zmaster Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 I have a complete floor pan, a floor rail, and a roll cage project to do on my 280z. I would like to know if a cheap 110v mig welder from harbor freight willdo what i need done, or will it make crappy welds that won't hold at all. I don't have that much money to spend on a good welder, or i would get a mm 180. I would like some suggestions for good reliable cheap welders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeatrpi Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 paging grumpyvette (I know how strongly he feels about this) http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?p=762130 http://www.weldingmart.com/Qstore/p002054.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 A good welder can get the job done using cheap equipment. A bad welder will screw it up using the best equipment money can buy. Good equipment helps and its a bigger help to the inexperienced then to the journeyman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 IF you were located closer ID let you try about 7 differant welders and get the feel for each, I own 5 currently and the neighbors own several. like Ive said before, Ive used a bunch of welders and while Im no expert Id strongly suggest a name brand welder and one with a 220 volt feed , 110 volt welders give good results on sheet metal but once you get into the heavier stuff like frames and suspension components your better off with the option of more heat and penetration, yeah EVERYONES on a budget, but buying tools that won,t get the job done correctly and effectively is wasting money "A good welder can get the job done using cheap equipment. A bad welder will screw it up using the best equipment money can buy. Good equipment helps and its a bigger help to the inexperienced then to the journeyman." THATS VERY TRUE UP to a point, and that point is reached when the amps are not available to drive the heat fast and deep enought to get the job done correctly, you can,t just go over and over a spot and get a good result. YOU don,t need to spend a ton of cash either, but YOU DO NEED to know the differances and advantages and charicteristics of welders so ID strongly advise taking a welding course at a local college or night school a trade school etc. before spending your cash as its sure to pay off in much better choices being made. read thru these threads http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=124196 http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80366 http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80702 heres a decent fairly cheap mig, that will handle almost any car related steel welding http://www.welders-direct.com/merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WD&Product_Code=907312 heres a dirt cheap stick welder that in skilled hands would work, but not nearly like the miller mig unit http://www.welders-direct.com/merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WD&Product_Code=K1170 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tannji Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 "heres a decent fairly cheap mig, that will handle almost any car related steel welding" Good machine, although I prefer the Lincoln 180c... But Miller is about to release an affordable Spoolgun for their lower level welders that is nearly the same price as Lincoln's, and will probably be better quality. Looking at the average time it takes to "complete" a project car, I would really suggest a small 220 machine if at all possible. Over the term of your project, considering time, effort, and materials that could be saved with a slightly bigger machine, I think budgeting for it is worthwhile. Most of the machines that are Significantly cheaper are not even in the same realm of performance as a Miller or Lincoln 140, and if you do want the reliability and performance, the small 220s are pretty close in price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 btw between myself and friends, weve tried these HF & hd welders http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94056 http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=55167 YOUVE GOT TO BE KIDDING, these were nearly totally useless http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93793 http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94164 crappy quality but these at least did work ....some times... but not often http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43550 I liked this one,no problems at all, but it was not as easy to use as some Ive used heres some from HOME DEPOT lincoln 3200, WORKS but BARELY http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100093231 the 175 lincoln a big step up, but still not what Id suggest as adequate http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100395926 Lincoln Electric AC/DC 225/125 Welder GOOD BASIC NO FRILLS STICK WELDER http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100053881&N=10000003+90401&marketID=401&locStoreNum=8125 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naviathan Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 I have the HF 220 MIG. Not sure the model, but suffice it to say I have a Lincoln now that I use exclusively. The HF was practically useless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoNkEyT88 Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 A good welder can get the job done using cheap equipment. A bad welder will screw it up using the best equipment money can buy. Good equipment helps and its a bigger help to the inexperienced then to the journeyman. I also believe that is true. I do not use the best machine at my house, but I have had a lot of practice welding, because it is my profession. At home I have a small Miller Maxstar 140 TIG machine, with 100% Argon. It is by no means as nice as the ones I use at work . But I do not have the need or funds to acquire such a high end machine. Here is some welds I put down for my custom exhaust that will be going on my STI. I'm also looking to buy a MIG machine for at home use.. Have you looked into the Clarke machines? Not the best duty cycle, but they are relatively cheap and use gas/flux core, but who wants to use flux core. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 almost any TIG welder has a huge advantage over a cheaper MIG because YOU can control the HEAT, its location an the rate of feed of the fill rods where you don,t have nearly that control on a mig, and can,t sit and heat and area without feeding wire like a tig or oxy-acetolene torch can. BTW NICE LOOKING TIG WELDS with a tig or oxy-acetolene torch you can usually do good looking solid welds once you aquire the skills with practice, the only disadvantage Ive seen is SPEED in welding a seam is slower, but the quality usually far outweights speed for home/hobby use, and not production use where time spent is a factor in cost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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