Great Home Depot Experience - Weldpak 125HD

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Ok, give you a little background.  I decided to give my son my Hobart Handler 125 and pick up a Weldpak 140 for myself.  I've been very satisfied with the Handler and it's done everything I've asked of it without pause. I decided to move up to 140 amps because although I don't ever foresee welding anything thicker than I've done so far, everyone says that you always need more power.Well, last night I went down to the local Home Depot here in Houston to buy a 140HD on my Home Depot card. 6 months no interest is a good deal.  Anyway, I'm looking at the welders and I see an old beat up Weldpak 125HD box with a big discount sticker on it. Being the cheap skate that I am, I call the manager over to the box and ask him some details. He states that it is a reconditioned model from the factory. He assures me that all parts are inside the box and that it will have the same warranty as a new one.  Ok, for $323.00 I decide to take a chance with the 125HD and forego my 140HD purchase. (disclaimer: I don't have 240V where I weld and I also have access to much better welding machines should the need to build something structural arise.)I take the box home, open it up and everything is inside, EXCEPT there was a roll of solid mig wire instead of flux core. So I head back to Home Depot this morning and explain the wire error to the manager.  He informs me that he can't give me a roll of flux core wire off the shelf because it will mess up his inventory. WTF? I was getting ready to let this guy have a piece of my mind, but before I could do so he politely told me, "go grab an unopened box off the shelf and we'll see what we can do."Ok, so far so good.  I grab a new, unopened 125HD and bring it to the exchange counter and sit it up on the counter, expecting the manager to cut open the box and give me the flux core roll out of it. INSTEAD he grabs a scanner, scans my receipt and then the new, unopened box and tells me, "Ok, you're good to go."Not wanting to feel like I've cheated them out of anything, I remind him that the one I brought back was a reconditioned model, and all I wanted was the roll of flux core.  He smiles and tells me that the reconditioned one should have had the correct wire inside, and for me to have a nice day with my new welder.Ok, say what you will about Home Depot, but after today, they have a customer for life. Got a $419 welder for $323. Pretty good deal.  I realize that their 125HD is $419 vs $349 at Lowes, but I don't have a Lowes card, and don't particularly want one either. (nothing against Lowes)Point being, the manager was nice enough to make good on an error on their part and in my book, that's good business.    I'm pretty happy and satisfied at this point.Boxed up pretty wellLast edited by FyreTex; 09-27-2015 at 11:48 PM.Reason: formattingLearning to weld, one arc at a time.
Reply:Here are a few more pics.Nice metal wire feed mechanism. Not plastic like they used to be.What's included in the boxLearning to weld, one arc at a time.
Reply:Ready to go. Can't wait to get a chance to play around with it. Attached ImagesLast edited by FyreTex; 09-27-2015 at 11:42 PM.Learning to weld, one arc at a time.
Reply:Nice.   But you'll soon find out that if you're limited to 120V only, you'll want the 140C model, which is NOT available at a big box store.  Also, anybody that "only" has "120V," also has "240v" hidden within their home circuit breaker box.  For within every breaker box, there's a 240V circuit struggling to get out.  D  .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:FyreTex'Big Box' weld machine purchases are for tourists.You are not the first to benefit from: an inventory,mis-packaged, or confusion oversight.I only buy from a reputable LWS . . .Who are you going to call when you have 'a real' issue with the machine - to say nothing about allied welding questions?The 'Big Box' knows nothing - and never will . . .You have spent a dollar - to save a dime.Opus
Reply:I hope you enjoy it FireTex.  If you were happy with the Hobart 125, it would be nice to hear how the Lincoln measures up.   I have the 100SP and it is great for light work.Dan----------------------------Measure twice.  Weld once.  Grind to size.MIG:  Lincoln SP100 TIG/STICK:  AHP Alphatig 200X
Reply:Nice manager at that store!I've had very good experiences at my Home Depot store too - plus they give 10% off to active military and veterans and when I show my VA card they always say "thank you for your service." Good luck with your new machine Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:COOL !!!     That's one heck of a manger there. Most of these people act like they are the OWNERS and it is coming out of their pocket. Have fun and play safe !!!
