How Good Are Inverter Welders?

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These inverter welders seem to be getting pretty cheap.  I can get 200 amps for $215 it seems.What's the trap? Nothing?  Or many things?
Reply:Some are great, some are junk. Almost all of them come from China. It comes down to the performance history and warranty for the specific unit.   The Everlast 140 is one of my favorite little sick welders that is literally the size of a lunch box and gas 5 year warranty.    Many of the $200/200 amp units on eBay and Alibaba have no real warranty as they require you to send them back to China and then they send you another new untested machine as a replacement. use a credit card that extends existing warranty.  Initial failure coverage etc.   The Harbor Freight stuff is sometimes okay, but check the HF forum for specific models to buy.  Pay for the 2 year repair warranty.  My Chase and discover cards both give extra 1 year warrant and initial loss, failure coverage.    The other option is to buy a quality used INVERTER stick machine. Those are pretty rare to come by under $200.  Notice the capitalization.  Transformer machines are significantly easier to find under $200Last edited by soutthpaw; 01-04-2016 at 05:21 AM.Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:Originally Posted by abrogardThese inverter welders seem to be getting pretty cheap.  I can get 200 amps for $215 it seems.What's the trap? Nothing?  Or many things?
Reply:We have had an ESAB mini arc for a couple of years now, so far really good.
Reply:Originally Posted by abrogardThese inverter welders seem to be getting pretty cheap.  I can get 200 amps for $215 it seems.What's the trap? Nothing?  Or many things?
Reply:cheap welding machines have been sold for a century that are not the easiest to learn to weld with. that has not stopped millions of people learning to weld with cheaper welding machines. i learned to weld on AC buzz boxes over 35 years ago.obviously if professionally welding you might want a better welding machine. in my professional opinion based on 35 years of welding and actually having experience with inverters and older transformer welders i prefer inverter welders. that is not saying everybody will have same opinion. there are people still playing vinyl records and using film cameras too who prefer them too.salesman typically try to sell you a machine that is more than you need and then say you need expensive machine to do quality work and cannot do with cheaper machine. i long ago learned to tell what is needed and what is just a optional thing nice to have at times but not absolutely needed ..it is like going into computer store 10 years ago and salesman says you need min 512 mb ram with Windows XP. since i was using computer for years with only 64 mb ram obviously salesman did not know what he is talking about. obviously more ram helps but saying it is absolutely needed and cannot be done without is wrong..some welders have a over inflated sense of difficultly to learn to weld. i have seen students learn to strike arc and make tack welds with no problems typically in 10 minutes. obviously with experience people get better at welding but i still have a bench i welded after 5 minutes with my first welder i am still using 35 years later. .anybody who says you cannot weld with a AC buzz box welder and some 6013 rod setting amps to recommended in operator manual and following basic instructions and be welding within 5 minutes is wrong. obviously basic fillet welding with a $100 AC buzz box proves you do not need $2000. or more to weld up tons of steel..obvious anybody who has stick welded aluminum knows you do not need $2000. welder to weld aluminum. is it easier and faster with more expensive welding equipment ? maybe but i do not need a $100,000 race car to drive around a city. what you need and what is nice to have at occasional times are 2 different things.Last edited by WNY_TomB; 01-04-2016 at 11:10 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by WNY_TomB.inverter welders like any welder look at specs for example.$200 HF tig welder which includes Tig torch. which at $10/day rental cost pays for itself in what 20 days ?.165 amps tig/ 145 amps stick at 40% duty cycle and 120 amps 60% duty cycle, amps different depending on stick or tig welding is just a warning that arc volts and amps depends on arc length. anti stick feature is just automatic amp increase if arc gets too close to try to prevent arc stoppage. in my experience it actually is easier to weld with inverter if you understand it.open circuit voltage 95 (no mention of open circuit voltage duration).ok, higher voltage arc starts easier than old fashioned transformer welders but no mention voltage drops back to normal voltage for welding measured in milliseconds. inverters react far far faster.so if welding with 6010 which needs more arc voltage to pull a long arc you can find you cannot pull a long arc or maintain a long arc. i can weld with 6010 rod but can notice difference in welding machine in blind fold test usually in a few seconds. basically if arc longer than maybe 0.06" arc goes out with 6010 and if arc longer than 0.25" arc goes out with 6011 rod.answer is weld with short arc weaving slightly side to side to maintain short arc or switch to 6011 rod which can form a longer arc with lower voltage..why have arc voltage drop so quick ? .1) safer for operator and limit electrocution hazard2) better weld quality by automatically stopping a arc that is longer than it should be for high weld quality3) milliseconds for volts to go back up to 95 volts so that arc restarts over hot metal 10x easier and arc starts over cold metal easier too in my experience, so no problem restarting arc4) welding machine typically uses 1/2 the amps on 240 volt circuit and typically machine weighs 10 to 30 lbs not 300 to 1000 lbs and welding machine uses closer to 25 