Lincoln SP125+ with the gas kit, gas bottle, couple extra spools of wire, and a Lincoln cart to hold it all, I think it was $350 or $400 total... It was brand new, the guy couldn't get it to work right so he never used it. The only problem was he forgot to reverse polarity to use gas versus flux. The only downside is its one of the NASCAR ones, in particular Bobby Lebonte, so my Lincoln welder is BRIGHT green.
I don't know what it's like where YOU are, but here we have at least four or five welding machines (TIG/MIG/Arc) for sale a week on CRAIGSLIST - under TOOLS. Most are well-known brand names, many are in nearly new condition. There have been so many layoffs and shop closures here, a guy with a couple of bucks can get stuff you could have only dreamed of a few years ago. Get on YOUR C/List and see what's in SoCal. Do NOT buy Harbor Freight welders...drive a few miles and get four times the machine for a few bucks more. IM (not so) HO dj
I know most HF stuff is junk but I wanted some of your guys input on the tig. I was at HF a few weeks back and some old guy told me he has that machine and that it's really good and that he built a couple roll cages with it and welds stainless with it. But I trust the opinion of the HAMB'ers more than some crazy old coot who hangs out at HF.
LOL.....You'd rather listen to some crazy old coots that hang out on line? although...I'm not really THAT crazy, but I am 'old'. dj
If you are referring to the AC/HF they mean (AC) Alternating Current which is required to TIG aluminum as it keeps the weld from oxodizing while you weld and (HF) is a high frequency start which allows one to start the arc without having to scratch the electrode. The machine puts out a quick high frequency shot that sparks the electrode to start the weld. Don't see much used around where I am but if you can find it definitley save up some more money and wait for a good quality used unit.
FWIW a guy over on the hodrodders forum has one and its still going 4 years after he first bought it.
I have one of these machines, for the price it works well. I am saving for a better machine, but for the time being it works great for what it is. I replaced the power cord that came with it as I felt it was a little to light in gauge, other than that its a good machine to practice with. There's a pedal modification for it as well if you google.
Forget the cheap fix and save your $$$ for a good welder. When you find out that HF deal is junk it will be virtually worthless... zero resale. Check Craig's list... visit your local welding supply joint... they will show you waht a GOOD machine looks (and welds) like...you'll find a good deal in a matter of weeks... maybe sooner.
Buy a good used 300 amp miller. I have seen them for $500 on cl. I welded for a living and I don't think you can end up with a quality weld with out a foot pedal ant hi frequncy. Also with the old miller you could stickweld 1/2 inch material in one pass. The downside is it is a large machine and not very portable and you need a water supply which can be a hose bib and run it out on the ground.
I bought one a couple of years ago on sale for 199. Been welding for 40 years and never got it to work. Only way to get it to weld was to scratch the tungsten and you know what that will do. There is an automatic valve that opens the gas, I bypassed this so that I knew the gas was on when I started to weld, still could not get it to work. I would not reccomend one of these. Bobcat.
POS......you get what you pay for.If you don't like your $199 give it to me or save it an one day buy a good welding machine.
You can get a DC stick welder,(like the cheap Lincoln Wal Mart sells for $200.00), a TIG torch, a bottle of Argon and you can be TIG welding in short order. Hook the TIG torch into the electrode outlet, ground into ground, and you are done. It will be a scratch start process (no high frequency) and it will be steel or stainless steel only but it works really well. You will also have to manually turn on the gas. The better the adjustability of the basic stick welder you start out with, the better range of welding you can do. I used that setup for years before I bought a dedicated TIG machine.
I wonder when Horable Freight is going to start selling engine rebuild kits. That would be awesome. Just like the tig Im sure.
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