Harbor Freight Welder

[GKM007]

Anyone have any info on Harbor Freight welders? I believe they are a Chicago Electric brand and come in all kinds of amps. I would like to learn to weld and do not want to spend a ton, but I would want something that is usable. The stuff I would be doing is like welding spring perches on a 8.8 for example.

I think I would want a stick welder vs mig/tig.

Just curious if anyone has any experience with them. The feedback on the website is misleading as people either love them or hate them.

 

[willy]

When it comes to welders you get what you pay for if you want to learn take a welding class at the local comunity college there cheep

 

[willy]

I have the flux core welder from harbor freight it works for exhaust but dosent have the penatration to trust it on any thing structual

 

[cvar]

I bought the HF 90 Amp welder (item#68887), and it's fine for little stuff. It's the largest one they had for normal household voltage 120V, but it still needs a dedicated 20A plug, so we installed one in the workshop. An ordinary 15A circuit won't do. We have no 240V outlets anywhere (except behind clothes dryer).

I'm happy with this welder. I suck at welding, but at least now I can repair little stuff (3/16" or less). My welds are getting less sloppy each time I practice. In retrospect, I should have taken a (high-school?) welding class, and THEN chosen a welding machine. But who's got time for classes?

 

[Blown]

On harbor freight stuff, get the replacement warranty, it's inexpensive. I have gone through 3 of Chicago 4.5" grinders. Harbor freight is great for price, not quality. I wouldn't count on their stuff if I was working with it daily for a living, but have found some things there for my few projects to hold-up OK.

 

[scotts90ranger]

If you are wanting a stick welder, go to craigslist and look for a used welder that has AC and DC capabilities (the DC is hard to find, but is much easier to weld with), with 7018 rod on DC it's about as easy as stick welding gets to look pretty and be structural.

That said, I have a couple friends with Harbor Freight 220V MIG welders and they do pretty decent for the price. I have one of the little flux core cheapies and it does good for what it is and is easy to use but it's NOT what you need for spring perches and such.

 

[Kayakcrazy]

You can pick up a Lincoln stick welder fairly cheap. Great welder. Go ahead and get a 220v welder. Will do much better on heavier stuff like your talking

I have a cheap mig and as stated does ok on thin stuff. Heats up if you use it long and you have to let it rest.

I like a stick welder for anything heavy but it's what I'm more used too also.

From experience on this , Save the extra 100$ to spend and it will get passed down to your kids. Don't and you will be frustrated and mad trying to learn