I'm looking at this welder...... can I do exhaust OK with it?

shane96ranger · Dec 27, 2010

I got some money for Christmas, and I'm wanting to get some tools. I've wanted to add a little MIG welder to my arsenal for a while, I already have a Lincoln stick welder I've never used...... but I've never welded with a stick, only a MIG. My experience is with my Dad's Lincoln MIG, but I kept burning through thinner metals. I know this has something to do with the wire and flux I was using.

Anyway, no way am I going to fork over the green for a Lincoln or Miller. I've been looking at this MIG at Harbor Freight. I saw one get used over the summer to build a float and it did great on angle iron and such (the guy told me it's a good welder if you use Miller wire). Does anyone have this, and what do I need to be able to weld up some exhaust?

Now I'm going to be scrounging all kinds of pieces of metal for practice =).

http://www.harborfreight.com/90-amp-flux-wire-welder-98871.html

mhughes165 · Dec 27, 2010

id spend the money on a lincoln, or hobart, miller, etc... the harbor frieght welders just dont seem to get the job done, hell look on craigslist for someone selling a good welder used WITH a bottle, kill two birds with one stone

shane96ranger · Dec 27, 2010

mhughes165 said:
the harbor frieght welders just dont seem to get the job done

I've heard the same thing if you are using their wire. The Lincolns run 400 used at least around here.

mhughes165 · Dec 27, 2010

then save ur money and bide ur time, im sure a welder will show up on craigslist on crackhead status before long, look around different areas, if u spend 200 on a used welder with a bottle and then 50 for gas ur still making out.

and flux core wire by itself is garbage, thats why u burn through everything, flux core takes alot of experience to weld with and even then i wouldnt trust most of the welds they put down

shane96ranger · Dec 27, 2010

I'm mostly wanting something to mess with....a little exhaust work is all I was wanting to do. I have a Lincoln MIG with gas hookups at my disposal. My Dad's Lincoln is a sweet little unit. It works on 110 or 220, and can use gas. He got that from a crack head brand new for 350 probably 17-18 years ago.

I emailed this guy on this welder in the link below. Craiglist isn't too big around here, everyone uses ksl.com instead. It has a lot more options.

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=13785629&cat=&lpid=&search=welder

MrE_Powers · Dec 27, 2010

flux core is alright, it does run hot so you dont want it for thin stuff like fenders. it is good for welding on a windy day outside. when the wind would blow away your shield gas.
people forget that fluxcore is like stick welding in that you neeeed to brush/chip away the flux coating before they start another pass or you get impurities and voids in the weld.

BlackBII · Dec 27, 2010

I have that little harbor freight welder. It works awesome. I don't have a 220 outlet in my rental house, which is why I bought the little guy.

Being that it is flux core, it's a little messy (slag) and takes some more practice vs gas shielded mig, but I don't have any complaints. It gets the job done. I welded up the exhaust on my Starion with it no problems.

shane96ranger · Dec 27, 2010

BlackBII said:
I have that little harbor freight welder. It works awesome. I don't have a 220 outlet in my rental house, which is why I bought the little guy.

Being that it is flux core, it's a little messy (slag) and takes some more practice vs gas shielded mig, but I don't have any complaints. It gets the job done. I welded up the exhaust on my Starion with it no problems.

Are you using the wire that came with it?

BlackBII · Dec 27, 2010

shane96ranger said:
Are you using the wire that came with it?

Yeah, I've heard that higher quality wire makes for a better weld, since the wire it comes with is sub-par...

But I haven't had any problems with it, so I haven't ventured off looking for different wire..

Captain Ledd · Dec 27, 2010

I like using the flux core for welding the dirtier stuff. Like the rebar fire place grate I built for my wood stove. or something that's a little rusty but really not necessary to support anything, and I just need it stuck together (I don't feel like cleaning the whole thing up).

Most anything else I use a good solid wire and 75%argon / 25%CO²

shane96ranger · Dec 27, 2010

Well, I went and got it for 100 bucks at Harbor Freight. My welding skills suck, but I did OK on my practice runs.

Iron Ranger · Dec 27, 2010

shane96ranger said:
Well, I went and got it for 100 bucks at Harbor Freight. My welding skills suck, but I did OK on my practice runs.

(sigh).....

Well, I wish the best of luck to you. As a professional welder, I have seen the worst of the worst, and I must say, Harbor Freight is at the worst.

Some of their stuff if you plan to use it a couple times is worth it, but anything that's cheap and electrical, you're asking for a problem.

See, in the welding world, cheaper is crappier. Everytime.

Cheaper welding hoods=short life span and arc flash.
Cheaper welding electrodes/wire=more inconsistency and porosity due to lack of quality control.
Cheap welders=cheap internal components, cheap electrical components, very short duty cycle, and a very short life span.

I mean, if it works for what you want it for, great! I just wouldn't plug anything that cheap in any of my outlets.....

disciplerocks · Dec 27, 2010

I have this welder. Its very messy even with Hobart wire. And I think it would be difficult to completely seal the exhaust. Although I am a noob at welding so either way good luck. And Kyle gave me a good tip with it and it has worked so much better now. He said to heat up the metal with a torch before welding it.

Make sure you get the extended service plan on it.

shane96ranger · Dec 28, 2010

I know Iron Ranger, I'm usually a Lincoln guy. I already have a Lincoln ARC welder, and I just want a cheap MIG to mess with. If I get serious, I'll move up if this one doesn't cut the mustard. Plus my Dad has a Lincoln MIG I can use any time I want.....I just hate using his stuff all the time.

I can tell already that my Dad's Lincoln is better at gaps. I think it's the crap wire that came with it, so I'm going to venture over to Lowes in the coming days and get a roll of different wire. Most everyone on the HF website (reviews) says the welder is great, but the wire is the pits.

disciplerocks said:
heat up the metal with a torch before welding it.

I noticed after the stuff I was working on got warmed up it was puddling (I think this is the correct term) and flowing better.

97ranger19 · Dec 28, 2010

if you turn down the wire speed and the amps to the proper measure you shoulld be able to tac your exhaust up or something in that area with a mig welder but to weld an exhaust together i would go for a tig welder if you know how to use one but a mig welder would by far be used the most over another other kind of welder

I'm looking at this welder...... can I do exhaust OK with it?

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