Welding

[dltasig7]

I'd like to get started with basic welding. I'm in a rental property with household 110 in the garage that I can't really update for greater electrical demands, so is it even possible for me to use a welder?

If so, is Stick or Arc the way to go for a beginner?

Has anyone had any experience with the welding equipment available at Harbor Freight?

Thanks!

[Merfman]

I don't know about the HF welders, but I have an old Miller cricket wire feed mig welder,110 volt, and use flux core wire. I can weld up to 1/4 inch metal if both sides are welded. Does a lot of work and is very portable. I can use it any where that has electricity. I love it. There are many brands of 110v migs on the market, Hobart is supposed to be a good one. One of these portable 110v welders are great for the beginner and the cost is reasonable, ~$200-500. Of course as anything; you get what you pay for.

[Roadking]

I have the HF stick (set at 110 for now) and wirefeed flux core (also 110)
Stick really does better at 220. Wire feed, piece of cake. If building heavy duty, I'd say 220 is a MUST for good welds. I mostly do sheet metal, floor boards, etc., and the HF ones are good.
For heavy duty, I either break out the Miller, or call my buddy who is a professional welder (on site heavy equipment).

Matt

[M5farm]

I had the 110 wire from HF and it did fine for what it was. bought the 220 wire from HF last year and love it. It works perfect for welding cow panels or thinner stuff but will weld thick if you know what your doing. I use my Lincoln stick most often because Im welding think metal. Got a coupon yesterday for the 220 model for like 160.00 that's cheap enough for a beginner. adding a 220 line is simple.

[sammyd]

There are several options for welders that run on 120V. Harbor Freight has them most farm stores and big box hardware stores will have them as well.
I see a few on Craigs List as well from time to time.
Personally I would recommend the wire feed for a beginner. Easy to learn. And as a beginner the 120V machine is all you really need.
You can get smaller machines that will operate with just flux core wire or with plain wire and a gas for sheilding. So as you get more confident you can step up if you want to.

[Dixie Bee Acres]

I have the 120v flux core MIG welder from HF. It does a pretty good job for what it is. If you don't mind cleaning up a lot of spatter. The down side of it is I can only choose between high and low power settings. Sometimes it takes a bit of playing around with the wire feed rate to get a good weld, especially when welding two different thicknesses of metal together.
All that said, I have only ever had one weld break and that was my fault.....got in a hurry and didn't clean the rust off a piece of steel before welding.

[Dutchofsc]

I had a HF mig welder and it was ok, but don't expect any great welds, and I wouldn't weld anything structural with it. I now have a Lincoln mig 220 volt and it works great.

Th hf unit is ok for sheet metal and thin metals up to about an eight. It would be a good unit to learn and practice, but flux core wire is a lot more expensive.

If you plan on using a welder for some projects, like on a farm, than get a good mig welder with provisions for shielding gas. You will instantly be a better welder.

I made an adapter plate for my skid steer and its holding up to all kinds of abuse.

[fixitguy]

It all depends on your budget and what you what to do.

IF you plan on finding a 220 outlet in the future, buy a dual-voltage welder. Miller makes a nice one model 212? I think. about $950??

IF you want to do hobby stuff, a Hobart is fine.

Any 110 volt welder it the box store will only have a 10% duty cycle, (You can only weld 10 min in 1 hour) and that's OK for the hobbyist.

Buy one that accepts a gas bottle, pass on the gas-less flux only ones. The weld penetration is horrible. (use a 75-25 gas mix)

buy a cheap auto darkening helmet for now, The HF ones are not to bad at all.

If you find you like the art and want to move up to a nicer model, the Hobart one will sell EZ on craigslist, for about the same as you paid new.

[Darren]

This will run on either 110 or 220. Can do either stick or TIG if so configured and depending on output can run on a 100% duty cycle. New ones are pricey. Find a used one. Weighs less than 20 lbs. You can literally strap it on your arm. Saw a pipefitter welding 6" pipe with one years ago. It's still on my wannaget list.

