Harbor Freight copies StrongHand Nomad welding table...$59

Travelover · Mar 25, 2014

Teikas Dad said:
Would these help?

Rockler - Search Results for jig knobs

I've seen these at Home Depot, Lowes and Ace hardware in their special fastener drawers.

Reverser · Mar 25, 2014

NT304 said:
My plastic handles were worthless. The welded nut on the inside of the legs was welded at a slight angle on both sides. so the machine screw bound slightly do to the friction caused by rubbing on the os of the hole on the other side of the leg.

One of mine was the same way, but I used my chain saw file and filed the hole on the other side of the leg a little so the handle bolt would align with the nut.

What surprised me was all the fasteners were high grade except for those 4 little screws that hold the table top on. They were so soft they stripped out with hardly any effort. :fiery:
I'm going to get replacements at the hardware store. It stands to reason that the top holding the projects should have capable fasteners.
:smiley_aafz:

NT304 · Mar 25, 2014

Some of those would work, but you would have to grind off the metric nut on the bench and weld on an SAE nut to match the knobs. I'm just going to weld a pc. of flat stock on to the metric bolt that came with the table.

IslandTractor · Mar 26, 2014

Teikas Dad said:
Would these help?

Rockler - Search Results for jig knobs

I'm sure those would work fine but so would welding a simple handle made from scrap on to the end of the bolt.

KubotainNH · Mar 26, 2014

When mine handles break I will weld some round stock to the bolt. No biggie. Everything on mine lined up well enough. I used my cordless drill with the chuck set to a lower setting so it slipped before breaking anything.

sparc · Mar 29, 2014

mangus580 said:
I just picked up the Welding Table. Seems like its pretty solid to me. The stupid plastic 'handles' will probably get replaced with HF 13mm wrenches welded on the bolts when the break (or even a piece of flat stock).

I did just find this that may prove to be useful with the table (although some minor modification may be needed for it to work right)

9" Drill Press Locking Clamp

As for the cabinet.... I sure wish they had that back in December/January when I was buying carts for my welder and plasma cutter :-( I would have got at least one....

One of my handles stripped the first time I used it. Took them both off and will either weld something to the bolt or replace with a handle from Reid Supply or McMaster-Carr.

Other than that the table seems pretty good. Used it for the first time today on a quick weld job.

When I bought my table I also picked up this cheap vise for $17. It's great for holding small pieces for welding or grinding and since it rotates in both axis you can position the work where you want it. Its made to clamp to a thick table top but I used a 1-1/4 nut as a spacer under the table to make up for the thin metal top. Works well and very sturdy.

Reverser · Mar 29, 2014

sparc said:
When I bought my table I also picked up this cheap vise for $17. It's great for holding small pieces for welding or grinding and since it rotates in both axis you can position the work where you want it. Its made to clamp to a thick table top but I used a 1-1/4 nut as a spacer under the table to make up for the thin metal top. Works well and very sturdy.

View attachment 368001

2-1/2" Table Swivel Vise

That's a good little vise. Well worth the money($18 w/coupon).
I bought one about 2 years ago and mounted it on a shelf in my garage. I never thought about putting it on the HF welding table I just got. But I can see where it would be very handy there.
Thanks for the suggestion. :thumbsup:

mikefromnh · Mar 30, 2014

I've had the table for a few weeks, overall it's been pretty good. But one of the plastic leg pieces split in half and fell off... A rocking 3 leg table was not very useful so a little duck table is holding it on until I come up with something better.

IslandTractor · Mar 30, 2014

mikefromnh said:
I've had the table for a few weeks, overall it's been pretty good. But one of the plastic leg pieces split in half and fell off... A rocking 3 leg table was not very useful so a little duck table is holding it on until I come up with something better.

A rocking welding table is a brilliant idea. What a great way to get perfectly stacked dimes or a perfect Z motion. Hold the electrode in place and use your foot to rock the table while an assistant pushes the table along the axis of the weld. Maybe use an HF winch to do that.

Travelover · Mar 30, 2014

IslandTractor said:
A rocking welding table is a brilliant idea. What a great way to get perfectly stacked dimes or a perfect Z motion. Hold the electrode in place and use your foot to rock the table while an assistant pushes the table along the axis of the weld. Maybe use an HF winch to do that.

Great idea. This could even work on a sewing machine.

KubotainNH · Mar 31, 2014

I used mine this weekend to put my tools on while working on a car this weekend. I like the sides that lift up. I have yet to use it for welding.

