first welder

   / first welder #1  

Drtumolo

Silver Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Messages
110
Location
Pennsylvania
Tractor
John Deere 2305
I am looking at buying a mig welder. Any recomendations? I was looking at some of the harbor freight models. Does anyone have any experience with them?
 
   / first welder #2  
What's your budget? What are you going to weld - material, thickness?

A welder can require service after the sale. If you're in it for the long haul - you probably want to stick to a major brand - Miller, Hobart (Miller's "consumer" line) Lincoln, Esab are the players.

Suggest you check out this site - hobart weld talk
 
   / first welder
  • Thread Starter
#3  
thanks for the link. I will be welding no more than 1/4". I can afford one of the "big three" welders but I dont want to throw money away if the harbor freight welder is ok. I should be able to get parts for the harbor freight welder they have a retail store about 45 miles from me.
 
   / first welder #4  
I would stay with the Miller, Hobart, Lincoln... Good luck getting any parts for a H.F. welder when needed.
 
   / first welder #5  
Not to cause a uproar, but I'd seriously reconsider buying one of the "house brands" from Harbor Freight. Most of their off brands suffer from big time quality and reliability issues. They are manufactured as throw away items. You may want to be sure and do quite a bit of research on their brand. Also, you'll find that their return policy is positively horrible! I received an "off brand" power tool from them as a gift, but was given the receipt. After verifying what I suspected (it was junk) it took me months to get a refund on an unopened item. After finally getting a one on one with the store manager, he told me that they are not supposed to refund anything, but to issue a "in store credit". I assured him I'd never buy from them and that the "in store credit" was the same as throwing the item away. Anyway, the manager agreed that he wouldn't personally buy most of their cheaper power items. He had to write their home office a letter and it then took right at 2 1/2 months for the home office of Harbor Freight to get me my money! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif Harbor Freight elicits two words from me: never again!
 
   / first welder #6  
We just got a new Hobart down at the plant......I miss the LINCOLN!!! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
The owner of the Lincoln took it home just because he built a pole barn...Ba$*@d....Geez...
 
   / first welder
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Has anyone ever used a clarke mig? My friend has one and has had good luck with it. I was looking at them tonight on the web and there specs seem pretty good.
 
   / first welder #8  
My experience has all been with Lincoln equipment. I work in a prison and our " welding shop" has used a Lincoln SP125 for about 4 years now. It was originally bought to weld food tray portals in about 750 doors. This project was completed in about 2 years and was then subjected to abuse for numerous other projects. I was impressed enough to buy an SP175plus and have really enjoyed working with it. Both these units are the smaller " suitcase" size machines and have proven to be handy due to their portability. I rarely use my old(1949!!) 180 amp Lincoln buzz box anymore unless I'm attacking something over 1/2" thick. Name brands are always more expensive up front, but as the old saying goes," You get what you pay for". Not to mention easily available parts and service.
 
   / first welder
  • Thread Starter
#9  
I ended up buying a Holbart Handler 180. Now I just have to learn to use it.
 
   / first welder #10  
<font color="blue"> I ended up buying a Holbart Handler 180. Now I just have to learn to use it. </font>

I bought the same unit after much reseach and am going to start a basic class on Feb. 7th. I can stick things together but am never such for how long. And pretty there not.

Al
 
 
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