90 Amp wire feed welder vs. 1/4" steel ?

[easygo]

Hi all,
I have been looking for a cheaper welder for a while and I happened upon a Schumacher 120V / 90amp wire feed welder for about half the retail price. It does not have gas with it so I would have to use flux core wire, but I don't plan on doing this for a living. It said that the wire size is between 0.024 and 0.035 if I remember correctly. I just want to fix a trailer I built (and broke) and a few other light duty welding projects. I was wondering if anyone out there could tell me if a smaller unit like this could handle welding 1/4" steel to 3/16" or so. In my previous fabrications I mostly used 1/8" and 3/16" sometimes (rarely) 1/4" stock. Could you please give me some pointers.
Thank you

 

[MrJimi]

You need a heavier amp welder to weld 1/4 steel
Go to HF and look at their product manuals for heavier welders
That will tell you heaps

 

[easygo]

Mr Jimi,
What is HF???? I'm not familiar with ..... that. I know that the 90 amp would be on the skinny side for 1/4" but will it work for the 3/16 and 1/8? I could have access to a 220V stick welder if I have to use one, so, I guess I would max out the material thickness around 3/16.

 

[MrJimi]

Sorry about that, HF is harbor freight and the welder you are describing should look like this one and do about the same thing
Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
and the manual is here and you need to go to page 18 in the manual and it says 1/8 metal at full power? and you have a 10% duty cycle, that means you can weld for 1 minute and rest 9 minutes, here is manual
http://www.harborfreight.com/manuals/44000-44999/44567.PDF
Sometimes these small welding jobs can be done much cheaper by paying a welder to do it instead of buying a welder and all the other stuff that goes with it
I would recommend a Hobart handler 180
I hope I helped ya some
Jim

 

[easygo]

Mr Jimi

Ohhhh.... Uhhhh...
I guess that is really not the way to go. Thanks for the help quick help to resolve my dilemma. I have got to open my wallet a bit wider. Sigh.
easygo

 

[bobodu]

Use the stick and leave the hot glue guns to the craft ladies.

 

[Jimbrown]

Well I do not know I have a miller 135 I don't think it is 90 amp. And it will weld the heck out of my trailers. 1/4 is kinda big but if you take your time and make several passes it will work maybe not as good as a real welder with the right equipment but you and I are ameuteures (sp) if the price was right i would do it. Mine is MIG but I only do flux core. I figure I can weld it 3 or 4 times before I get it to hold for less than paying some one to do it . Plus it's fun.

 

[MrJimi]

Mr Jimi

Ohhhh.... Uhhhh...
I guess that is really not the way to go. Thanks for the help quick help to resolve my dilemma. I have got to open my wallet a bit wider. Sigh.
easygo

You should get a welding shop to fix your trailer, there is lots to this welding stuff
and save your money

 

[blacksmith]

A 90 Amp mig will not penetrate enough for a good weld on the thicker steels even with a lot of passes. It is designed for light materials.

 

[Ifixcars]

No to the 90 amp mig and 1/4 steel. Get a used stick welder.