Welding At Home...

[Uncle Stretch]

This subject comes up all the time. Someone wants a cheap welder to build a few frames.
By the time it gets going instead of the glider the guy wants , the recommendations are a
stealth bomber. I build or have built a bunch of frames with a 110 Miller Cricker FLUX core
welder. I have never had any of them fall apart. My welds look good....not TIG good , but I
can't TIG anyway. Use what you can afford and be proficient with . As you get better buy better
tools.

[outskirtscustoms]

all i have is a stick welder, but it does what i need it to do. i wish i could afford a nice mig so i could really get down to business.

Harbor Freight flux core wire feed MIG $89-$109 depending if they are on sale or not. Mine works just fine. and if you know how to weld it doesn't do too bad. I have laid down some really nice looking welds with it. Biggest thing is PRACTICE and PATIENCE.

[yoothgeye]

Harbor Freight flux core wire feed MIG $89-$109 depending if they are on sale or not. Mine works just fine. and if you know how to weld it doesn't do too bad. I have laid down some really nice looking welds with it. Biggest thing is PRACTICE and PATIENCE.

What you have is a flux core wire feed welder, not a MIG, which stands for "metal inert gas" you don't have gas, so just a wire feed.

[outskirtscustoms]

Harbor Freight flux core wire feed MIG $89-$109 depending if they are on sale or not. Mine works just fine. and if you know how to weld it doesn't do too bad. I have laid down some really nice looking welds with it. Biggest thing is PRACTICE and PATIENCE.

What you have is a flux core wire feed welder, not a MIG, which stands for "metal inert gas" you don't have gas, so just a wire feed.

Oh okay. It still works great though.

[yoothgeye]

Oh okay. It still works great though.

Agreed!

[Bloodyknuckles]

A mig welder is one of the best tools you can own. The initial investment can be a little high, but you will find ways to make $ doing odd jobs for friends. I'm not a fan of Harbor Freight flux core welders because the output power can change while laying a bead (poor duty cycle). Small used migs can be bought for around $300. Look for Miller,Lincoln, Hobart, they tend to be better built. If you want to save $ on gas, switch from argon/co2 to co2 only. It will cost about half as much and still give quality welds with a little more spatter.

[Xcruiser]

i got one of the cheap harbor freight flux migs. i was kinda spoiled already by being able to to use a better gas mig at work, so i have a hard time with it. if i'm real deliberate with my technique though (such as it is) i can get some decent results. i still tend to take things to work when i want to be more sure of the weld or to reinforce what i've done at home though.

i have to say, i still like having it though. i think if i got one of those auto darkening face sheilds i'd be better with it. with the better one at work i can touch the wire to the work and it won't weld till i pull the trigger. the home one sparks if you do that, so i try to hold it steady, then flip my sheild down to start. i end up being off the mark a lot.

This is the problem with my little HF flux core welder,its live (hot) all the time.Makes it tough to get started with the shield down.