amp not 50 amps (on 240 volts) when at 145 amps welding 1/8" 7018 rod.bottom line i use inverters, learn and adapt welding method in about 30 seconds and have had no problems welding and prefer inverter welders cause.1) can carry welding machine closer to job one handed2) can use 50 foot 10 ga extension cord which is lighter and cheaper than is needed with old fashioned welders and typically runs on 30 amp circuit (or even 20 amps circuit many times) which is much easier to find than 50 amps circuits3) weld machine cost far less money and even if only lasts only 1 year my experience is it pays for itself. inverters usually last longer than a year but machine being dropped off a roof or high steel is more likely just cause it is so portable. i use inverter shoulder carrying strap to tie it off so it cannot fall. 4) do not need 200 feet of expensive and heavy welding cable to reach roof jobs. that saved expense alone saves alot of time and money.i am glad their are old fashioned grandpa welders who have trouble with inverter welders and require more expensive equipment to do jobs. since i can quickly learn and adapt i can setup and do welding jobs quicker and cheaper and sell my welding at lower price and make higher profit. life is good i can pull ahead in the race with the competition. took me what 30 seconds to get used to inverter welders and i have a lot of saved money in my pocket good for other things.inverters come with different design specs. you can have obviously 10 different ones work very good and 10 different other ones work very bad. i prefer buying from a local store with at least a 90 day return policy that i can just return quickly. i would avoid mail order welding equipment. i much rather pay 20% more and have the local store easy to return ability.
Reply:Originally Posted by lincweldI agree with this post.  I had a miller bobcat 250 years ago and had a 2 inch pipe weld in a man lift.  I don't remember what the change was but the job was short probably 3 hours total time.  It was really far into a warehouse and I didn't have enough lead to reach it.  I plugged 300 ft. of 12 gauge extension cord into the 120 outlet on the miller.  I was running really low amps on my Maxstar 150 but it got the crew and I out of a jam.  I put a 3 way plug on the end so I even had power to the grinders (one at a time of course).  Yes, these small inverters have trouble running 6010.  I've used 7010 with my Maxstar 150 and it seemed to run better.
Reply:x2 on Brian's comment.  I've had an ESAB 161 Miniarc for about 3 yrs. now.  Great welder, runs 6010 if you need to.  They have stick-only and a stick-TIG models.
Reply:Originally Posted by shortfusex2 on Brian's comment.  I've had an ESAB 161 Miniarc for about 3 yrs. now.  Great welder, runs 6010 if you need to.  They have stick-only and a stick-TIG models.
Reply:Originally Posted by WNY_TomB.learn and adapt.. i can weld with 6010 on many inverters but 6011 is easier. normally i do not care which rod type. but a 6011 made for easier arc starting and arc stability why not use ? it is often called AC rod but works better on inverters too. it is right next to 6010 in welding store no big deal buying some.i believe gas engine portable welders that are rentals will be replaced 90% of the time with inverter welders and a 10ga extension cord thats easier to find 15 to 30 amp circuits to use on. and saving dealing with long heavy welding cables........ same as lithium battery drills and other battery tools are slowly replacing corded plug in equipment for many jobs..i prefer to learn and adapt to new technology. nothing like hearing people telling a welding machine is no good who have never used it before. i have used inverters and older transformer welders. i prefer inverter welders
Reply:Originally Posted by WNY_TomB.some inverters welders can pull a longer length arc and maintain a longer in time or duration 6010 arc than others. 240 volt and amps where plugged in needed go up or energy efficiency goes down with higher open circuit voltage OR a higher open circuit voltage that drops slower..if i had a choice i would prefer a inverter welder with a 6010 switch or plug that you could set as needed. some machines when you change from tig mode to stick mode also changes open circuit voltage and how long or speed open circuit voltage changes..literally a welding machine can easily use a capacitor to store a thousands of volts charge and discharge it like a camera electronic flash. there is a duration factor in arc voltage and how it changes from open circuit voltage to maintaining a arc ........ not often you see it mentioned in welding machine specs. .actually with 6010 long arc going out fast on purpose and reestablishing arc fast on purpose is actually what i like most with inverters. that and anti stick feature where weld amps goes up automatically with shorter arc makes it easier to control weld amps...... once you get used to it. took me a few minutes to learn and adapt.my experience with inverter is when open circuit goes back up to 95 volts in a few milliseconds at that high a voltage you just have to be near hot steel and arc will jump by itself usually and reestablish. hard to describe. if weld puddle too hot, break arc 10x faster on purpose, wait for puddle to cool and reestablish arc 10x faster with the higher than normal 95 open circuit volts..in a way it is a slightly different way of welding. inverter welder deliberately made to extinguish long arc faster on purpose and reestablish arc fast on purpose. like i said it took me a few minutes to learn and adapt to inverter welding. same as with using 6010 rod with short arc length and slight side to side weave is needed on many inverters
Reply:Originally Posted by shortfusex2 on Brian's comment.  I've had an ESAB 161 Miniarc for about 3 yrs. now.  Great welder, runs 6010 if you need to.  They have stick-only and a stick-TIG models.
