Good welder for less than $500?

C

coldsteelburns

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Aug 2, 2010
Messages
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Hey guys, I have been thinking about getting another new, better welder than my "90 amp Harbor Freight Flux Core Welder" (blue version) that I've had for a few years. Before I bought that one I had never welded anything in my life, and I still don't really know exactly what I'm doing, but it's easy enough to press the button and weld san mai/ damascus billets together as well as some other small things I've weldeed up. The thing is, is that I can't even get a small piece of rebar to stick to a very very light san mai billet.. every time I've tried, and I've tried alot, it falls off after the second heat, which is enough to get the billet welded but it's just annoying (and I even would grind clean and bevel the end of the rebar as well as pile on the weld :grumpy: ) I also wanted to have a new one for making fixtures, jigs, etc maybe even a new belt grinder sometime in the future, but I don't have confidence in this one, I'm sure a lot of the problem is my skill and lack of knowledge, but it's not that hard to learn how to properly tac weld a handle onto a billet (which like I said had always failed). Also, since I don't have any tongs, I'd like to be able to easily weld a handle onto a pieces of barstock that I want to forge out into blades without worring the handle with fall off after a few hammer blows.. For me this would be ideal and much much nicer and funner than trying to fumble around with up to ~2300*F steel using pliers :eek: ;)

Anyway, I was just looking for suggestions of a good welder that doesn't require any shielding gases, and can be used with 110V with good results (I don't have any 220V at my house except the laundry room) and is less that $500. So would another "better" flux core welder be the way to go, or a welder that you use welding rods with (stick welder?) or..? I'm not looking into taking on welding as a profession and don't plan on welding anything that is needs strutural safety for people, but something that has the potential to weld 3/4" thick steel together, (like for hardy tools) and will take a stick to the material easily without much practice, of course I would like to learn to use it to it's full potential eventually, but I wanna "plug and play". :D Sorry to all you professional welders, I'm sure this sounds like heresy to you, but sadly it's my situation right now :o lol

Thanks!

~Paul
My YT Channel Lsubslimed
 
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For what you want to do, you won't get it done with 110v welders, or less than $3,000 in a mig welder


I'd' buy a 220 Dc stick welder off craigslist

Install 220 or make an extension cord from the electric stove outlet.


Watch these videos

Arc welding 1 and 2

Northern tools sells them, amazon does, my library has them too

http://www.weldingvideos.com/arcwelding1.html


Get an angle grinder and the welder, buy several boxes of 3/32" 7014
 
You can find an arc welder used on CL for a lot less than 500$, around 100$ if you're patient. But I agree with the count I think the biggest problem you have is 110v.
 
I've used perfectly acceptable 110V gas shielded Hobart welders in the $800 range. However, my $250 220V gas shielded welder is still much better. I think the biggest problem you are having is the flux core. It produces a lot of contamination from the flux when you weld with it. Gas shielding leaves a much cleaner weld and 220V will get better penetration. As for not having 220V in your house, you can always make an extention cord with dryer outlet to L6-30 adapter long enough to reach out to the garage or shop. I've got one and it's incredibly handy because it means I can take my welder to anybody's house and use it.
 
Arc welders are great the Lincoln 225ac can be got on CL for 100-200 pretty often. But I wouldn't get 7014 I would go for 7018 rods.
 
What you want I don,t think exists.(yet,maybe never) 3/4'' steel?
That would require beveling,multiple passes an oxy-ace pre-heat
and a high powered machine. 20 years ago I had a 110V Cetury
welder that was ok for sheet metal work. Maybe learn to braze.
 
Ditto Lu,
You aren't going to weld 3/4" with any 110V welder and it won't be near $500...probably four or five times that.

Suggestions in order:
Learn to weld - take a course at the local Vo-Tech night school.
Get 220VAC in the shop.
Get a rugged stick welder in the 200-250 amp range and learn to weld with it.
Save your money and eventually get a nice TIG unit to be the compliment to the stick welder.
 
People weld up billets with smallish 220v units all the time. He doesn't require a structural weld of 3/4", only enough of a weld to properly attach a 3/8" rod.

Count, why would you recommend a stick welder over wirefeed?
 
12345678910 said:
I agree 7018 are better, but 7014 are easier to learn with
Click to expand...

Oops! I wrote it back words 7014 are what I recommend they are pretty nice and pretty easy to learn with. I believe 7018s need more care for storage and such.
 
12345678910 said:
I agree 7018 are better, but 7014 are easier to learn with
Click to expand...

Oops! I wrote it back words 7014 are what I recommend they are pretty nice and pretty easy to learn with. I believe 7018s need more care for storage and such.
 
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