Obser what? Ain't even going to look it up.I wasn't trying to be obser either,[I don't think],just telling you how a welder goes about welding,,not talking rod burner here. Honestly,how many passes never really enters my mind much,[when I was welding for a living],and now that I'm doing inspection work,most times it never does either. You go at it till its welded,,,now maybe if I was welding 1/4 fillits or something,I mighta thought about it,cause you should be able to do it in one pass,,something like,well don't want to use 1/8 here maybe,wanta go to 5/32,maybe,,,,but when welding something thicker,,or anything with a bevel,,never really gave it much though,,till after I welded one,,,than I would know,,bigger filler requires more amps,puts down more metal,,and visa versa,,,,travel speed,,,weave or stringer,what your welding,,what postion,up or down,,can't carry much metal over head,can carry more flat,,etc,etc,,,thats why I say anybody who has got it in his head that anything he welds he's gotta do in one pass is limiting himself,,,but I know,many are beginners,and most ever thing they weld will be flat and 1/4 or so, and they don't have to worry much about weld quality,just as long as it serves the purpose,,,nothing wrong with that,,,just pointing out to these beginners that maybe they don't need to go spend money to buy a bigger machine,maybe they do,but maybe what they got will serve the purpose,if they just knew a few little things,,,thingy
Inexpensive Welding Solution?????
- Thread starter kwolfe
- Start date
- Views: 20390
Thanks everyone for your advice. 
I have looking for something used and local but have not found anything yet. I am possibly thinking about this unit from HF for $100. I don't think I will ever be welding anything as thick as 1/2". Mostly 1/4 inch with the occassional/rare 3/8". Drilling lots of holes and bolting things together is getting really old. Plus it limits how I can configure things.
Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
I have looking for something used and local but have not found anything yet. I am possibly thinking about this unit from HF for $100. I don't think I will ever be welding anything as thick as 1/2". Mostly 1/4 inch with the occassional/rare 3/8". Drilling lots of holes and bolting things together is getting really old. Plus it limits how I can configure things.Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
patrick_g
Elite Member
Likely unpopular comment follows:
You will most likely never reach your full potential as a welder by a large margin due to equipment limitations (cheapie HF.)
A good welder can make inferior equipment perform in many instances but a beginner has enough trouble doing a decent job with good equipment to hamstring himself with inferior equipment.
This is not what most beginners want to hear but will later with experience mostly admit it to be the case.
To save time you can just burn a hundred dollar bill and then go buy a decent welder, hopefully used. Same end result but saves time vs the HF first approach.
Pat
You will most likely never reach your full potential as a welder by a large margin due to equipment limitations (cheapie HF.)
A good welder can make inferior equipment perform in many instances but a beginner has enough trouble doing a decent job with good equipment to hamstring himself with inferior equipment.
This is not what most beginners want to hear but will later with experience mostly admit it to be the case.
To save time you can just burn a hundred dollar bill and then go buy a decent welder, hopefully used. Same end result but saves time vs the HF first approach.
Pat
Sully2
Veteran Member
kwolfe said:Thanks everyone for your advice.
Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
NO WAY! Not when I can get a Hobart 220V...235 amp max Stickmate from TSC for $232 buckos!
Sully2
Veteran Member
patrick_g said:
That "pollutes"...
He can send me the $100 bill and I'll even pay the postage....gemini5362
Veteran Member
Obstreperous 1. noisily and stubbornly defiant;
When I first started dating my wife she called me that.
When I first started dating my wife she called me that.
Sully2 said:
I would love nothing more than to buy a really nice welder and get really good at welding. Unfortunately, with young kids and a fairly tight budget, I need to get what will do. $100 is about my budget. I don't see the need to do a lot of welding. I simply want something that will enable me to do the occassional project at home (99% of the time will be 1/4" stuff max).
I would love to meet my full potential someday, but that is sometime from now. For now, I want something that will do the job. I have a grinder, so cleaning up the ugly welds after the fact is noa problem.
HomeBrew2
Banned
Kwolfe, I agree with Patrick_g's last remarks, completely. In YOUR situation, I still recommend getting a quality USED buzz box, for the same $100 (as I mentioned in post #11).
(I have a real welder too and have been using it for decades.)
(I have a real welder too and have been using it for decades.)
MJPetersen
Veteran Member
Kwolfe,
What you got is good advice. Check pawn shops and second hand shops. You may find what you need. The better machine is not only better because of the amperage and in the size of material it will handle, but also in the stability of the arc and the ease of striking an arc and in a longer Duty cycle. That alone will save you the time that is so precious.
Mike
What you got is good advice.
Check pawn shops and second hand shops. You may find what you need. The better machine is not only better because of the amperage and in the size of material it will handle, but also in the stability of the arc and the ease of striking an arc and in a longer Duty cycle. That alone will save you the time that is so precious.Mike
Genimi,,well,I got some of that in me than,,Kwolfe,,northern cataloges got a hobart stick welder,just ac,205 amp,for 250 dollars,,but they also got one a hobart ac/dc 235 amp,for 400 dollars,,,thats the one you oughta get,,lincoln may have one even cheaper,ac/dc,stick welders,,its 4 times more than you wanta spend but it would be all the welder you would probably ever need,says free shipping too,they might even let you make payments? but like the guys are saying,bet you could find a used one,ac/dc,over 200 amp one for not much more than 100 dollars,,,ad pad or something like that always have something in them it seems,,,I would get a stick,ac/dc,with around 200 amps,lincoln,hobart or miller,,,you gotta have or make you a place to plug one in though if you ain't got one,,,220/230,ain't an electrician,but it ain't hard to rig up the wire and outside plug in,if you got a spot on your breaker panel,you could probably run another wire,[of correct size],and connect it where your dryer connects to your breaker,and just not use dryer when you are using welder,run it outside and connect it to a plug in,maybe in a covered spot where you can weld,like I said ain't an electrician,,but believe you won't be happy for long with what you plan on getting,,,but on other hand,know how the money thing goes,if you ain't got it,you ain't got it,thats why I got a chinese tractor!!but,it works! thingy