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Fri Nov 30, 2018 5:02 pm

Started some body work on the Super and found a good bit of the dreaded foam rot. Wil need to fix this before moving on, issue is a $300+ welder is not in the budget. So, has anyone used the Harbor Freight 125 amp flux core welder? Would like the Eastwood 135 amp but at $250 and Christmas around the corner it's either lil Johnny gets a new bike or I get a welder I won't use again in 5 years.

Or does anyone in East Texas have a used one for sale?

Sat Dec 01, 2018 11:49 am

Pez wrote: Started some body work on the Super and found a good bit of the dreaded foam rot. Wil need to fix this before moving on, issue is a $300+ welder is not in the budget. So, has anyone used the Harbor Freight 125 amp flux core welder? Would like the Eastwood 135 amp but at $250 and Christmas around the corner it's either lil Johnny gets a new bike or I get a welder I won't use again in 5 years.

Or does anyone in East Texas have a used one for sale?

Don't use a flux core welder for body work.

Sat Dec 01, 2018 3:52 pm

I bought the Eastwood MIG 135 in December 2016. Until recently I had only used it as a flux core welder. In fact, I have almost exclusively used it as a flux core welder. I have only run about 2.5 lbs. of wire through it but it has worked very well during my limited use.

Like you, I had a hard time justifying the expense of a unitasker that would not get much use beyond some sheet metal and patch panel work. I got a really good deal on it so it made sense to buy it and try to learn some welding skills. Things were not going well and my welds looked terrible so I figured that was as good as it would get.

Recently I decided to design and build a tilt rotisserie so I could more easily get to the nether regions of my Ghia. My plan was to tack the project together and have a friend do all the welding on it. After I was done tacking it together, and after watching countless YouTube videos, I decided to try my hand at welding it together. To my surprise I found myself getting better, but not great, at laying down some welds. I tried different tactics and finally found a way that worked for me. There are some critical welds that I am farming out to a friend but the project is 95% complete. I now realize that a welder is a good thing to have. Once you get proficient with it you will find that there are projects you can complete yourself that can be more efficiently built out of metal. It takes practice and persistence but the reward is significant.

Flux core is messy but will get you more heat in certain applications. It can also be used anywhere (think outdoors in windy conditions) without lugging around a gas bottle. MIG produces very clean welds, is ideal for low heat applications because you can use thinner filler wire, and will be easier to master than flux core. I am no expert and still doubt my skills but I have come to recognize the value of my welder.

From everything I have read a used Miller, Lincoln, or Hobart welder is the best approach for someone concerned about a long term investment. These welders have a long shelf life and parts/repairs are usually available locally. The Eastwood welder is great but you have to ship it to Eastwood for repairs. The Hobart handler 140 seems to be the go-to welder for low heat, 110 VAC welders. I hope this information serves you well but please do some independent research if you decide to buy a welder.

...we're all in this together,
Emil

Sat Dec 01, 2018 6:40 pm

Awesome reply Fiz, thanks for taking your time to type it all up and share your knowledge. Growing up I used a Lincoln flux core welder and later a Clarke flux core. I welded trailers, repaired body panels and installed floor pans. It took patience but in the end could weld fairly well. Controlling its heat was the biggest problem. I am allowed to used the MIG welder at work but with no trailer that driving a windowless VW across town. Plus assembling a car that is stripped and ready to paint. So its off the table.

My main concern with the HF welder is not necessarily the flux core but more the control and is the wire speed reliable or does it have a decent enough cable so after a years use the wire won’t bind. Simply is it worth the $114 for what it is.

Again thanks for your great response 👍

Sat Dec 01, 2018 7:01 pm

Again, not an expert but I spend a lot of time overthinking and researching every aspect of my project :roll:

The prevailing opinion is that the HF welders are not the best for the task but a really good, experienced welder could make them work. They have very few settings and are better suited for heavier gauge steel than what is found in body panels. You may want to look into renting a welder if you can squeeze all your welding into a short time window. I considered that option but realized it would end up costing me more in the long run. Look at forums like The H.A.M.B and Practical Machinist. I have found them to be a wealth of useful knowledge relating to all aspects of auto restoration, tool and shop equipment selection, and welding.