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonHere you go Tom. Seems right up your alley. This new and improved tig model has digital readout AND foot pedal remote current control, gas solinoid, with post flow adjustment. Tig torch not included though. http://www.harborfreight.com/welding...out-62486.html
Reply:Originally Posted by abrogardThese inverter welders seem to be getting pretty cheap.  I can get 200 amps for $215 it seems.What's the trap? Nothing?  Or many things?
Reply:Originally Posted by fpsAs a Newbie here and to welding, but an “old” guy, am I missing “what type” of welder we are talking about?? I have two everlast 140’s migs and for the moment these units seem to have the power of a 200amp 220v welder. They are extremely light, well built (that I can see) have variable volts and wire speed, and the euro type of easy connect. For under $400 to your house, if they only last a few years, what the hell???
Reply:Originally Posted by WNY_TomB.old transformer welders are typically 200 to 2000 lbs. any welder you can pickup is probably a inverter welder. i prefer to buy from a store and return it in 90 days without problems if not working. i do not mail order welding machines.and 140 amp welder and 200 amp welder even that is debatable if you need 200 amps or more for home hobby welding. .i positively start laughing when i hear some say you need $2000 welder to weld aluminum. obviously they have never stick welded aluminum. if a salesman says you got to have $2000 welder to weld aluminum i would say go back to selling corn flakes as you know little about welding.
Reply:Originally Posted by soutthpawHow do you even know what people need for home hobby welding?   What works for you is fine but doesn't mean that works for everyone else.   Sick welding aluminum is a joke I tried it extensively a while back. We had a long thread about it here that Rick V did a lot of trial with it.   Let's see you stick weld some 16 or 26ga aluminum.   Sent from mobile.  Not responsible for Typos
Reply:Originally Posted by WNY_TomB.obviously home hobby welding is not all the same. one i do not weld much thin aluminum. i would use aluminum brazing rod normally for thin aluminum or a oxyacetylene torch welding as aluminum gas been welded with for over 100 years. once aluminum over 1/8" thick than stick welding or mig welding is easier..for home and hobby stuff i do 98% steel welding 1/16 to 3/8 thick and 2% aluminum in 1/4" or thicker. i have a foundry to make aluminum castings and if want to join 2 castings i use stick or mig weld the aluminum. .i do not need a $2000 tig welder for heavy aluminum welding at home.
Reply:Wow...  that got everyone going, didn't it?And it seems inverter welders are fine, might even be better.  Obviously are better as a matter of weight but might even be better at the actual job of welding.But the cheap ones don't last long.  Can anyone say what their weakness is, then? What it is that breaks?  And why can't it be fixed cheaply?  Why have to get another one?  Is it perhaps a 'circuit board' thing as so many things are nowadays - the electronics give up and it is too expensive to rip out the whole board and replace?So I'm very pleased to have this Transarc 200 I've just got but basically it is an anachronistic piece of wasted space?Got one more thought:  Electrocution and safety.  Haven't thought about it in years.  But reading an old manual for a Transarc they were carrying on about it a lot.All you very knowledgeable and very experienced welders could you pass along a bit of information?  Just how dangerous, electrically, is welding and what are the main things to get right in order to make yourself safe?I never give it a thought.  I only stick weld with a 130A machine or MIG with a similar machine.  Wear gloves.  Ground the job.  That's all I do.  Assume I'm safe but don't  know why I'm safe.  Or what silly things I might do that would make me unsafe..
