China built Tig welders

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I know they are probably all crap. But just for having one around for small part time job use.....Does anyone know how the Harbor freight machines do? I see they have a Tig/MMA inverter welder on sale. 160amp @60% duty cycle.
Reply:Not sure if it will do aluminum or not if that matters, other then that I have a Chinese Plasma cutter that I am very happy with.
Reply:All depends on what you want to do. I have yet to se a HF unit thats AC/DC, so if alum tig is your plan... Forget it. Also every HF tig I've seen posted is a bare bones stripped down machine. No pedal, no adjustments, just amps. In reality you can get the same thing but better with a basic scratch start aircooled torch with valve and a standard DC stick machine. Tozzi posted up his scratch start tig setup earlier this year.If you are trying to learn, understand that things like a pedal for amp control makes learning simpler and allows you a great deal more control as you weld. Yes lots of guys go scratch start tig every day, but trying to learn on your own is like trying to learn to brive with your eyes closed. It's doable, but not easy, and the results will be frustrating at best.To me you give up too many options over a "real" tig setup. About all you get is cheap. Expect it to be a disposable machine. When it breaks you'll toss it, because no shop will even bother to look at it. No one will spend any time on a machine you can't get service manuals or parts for, and most people who went "cheap" won't pay shop rates while someone looks for parts that might or might not fix the issue..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Here we go again....Ok seriously I dont get the facination with Tig......it seems that people will sacrafice so much tool quality just to have that process. For the money spent on that HF tig machine, I can buy a US made Smith torch setup, that has much more capability than that HF tig could even dream about....and it comes with a lifetime warranty!Someone explain it to me.....
Reply:Originally Posted by technoidI know they are probably all crap. But just for having one around for small part time job use.....Does anyone know how the Harbor freight machines do? I see they have a Tig/MMA inverter welder on sale. 160amp @60% duty cycle.
Reply:dont buy the welders at harbor freight they are not very good
Reply:HF's welders are SERIOUSLY overrated on the specs.  I bought the 80 amp inverter on sale for $119, i think.  Thought it would be a convenient little welder for a backup, tack something here and there machine. BS it wouldn't even push a 3/32" 6011 rod, much less a 7018, 6013, or 308L stainless rod.  I tried it straight from the plug (no extension cord), on a 15 amp circuit, 20 amp circuit, off a Bobcat gen/welder.  End result - I got my money back the next day and will never try another one from there.  This was the 3rd or 4th off brand machine that I have tried, first off brand I bought, they all stank.  Temporary insanity made me think I would get lucky I guess.
Reply:Originally Posted by makoman1860Here we go again....Ok seriously I dont get the facination with Tig......it seems that people will sacrafice so much tool quality just to have that process. For the money spent on that HF tig machine, I can buy a US made Smith torch setup, that has much more capability than that HF tig could even dream about....and it comes with a lifetime warranty!Someone explain it to me.....
Reply:Originally Posted by Fat Bastardguys see the crap on T.V and think they gona be all that and sh!tGoes well with the I got no time to wait I gota have it now mentalists "
Reply:I can buy a US made Smith torch setup, that has much more capability than that HF tig could even dream about....and it comes with a lifetime warranty!
Reply:Originally Posted by farmallI beg to differ, as we teach students scratch start TIG (it's a construction/pipe course) from the start and while it isn't easy, it's certainly doable solo. Once they learn with a simple air-cooled torch and a transformer machine (Idealarc 250 with the numbers taped over so they learn to set heat manually, every time) they do very well on 6G pipe tests. All it takes is determination, and that's required to learn any sort of welding.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmallPeople have weird mental blocks against gas welding. All I can say is I should have gotten a torch early, and studied the old books about gas welding when it was the only game in town. I am happily remedying that situation now! No, you need the convenient wheeled cart you can easily make to move it around. (I don't get the "but it's big and heavy" argument as it applies to a shop environment. Do what they do at jobsites and make a skid with wheels, a cart, or whatever and all is well. We even spec'ed wheels on every cabinet in the USAF toolrooms I worked in, because it comes in so handy.) You can affordably get another Miller just like it. I already have other machines (Migmaster 250, ESAB 450i cvcc, Lincoln AC225/DC125, Econotig)  and will still grab a Dialarc or Idealarc in a heartbeat.I beg to differ, as we teach students scratch start TIG (it's a construction/pipe course) from the start and while it isn't easy, it's certainly doable solo. Once they learn with a simple air-cooled torch and a transformer machine (Idealarc 250 with the numbers taped over so they learn to set heat manually, every time) they do very well on 6G pipe tests. All it takes is determination, and that's required to learn any sort of welding.