Cheap welders?

[ArdWrknTrk]

That's a pretty significant statement! Wow. A Harbor Freight works better than a Lincoln.

I think it is a testament to how much HF is stepping up their quality and performance. Not to mention on the hand tools there is a lifetime warranty. I put that to the test the other day on a low profile ratchet. Was super easy swap in store.

The Titanium line is their mid-range.

I haven't used a Vulcan welder yet, but I hope to.

Blue and red better be looking over their shoulder.

Because orange is stepping up the game.

[swampedout]

The Titanium line is their mid-range.

I haven't used a Vulcan welder yet, but I hope to.

Blue and red better be looking over their shoulder.

Because orange is stepping up the game.

Bumping this thread....

So has anyone used their little FC boxes for body work? Is this a pipe dream?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Bumping this thread....

So has anyone used their little FC boxes for body work? Is this a pipe dream?

I find my little Titanium welder can work okay if you're just making spot welds.

It will dial way down, but still hard to run a bead with 0.030" wire.

Maybe I don't practice enough on thin metal?

When stitching you need to constantly brush off all the soot and flux, so you don't end up with it imbedded in your weld.

And there is some spatter or bb's that need to be knocked off with a flap disc.

I would say it's fine for "cave 'n pave" but leaves a lot to be desired over a MIG welder.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Bumping this thread....

So has anyone used their little FC boxes for body work? Is this a pipe dream?

What kind of 'body work' are you looking at Sam?

I'd say it's no problem for a floor or rocker.

Getting a wheel arch or cab corner looking good might be tough.

But if you have air you can always grind, punch & flange, then use body adhesive.

Your patch ends up in the same plane and you don't get any heat distortion.

[swampedout]

What kind of 'body work' are you looking at Sam?

I'd say it's no problem for a floor or rocker.

Getting a wheel arch or cab corner looking good might be tough.

But if you have air you can always grind, punch & flange, then use body adhesive.

Your patch ends up in the same plane and you don't get any heat distortion.

All of the above. Ive got 3 trucks that need some panels patched and one with bad cab corners.

I think I know that if Im going to buy a wire feed welder, it needs to run MIG even if I just use it as FC for a while. Ive learned the buy once, cry once lesson too many times to cheap out here.

I was just in HF last week and saw their 240 Chicago Electric MiG is about 200$ right now. Im going to see if I can fire up my big generator this weekend and see what kind of voltage I can get out of its 240 outlets.

I dont have any show trucks but my bigger maintenance items are slowly getting checked off the lists, so the body work might be closer than I think.

Thanks for your interest, I know I keep talking in circles..

[FuzzFace2]

All of the above. Ive got 3 trucks that need some panels patched and one with bad cab corners.

I think I know that if Im going to buy a wire feed welder, it needs to run MIG even if I just use it as FC for a while. Ive learned the buy once, cry once lesson too many times to cheap out here.

I was just in HF last week and saw their 240 Chicago Electric MiG is about 200$ right now. Im going to see if I can fire up my big generator this weekend and see what kind of voltage I can get out of its 240 outlets.

I dont have any show trucks but my bigger maintenance items are slowly getting checked off the lists, so the body work might be closer than I think.

Thanks for your interest, I know I keep talking in circles..

They say if you have a stick welder you can turn it into a TIG welder pretty easy, do a Google search.

With TIG you should be able to turn it down low enough to do body work.

I don't have a stick welder so have not tried the TIG part.

Dave ----

[ArdWrknTrk]

They say if you have a stick welder you can turn it into a TIG welder pretty easy, do a Google search.

With TIG you should be able to turn it down low enough to do body work.

I don't have a stick welder so have not tried the TIG part.

Dave ----

Yeah... a "Tig" welder with no pedal control, scratch start only, no pulse and NO High Frequency so you can weld aluminium.

That ain't TIG, that is using gas instead of flux on a stick welder.

[FuzzFace2]

Yeah... a "Tig" welder with no pedal control, scratch start only, no pulse and NO High Frequency so you can weld aluminium.

That ain't TIG, that is using gas instead of flux on a stick welder.

I thought you could add the pedal

I have not looked into this for a long time now so could be wrong too?

Dave ----

ps just did a quick search and you are right no pedal and you may not be able to turn down the machine to weld thin metal.

[ArdWrknTrk]

All of the above. Ive got 3 trucks that need some panels patched and one with bad cab corners.

I think I know that if Im going to buy a wire feed welder, it needs to run MIG even if I just use it as FC for a while. Ive learned the buy once, cry once lesson too many times to cheap out here.

I was just in HF last week and saw their 240 Chicago Electric MiG is about 200$ right now. Im going to see if I can fire up my big generator this weekend and see what kind of voltage I can get out of its 240 outlets.

I dont have any show trucks but my bigger maintenance items are slowly getting checked off the lists, so the body work might be closer than I think.

Thanks for your interest, I know I keep talking in circles..

Sam, you have a 240V outlet, what is important to the welder is that your genny can deliver enough amperage.

That is easy enough to determine from the nameplate or even the nema type of the receptacle.

And if you go for the Horrid Fate welder, make sure you grab enough consumables like contact tips and cups (or plastic shields, if you're using FC)

It sucks to be shut down for a $2 part that is a 2h drive away!

[ArdWrknTrk]

Yeah... a "Tig" welder with no pedal control, scratch start only, no pulse and NO High Frequency so you can weld aluminium.

That ain't TIG, that is using gas instead of flux on a stick welder.

I thought you could add the pedal

I have not looked into this for a long time now so could be wrong too?

Dave ----

ps just did a quick search and you are right no pedal and you may not be able to turn down the machine to weld thin metal.

This is what we discuss at the start of this thread....

There are plenty of multi-process welders out there, but again, if you want the features most of us want from TIG (pulse, pedal control and Hi-Frec) then just buy a TIG.

A half decent multi-process welder is going to cost $1000, with various cables and a pedal.

A cheap POS (like I said I have on my watch list) is $300+ and it has next to no duty cycle at over 50A.

A nice Tig pedal is going to cost $200 (for Chinese!) forget American for less than 3, even if it is an "American" brand.

All those Red and Blue companies make parts and accessories over there.