Another welding rig question

[6'9"Witha69]

What does anyone feel about this? I want to do patch panels and the like.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=6098

As I said it is on sale. Just wanted some feedback about the Chicago Electric stuff.

[Matt@RFR]

My opinion: Hit yourself on the head with a heavy object until you forgot you ever saw that POS.

Buy a welder from a company who only make welders and plasma cutters.

If it tells you anything, my Dad's Lincoln 155 uses a Chicago Electric MIG as a cart. Seriously. He didn't want to sell it since he couldn't think of anyone he hated bad enough to saddle with that machine.

Run. Quickly.

[CDJr]

Once again, I agree 100% with Matt. Its on sale for $199...I wouldnt give $9 for it, literally. If youre gonna buy one, you might as well go ahead and buy a good one first and save yourself the headache (and $199).

[6'9"Witha69]

My opinion: Hit yourself on the head with a heavy object until you forgot you ever saw that POS.

Buy a welder from a company who only make welders and plasma cutters.

If it tells you anything, my Dad's Lincoln 155 uses a Chicago Electric MIG as a cart. Seriously. He didn't want to sell it since he couldn't think of anyone he hated bad enough to saddle with that machine.

Run. Quickly.

Too Funny.


Thanks for the advice guys. So Lincoln is good. Miller is good. Any others?
What should I be looking for. Oh and I need to limit to 115v. Is taht bad or doesn't matter for what I want to do.

[Matt@RFR]

Miller, Lincoln, and Hobart are really all you have to choose from if you want any kind of quality. I would seriously look at the Hobart if I were you. They roll off the same assembly line as the Miller's do, but with slightly cheaper parts. Still good quality, but won't take an industrial shop beating. Same excellent service and support as Miller.

With 110v input, you're stuck with a 135 class machine, so if you don't foresee any steel thicker than 1/8" in your future, you'll be fine.

[CDJr]

Matt, you can do a little thicker than 1/8" with em cant ya? I was thinkin at least 3/16".

Welders: The only people that think a co-worker catching on fire is funny. <---STILL makes me laugh every time!!!

[Matt@RFR]

Hell, they're rated to 1/4" plate, but I wouldn't do it. Not on anything structural.

With my 251, I'm running 17.6 volts and 258 ipm for 1/8"-3/16" mild steel with .035" wire. That's right at the top end of the 135 machines. Plus, the 251 is at 100% duty cycle at that setting.

I think the 135's can do 3/16", but I really think that it takes careful weld prep to get them to do it right.

[6'9"Witha69]

you're stuck with a 135 class machine, so if you don't foresee any steel thicker than 1/8" in your future, you'll be fine.

That should be fine for SFCs, Patch panels etc, correct?

[Matt@RFR]

Absolutely.

[Johnny Blaze]

Here ya go, I think I am going with this one.

http://www.welders-direct.com/mercha...ct_Code=500495

[Matt@RFR]

Hell, they're rated to 1/4" plate, but I wouldn't do it. Not on anything structural.

With my 251, I'm running 17.6 volts and 258 ipm for 1/8"-3/16" mild steel with .035" wire. That's right at the top end of the 135 machines. Plus, the 251 is at 100% duty cycle at that setting.

I think the 135's can do 3/16", but I really think that it takes careful weld prep to get them to do it right.

I was out in my shop, and for some reason this statement of mine popped into my head. I need to clarify this for my own piece of mind.

The stated setting is what I weld our crossmembers and rear ends with. Those parts are made up of .095, .120, and .188 mild steel plate and tubing. I weld all the .095 joints first, and the .188 joints last, working the progression from thinnest to thickest. This lets me use a too-hot setting for the thin joints (albeit moving quite quickly), and pre-heats the thicker joints, allowing a slightly colder setting.

If I were to run a 3/16" to 3/16" joint first, I would be running more like 18.5v and 275 fpm, or thereabouts.