Cheapo HF welder HELP!

**koolaid5** · 03-01-2010, 09:43 PM

Ok, I just bought the 110v 90amp Harbor Freght welder tonight. I attempted to just run a bead and tack two pieces of sheet metal together and I was COMPLETELY unsuccessful I've read that the wire that HF sells is junk, but shouldn't I at least be able to do SOMETHING. All I've been able to do so far is create some splattered bird **** looking stuff and burning through some sheet metal.

I need to get this down, so that I can move on to replacing the floor pans in my Cherokee and then open up to possibilities with bike projects

Any and all help will be GREATLY appreciated

mattathayde · 03-01-2010, 10:02 PM

have you welded before with a mig or is this totally new to you?

i by no means know much about welding but if your getting spatter it sounds like one of your issues is that you might just be to far off of the metal.

also is it flux core or are your using a shielding gas?

-matt

**koolaid5** · 03-01-2010, 10:04 PM

It is flux core and this is my first attempt at any kind of welding.

**koolaid5** · 03-01-2010, 10:06 PM

I need to go back tomorrow and get a better welding helmet. I'm just using the one that came with the welder which is like a f'n mask you hold up in front of your face and I can't see **** through it. They have one there that is auto darkening that is usually $80, but I just got a coupon in the mail today when I got back from HF that knocks $40 off the price

I just didn't want to spend too much on one, because my Dad has a $300 helmet sitting up in PA to give to me. I just need to get my *** up there to get it.

mattathayde · 03-01-2010, 10:14 PM

ya we had the standard lenses in ours here at school and they stuck.

you want to be pretty close with the welder tip, IIRC 1/4 inch is a good distance (but dont quote me on that), i dont know how much it will matter with flux core but with gas shielding you want to push the bead instead of pulling it. also make sure you are keeping the gun parallel in movement tot he seam

-matt

Dad03 · 03-01-2010, 10:15 PM

Don't take this wrong any but any HF welder SUCKS. I had one and managed to F'up plenty of welds. I picked up a Lincoln welder and immediately the welds improved 100%. Can't explain the differences between the 2 but its noticable quality.
IMO they are not even worth learning on.

**koolaid5** · 03-01-2010, 10:20 PM

Yeah, I think I was too far away with my tip. I started off having it too close and welded the f'n end shut. I only got one spare with it, so I was paranoid I was going to do that again, so I think I backed up TOO far then....

Dad03 - Yeah, I know it's not the greatest, but I should still be able to get it to work a LITTLE. I just watched some youtube videos of people using the exact same welder with good results. I think it's just going to take a bit more time than I realized and some patience. I might have to pick up some more scrap metal as well

**Hussler** · 03-01-2010, 10:26 PM

FIRST OF ALL try welding on something thicker than 1/8th. To practice on sheet metal just makes the learning experience that more difficult.

**Hussler** · 03-01-2010, 10:28 PM

[QUOTE=koolaid5;8998823 I've read that the wire that HF sells is junk, but shouldn't I at least be able to do SOMETHING. [/QUOTE]

Haha who told you that? My whole jeep (and quiet a few friends Jeeps) are held together with HF wire.
Don't blame it on the tools, rookie.

Savasa · 03-01-2010, 10:33 PM

KA5,
I am self taught welder (MIG/gas). Any welder is not a plug and play tool like a flat wrench. Heat settings, wire speed, gas pressure (not applicable with flux core wire), wire size, torch distance and angle and last but not least, the material you're trying to weld all have to be considered and learnt before you can get decent reproducable tacks/beads. Find a good welder in your area and pay him/her to give you some basic lessons on your machine or if there's a course, enrol.
Peter.

**koolaid5** · 03-01-2010, 10:37 PM

Oh, I'm not blaming it on the tools. I KNOW it's me :lol: I just read that on a few message boards that popped up when searching. I also read that the HF welder is total ****e and I won't be able to do anything with it. THAT guy was blaming it on the tools.

I'm going to do this with my nest attempt.... clean the metal more thorough...hold the tip closer....lower my speed setting a bit.... and try that with both MIN and MAX power settings. We'll see how that goes.

Oh, and I don't really have anything else to practice on right now. I don't have a lot of metal sitting around... I need to get the thin **** figured out anyway though, right?

**koolaid5** · 03-01-2010, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Savasa

KA5,
I am self taught welder (MIG/gas). Any welder is not a plug and play tool like a flat wrench. Heat settings, wire speed, gas pressure (not applicable with flux core wire), wire size, torch distance and angle and last but not least, the material you're trying to weld all have to be considered and learnt before you can get decent reproducable tacks/beads. Find a good welder in your area and pay him/her to give you some basic lessons on your machine or if there's a course, enrol.
Peter.

self taught all the way brother with the help of some pointers from my fellow JF and CF *****es

postaldave · 03-01-2010, 10:53 PM

i was wondering that, i watched clapton play a $5 guitar once and made it sing. i wonder what a HF machine would do in the hands a great welder.

that being said, someone can learn on a really good guitar faster then on a cheap one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hussler737

Haha who told you that? My whole jeep (and quiet a few friends Jeeps) are held together with HF wire.
Don't blame it on the tools, rookie.

**koolaid5** · 03-01-2010, 10:56 PM

but why not learn on the POS and then be AMAZING when stepping up to nicer ****?

Seriously though.... I don't have a need for anything more than this now. If it turns out to be something I want to get more into an find that I'm going to use it a lot I may eventually invest more. This is it for now though

**chris87xj** · 03-01-2010, 11:03 PM

Try using the MIN setting for sheetmetal. Start with your wire feed about half speed and adjust as needed to hold an arc. Keep moving and don't dawdle long in one spot.
Use MAX heat for thicker metals and start with your wire feed about 3/4s of full speed.
Go for the auto-darkening helmet if you can. It generated the most significant improvement to my welding yet. So nice to see what you're working on.