IslandTractor · Mar 31, 2014

KubotainNH said:
I used mine this weekend to put my tools on while working on a car this weekend. I like the sides that lift up. I have yet to use it for welding.

That gives me an idea: these would make a real man's man TV dinner table too!!

DennisFolsom · Mar 31, 2014

After 3 trips to my nearest HF store, and calling the next-nearest, I gave up and ordered the table online. I got the sale price and used the 20% off coupon. They only charged $6.99 for shipping. It's still a good deal. The package should arrive the day after tomorrow.

I have what looks to be the same plastic handled nuts on a pair of lumber support rollers that I got from Sears. One of those gave out and I just took the plastic off and now use a wrench when I need to adjust it. I will probably be folding this table for storage. If the plastic fails, I may be welding a handle to the nut. Thanks for the tip.:thumbsup:

In my trips to HF, I also bought a welding helmet, welding gloves, a MIG cart, one of their cheap angle grinders, and a few other goodies. Thanks to HF, I got set up to use my new welder for far less than I would have spent elsewhere.

I didn't cheap out on the welder, though. I bought a Hobart Handler 140. So far, I've only done some flux core practice welding. I haven't tried welding with shielding gas yet. I have a project in mind for that after I've done some flux core projects.

So far, I've only used the Hobart wire. Tractor Supply has the .030 flux wire for the same price has HF. The last time I was in HF, they had the .035 flux wire for less than TS, but I wonder if their wire is as good.

KubotainNH · Mar 31, 2014

DennisFolsom said:
The last time I was in HF, they had the .035 flux wire for less than TS, but I wonder if their wire is as good.

Read the reviews, people complain about too much splatter. My welder is from HF and works admirably for the price. The wire that came with it is no where near as good as the Lincoln stuff from HD or Lowes. I've also used this stuff which is a 2lb roll instead of the box store 1lb. Amazon.com: INETUB BA71TGS .035-Inch on 2-Pound Spool Carbon Steel Gasless Flux Cored Welding Wire: Home Improvement. Hard to beat the price with free shipping.

DennisFolsom · Mar 31, 2014

KubotainNH said:
Read the reviews, people complain about too much splatter. My welder is from HF and works admirably for the price. The wire that came with it is no where near as good as the Lincoln stuff from HD or Lowes. I've also used this stuff which is a 2lb roll instead of the box store 1lb. Amazon.com: INETUB BA71TGS .035-Inch on 2-Pound Spool Carbon Steel Gasless Flux Cored Welding Wire: Home Improvement. Hard to beat the price with free shipping.

Mike -
Thanks for the advice. I get some of my stuff from Amazon, So I might try some of that wire. Glad to hear that your HF welder is working for you. They surely are easier on the bank account!

lostcreekranch · Apr 1, 2014

KubotainNH said:
Read the reviews, people complain about too much splatter. My welder is from HF and works admirably for the price. The wire that came with it is no where near as good as the Lincoln stuff from HD or Lowes. I've also used this stuff which is a 2lb roll instead of the box store 1lb. Amazon.com: INETUB BA71TGS .035-Inch on 2-Pound Spool Carbon Steel Gasless Flux Cored Welding Wire: Home Improvement. Hard to beat the price with free shipping.

Flux core wire has more splatter than welding with solid wire and gas.

KubotainNH · Apr 1, 2014

rlgustafson said:
Flux core wire has more splatter than welding with solid wire and gas.

I'm sure it does but my budget will not allow for an upgrade.

The difference between the HF wire and the 2 I listed is pretty big, especially for a novice like me.

CNC Dan · Apr 1, 2014

KubotainNH said:
I'm sure it does but my budget will not allow for an upgrade. The difference between the HF wire and the 2 I listed is pretty big, especially for a novice like me.

Yup. HF wire is kind of known for it's poor quality. I guess it matches the welders.

IslandTractor · Apr 1, 2014

CNC Dan said:
Yup. HF wire is kind of known for it's poor quality. I guess it matches the welders.

I use HF stick electrodes for practice and find them adequate and much less expensive. I wouldn't want to cross a bridge built with them but for general use they are fine.

CNC Dan · Apr 1, 2014

IslandTractor said:
I use HF stick electrodes for practice and find them adequate and much less expensive. I wouldn't want to cross a bridge built with them but for general use they are fine.

Good to know. I would have figured they would be junk like their wire.