mig welder for scoots

timcat · Post by **timcat** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 4:58 pm

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D ... mber=94056 would this be sufecent?

Kenny_McCormic · Post by **Kenny_McCormic** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 5:14 pm

Those things work great with good name brand wire, bundled s*** is useless. Buy an autodarkening mask while your there. Sometimes you can get em on sale for under $150.

Follow the duty cycle and (like any welder)they last forever.

timcat · Post by **timcat** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 5:17 pm

well should i perhaps start with an arc welder seeing how i dont have hardly any welding expereance ?

beefy · Post by **beefy** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 5:20 pm

wire fed welders are a little easyer to use

timcat · Post by **timcat** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 5:22 pm

oh ok maby ill get one then wire seems less hassle but i think if i get one i can learn how to use it but the thing im most concerned with is getting shocked and dying lol

Kenny_McCormic · Post by **Kenny_McCormic** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:05 pm

Fluxcore is 5x easier than stick. Wear gloves and a decent pait of shoes, dont touch the workpiece or the wire and you wont get shocked.

Do you understand duty cycle? Thats the most important part of welding, cant weld with a toasted welder.

timcat · Post by **timcat** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:07 pm

yes to an extent weld for 1 min let cool for 10 i think

SprEE*MP* · Post by SprEE*MP* » Fri Jan 23, 2009 8:43 pm

Make sure u read the owners manual if u've never welded before. That should be all the info you'll need. Thats all I needed.

veedubh20 · Post by **veedubh20** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 9:06 pm

you can get blind

lincoln mig is very good!

Kenny_McCormic · Post by **Kenny_McCormic** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 10:09 pm

timcat wrote:yes to an extent weld for 1 min let cool for 10 i think

Somehting like that, for a 10% welder like that its weld 1 let it idle with the fan on for 9(just do 10 for added safety margin). When your done, let it sit for 15 minutes with the fan running. Be careful where you set the torch during cool down, that wire is powered up whenever the welder is on.

timcat · Post by **timcat** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 10:38 pm

ok cool i hope to get it in like a month or so i can get a mask that has batteries and auto adjust i have a friend thats a black smith i sopose if he has time he will show me how to use it

po89mm · Post by **po89mm** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 5:20 am

eww, as a professional welder i wouldn't touch that machine with a 10 foot pole.
Why torture yourself with gasless flux core (especially if your a noob)when solid core with a shielding gas like 95-5 or straight argon is soooooo much easier to deal with?

go gas or go home (TRUST ME ON THIS)

po89mm · Post by **po89mm** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 5:41 am

Kenny_McCormic wrote:
timcat wrote:yes to an extent weld for 1 min let cool for 10 i think
Somehting like that, for a 10% welder like that its weld 1 let it idle with the fan on for 9(just do 10 for added safety margin). When your done, let it sit for 15 minutes with the fan running. Be careful where you set the torch during cool down, that wire is powered up whenever the welder is on.

Duty cycle the number of minutes, within a 10 minute period, during which a given welder can safely produce a particular welding current.

steffen707 · Post by **steffen707** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 7:48 am

I got a buddy who's an industrial mechanic and he said same thing. Go with gas, or go home. He said its much easier to use, especially if you are a novice. I guess if you aren't welding much a cheap welder would work, but personally, I'd save up for name brand like lincoln. U will be * when ur harbor freight welder craps out on you.

keithw · Post by **keithw** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 8:23 am

I can see the attraction of the cost. A $1500 welder would be a better choice but I expect out of your price range. If you don't have welding experience don't expect to be an expert out of the box. In spite of what the box says. Get some clean scrap metal and practice, practice, practice. The welds are not supposed to look like bubble gum and spagetti. Harbor freights cheapest auto darkening hood is pretty good and sometimes on sale for about $50. You only need to UV burn yourself or drop hot slag through the top of your tennis shoe and between your toes once to learn the value of gloves, long sleeves, and good shoes. I stick, oxy-fuel, and MIG weld and each has it's benefits. The TIG is terrably convenient and makes acceptable welds. The control and visibility of what you are welding is somewhat limited. That size welder will only do about 1/8" thick steel no matter what the box says. Get a book on welding from the library or book store, read it, and practice, practice, practice. (can't practice too much) If you get a chance to try a top of the line machine after using the Harbor Freight one you will think you have died and gone to heaven. There are a few bucks to be made if you can weld. Understand what you can and can't do. Turn down what you can't do and do what you can well. (did I mention practicing)

keithw