rmcrist wrote:domoarigato wrote:Mine is a 220v unit, but a 110v mig welder would work just fine considering the material thickness. If your just looking for a welding machine to use here and there, you could easily settle for one of the ebay inverter welders, under the condition that it has many good reviews. There is lots of chatter put there concerning these off brand knock off welding machines. A LOT are junk, but there are a few decent ones out there that still come with a few risks (no local repair center, should it need repaired you would have to ship it to a regional repair facility) They have become more proficient in duplicating other designs though, and the decent ones seem to be holding up for a fair amount of hobbyist needs. I picked up an AHP 200X AC TIG unit recently for welding aluminum and it has a following of hobbyists that claim its a decent machine. 200A AC/DC high frequency inverter unit with super flexible TIG leads and a flex head torch for $800~. Not bad as long as it holds up, time will tell.
If budget is a concern, you might want to look at the Everlast units. Some claim they are decent, I have never used one myself. Look around at welding machine repair shops and ask what brands they service. I have one in my area that services a lot of brands including a few chinese brands. If you have a bigger budget, you can look at the hardware store Lincoln and Miller units. You'll be looking for something that can run .030 self shielding flux core wire @ 110v 20A or less. Bear in mind the big names still outsource these big box store welders offshore, but the can be serviced at any local welding repair shop should you have any problems. Thermal Arc/Tweco welders are pretty decent as well and can be serviced at most repair shops.
It's a lot of information and something worth researching before buying, but I hope the above helps. Sorry a little scatter brained, actually working on my trailer now and saw the thread notification. Back to work..
-Domo
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thank you and very helpful! Yes, this is definitely a hobby initiative but believe it can add a lot of value to our build. I was looking at a basic Flux 125 welder from Harbor Freight. Seems easy enough to handle. Any thoughts?
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I have the HF flux core 110v welder - same goals as you're looking for.
Lessons learned include:
*Throw the wire it comes with in the garbage and buy some Lincoln or Miller flux core wire - there really is a difference
*Clean the heck out of what you're welding - don't buy the hype that it isn't necc.
*Try to use a real grounding clamp on the material - the magnetic grounding thingy's are an issue IMHO
*Don't get the cheapest HF welding helmet, but their mid-range one seems pretty decent for what little I do
Just get a bunch of scraps to practice on - changing power and wire speed settings to dial in a good weld on the material you'll be working on. Watch some youtube videos for flux core welding - can be helpful if you're just starting out.
For less than $100, it's done all I ever wanted (goofy yard art, fencing, mounts for stuff, etc.)