[Gray Wolf]

If your place is like most, the laundry room is right iff the garage. Assuming you have a 220 volt dryer, you have a 220 volt outlet for your welder. Kind of a pain to plug in perhaps but I doubt you'll be switching back and forth all that often. Just be sure of the cable size and desired duty cycle when you make up your extension cord.

A 220 mig welder and a bottle would be the best way to go if you can.

[watcher]

Since I got my 110V wire feed I haven't drug my 220V stick machine out. I don't do a lot of welding and when I do its usually lighter stuff so I don't need 200 amps going through a stick to weld.

Its also great because I can weld almost anywhere because I don't need an extension cord the size of forearm to run the thing. So rather than having to take something apart, drag the pieces into the shop, weld it, lug it back to whereever and put it all back together (all the while hoping something didn't slip and it WILL go back together) I just take the welder to the job.

[Gray Wolf]

If you are going to teach yourself, MIG is easiest.

If you are going to take a class or two at your local trade school/jr college, or have a welder buddy to teach you, then O/A, SMAW or TIG become good options. TIG is expensive, and takes a fair amount of practice, but you can weld almost anything. O/A takes some skill but shouldn't be overlooked for a starting rig and doesn't need any power at all.

Start with what you want to do with your welder and how your garage is set up. That might help you decide on a process and then a machine.

Do you need to weld quickly/in one pass?
What duty cycle is the most you'll need? Double that if you don't want to wait for,the machine.
How far will you have to go for consumables like gas?
How thick of metal will you need to weld?
How thin of metal?
Is your garage safe from sparks?
Will you need to heat and bend metal?
Do you want to weld exotic or dissimilar metals?
Will you need to move your machine often or take to remote sites?
Will it need to be able to run off a generator?
Did you just win the lottery? If yes, get one of each and have fun.

[Cropduster]

I've had a HF mig for years. I'ts good for around the house. I bought the replacement plan but after 3 years it still works good. If I could afford it and did more welding I would get a Miller.

[Cropduster]

If I have something thick to weld I use my arc welder.

[coolrunnin]

If you are wanting to ever learn stick I would suggest learning it first, I've known a couple who learned mig and had a devil of a time learning stick after, and theres just some things you can't weld around the farm with a 110V or 220V box store mig.

[Darren]

Another option is an add on Zena welder for a vehicle or tractor for stick welding.

http://www.zena.net/

[coolrunnin]

Originally Posted by Darren

Another option is an add on Zena welder for a vehicle or tractor for stick welding.

http://www.zena.net/

I have a neighbor with one of those it actually works pretty good.

[Cropduster]

That thing looks cool.

[||Downhome||]

Your Question as I'm sure others already pointed out to what kind of work you wish to do.

You can weld thinner stuff with a arc but its easy to blow through and heavy work it the only way to go besides Forge welding with a torch.

I have a Oxy/Actelene torch,Old Lincoln buzz box stick welder, and a Matco Mig welder.
Each has there uses.
I also hope to get a good Tig in the future.

I picked up the Buzz box with a boat load of rod, extra leads,Stinger and clamp for 90 bucks off craigs list.Same for Mig cost me 50 and came with wire.
The torch was Inherited.

If you keep your eyes open deals all the time on older welders, the buzz box is older then me but still runs like it should.

If you get a good deal you could easily go to Home depot with the money saved and get the right gauge wire and make 220 extension long enough to reach the shop. Most home have a outlet.

[jwal10]

I started with a little 220 tombstone, then upgraded to a AC-DC reverse polarity tombstone. Both stick welders before decent wire feed D-I-Y machines. Next was a wire feed gas shielded welder in about 1980. Along the way I got a little 110 flux core welder. I used it a lot, works good with a generator, too. It is the only one I have left as I don't weld a lot anymore. Except for a very few times, I never lugged out the 220 AC-DC, after the wire feed welder. I can weld anything with the wire feed except very thick (more than 1"). I built everything from farm equipment to truck beds and farm and logging equipment repair. IF I was starting as you are I would get a flux core 110v and learn all you can, use it a lot. IF you have more money get the gas shielded wire feed, mid range 110v welder. I would get a variable, not just a high/low, much better control. Never had or really looked at a HF welder, used one several times, they were A welder....James