Reply:its not that inverters are better welders..just different..the convenience of portability is there best asset...historically, the transformer welders have less problems and last longer without major repairs like burned out boards..how a welder welds is more personal opinion than fact..follow common sense rules when dealing with electricity and you will be fine..they put suffocation warnings on plastic bags because of stupid people..the same goes for warnings on welders..there is nothing wrong with a cheap welder if you know that is what it is..it could suite your needs 110% but not the next person, but the fact is they are cheap not an opinion...so someone telling you that $200.00 welder is as good or better than a quality brand is just fooling themselves and others..but if it works for there needs then no disrespect to them or that opinion...Of all the things I lost I miss my mind the most...I know just enough about everything to be dangerous......You cant cure stupid..only kill it...
Reply:Originally Posted by abrogardAnd it seems inverter welders are fine, might even be better.  Obviously are better as a matter of weight but might even be better at the actual job of welding.
Reply:Originally Posted by roadkillbobbits not that inverters are better welders..just different..the convenience of portability is there best asset...historically, the transformer welders have less problems and last longer without major repairs like burned out boards..how a welder welds is more personal opinion than fact..follow common sense rules when dealing with electricity and you will be fine..they put suffocation warnings on plastic bags because of stupid people..the same goes for warnings on welders..there is nothing wrong with a cheap welder if you know that is what it is..it could suite your needs 110% but not the next person, but the fact is they are cheap not an opinion...so someone telling you that $200.00 welder is as good or better than a quality brand is just fooling themselves and others..but if it works for there needs then no disrespect to them or that opinion...
Reply:Still waiting for the Dynastys to come down in price.  ....yeah like that's ever gonna happen.Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life Member
Reply:Safety: Don't do overhead stick welding naked, 500 feet up a 1000 foot tower, with only double strength magnifying glasses, tied off with baler twine in a thunderstorm.---Meltedmetalwhat should I do in that situation - wear bathers?
Reply:What impresses me with inverters, is the control over the puddle. Who ever invented arc force is my hero!Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:I like the sound of them.  I'm going to have to get one.  How I justify having four different welders I don't know. Go into business and start selling them maybe..
Reply:There should be a law, a man can only own one welder!Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:It's the space.  I have no space.  I feel like aladdin in his cave sometimes - or steptoe in his junkyard (do you know the british comedy 'steptoe and sons' from years ago?)
Reply:Originally Posted by abrogardI like the sound of them.  I'm going to have to get one.  How I justify having four different welders I don't know. Go into business and start selling them maybe..
Reply:I figure welders are like bikes. The correct number to own is n+1 where n is how many you currently own.Hobart 210 MVPHTP Invertig 221 + coolerEverlast SuperUltra 205
Reply:Originally Posted by MeltedmetalSafety: Don't do overhead stick welding naked, 500 feet up a 1000 foot tower, with only double strength magnifying glasses, tied off with baler twine in a thunderstorm.
Reply:Originally Posted by CEPWhat impresses me with inverters, is the control over the puddle. Who ever invented arc force is my hero!
Reply:Originally Posted by ZizzleI figure welders are like bikes. The correct number to own is n+1 where n is how many you currently own.
Reply:That's very heartening guys.  I will keep my collection.  N + ?  seems to be what I'm working on.  I clean forgot the three Migs I've got in the garden shed.  So that gives me a total of 6 to date,  and a desire to get an inverter as soon as possible.
