Welding - general

[wshytle]

Rodney-

I've been using a auto-darkening helmet from Harbor Freight for several years. The other day I discovered I left it out in a rain shower face down so it acted like a bowl and had probably a quart of standing water right over the module. I immediately decided it was time for a new one. I disassembled the helmet and started drying it out. The next day I put it in the sun under a clear glass bowl on some heavy screen and it stayed there for three days. In the meantime I went and got another one which did cost about $60. I also bought the extended warranty for three years for an additional $10. If anything goes wrong they will replace it no questions asked. I ended up putting batteries back in the first helmet after three days of drying and it came on and works fine. The new helmet doesn't have an on/off switch, is totally solar, and works better than the older one. I guess that's the result of some improved technology since the first one.

 

[aschumacher]

My friend has one and Wayne has one, both people very happy, 'nuff said!

 

[kweaver]

I used my solar HF one yesterday arc welding up a mortar for a buddy's 4th fireworks fun. It's been going without a hiccup for 8 years now.
Sometimes with florescent light shinning in from over head when I lean over it darkens pre-mature but no complaints.

The only thing I ever bought from HF that works. ... but I don't leave my tools outside ...


Rodney - On that 125cfm tank. You may have to get it filled where it was sold at. A lot of dealers don't want to fool with other companies tanks.

 

[aschumacher]

Rod, just got my mail-home flyer from Harbor Freight. If you have a store in range they now have the helmets on sale for $50 with coupon. You can get a circular in store to get a coupon.

 

[aschumacher]

EDIT: oops, just looked, nearest store is in Columbia, 40 miles away.

 

[kweaver]

My "nearest" is 96 one way !

 

[wshytle]

My nearest one is only about 25 miles away and Ken I don't leave tools out in the weather but my brain does fart regularly. I've had that helmet several years and it's always been the first thing put up when done.

 

[rodsmith]

Am going to try one of those helmets.
Columbia is about 68-70 miles from here.
Go there some for work, also dad goes to VA up there some. I think twice back to back soon.Also go to the one at Springfield sometimes with B-in L sometimes when in West Plains.
THANKS ALL for input!! It's nice to have place to ask questions and get honest answers.
Planning on picking up welder tomorrow.It's going to be my BD presant to myself for turning 50!
ROD

 

[kweaver]

I turned 50 ... 45 years ago !

 

[kide]

Hi guys...
From another forum (IH8MUD.com)
"Hobart and Miller share parentage now. The Hobarts are more of a "consumer" product and uses some cost saving pieces to make the lower price. Lot's of people say that they "love" their Hobarts even while it's in the shop being fixed."

It used to be I would have recommended acetylene torches as the first purchase, since you could weld, cut, braze, and just heat . It also gave you good torch handling and puddle manipulation skills that translated into other types of welding..(for me, TIG welds that don't look like a stack of dimes....). Now days, a good MIG "glue gun" is probably the best choice, but I'd stay with a good brand, as nothing is more frustrating than a poor running wire welder. I would go with the model that supports a wire gun for aluminum, you can add it later and it's the easiest way to join AL..

As far as auto-darkening hoods, I'd stay with a name brand (I've got a first generation Speedglas that my wife bought for me in '87 and a Miller Elite). If you do much welding, I'd be leery of the inexpensive ones (I know this is not a popular opinion, but I've "flashed" my eyes and the burn hurts - beside, anyone checked on the price of an eye transplant??). BTW - if I had my choice I'd have the Miller hood, but with Jackson head gear, the miller doesn't fit my fat head too well when the nice foam pad is on the band..

Hi Dennis!! Good reading your reminisces.. you too Ken.

 

[mitchel daniel]

i know this is a way old post.
i weld pipe for a living on water systems and have only had a few jobs that required tig but a practice not used very often takes a little time to pick back up again especially pipe where the foot pedal goes on the ladder or lift with you.
mig is cleaner than stick and argon is cleaner than fluxcore. within either one of them its all about looks and how much grinding you want to get that look?
had never used a harbor freight machine until a friend asked me to come do an exhaust for him with a HF machine.
with harbor freight wire the wire kept breaking and i kept having to fix it. with flux 030 wire?
i went to the closest place and got lincoln 030 wire flux and what a difference it made.
wire even shielded/gas is only good for 1/8" anything thicker it needs to be beveled correctly and filled in with passes.
i know yall are talking mower stuff and i am thinking thicker.
stick? of course what yall do can be done with 1/16" rod on 3/16" or 1/8" not rusted metal without a backer.
yes i weld on alot thicker stuff for a living but if you are blowing through lesser metal?
then you are to hot?
its rusty?
or you are running to hot with the wrong WireSpeed.
stick is a completely different world?

 

[mgwin]

Doubt you could stick weld anything other than the main frame. Everything else is too thin.
We bought a wire/stick/mig welder at work, and it is amazing how good it welds! Cannot remember the name, but it was not very expensive either. We have used the wire and stick so far. Has a chart to tell you what to put the settings on for what you are welding. May have to get one myself.

 

[Jake Olsen]

I’m not much of a welder but my harbor freight titanium 220 welder is great. Mig/tig/stick and is also 110/220. As stated above the harbor freight wire is not any good. One of these days I’m going to try the tig.

 

[rfunk]

You CAN weld sheet with stick. Yes, TINY rods, low amps, but doable. If I can, (really out of practice), you can . . . Just finding the tiny rods can be an issue.

 

[gary noblit]

I've had some success with 1/16 >The hard part for me at those low amps is getting to arc to start> I've been trying to stick to wire with flux core but I have to clean drive wheel often and frequently adjust wire tension from spool to keep it from looking like splatters....yrs ago I learned on a DC unit that seemed much better at variables...

 

[hdeloach]

1/16 6013 play with your heat till you get a good strike
Get these rods at most any welding supply house. You don't have to buy a full tin--most will sell you small amounts

 

[Greg Riutzel]

Interesting with all us old guys no one mentions gas welding. It's my goto for light work such as deck crack repairs, and on to brazing and some cast.

 

[hdeloach]

Amen,Greg

 

[gary noblit]

Greg to me it depends on the project..I do still braze but most certainly have lost the touch...

 

[PACub100]

I remember my dad used to braze my exhaust back together when I was a teenager with no $$$.