My HF experience

[RedHeep]

Ok, ok, we've all got cheap tools in the shop. Those one time use things, pitman arm puller, some easyouts, I've got an angle grinder I picked up for 20 bucks. So I thought to myself, I've got some things I'd like to weld, but like 3 times a year at most. I don't need all the bells and whistles or something to take to a jobsite that will last forever, so I went cheap. Ordered me up a cheap chinese 220v welder from Harbor Freight.

Fedex guy delivers, pull it out of the box, put the wheels on it, wire up the plug and turn it on. Wire feed works, everything looks good. So I take some scrap tube I have laying around from my basket project and proceed to "self-learn".

I got through 10 welds, four sides to 2 joints and a couple practice beads and poof, just doesn't work anymore (I was getting better and the welder worked ok for me). The power light flickers, no wire feed, no arc, no cooling fan. Did what any self-respecting do-it-yourself guy would do, I took the case off and took a look. Nothing. I mean, I'm not a welder tech, no idea what I'm looking at, but nothing arc'd, nothing disconnected.

Call HF at 5 pm. Get message that offices are closed, business hours are 9-5:30 est. It's 5 est right now. #$%&*#$%.

So, off to the store, I'm getting a Lincoln 175. It's true folks, pick your cliche, no free lunch, you get what you pay for, etc. I wasted 2 days off from work that I could have been working, on some stuff put together by 12 yr old chinese kids.

Soapbox off. :)

[Warrlord]

Yeah, I used to have a HF mig. It welded real good but the internal breaker would always trip after about 4 minutes of welding. Finally got fed up with it, sold it to a guy at work that knew of the breaker tripping alot, I bought a Miller & couldn't be happier with it.

[shortxjdoug]

i think im going hobart in the future of welders for me, i'll buy the cheapie grinders and such but an investment like that is one i plan on making once

[RichP]

Bought a cheap chinese made vise, $20 bucks, looked super, bright blue, polished surfaces, removeable smooth faces, it would rotate and tilt, the cats ass for sure. Moved my grandfathers ugly massive 100 year old vise down to the floor and mounted this pristine beauty right next to one of my reloading presses. Brought in the driveshaft from my 82 S10 to replace the universal between the main shaft and the extension for the carrier, put the impact sockets on both sides to press the universal out and about the first grunt the front jaw came off, split right where the screw goes thru. Would not have been so bad if my sneaker wearing foot was not right underneath it. My whole family was down in the cellar in under 20 seconds watching me hop around for the next 10 min swearing my head off.

Typical wife comment 'where'd you learn to swear in german and french'.
Guess some of the stuff did stick from that language school in monterey the navy sent me to way back when...

That 100 year old ugly faded red 60lb+ vise is back on top and will never be replaced, the only changes I made were to bend up some smooth sheet metal 'shoes' to go over the teeth for smooth non damaging gripping.

Ya get what you pay for, I also look for stuff at yard and estate sales, those old tools my not be pretty but they sure work...

[shortxjdoug]

i think its a rule that only old bench vises work, when have you ever seen anybody using a new one? mines ancient and i have no idea how it actually ended up in the shop but it has never failed me i have even used it to flatten light duty pipe