Reply:Originally Posted by SuperArcNice.   But you'll soon find out that if you're limited to 120V only, you'll want the 140C model, which is NOT available at a big box store.  Also, anybody that "only" has "120V," also has "240v" hidden within their home circuit breaker box.  For within every breaker box, there's a 240V circuit struggling to get out.  D  .
Reply:Originally Posted by dbstooI hope you enjoy it FireTex.  If you were happy with the Hobart 125, it would be nice to hear how the Lincoln measures up.   I have the 100SP and it is great for light work.Dan
Reply:Originally Posted by OPUS FERROFyreTexYou have spent a dollar - to save a dime.Opus
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaDaveNice manager at that store!I've had very good experiences at my Home Depot store too - plus they give 10% off to active military and veterans and when I show my VA card they always say "thank you for your service." Good luck with your new machine
Reply:FT, your happy with your machine and HD has a happy customer......sounds like a good deal for both.I had a similar thing happen at Menards. I was there for something else but walked down the welding aisle. At the time they had Campbell-Hausfeld MIG machines with wired in guns. One of the machines had a left over Lincoln Magnum 100 gun zip tied to it. I went and got a sales person and explained that the Lincoln gun did not go on any machine they still had and I would like to buy it. The Mgr asked how much, I said 10.00 , he said sold......add a 20.00 SP100 with a bad Bernard made gun and boom, I have a cheap extra small machine.
Reply:Originally Posted by dbstooI hope you enjoy it FireTex.  If you were happy with the Hobart 125, it would be nice to hear how the Lincoln measures up.   I have the 100SP and it is great for light work.Dan
Reply:The Lincoln has what they call Diamond Core technology- even the little box store welders . It helps smooth out the arc."Diamond Core Technology™ – Delivers a forgiving arc, excellent out-of-position arc action, low spatter and a wide voltage sweet spot"For some reason they don't advertise it in their retail products which include all the models sold at Box stores. It has been out for awhile now and I inquired about it when it first came out and noticed it was only in the copy of the Distributer- welding supply stores and they responded that ALL of their machines have it now.Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Originally Posted by OPUS FERROFyreTex'Big Box' weld machine purchases are for tourists.You are not the first to benefit from: an inventory,mis-packaged, or confusion oversight.I only buy from a reputable LWS . . .Who are you going to call when you have 'a real' issue with the machine - to say nothing about allied welding questions?The 'Big Box' knows nothing - and never will . . .You have spent a dollar - to save a dime.Opus
Reply:Originally Posted by Broccoli1The Lincoln has what they call Diamond Core technology- even the little box store welders . It helps smooth out the arc."Diamond Core Technology™ – Delivers a forgiving arc, excellent out-of-position arc action, low spatter and a wide voltage sweet spot"For some reason they don't advertise it in their retail products which include all the models sold at Box stores. It has been out for awhile now and I inquired about it when it first came out and noticed it was only in the copy of the Distributer- welding supply stores and they responded that ALL of their machines have it now.
Reply:Home Depot and Lowes both sell Lincoln welders. The ones that they sell are the tapped models. About ten years ago I wanted a 240 V welder but I didn't want a tapper. I had to buy from one of the eBay sellers to get the SP 175 Plus with the variable power control. I used that for several years and then gave it to my son to get him started welding when I bought the MM252. There's nothing wrong with the ones that HD and Lowes sell, it's just that they don't have the variable power units that I wanted.It sounds like the OP got a great deal!Miller Millermatic 252Miller Syncrowave 200Liincoln AC-DC 225Victor O-A Set
Reply:Originally Posted by Broccoli1Miler sold thousands of the good ol MM210 and that was a tapped machine before they went with continuous voltage on all their machines.