Author Topic: Harbor Freight Chicago Welder, Any Way to Make it Suck Less? (Read 20934 times)

NorCalToy · « **on:** May 08, 2009, 11:40:36 AM »

a friend bought a $90 HF chicago brand welder, he was having problems so i went over to check it out last night. and its horrible. i could break any weld in half by hand. any thing that is easily changed/fixed to make it a little bit better?

Rockcrawlintoy · « **Reply #1 on:** May 08, 2009, 12:03:47 PM »

yeah buy a better welder

Tool Pimp · « **Reply #2 on:** May 08, 2009, 12:09:20 PM »

Quote from: rockcrawlintoy on May 08, 2009, 12:03:47 PM

yeah buy a better welder

X2

NorCalToy · « **Reply #3 on:** May 08, 2009, 12:19:39 PM »

well thats what i figured, but its not mine, and i already have a nice lincoln so im good. but just wondering if anybody found anything decent about them at all

jimbo74 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 08, 2009, 12:59:01 PM »

yes, you can use them effectively, just need to learn how to weld, and practice.... a member here, cteng, did a budget comparison of cheap welders, he has down structural welding on his truck with the cheap welders, and he hasn't died yet

Talon84x4 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 08, 2009, 01:01:44 PM »

Mine works great and welds strong, my problem is i have to take the gun apart everytime i put a new spool on

jimbo74 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 08, 2009, 01:02:57 PM »

i found that using higer quality lincoln wire was key..... my welds improved just in switching from the hf wire to lincoln wire i got @ home depot

Duffil · « **Reply #7 on:** May 08, 2009, 01:06:29 PM »

Mine works fine. the gun was junk and I swapped in a Tweco lead assembly though. I do agree you can't dial it in quite as fine as a better welder though, and the settings aren't always consistent.

are you using flux core or solid wire and gas?

jimbo74 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 08, 2009, 01:18:03 PM »

i think the $90 hf one is just flux core

hf does have some higher model units that are gas capable

i think hf carries hobart welders too now

NorCalToy · « **Reply #9 on:** May 08, 2009, 04:25:34 PM »

right now he has it set up without gas (not sure if its even gas capable) and hes using the wire that came with it. i told him to try a better wire and see what happens.

thanks for the help guys. ill pass it along.

junya92toy · « **Reply #10 on:** May 08, 2009, 05:05:35 PM »

PREHEAT

emsvitil · « **Reply #11 on:** May 08, 2009, 05:12:30 PM »

Is the polarity correct?

BLACKDOG · « **Reply #12 on:** May 08, 2009, 06:42:49 PM »

If its the HF flux core, the better wire makes a world of difference.

jimbo74 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 08, 2009, 06:56:34 PM »

Quote from: BLACKDOG on May 08, 2009, 06:42:49 PM

If its the HF flux core, the better wire makes a world of difference.

yup

it definately did when i had one.... i think i posted a thread exactly like this one, and that is why i went to lincoln wire

BLACKDOG · « **Reply #14 on:** May 08, 2009, 07:13:25 PM »

Quote from: jimbo74 on May 08, 2009, 06:56:34 PM

yup it definately did when i had one.... i think i posted a thread exactly like this one, and that is why i went to lincoln wire

I've got a pick on my old computer that has a direct side by side comparison, HF wire and Lincoln wire. I just laid a bead of each on a piece of steel. HUGE difference! HF bead was dirty, had a ton of slag holes, etc. Lincoln bead was nice and clean.

unclejpl4x4 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 08, 2009, 07:56:44 PM »

I have the flux core HF welder I use it it sucks a little but i never had a problem with welds not sticking or falling apart just not pritty looking I have used it for my frame repair works fine.

yota_krawler · « **Reply #16 on:** May 08, 2009, 08:38:55 PM »

you cant run it like a mig welder. You have to have about 5/8s stick out from the end of the contact tip. The wire has to heat up so it can release the shielding. Minipulation is key also. You cant wave it like a flag. You have to watch the weld pool and make sure you are not welding on top of flux.

junya92toy · « **Reply #17 on:** May 09, 2009, 07:08:52 AM »

It is a mig welder. and the longer the stick out less power its gonna have. can you say voltage drop. use like 1/4-3/8 stickout. and pre heat the metal. after all welding is just dumping heat into it. so by pre heating you get more penitration. as for the stick out run the wire out of the gun for 3-4 and then have it hit the plate, it will just start to glow red. thats voltage drop the less stick out the more volts you have to weld.

