Welder advice

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xs650newb

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Hey everyone,

I want to purchase a CHEAP entry level welder. I am going to use it to attach various bungs and mounts to my frame. For example, I need to weld on gas tank mounts and a license plate frame.

I am NOT going to be using the welder for frame modification, or anything serious. Really just for small stuff.

I know absolutely nothing about welding. What type of welder should I get?

I was thinking about this guy,
http://www.harborfreight.com/90-amp-flux-wire-welder-98871.html

Is that sufficient?


best,
adam
 
I got a Lincoln sp140, I love it. Easy to use and it runs off of a 120v circuit. You can get them at home depot for about $600 but I found mine brand new for $400 on ebay.
 
search welder on craigslist/tools used flux core 110v migs are a dime a dozen, just watch for a deal to pop up near you. Your local farm and fleet store has welders also.

Like this
lincoln wire welder 110 volt - $200 (sugar hill)

Date: 2011-10-02, 9:16AM EDT
Reply to: see below [Errors when replying to ads?]
lincoln weld pak HD ----35-88 amp output range----welds up to eight inch steel 678-508-6145 $200 or best offer
 
Thanks a bunch gggGary. So just to confirm a flux welder is capable of doing what I need? Can it also do exhaust work?

Best,
Adam
 
A skilled welder can work with a car battery, coat hanger and some flux. Flux core wire feed can do a lot of the work needed on light gauge metal. You just have to stop and wire brush, chip off, the flux between passes. Is gas better? Maybe. Easier? Yes. More expensive? You bet. As it is with most equipment The more expensive (higher quality) tools are easier to use. Plan on lots of practice and "grinder & hammer testing" of your practice welds to see if what you did has any strength before you weld on your seat and foot peg brackets.
 
+1 on searching on Craigslist......
I was in the same boat as you about 8 years ago. I was getting tired of having to pay for simple welding jobs and at the time I had minimal experience welding. I decided on buying either a Hobart or a Miller 135 amp 100v mig welder. While saving up for one or the other, I came across a used Sears Pro series MIG welder. I think it's the same as a Lincohn 135 since it uses the same consumeables. What really sold it was it came with a gas bottle and auto darkening helmet. I jumped on it for $300 and ran. After having the welder home for a few days I found some time to give it a try. To my horror, it just splattered and made a big mess. I thought for a moment that I got duped into buying a busted welder and that the price was too good to have been a good deal....After a few moments I regained my composure and started annalizing the situation. The bottle was out of gas...I have been using this welder since that day and consider it to be one of the best investments one could make on tools. A friend of mine bought a HF welder that lasted him more than five years. He uses it quite a bit more than I use mine. One day it died and he fixed the problem inside of it and still uses it regularly. As back up, he purchased a second 90amp HF welder that is still in the box. If I had to do it over again, I would probably buy a new Miller 140amp MIG welder and not look back. I hardly ever buy anything new but since I know how often I reach for my welder, I can now justify buying something with a good reputation for quality. Hopefully my old welder still has a few more years ahead of it.
 
I would avoid that HF piece, I have used one and been underwhelmed. Same with the cheap Campbell Hausfelds etc. I particularly dislike that the wire is 'hot' as soon as the machine is turned on, wave a welding gun around under a car sometime and you will see why. HF's flux core wire sucks, too. I thought I had forgotten how to weld.

I had it beat into my head by my dad that cheap tools are the most expensive. Spend a few bucks more at the onset and it will last a lifetime. With that in mind, I bought a 110v Lincoln Mig Pak 100 a few years back, it's done everything I have ever asked of it including building race car roll cages. It can be converted to run gas and to weld aluminum, I run flux core because that way I don't have to worry about running out of gas on a Sunday afternoon with an unfinished project. Flux core is messy (it spatters) but a little planned shielding takes care of 90% of that, the rest is easily handled with flexible grinding discs. They are around $370 at Home Depot.
 
I have a Clark 110 volt rig that I think I paid about $300 for new, several years ago. It's crappy as hell when I use it but when my baby brother welds with it the welds all look like factory welds.

I did manage to build this with it: http://www.lassiter.com/mov/jones.html

Someday I'll hook up the gas to it so I'll have even fewer excuses for my bad welds.
 
ReycleBill said:
I have a Clark 110 volt rig that I think I paid about $300 for new, several years ago. It's crappy as hell when I use it but when my baby brother welds with it the welds all look like factory welds.

I did manage to build this with it: http://www.lassiter.com/mov/jones.html

Someday I'll hook up the gas to it so I'll have even fewer excuses for my bad welds.
Click to expand...

nice ride,cool dude,good muzak :thumbsup:at the shop i use tig and mig but at home I still use lincoln cracker box 200 volt ang 225 amps i just unplug the dryer and plug in my home made extention cord and I'm ready to weld
 
I am Carbon said:
nice ride,cool dude,good muzak :thumbsup:at the shop i use tig and mig but at home I still use lincoln cracker box 200 volt ang 225 amps i just unplug the dryer and plug in my home made extention cord and I'm ready to weld
Click to expand...

I agree with carbon. The old lincolns are a good way to go and don't cost an arm and a leg. I plug mine into the dryer outlet too. The 110 v welders are good for sheet metal but are hard pressed beyond that. IMHO
 
Not to totally hijack this thread but I am in need of the same basic advice. I'm looking at two different welders on Amazon; a Hobart Handler 140 for $500 shipped or a Hobart Handler 125 for $380 shipped. I have 0 experience welding but have a buddy ready to teach me and want to be sure if I'm spending the coin that this welder will be able to grow with my experience and do everything I . I intend on using this mostly for small stuff; bungs, controls, fenders, etc.

Any advice or thoughts would be great!

Hobart 140 http://www.hobartwelders.com/products/wirefeed/handler140/

Hobart 125 http://www.hobartwelders.com/products/wirefeed/handler125/
 
i have found that if you have a welding supply house by you that you can usually get things much cheaper than listed price. i was looking at a lincoln tig a little bit ago and it was about 600 cheaper locally than listed on the lincoln website. may be worth checking out if you have one near by. i dont have any experience with hobart and their doings.
 

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