Help with Welder

[adsm08]

So I used to do a little welding back in high school, missed a great deal on a smaller Lincoln Arc unit a few years back, and now I am looking for a welder. I am mostly looking at gasless MIGs, and I am looking for something in the neighborhood of $100.

Thing is I don't know a whole lot about picking a good one. I don't need top of the line, just something to get started on. I will probably mostly be doing small gauge stuff, sheet metal, maybe exhaust. The BII has a hole in the frame that needs patched up, but I have a friend that helps me with that kind of work who has a welder that will do that job.

First off, is this one any good?
https://www.harborfreight.com/flux-125-welder-63582.html

Second, any specific recommendations one one?

I see a lot on ebay in my range, but again, I don't really know what I am looking for in terms of ratings, or which ones are worthwhile quality-wise.

My target price range is between about $90 and $120.

 

[swynx]

I picked up a Amazon special unit that's a 125 series 110 volt, think I paid like 120$. It's some random off brand. It Is a pos in some aspects but it welds 1/4 if you preheat.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

[RangerFabWorks]

Please don’t waste your money on the harbor freight welder. It will become best friends with your sledge hammer in short time

Shop around craigslist or and of the selling sites. Most of the time, people sell welders for cheap because they need a liner. And a general overhaul. And you can get them pretty damn cheap

 

[adsm08]

I was eyeing the Harbor Freight Flux 125 (the one I linked to) but just wasn't sure.

The one we used last year to patch up my Ranger's frame was an HF unit, but I don't know the specs on it and can't get a hold of the owner to ask about them right now.

Like I said, this one will most likely be for practice and small gauge stuff, sheet metal and exhaust pipes. Then I'll upgrade later if I need to, when I have more money.

 

[RangerFabWorks]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/332493069826

For the money you have to spend. This is the one I’d recommend. It has enough power to weld 1/4 plate if need be.

 

[adsm08]

Please don’t waste your money on the harbor freight welder. It will become best friends with your sledge hammer in short time

Shop around craigslist or and of the selling sites. Most of the time, people sell welders for cheap because they need a liner. And a general overhaul. And you can get them pretty damn cheap

I did check CL, and there isn't much in my area. Mostly large truck-mounted units. I haven't checked FB yard sale yet, mostly because I don't know how to use FB.

 

[RangerFabWorks]

I understand that. The one I linked will do way better then the harbor freight one you looked at. And is basically the same price.

I’m a welder fabricator for the better part of 10 years. I’ve had my hands on Lincoln. Miller. Airco. And Hobart machines. I’ve in emergencies used Campbell hausfeld welders. And harbor freight units. And my experience. Once you know how to mig. You’ll learn to hate cheap machines. They will make a bad welder out of you.

 

[adsm08]

I understand that. The one I linked will do way better then the harbor freight one you looked at. And is basically the same price.

I’m a welder fabricator for the better part of 10 years. I’ve had my hands on Lincoln. Miller. Airco. And Hobart machines. I’ve in emergencies used Campbell hausfeld welders. And harbor freight units. And my experience. Once you know how to mig. You’ll learn to hate cheap machines. They will make a bad welder out of you.

It's also 1/2 of right now. Too bad it's the last one and the seller's account seems to be having issues.

Well if it's still there and that part is sorted in the morning I'll order it. Otherwise I'll probably call up my friend and say "Let's go shopping."

 

[adsm08]

I slept on it, and I think I am going to wait at least until Friday. The seller's account was still not accepting payments when I tried this morning, but I also realized that my paycheck from my second job is going to be almost double this week because I have been covering a lot of shifts for people who are sick or were scheduled during family parties.

I figure with this type of thing it might be better to wait a few days, and possibly triple my budget since Lowes has a Lincoln for about $300 right now.

 

[91stranger]

I used to tig weld all day at the Honda factory for a few years and I've used cheap welders too. Cheap welders are cheap for a reason. You will fight the welder more trying to get a good weld. Save the money and get a decent grade welder, even if you are welding sheet metal and exhaust pipes. A better welder will make you a better welder. Think of it like your tools. Do you use your good socket set to work on your vehicle of the cheap rounded out sockets with CHINA stamped on them? Talk to some people who have welded on many different welding setups and they will all tell you to stay away from the cheap welders. By the time you spend $100-130 on a cheap welder that welds poorly and makes you look like you have no welding skills, you take that $100-130 towards a good welder and you wont regret it.

 

[mavereq]

I used alincoln 140 from Lowe’s for years. It served me well. You can get decent penetration with flux core with proper prep and a slight uphill weld. I later upgraded to a millermatic 211 and it was a huge difference. I still use the Lincoln with solid wire/gas for sheet metal.

Don’t waste your money on cheap junk, especially if you’re going to be welding on a vehicle you’re taking on the road.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I have one of the older blue Harbor Freight flux core welders that were rated at 90 amps, I love that thing for light stuff... sure it has its short comings and isn't great but can give decent looking welds and my mud flaps have actually held the vehicle up when the shackle mount broke and they're 1" 1/8" wall square tubing... Sure it's no replacement for a nice welder, but have been very surprised by the thing...

I use an old Century AC/DC stick welder for anything structural, have only had that wired up for the last 2 years, before that most structural stuff was done at my moms or at work... but you can't get a welder like that for what I paid normally, $20 was very reasonable

 

[RangerFabWorks]

If you can afford one. I’d highly recommend looking into a Hobart welder.

 

[4x4junkie]

If you can afford one. I’d highly recommend looking into a Hobart welder.

This.

Hobart makes great welders that don't cost a whole lot of coin (though they still do cost more than the junk HF sells). I think most (maybe all?) Hobart units you can use either flux core or solid wire (with gas). This lets you start out with flux core, and as you get more proficient you can make the switch over to solid wire.

I recall Hobart is a division of Miller. Their 140 amp unit I know is popular. IIRC it plugs into a 20A 110V circuit.

 

[RangerFabWorks]

Junkie. You are correct. I have the handler 140 unit. Plugs into a standard 110v outlet. And comes with the regulators. But I have it setup for flux currently.

Hobart/airco welders are nothing more than miller welders that didn’t pass all the checks at the end of the line.