Will this welder to the job?

[alxire]

Just bought a brat kit from Visual Impact and I'm thinking about picking this welder up from Harbor Freight if it will do the job?

Can someone drop some knowledge on me?

http://www.harborfreight.com/90-amp-flux-wire-welder-68887-8494.html

ps- I know how to weld just don't know d*&k about what size of welder I need, or even if a wire feed is the right tool for the job.... I can mig, tig, arc and wirefeed so if someone could help a brother out with some suggestions it would be much appreciated

 

[CaseySmithersxs]

Dont get me wrong, Im the first cat to get tools from HF... But idk if I would trust a welding mach. But hey, its 100 bucks. but 5 of em. lol

 

[reeb]

I'm a pipe welder and I would not use that welder. I dont think u can evin hook gas up to that machine so u can only use the inner sheild wire. U can get a Lincoln from home depot for around 500 with the gas set up but those machine only have 5 heat settings. I think u can get a miller or Lincoln with infanit heat settings for around 700 or 800

 

[FB71]

I bought a Miller 135 with cart, pressure reg and 25 cu/ft cylinder of gas from my local welding supply house for less than $700. I've used Lincolns, Hobarts, Camp/Hausfield and some other no-name (all 120v), the Miller is by far the best.

 

[Tim of DO THE TON]

You want to TIG anything on your frame (and anywhere else) if you have the skills and tools to do the job.

I find it odd that someone who says they can TIG weld is even asking this question. A 90amp flux core welder would make a good doorstop.

I have a 180amp Lincoln MIG setup with C25 gas that I use to weld the odd bracket onto my bike. Friends of mine weld brackets and stuff onto frames with a 140amp 120v MIG setup.

For structurally important stuff I take my frame to a pro who does TIG all day, all week.

 

[alxire]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the info, looks like i should reconsider. But keep in mind i don't have all the tools and resources to use top of the line stuff. also keep in mind i don't want to farm all of the work out ie i want to do it myself. are there such things as community garages/shops?



@ Tim of do the ton- I learned and became proficient with welding, with all of the different methods listed above, when I was in high school. While they taught me to lay down a tight ass bead they did not do so well in educating me on the specific equipment I was using. And no I haven't welded for about ten years, but its Like riding a bike right? Plus i ain't scared uh no ghosts !

 

[shotgunjoe]

Im with tim... dont blow smoke... 90amps aint gonna cut it, and if you dont know that, you shouldn't be welding your frame.

 

[alxire]

Fair enough...i think I'm going to seek pro services..anyone in Portland have a recommendation on a badass welder?

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Good thinking, alxire. That 90 amp will blob up on you before you get heat/penetration. Then, when the workpiece heats up enuff, you might get fair flow/penetration, but you'll need to adjust feed to keep going. Afterwards, clear your calender for grinding.

How do I know? They call me 'muddauber'...

 

[usfs68]

I checked out the Visual Speed Brat Kit It looks like a very easy modification. You need to have the seat you are planing to use before you weld. There are plenty of shops in Portland that can fab this up for you.

 

[Boons]

Save up and buy a miller 211. Best bang for your buck. You can do 22gauge to 3/8. Practice practice practice before you weld something that your life or others depend on. Go to your local college and take a welding course.

People make welding out to be way more complicated than it is. I have taught my 5 year old nephew how to lay beads that would pass CWB 1/8 and over test. This took less than 2 hours.

Get your self some scrap of different thickness and put them in the most goofy positions possible and practice till you can do a competent bead. Experiment with your wire speed and voltage. Don't practice in the flat for hours on end, that isn't welding.

Your not a welder till you can weld upside down with one hand whilst butt naked!

 

[shotgunjoe]

Fair enough...i think I'm going to seek pro services..anyone in Portland have a recommendation on a badass welder?

good choice. A bad welding job, could result in a shock impaled in a place you dont want. I have seen too many frames poorly welded, with bad welds stacked on top of bad welds, then ground smooth... putting a crappy weld over another crappy weld doesn't make it stronger... truly.

As an example, take two pieces of wood, and throw a gallon of glue on them, then load test. Take another two pieces, and use a small amount of glue and clamp them, and load test. Which one is stronger? I guarantee the second set wins by a mile... welding is very similar, only penetration being the most important. With composites, they use vacuum bagging to draw out excess resin, and ensure full penetration, making the part stronger, go figure.

To be fair... a 90 amp flux core welder, MIGHT get you by on this job, maxed out... but just because its rated at 90, doesn't mean its gonna do it. More likely, you'll and not

 

[rybeatty]

I have a hobart 140 that I run with argon co2 that's a great little machine. welded my hard tail on with it. harbor freights tig has great reviews at a fraction of the price of others. I believe there was a bike build thread here where the entire bike was done with that tig

 

[smokedyerstang]

+1 on hobart handler 140. Best bang for your buck IMO. Never had any issues with mine and plenty of power/penetration for me.

 

[Boons]

I'm rocking a hobart 140 aswell. Good machine but I do miss my Miller 140 for the more precise voltage control. Sure wouldnt mind "borrowing" a 252 from work.

 

[azcafe]

I have that welder from Harbor Freight and have used it on my build. I weld little thing on with it but like everyone says clear your schedule for grinding. A lot of the times when you start griding the weld breaks too. Like the others said it doesn't heat up the metal enough to get good penetration. I still use it for little stuff that is not life dependent and I like it for that. I do however plan on buying a nicer welder in the future.

 

[Tim of DO THE TON]

I hadn't looked at the kit - 100% take your frame and the kit to a professional welder. You'll more than likely want to brace the frame before cutting it up and welding on the new parts as it is prone to twist etc. during the welding process.

That's more of an issue with full hard tails, where you want to use a frame jig to keep things straight, but even with this, I'd be welding cross members in place before hacking it all off and welding on new stuff.

 

[sbaugz]

I use that harbor freight welder all the time for little brackets and non load bearing things but Anything structural or frame related I pay a professional to do it.

 

[BobbedSled]

You could MAYBE tack the frame with that. MAYBE. if hte frame is chomoly it will not penetrate. I have used a Lincol machine in that same class and on a dirt bike frame for tacking new motor mounts, it amounted to bird poop on metal. ZERO penetration.

For reference that welder is really a sheetmetal unit and I am sure people us eit for makign fences and stuff outdoors where there is no load and looks are not relevant. Even then a solid knock would break the welds due to utter lack of penetration.

Unless you weld for a living I owld tack a frame adn take it have have it teg weleded by a certified aerospace welder. Most can be found neat any airport with little difficulty and don't cost any more than a regular ole skilled fabricator welder.

Your talking about your life here. Based on teh post I REALLY hope you are not planning on doing this your self. Without question if you want to weld it your self, a welder is not where you skimp as a baseline.

If you have to have it, try tacking stuff with it, then take it and have it done. Good luck!