Reply:Brand inverters (Blue/red/yellow,etc) are incredible and can do things that most people will never need. The question is, what do you NEED? The answer is not a whole lot really, an A/C-D/C Lincoln Tombstone (transformer) you can do a heck of a lot with, yes even TIG. You can get one for $200 and it will outlast you and your kids. A $200 chicom inverter, you get what you pay for.I prefer an inverter for any process, including stick, and with them I can do things I never dreamed of before. If I was just doing home/hobby/car stuff I still wouldn't buy a disposable welder. There are many great deals you can find locally for name brand stuff. My first inverter was a Thermal Dynamics 250 GTSW, ]no digital bla bla bla fancy controls, just an awesome welding real big boy inverter. I think I bought it for ~$900? brand new surplus from a LWS that was being liquidated on Ebay(power supply only). That was probably 10 years ago. I only sold it (for more than I paid) because I needed more power of a 350 and the fine tuning controls for some really delicate work, but that was an awesome machine. I kind of regret I ever sold it. [ATTACH=CONFIG]1312271[/ATTACHSimilarly my first inverter MIG was a Miller Passport that I also bought brand new "used" off of the Nascar #3 car race team. They used it once, it never came off the big rig again because they already had a machine they were using. Got that one for $750 at the time and sold it last year for more. Another awesome machine, light weight, low input power requirements, super arc.There are no free lunches, if you wait you can get screaming deals on GOOD QUALITY name brand equipment. Meaning you can get warranty support and local repair if needed. But in 20+ years I've only once ever needed a machine repaired. That was already 25+ year old refrigerator sized transformer MIG that saw 400-500 hours a month, every month. If you want it now, your going to pay more. If you buy garbage and actually use it you will most likely will have to buy it again... Attached ImagesRyanMiller Multimatic 200 tig/spool gun/wireless remoteMillermatic 350P, Bernard/XR Python gunsMiller Dynasty 350, Coolmate 3.5 & wireless remoteCK WF1 TIG wire feederMiller Spectrum 375 XtremeOptrel e684Miller Digital EliteMiller Weld-Mask
Reply:Well that's pretty interesting - and quite dramatic really.  I don't understand 'brand inverters red/blue/yellow...' etc.. So I read it as simply good brand inverters.  You make it seem like I haven't got a welder at all yet.  Which is very interesting.  I'd like to hear more anecdotal stuff about these inverters.  They're beginning to look like a quantum change like from bread to sliced bread,  from horses to steam, something like that.  Get the best you can afford you're saying.  I'll look around. Australia is nothing like the USA for deals, bargains, second hand goods.  We have a population of only 20 million remember, spread over a great big island so's even if there is something going somewhere you probably can't afford to get it shipped to you and it still be a bargain. Yep.  But I like what you're saying if you've got any more...
Reply:Originally Posted by abrogardYep.  But I like what you're saying if you've got any more...
Reply:We love our country so much the attraction sticks us to it.
Reply:Originally Posted by abrogardWow...  that got everyone going, didn't it?And it seems inverter welders are fine, might even be better.  Obviously are better as a matter of weight but might even be better at the actual job of welding.But the cheap ones don't last long.  Can anyone say what their weakness is, then? What it is that breaks?  And why can't it be fixed cheaply?  Why have to get another one?  Is it perhaps a 'circuit board' thing as so many things are nowadays - the electronics give up and it is too expensive to rip out the whole board and replace?So I'm very pleased to have this Transarc 200 I've just got but basically it is an anachronistic piece of wasted space?Got one more thought:  Electrocution and safety.  Haven't thought about it in years.  But reading an old manual for a Transarc they were carrying on about it a lot.All you very knowledgeable and very experienced welders could you pass along a bit of information?  Just how dangerous, electrically, is welding and what are the main things to get right in order to make yourself safe?I never give it a thought.  I only stick weld with a 130A machine or MIG with a similar machine.  Wear gloves.  Ground the job.  That's all I do.  Assume I'm safe but don't  know why I'm safe.  Or what silly things I might do that would make me unsafe..
Reply:Originally Posted by xryanBrand inverters (Blue/red/yellow,etc) are incredible and can do things that most people will never need. The question is, what do you NEED? The answer is not a whole lot really, an A/C-D/C Lincoln Tombstone (transformer) you can do a heck of a lot with, yes even TIG. You can get one for $200 and it will outlast you and your kids. A $200 chicom inverter, you get what you pay for.I prefer an inverter for any process, including stick, and with them I can do things I never dreamed of before. If I was just doing home/hobby/car stuff I still wouldn't buy a disposable welder. There are many great deals you can find locally for name brand stuff. My first inverter was a Thermal Dynamics 250 GTSW, ]no digital bla bla bla fancy controls, just an awesome welding real big boy inverter. I think I bought it for ~$900? brand new surplus from a LWS that was being liquidated on Ebay(power supply only). That was probably 10 years ago. I only sold it (for more than I paid) because I needed more power of a 350 and the fine tuning controls for some really delicate work, but that was an awesome machine. I kind of regret I ever sold it. [ATTACH=CONFIG]1312271[/ATTACHSimilarly my first inverter MIG was a Miller Passport that I also bought brand new "used" off of the Nascar #3 car race team. They used it once, it never came off the big rig again because they already had a machine they were using. Got that one for $750 at the time and sold it last year for more. Another awesome machine, light weight, low input power requirements, super arc.There are no free lunches, if you wait you can get screaming deals on GOOD QUALITY name brand equipment. Meaning you can get warranty support and local repair if needed. But in 20+ years I've only once ever needed a machine repaired. That was already 25+ year old refrigerator sized transformer MIG that saw 400-500 hours a month, every month. If you want it now, your going to pay more. If you buy garbage and actually use it you will most likely will have to buy it again...
