Harbor Freight Welder deal..?

[Bedlam]

well said Lostcause..

 

[arrabil]

the problem is that you can't compare them because the big name manufacturers don't make units like this, and even what they do make is not at the total opposite end of the spectrum. 10%, 20%... sure, it's a two fold difference, but it's nowhere near the 60% that you approach with most anything well built and using a 240v plug.

I read your post a couple more times.... I get what you're trying to say. But its a little much to expect that the low end Hobart/Miller/Lincoln welder will be 10 times the welder of the CE90. Being twice the welder specs-wise, and ten times the welder quality/longevity wise, is a fair competition to me.

I'll further venture that both models are designed to the same "point" except the higher quality parts in the brand name models inherently send the specs higher. Not that Hobart designed to higher specs to be better than the CE.

 

[The Dougster]

In response to the OP's question... I have one of these and love it but then I don't use it for heavy duty welding. I've had my 120V from HF for a couple of years now and have no complaints. It's cheap and fairly efficient..

 

[valley]

Well, Thanks. All these posts give something to think about and that last post added a good bit. It isn't going to fall apart, it will work on jobs of appropriate for the size of the welder and using better quality wire will produce grindable welds.

Question: You know with a stick welder you can put a bead in a chamfer, then two beads on top of that, then three on top of that until you fill in the chamfer and weld a very heavy piece of metal. Can this be done with one of these. Thankyou Richard

 

[arrabil]

It isn't going to fall apart, it will work on jobs of appropriate for the size of the welder and using better quality wire will produce grindable welds.

You had one fall apart and two not... But either way.... there is only one kind of wire for this thing. The guy talking about the 6013 rod was using a stick welder not a flux core.

I have used the HF flux core wire extensively. I don't see any difference between it and the Forney brand I buy at TrueValue. Its also the same price though and I've never seen the HF wire on sale (it has a sale sticker all the time but the price underneath is the same). If it takes 10lb spools, you can save some money buying bigger.

And yes, you can make multiple pass welds and fill welds. You need to clean the slag off in between of course.

 

[yomax4]

If the HF unit lasts a week, For $129.00 what are you really out? Buy it and run it hard. If it burns down, Return it. If it seems too weak, Upgrade. Sooner or later you will have what you " Need " What I like about this forum is as was previously posted, People on here have from $129 units up to $12,000 units. That is a lot of info and knowlege to draw from. Weld er up!

:thumbsup:

 

[Ken_CT]

Here's a link to a video of the $149 Harbor Freight inverter, stick welder. The guy seems to really like it. For occasional use it seems fine. If it goes on sale, I'll probably buy one for myself. I have a Hobart 140 and a gas set-up, but this looks like it could be convenient to use on small stuff.

YouTube - harbor freight 80 amp inverter arc stick welder

 

[RPW]

My 2 cents. I've got just about every welding process from O/A to TIG. I've done that for a reason. No one welder is a do it all. Just like tractors or hand tools each has there place. I've got one of the HF units and honestly after the first few times (about 5 years ago) I put on the shelf and there it sat. I was frustrated that it didn't do what I "thought" it should do. Present day I know own a lincoln 140 MIG, a Miller econotig (Stick/TIG) and a Miller bobcat 225 plus my very first welder a 100A german AC stick. One of the problems I ran into on the HF unit was erratic wire feed and poor welds. Recently I've taken a welding class at the local college and the insight that I've garnered there led me to bring this welder off the shelf and relook at what was causing the problem. The erratic feed was due to the nozzle tip being too small for the wire. Turns out that the lincoln tips fit this welder perfectly and I changed tips to the next size larger. Problem solved. Started playing with different thickness of steel. Using the minimum setting I easily burned through 12ga. mild steel. Then I went to 1/4" steel plate and got acceptable minimum welds using the low setting. Switching to high I was able to get very good penetration and achieved very solid welds. As for duty cycle even my Miller bobcat says that it's only 20% at full power. Now to put this in another perspective. Unless you are doing automatic or semi-automatic welds you "normally" don't weld more than a couple of inches at a time anyway. Yes there are exceptions that's a given. Is this welder designed for the muffler shop or a fabrication shop? No. Is it designed for the DIYer who needs to weld occasionally to repair a bracket on a tractor or to do light fabrication? Yes. You can buy a Mercedes or you can buy a Yugo. Both will get you from point A to point B. If your needs or wants are in the Mercedes class then go for the Miller or Lincoln. If you only need to occasionally weld then go for the HF or other off brands and save your money to take your wife/husband to dinner. As some one said at about $100.00 if it lasts a couple of years...that's not too bad of a return.

Again just my 2 cents.

 

[gengine]

I have that same welder, and have for about 4 years now. I have had to do the general maintenance, just like I have to do now and then on my hobart stickmate. Keeping the thing lubed, as well as cool is a big help. I've had the thermo shut off fail about 6 months ago, and I figured it was a $150 welder, so I cut the thing out. I run it with the one of the side panels off, and when I am doing lots of welding, I put a fan on it. Its not a heavy duty welder like mentioned, you can do a whole lot of welding, but I wouldn't recommend repairing a tractor bucket. It holds allright, but this welder isn't hot enough wire with enough tinsle strength for that kind of abuse. However, I have done car body panels, exhaust pipes, chain, bumpers, wheels, and even a little cast iron. Its probably the greatest harbor freight thing I own. That and pipe clamps. Well, the air drills have lasted quite a while too. Those three things i bought cheap to get by until I can afford good stuff, but I haven't had to. All in all, this welder is a great light duty machine. Mine gets used about every other day.

 

[yomax4]

The Fan is sometimes the Secret. Take the ESAB Mig Master 250.. They run a fan that sounds like a Helicopter to gain a little Duty Cycle. It Works. Also, Don't put all of you hope in Miller either. Pull the cover off and note that the Transformers are wraped with Shards Of Wood. ?? They are not dipped and Baked to Military Specs Like Lincoln and Thermal Arc. May not matter to you but it matters to Uncle Sam and the US Ship Yards. Just an FYI. I deal with both. There are things about all machines that some like and some don't. If not for that there would be only one brand. Any 230v unit will last many years. Watch out for the Gun on them. Many are not supported by distribution. Weld :thumbsup:er Up!!!