Rokntoy · « **Reply #18 on:** May 09, 2009, 07:25:20 AM »

Buy a miller if I'm not mistaken they are the only welder that uses copper windings in there welder everybody else uses aluminum.

junya92toy · « **Reply #19 on:** May 09, 2009, 09:40:38 AM »

id get a lincoln 180c or the new miller 210 dvi

jimbo74 · « **Reply #20 on:** May 09, 2009, 10:17:58 AM »

Quote from: BLACKDOG on May 08, 2009, 07:13:25 PM

I've got a pick on my old computer that has a direct side by side comparison, HF wire and Lincoln wire. I just laid a bead of each on a piece of steel. HUGE difference! HF bead was dirty, had a ton of slag holes, etc. Lincoln bead was nice and clean.

yota_krawler · « **Reply #21 on:** May 12, 2009, 06:35:57 PM »

Quote from: jerry92toy on May 09, 2009, 07:08:52 AM

It is a mig welder. and the longer the stick out less power its gonna have. can you say voltage drop. use like 1/4-3/8 stickout. and pre heat the metal. after all welding is just dumping heat into it. so by pre heating you get more penitration. as for the stick out run the wire out of the gun for 3-4 and then have it hit the plate, it will just start to glow red. thats voltage drop the less stick out the more volts you have to weld.

its not mig. It is a flux cored wire. GMAW and FCAW, two totally different processes.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Category.taf?CategoryID=292

they all come with a flux cored wire. you cant put a bottle and mig wire in a 90 dollar HF welder.

unclejpl4x4 · « **Reply #22 on:** May 12, 2009, 07:17:30 PM »

I have this one I got it for doing small work I got tired of driving 20 mins oneway 2 work to mig stuff and the stick welder on the truck was a pain. ( last job) http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=98871

junya92toy · « **Reply #23 on:** May 12, 2009, 07:48:05 PM »

YK So you want to get techincal huh. There is no such thing as mig anymore at all smart ass. DO you know who you are talking to? Im a welder by trade with a college degree. MIG stands for metal inert gas. Gmaw usings 75-25 or c02 in most cases. Guess what c02 is not inert it reacts with the metal. FCAW is gasless and it can use gas too. Its called dualshielding. I have certs in gmaw, fcaw (dualshield) stick welding, submerged arc welding, in fracture critical welds for bridges. For flat, horizontal, vertical and overhead. The term mig welding is by ppl who dont have a clue about welding. Its used as a term for wire feed welding.

Thomas P · « **Reply #24 on:** May 12, 2009, 11:31:38 PM »

now now fellas were getting off topic, is it worth dealing with a HF welder? why not save for something that can lay a decent bead? prolly cheaper in the long run huh?

junya92toy · « **Reply #25 on:** May 13, 2009, 06:47:02 AM »

CHeaper and safer

yota_krawler · « **Reply #26 on:** May 13, 2009, 06:59:04 AM »

Quote from: jerry92toy on May 12, 2009, 07:48:05 PM

YK So you want to get techincal huh. There is no such thing as mig anymore at all smart ass. DO you know who you are talking to? Im a welder by trade with a college degree. MIG stands for metal inert gas. Gmaw usings 75-25 or c02 in most cases. Guess what c02 is not inert it reacts with the metal. FCAW is gasless and it can use gas too. Its called dualshielding. I have certs in gmaw, fcaw (dualshield) stick welding, submerged arc welding, in fracture critical welds for bridges. For flat, horizontal, vertical and overhead. The term mig welding is by ppl who dont have a clue about welding. Its used as a term for wire feed welding.

ANYWAY..... I know what I am talking about. I am a welder to, you have more years on me but I know my

. You do too, but if you are certed in FCAW, what wire? T-8, T-11, T-1? what joint design? Under D1.1, or ASME? That is why I used MIG cause people would know what I am talking about.

I know the HF wire is no where near a structural wire but It runs like t-11 (I have found) thats why I was talking about having more stick out then one would use for GMAW.

Blingn · « **Reply #27 on:** May 13, 2009, 07:22:28 AM »

ok guys chill dont need to see who's rod is bigger than the others carry on with the topic.

Thomas P · « **Reply #28 on:** May 13, 2009, 09:24:15 AM »

Quote from: Blingn on May 13, 2009, 07:22:28 AM

ok guys chill dont need to see who's rod is bigger than the others carry on with the topic.

Talon84x4 · « **Reply #29 on:** May 13, 2009, 12:43:24 PM »

x10 on using better wire, the hf wire is crap. I've been using lincoln wire in it since i used the spool it came with and it's been welding great. Sure it's no high end welder but for the price and if you know what you're doing it works fine.

NorCalToy [OP]

NorCalToy [OP]

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