Bought a new welder!

[2GEEZEY]

So being 16, working part time, dont have lot of money so i couldnt pass this up.

Been wanting a beginner welder to practice, and finish my custom exhaust anyway....so i went to harbor freight. I bought a 90 amp flux wire welder for 110. and bought a 2 year plan so if anything happens i take it back and get my money back.

Got home, busted it out started to play around with it, laid down some pretty nice welds, ill get some pics up. This is my first time welding btw, after i get off work ill try and finish up the exhaust.

 

[blcknspo0ln]

I had the same one. It's great for making exhausts, pipes, brackets, etc. Awesome little go-to welder for the small stuff.

Read up on all of the different types of welding methods that are out there for mig and you'll get the hang of it. One thing to forget about is a nice non-splatter weld though

 

[TSITurbo95]

Agreed, I started out with a harbor freight mig welder, and ended up (still have) a lincoln electric mig welder. Well worth the money. IDK if harbor freight changed their design, but when I had one, they didnt have a fan, and it overheated constantly.

 

[viprez586]

Yep, I hate flux-core mainly because of the splatter.

Go with C25 and never look back.

I've got a little shit Firepower 130 that runs on household 110. It's ok for basic work.
Man do i miss using the bigger 240v and 3-phase welders at work though.

 

[TSITurbo95]

Yeah, but if you have a dedicated 20amp line just for your 120v welder, it will weld that much better. Thats how I have my home setup now, and yeah I use a nice 240v 3 phase welder at work (millermatic 251), LOVE that damn thing

 

[2GEEZEY]

WOW! im very impressed, i finished up most of the exhaust, pretty decent welds for being a first timer. Although, it does spatter some times, i have the wire feed turned down and its on Minumum instead of max.

heres some pics, its mocked up with my old apexi n1 muffler that blew out, so im waiting for a new one to come in which should be here tomarrow.
P.S. dont mind some of the crappy welds, still learning

 

[viprez586]

Those welds look "cold". You want the weld to "sit" in & lay down smooth - this results in some penetration(opposite side of weld actually bubbles a little).
You'd be better off stitching them for a cleaner look.

To run a continuous bead, watch the puddle and push it, you don't want to go too slow while your pushing or it'll burn through. Too fast and you'll get a weld like you have.

The three basic's of MIG welding:

• Speed - one thing you'll have to learn for yourself.
• Angle - typically 45* but once you get beyond that, it is a constant variable.
• Stick-out. Typically 1/4" to 1/2" from the tip, once again this is another variable that can change with prefernce or the type of weld/job at hand.

 

[2GEEZEY]

thanks ill go try that! i have one question, do you think i should be okay routing the exhaust underneath the gas tank? I sprayed it with some high temp paint.

 

[debbie]

I know i posted this up but it might help to give you some tips.

MIG Welding - The DIY Guide

 

[jjrock5]

^ Great writeup. I'll have to read into it more later. I have the same HF welder and its pretty good but sometimes I wonder if I have the speed and HI/LO settings correct...

This one:

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90 Amp Flux Wire Welder

 

[Gamble97]

You can return the warranty since the welder was so cheap to begin with, at least I would. I had this exact same welder, I bought it used for $80 then sold it for $80 a year later and only used 1 spool of flux. It does good little welds for here and there and for learning it's great!
I don't think it has enough current to get proper penetration on that exhaust piping though. I could be wrong.
Anywho I just upgraded my welded to an actual lincoln mig and it is sooo much better than wire flux.
Hey, you're in my area, I don't think I have seen your car around before.

Also try youtube.com for mig welding tips/tricks/techniques. Go in little circular patters. Also a lot of people will tell you to push the puddle, I found it easier to pull the puddle.

 

[2GEEZEY]

yeah i tried going really slow, playing around with the angles and speed, nothing seems to get it to penetrate the exhaust. Oh well, once im done with it ill take it back anyway

 

[Gamble97]

That exhaust is too thick for that welder. You need gas or a 220v to get full penetration. Like I said it's great to learn on though. And you can just tack weld shit in place and have it brought somewhere to be finished.
And you can't do SS with that guy just so you know.

 

[TSITurbo95]

That exhaust is too thick for that welder. You need gas or a 220v to get full penetration. Like I said it's great to learn on though. And you can just tack weld shit in place and have it brought somewhere to be finished.
And you can't do SS with that guy just so you know.

Not true, all you need is a dedicated 20 amp circuit. ATM I am out of gas, and use gasless flux wire, and have a dedicated 20 amp for my welder, get great penetration. But that welder is cheap, and I would recommend returning it and spending a little extra on a lincoln electric mig. Well worth it.

 

[Gamble97]

^^Exactly you have a lincoln welder vs his chicago eletric one. That is a big difference.

 

[viprez586]

Don't need 220v, don't post such nonsense.