Welders...should i grab this?

Found this elsewhere, i plan to start some projects like welding patches in my floor and other small thin metal. Will this be good to have? I'll have to refresh my high school welding skills....

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Chicago Electric MIG-100 90 AMP Flux Core Wire Welder

Works very well. I used it to weld new frames and floors into my '69 Mustang. -- Sells new for $150!

Product Specifications:
Input: 115 volt, 24 amps, single phase
Duty cycle: 10% @ 80 amps, 18% @ 60 amps
Welding current (2 settings) 63 to 68 amps (low), 79 to 90 amps (high)
Wire capacity: 0.035'' or 0.030''
Carry handle on lid
Self regulating feed control
Thermal protection with warning light

I've used the .024 wire in it for sheetmetal w/ excellent results.

It'll be worthless when you decide to weld larger stuff.

this is the one:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93350

personally, i wouldn't waste my time or money on that.

Thanks guys. It could have been had for $50 so i thought it might be of use.

I do have a cheapy stick and plan a few fab projects eventually, i'll look elsewhere for something.

i would stay away from 115V and especially shitcago electric...

IMO you have to figure out what you have for a power supply. What kind fuses and outlets you have available.
I do alot of welding at half dial, with a 175 welder on 220 volts at 15 amps. Sheet metal and light angle iron. And pop circuit breakers at full power, on thicker material (1/4" and above) on occasion. 3/16" thickness seems like the margin, for welding with moderate amps.
I'm not a big fan of flux core, I've been welding, soldering and brazing for 45-50 years and my sinuses are crusty and my lungs likely damaged.
Just the way I do it, but when buying a new welder, I check out Home Depot, Lowes and Sears. The store name welders, often have mostly the same internals as everybody else is using (Hobart etc.). I open up the chassis on the display model and look (when none of the store people are watching ). Around here the large chain stores have the best quarantees and the cheapest gas refills.

8Mud said:

IMO you have to figure out what you have for a power supply. What kind fuses and outlets you have available.
I do alot of welding at half dial, with a 175 welder on 220 volts at 15 amps. Sheet metal and light angle iron. And pop circuit breakers at full power, on thicker material (1/4" and above) on occasion. 3/16" thickness seems like the margin, for welding with moderate amps.
I'm not a big fan of flux core, I've been welding, soldering and brazing for 45-50 years and my sinuses are crusty and my lungs likely damaged.
Just the way I do it, but when buying a new welder, I check out Home Depot, Lowes and Sears. The store name welders, often have mostly the same internals as everybody else is using (Hobart etc.). I open up the chassis on the display model and look (when none of the store people are watching ). Around here the large chain stores have the best quarantees and the cheapest gas refills.

Click to expand...

You lost me on that first half of your reply....LOL

My stick is a 110 Craftsman and i have an older 220 Dayton (that needs the handle welded back on).

I'm passing on this welder in question....i should probably learn what i want to do and what it takes to accomplish before i jump into a purchase just because it's cheap.

That one tempted me too till I saw 110v. I figure he tried to do a bumper.

Ick. Stay away from the China Electric welders. They are crap.

I bought that one on sale a while ago. It did just fine on my rock rails (1/8") and I've done some 3/16" with it. I wouldn't trust it for 1/4" and I feel kind of iffy about it for the 3/16" sometimes. The problem with the Chicago welders isn't necessarily the specs but the quality. I've already had to fiddle around with the feed mechanism because it's so damn temperamental. For as seldom as I weld, as well as what I weld, it is okay. Not good; just okay.

I am not against 115 volt wire feed welders. I have a Miller 135, and before that had a Hobart 90 (from when Hobart was a real company, not Miller's bargain line). These things will do a great deal of useful work within their limitations, especially with MIG, which allows multiple passes without chipping slag. Their portability is a big plus too. You can plug it in just about anywhere. But I'd shy away from anything that's cheaply made if you plan to do real work with it. Wire feeds can be a little temperamental, and you'll be working a small one extra hard. Frustration can run high. A couple of years ago, I picked up free on the side of the road, a small Lincoln whose owner had reached the breaking point with sticking nozzles and slipping feed wheels, and taken a sledge hammer to it! I have considered trying to set up a home-made mini-stick or perhaps a spot welder with the remains, but never got around to it.

How hard would it be to convert to a stick setup? I think I may already understand what would need to be done, but I'm not sure.

John B said:

You lost me on that first half of your reply....LOL

My stick is a 110 Craftsman and i have an older 220 Dayton (that needs the handle welded back on).

I'm passing on this welder in question....i should probably learn what i want to do and what it takes to accomplish before i jump into a purchase just because it's cheap.

Click to expand...

Like the man said, running a small/mid amp welder at full capacity, gets frustrating. Many have heat protection and shut themselves down often during constant use. I guess what I was trying to say, is buy the largest capacity welder, your house or shop feeds will handle (but still be reasonably portable), shop around and buy wisely. I've got a twenty year old 175 MIG/220 volt (Home Depot). I also have a floor model that is portable with a fork lift.
Wire feed wheels are often interchangeable from one welder to the next. You can swap out a plastic feed wheel for a metal one. And other parts, wire/gas feed houses and pistols.
If you have a 220, your feeds are likely up to the task.
But just for general info, your only gonna get as many amps out of your welder as you put into it. I've had some E-mails form guys that bought welders, without researching what they have for feeds. If your house fuse (on the circuit you are planning to use the welder on) is say 15 amp and you are using 110 volts, you are gonna have 1659 watts available (estimated). Watts equals heat. amps X volts = watts. 220 Volts and a 15 amp fuse (single phase, don't ask, it gets complicated) and you have 3300 watts of heat (theoretically). Stick welders are a bit more efficient than MIG, it seems, I can weld thicker material using about the same amps with a stick welder.
I take my welder to the job often, instead of bringing the work to the shop. A lot of houses (or small businesses) aren't wired to handle a 175 welder (at near full capacity). Then I have to take the generator with me. My extension cables are as big around as your thumb.
If the welder has a larger amp (or watt) rating than your house fuses will handle, you can use a lower setting and draw fewer amps. But you are wasting a lot of capacity.
Sometimes you can use the same outlet as your clothes drier uses, these are often set up to handle larger amp loads (20 amp X 110/115 volt equals 2200 watts, they are sometimes wired for 220 volts). Sometimes you can use an electric oven outlet (these are also sometimes 20 amp or so, sometimes also 220 Volt). Extension cables are a choke point. Laying new wires and fuses can get expensive. Sometimes you have to do the best you can with what you've got. Everybody wants a welder with enough capacity, but are sometimes limited by the feeds (available amps).
The fuse box in my garage has a larger amp capacity, than my house does, I've blown 35 amp main fuses, running to many things at once. Blown 60 amp main fuses at the shop.

Clear as Mud