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Emil

Sun Dec 02, 2018 1:52 pm

If you already know how to weld it should not be an issue to test out a used welder.If it's in really good shape they should go for 50-75% of their new price.

Quote: or does it have a decent enough cable so after a years use the wire won’t bind.

Liners run for under $20 and only have one end that threads on and the other is raw on the entry level machines. HF is okay for getting back to you with replacement parts if you could not source it any place else.

I find with my own equipment that 20 inches a minute is the lowest speed that will work with flux . All you need is a tape measure and a watch to measure the wire speed.

Wed Dec 12, 2018 5:48 am

I bought a HF flux core welder a couple of years ago to try and weld some patches in the floor of a VW Jetta. I have never welded before. It did not go well. All it had was wire speed, and some switches to control voltage. Not enough control to keep from blowing holes in the metal. Sold welder on craigslist for 20 bucks. Bought a relatively cheap flux core from Home Depot, its a Lincoln with a different brand name on it. Very nice. Its an inverter, small, light, and its got variable voltage control. I bought my 18 year old grandson a welding mask and he started welding with it. Is it pretty? No. I found if you keep the metal clean, and you run a wire brush on a drill over it to keep the flux residue knocked off of it, it works for me. A guy I work with was talking about buying one of those HF Vulcan welders, I think 800 dollars or so for a TIG. I cannot justify the expense. The money I saved can go toward paint, or something else for the car. My experience.

Wed Dec 12, 2018 8:12 am

For under $300 it's impossible to beat for the money.

https://www.eastwood.com/mig-welder-110vac-135a-ou...yKEALw_wcB

Wed Dec 12, 2018 11:41 am

theKbStockpiler wrote: ...For under $300 it's impossbible to beat for the money. I have to agree. I purchased mine two years ago. I just used it to weld together a 180* rotisserie built out of 1 1/2" x .120 wall square tubing and 3/16" flat stock. I used flux core for the extra heat and it performed splendidly. It can also go low enough to weld sheet metal and includes a gas regulator. The infinite adjustments for Volts and wire speed are very helpful. I would rate it along side the big brands were it not for the lack of local serviceability. It has a three year warranty but you have to mail it to Eastwood for repairs.

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Emil

Wed Dec 12, 2018 1:10 pm

I have infinite voltage adjustment on a Century and it's basically like having 12 selections on a stepped tap type switch. So you don't have to have infinite adjustment but most of the smaller welders have about 1/2 of the voltages needed. Otherwise you are making a compromise to your welding by trying to change the heat by maybe 20% at the most by using technique which greatly effects the finished product.

Fri Dec 28, 2018 8:57 am

Tap or Continuous Voltage?

Can anyone chime in on recommendations re spending the extra $ for continuous voltage control vs tap (discreet clicks?). I'm a welding newb, have a fair amount of sheet metal repair to do on my bug, and am practicing with a neighbor's Lincoln 140C. This has the continuous voltage control but wondering if this is overkill given my current lack of skill?

Thanks

Fri Dec 28, 2018 9:14 am

Adjustments on the welder are not the only variable. Emptied the spool of the Italian wire I bought off Amazon. I didn't want to have to wait, so I went to Home Depot and bought some Lincoln wire. wow. Very different. I am glad I don't just have 12 clicks to choose from. This new wire is hotter, I have to pull back from the work or it just burns through like a plasma cutter. I might order some more of the Italian stuff and swap spools.

Fri Dec 28, 2018 9:45 am

Quote:
Can anyone chime in on recommendations re spending the extra $ for continuous voltage control vs tap (discreet clicks?).

If you don't have enough Taps, it's much easier to be in a situation where one setting is too low and the next setting is too high. Wire speed , travel and push or pulling the nozzle don't make a big difference if the voltage is too low or too high.