Reply:I’d like to assume that many of us have other “hobbies”. With that said, in these hobbies the design evolution is happening so fast that it is not worth spending the big dollar for the brand name’s latest unit. IOW, by the time the brand name has the kinks worked out, the “copiers” have taken the design and already gone one step further, at 1/3 the price.I believe this is no different in weld design. My AHP 200x for $800+ may not be perfect, but as my Dad said, “it may not be number 1 but it’s way ahead of what’s in second place.” To put things into perspective, 90% of my welding is to keep my Landscape business running, and 10% is for fun money. Also, I spare no expense for “needed” Landscape equipment, but never spend $15,000 for a unit I would use 5 times a year. “THIS” is where there’s a “nitch” for a 25lb. 120v gas/flux mig machine with the power of a 200a unit for less than $400. I will out leave naming brand names since I don’t want to suggest I’m a “secret factory rep”.
Reply:Originally Posted by WNY_TomB.pictures show to me a very large size and weight welding machine with too many buttons and control knobs and usually bigger capacity machine needs more amps on 240 volt circuit even when set for low welding amps..for tig and stick welding i prefer machine 1/2 or less in size and weight and prefer just 2 controls. on/off and amp control and uses less amps on 240 volt circuit for same welding amps. i very much prefer lunch box size welder..sure a professional might want more features but i have worked with plenty of other professional welders who in over 30 years just use the on/off and amp control knobs 99.999% of time.big boys and their big toys........ what you need and what toys you want to play with are 2 different things.and i have had a miller welder fail on me 2 times in a little over 3 years. i gave non functioning miller welder away for free at 3 years 1 month. i prefer taking a chance on a HF welder over miller brand which has been proved unreliable to me before. if HF welder fails then i will try another brand. dont be surprised when HF welder lasts for many decades. there is a reason there are usually long line at HF store with people buying stuff and other welding stores are often empty or only a few people go there all day
Reply:Ok I'm starting to believe Tom is off his  meds. Constantly repeating himself in different ways in multiple threads. Don't be surprised when a Harbor freight welder last decades? A reason long lines are out the door a Harbor freight is a testament to a good product?Millermatic 211Miller Syncrowave 350lx with cooler and tigrunner Thermal Dynamics cutmaster 811955 National Cylinder Gas O/A setup with original patina
Reply:WTF Tom.If you bothered to look at those crazy "heavy" machines that have handles on top for carrying you might notice they both have the minimum controls to operate what you need for an AC/DC tig welder with high freq. That insane pelican case with a mig built inside has so many controls. One is voltage, other is wire speed the other button is really complex, on/off arc sharpness for steel/stainless. Yeah its hard to figure out, good thing my 9 year old can show me how it works. I guess Harbor Crap auto adjusts everything for you, I should get one.I'm in Rochester, you show western NY which can't be more than an hour from me. Why don't you bring over the $150 machine and edumakate me some learnin how to weld properly. I'll trade in for HF machines too and have a nice pile of cash from selling my stuff. Then I can buy more toys. Ooh, maybe I can buy a $150 new snowmobile from HF! So to answer the thread, yes, inverters are real good.
Reply:This makes some of my most entertaining reading for the day.   I wish there'd be new posts every morning. Starts my day off real good. So okay.  There's no doubt about it.  Inverter welders are the go.  I better get one.  Or two.
Reply:Originally Posted by abrogardThis makes some of my most entertaining reading for the day.   I wish there'd be new posts every morning. Starts my day off real good. So okay.  There's no doubt about it.  Inverter welders are the go.  I better get one.  Or two.
Reply:Originally Posted by roadkillbobbBelieve me there are many threads like this one...just look around....free entertainment and you also get some knowledge from them...
Reply:Originally Posted by abrogardI will.  That's a thing I've never done, browse the threads, I should, I will.  Thanks for the idea.