Harbor Freight 120 volt welders
- Thread starter JWFilips
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RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
In 1985 I bought a little Miller 110 volt flux core wire welder. Mostly I used it for metal panels for Hudson body repairs and handy man projects in the shop. Like video says, works fine for a maximum of 3/16 " material.
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
There are a lot of You Tube reviews out there, might be worth looking at. I've never actually tried to weld with a 115v welder, at least not that I recall, so I gots nuthin' more that that.
ETA- Whoop! I take that back. I DID try welding a set of hinges onto a metal well cover for a friend probably 20 years ago with a 120v welder, seems like it was HF. It was horrible, but the weld stuck as far as I know.
ETA- Whoop! I take that back. I DID try welding a set of hinges onto a metal well cover for a friend probably 20 years ago with a 120v welder, seems like it was HF. It was horrible, but the weld stuck as far as I know.
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fiver
Well-Known Member
it's all i have anymore.
you have to match the rod size to the welder, buying regular rods like 1109 or whatever doesn't work so good.
the smaller 1/8" stuff works fine.
you can do exhaust or metal patching and some slightly heavier, but not a whole lot more.
think anything a 220 welder would blow right through as soon as you touch it.
a 110 wire feed will pretty much do the same thing... but can handle the slightly bigger [1/4" metal] stuff easier.
you have to match the rod size to the welder, buying regular rods like 1109 or whatever doesn't work so good.
the smaller 1/8" stuff works fine.
you can do exhaust or metal patching and some slightly heavier, but not a whole lot more.
think anything a 220 welder would blow right through as soon as you touch it.
a 110 wire feed will pretty much do the same thing... but can handle the slightly bigger [1/4" metal] stuff easier.
Tomme boy
Well-Known Member
I have the 120v 125A Titanium flux core. It works awesome. You can adjust the wire speed and the amps by twisting the dials. Most of the cheaper ones will just have a hi/low button fore each the wire speed and the amps. It is very smooth to weld if you have used one of the cheaper types. They surge while you are welding. The inverter on these does not do that.
I really like how when you change wire there if a feed button inside the cover that feeds the wire but does not energize the wire. Forgot about this. The older cheaper types the leade is always hot if the machine is on. The titanium is like more expensive welders. Only hot when you pull the trigger.
I really like how when you change wire there if a feed button inside the cover that feeds the wire but does not energize the wire. Forgot about this. The older cheaper types the leade is always hot if the machine is on. The titanium is like more expensive welders. Only hot when you pull the trigger.
JonB
Halcyon member
can I assume you are familiar with HF?
It's gonna be a 50 - 50 chance you'll get one, that will do the job, as is.
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I have a HF 240 volt wire feed welder. I wouldn't work worth a crap when I got it. BUT, once I figured out that the liner from the feeder motor to the gun was plastic and must have been from the end of the spool (tight curly-cues) when assembled in China, and the wire wouldn't feed through it, I replaced it with a Liner I mod'd , that I got from a parts store, had the Lincoln name on the package, it was metal like a throttle cable from a real old lawnmower. The welder worked like a dream after that...in fact I built my wood splitter from scratch and welded it all together with it.
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So, with HF, ya gets what ya gets. Good Luck.
It's gonna be a 50 - 50 chance you'll get one, that will do the job, as is.
.
I have a HF 240 volt wire feed welder. I wouldn't work worth a crap when I got it. BUT, once I figured out that the liner from the feeder motor to the gun was plastic and must have been from the end of the spool (tight curly-cues) when assembled in China, and the wire wouldn't feed through it, I replaced it with a Liner I mod'd , that I got from a parts store, had the Lincoln name on the package, it was metal like a throttle cable from a real old lawnmower. The welder worked like a dream after that...in fact I built my wood splitter from scratch and welded it all together with it.
.
So, with HF, ya gets what ya gets. Good Luck.
Tomme boy
Well-Known Member
Most factory exhausts are now SS. So you need to take that into consideration. Then most aftermarket is either galvanized coated or aluminized pipe. Each welds different. Some wire is better than other also. Most farm stores here carry Hobart wire. I HATE it. The cheap HF wire works very well for me.
My other welder is a 120 Craftsman flux welder. It was replaced 2x before I got a good one. I was building removable duck blinds on flatboats. I made the frames out of EMT 1/2" and 1". If you have not ever welded conduit t is not fun. We then skinned the frames with Litho plates. When done I could jump up and down on these blinds (i am 300lbs at the time) and they would not flex or move around. Hardest part making them was the people would change how they wants stuff before it was done. Sometimes it could be done but usually not so. Each time something was changed the price went up with it.
Anyway I am rambling on. Get the extended warranty and don't worry about it. I know a couple tire shops use their floor jacks. They get about 6 months out of them and return them to get a new one. Better than a $1500 snapon jack that is made from the same company HF gets them from.
My other welder is a 120 Craftsman flux welder. It was replaced 2x before I got a good one. I was building removable duck blinds on flatboats. I made the frames out of EMT 1/2" and 1". If you have not ever welded conduit t is not fun. We then skinned the frames with Litho plates. When done I could jump up and down on these blinds (i am 300lbs at the time) and they would not flex or move around. Hardest part making them was the people would change how they wants stuff before it was done. Sometimes it could be done but usually not so. Each time something was changed the price went up with it.
Anyway I am rambling on. Get the extended warranty and don't worry about it. I know a couple tire shops use their floor jacks. They get about 6 months out of them and return them to get a new one. Better than a $1500 snapon jack that is made from the same company HF gets them from.
Mitty38
Well-Known Member
My Harbor Freight is the cheapest flux core 120v. With the little flip high low button. Cost $200.
No fine tuning there except for speed nob and how fast or slow you move.
It barely does exhaust. Plus it gets hot fast.
It will penetrate on the high setting, but don't expect anything pretty, and you get spatter everywhere. Pin holes to go back and re hit galor, no mater how smooth you weld
Farm tractor or beater exhaust. Gets the job done. Yes.
But I would be ashamed to weld a paying customers exhaust with it.
If could do it again, I would have got a used Miller or Lincoln . Or even even a new Craftsman or Century. With the option for Mig.
However the auto tint welding hoods, and other accessories they have, work quite satisfactor.
My brother just bought at Lowes, ordered on line and picked up. A nice little 120v Lincoln Flux and Mig about $400. Came with a regulator.
He loves it. It welds way better then mine with flux, and lays perfect virtually spatter free, welds, nice little dimes, with gas added.
No fine tuning there except for speed nob and how fast or slow you move.
It barely does exhaust. Plus it gets hot fast.
It will penetrate on the high setting, but don't expect anything pretty, and you get spatter everywhere. Pin holes to go back and re hit galor, no mater how smooth you weld
Farm tractor or beater exhaust. Gets the job done. Yes.
But I would be ashamed to weld a paying customers exhaust with it.
If could do it again, I would have got a used Miller or Lincoln . Or even even a new Craftsman or Century. With the option for Mig.
However the auto tint welding hoods, and other accessories they have, work quite satisfactor.
My brother just bought at Lowes, ordered on line and picked up. A nice little 120v Lincoln Flux and Mig about $400. Came with a regulator.
He loves it. It welds way better then mine with flux, and lays perfect virtually spatter free, welds, nice little dimes, with gas added.
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