Variable Voltage is desirable if you are a experienced welder and it is much easier for a beginner. Spend the extra $75. :D

https://www.forneyind.com/products/forney-easy-weld-140-mp-machine

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200726533_200726533

https://www.everlastgenerators.com/product/mig/power-i-mig-140e

Fri Dec 28, 2018 1:27 pm

Okay, thanks for the replies, just did my first welding on the car! Filled a small rust hole with a copper backer, didn't screw up too bad, cool!!

But next question - my buddy's helmet is auto-darkening, but is so dark before you start I can't see where I am very well when I start - not good. The helmet says "11" on the inside. What do people recommend for helmets?

Fri Dec 28, 2018 4:31 pm

I use the red HF helmet. The adjustments with the dial inside are worth having for the extra $10 verses the switches. The first one I had only lasted 1 1/2 years but they stock the lens shield for them and they are light and comfortable. The Auto Darkening helmets start off at a Shade 4 so I usually hold a light at the seam so I can see it with out having to arc first. You can also do a fast arc to heat up the end of the wire. The glowing will be enough to see the seam and then you can orient yourself before it stops putting out light.

Fri Dec 28, 2018 9:53 pm

Quote: I might order some more of the Italian stuff and swap spools.
_________________

I have used the Amazon stuff . The arc was siightly difficult to start and the spatter was 2 or 3 times more. :shock: For every thing but a stitch weld of a least 3/8 of an inch long ,it sucks. :lol: Lincoln wire is far superior for filling holes.

Thu Jan 03, 2019 9:19 am

Kb - thanks for the links, more options than I realized:

Quote: https://www.forneyind.com/products/forney-easy-weld-140-mp-machine

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200726533_200726533

https://www.everlastgenerators.com/product/mig/power-i-mig-140e

The Everlast Power i-Mig 140E unit looks interesting from a price, warranty and metal drive perspective - anyone have any experience with it or the company?

Thu Jan 03, 2019 2:11 pm

I have a Everlast Tig and every aspect of the purchase went very well. Their customer service has been very good every time I dealt with them. They package their products up for shipment like a copier because they too expect the worse treatment from the shipper. :lol: I did not have a issue and there is where they would have proven your value as a customer or someone that they would cut their looses on.

The small no name welder venders probably put in a order to either of the two Asian factories that make welders for a shipping container full of welders and a allocation of spare parts that is foreseen for the welders for the warranty period. After that you are on your own. :shock:

I was considering a Klutch for a back up welder ;and still might but the reviews reveal that they have a QC issue. Northern is claimed to exchange/refund them easily though. Northern also supplies a parts list and claims that they can source parts for them but it is probably only until the welder is made obsolete by a newer model.

Fri Jan 04, 2019 6:28 am

Thanks again

Fri Jan 04, 2019 11:39 pm

So I have a question from any of you folks who ever have used or do use an oxy-acetylene cutting torch to cut out rusty/worn/broken metal out of your vw (bus, in my case). There are some areas when doing rust repairs that I simply cannot reasonably get a grinder cutting wheel of any size or a sawzall blade. For example the extreme ends of the inner valence in back of the engine that the middle section has rusted away and I want to replace the entire piece with new metal. My cutting torch could certainly get in there. But it's the engine bay and dirty, oily and greasy in there. I can clean till the cows come home but without removing the engine (which I'd really prefer to not have to do just to replace this metal piece), I'll never get it totally clean. And even if I could, there is undercoating that is tarry and lots of oily mess everywhere else in the engine bay from years gone by.

I keep reading warnings about pressurized oxygen reacting "violently" with oil and grease. To the point where I have nightmares that if I try to go in there and cut that area out with my cutting torch, a few seconds in and it's going to literally explode in there and not only likely kill me but damage all my nice new vintage shop windows I spent the summer installing.

But then I watch a youtube video of some guy working on an ancient tractor trying to get the oil drain plug out and it's about as oily and greasy and nasty as you can get and he's hitting it with his cutting torch with what is clearly a mix of acetylene and oxygen and it's all smoking and burning like freaking crazy but no explosion......and he gets it off.

If I try this am I going to experience a massive vaporized oil explosion in my face from the residual oil on the metal and deep in the rust/crust reacting with the oxygen from my cutting torch?