Harbor freight inverter questions...

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i wanted to buy a harbor freight 220 VOLT, 130 TIG/90 ARC WELDER INVERTER  .. i was wondering if id be able to weld quarter inch steel in a single pass or not
Reply:Looks like nobody wants to touch this one so I'll take a shot.  Without making any comments or judgements on the HF welder (opinions on those have been made in other posts) I'd say 130 amps isn't practical for producing a full penetration joint in 1/4" steel.  Don't recall if the rule of thumb is just for aluminum or it applies also to steel but it's usually 1 amp for every .001 so you would be looking at more like 200-250 amps.  I haven't had a requirement to tig anything over about 1/8" so I haven't cranked mine up that high.I'm sure there are some folks that have tigged some thicker steel.. any comments?TinkerCentury 135GS, ThermalArc 250GTS
Reply:do you know where i can get a better tig welder for around maybe $400??
Reply:also would the inverter be a good welder to use? i just use the welder i have now sometimes anyway,... would it be good to use like a few times a week,and also what type of metals can i weld with it?
Reply:blacksheep,since it is a dc only machine, you could weld just about anthing except aluminum.  As far as the machine goes, cant answer personally, but according to some of the posts, some like it others dont.  Its up to you.  Lincoln, Miller, Hobart, HTP, and im sure others make quality compact inverter tig, stick welders for a bit more money, but they are probably worth the extra expense.A few of my toys !LinuxMintManjaroMiller Roughneck 2E Lincoln WeldPak 100HTP MTS 160 Chicago Electric 80amp Inverter   Victor O/A
Reply:Blacksheep,Unfortunately new TIG welders just don't come cheap.  I got my used ThermalArc inverter off of Ebay from a pawn shop sale.  Still cost me over $500 but man it's a sweet machine.Looks like the HF unit is going for $199 on the net.  From the description and picture you'll have to add a regulator and a bottle of gas to complete the setup.  Those could add another couple hundred dollars.  It also appears to be a scratch start TIG machine which could make learning and use a bit more challenging than if it had lift-start or high frequency start.  Check with some of the folks that have posted that own these units to see what they think about them.An alternative might be a good used machine.  I've talked to a couple of folks that have sold Miller Econotig machines (DC/AC transformer types) in the range of $500 when they were trading up.  While that machine may have some shortcomings it's got a number of features (arc starting, AC capability for Aluminum, pedal current control, etc.) that you wouldn't get with the Harbor Freight unit.TinkerCentury 135GS, ThermalArc 250GTS
Reply:but would it be good for like a person who just welds sometimes, like i have a mig welder but barley use it... i only use it when i have somthing i need to weld which isnt often..do u know how thick of metal the inverter would be able to weld?
Reply:Blacksheep,It does seem to work well for some of the folks that have posted information on it.  Based on .001 per amp you could weld .130 thickness, just over 1/4".Only you can answer the question of whether or not the expense is worth the work (or fun) you'll be able to have with the welder.  You might want to consider that while MIG is probably something you can pick up and use once in a while I found that the learning curve and need for staying in practice with TIG is much greater.  You're going to have to invest some learning time and practice with TIG.Good luck.TinkerCentury 135GS, ThermalArc 250GTS
Reply:Check same topic #572 I show a sample weld on 1/4(.250) plate.  I'm new at TIG welding but this was a cheap machine.  You have to get use to scratch start.  It is easyer to start on a piece of copper with less sticking.  This machine has a duty cycle of 35% or 3.5 minutes in 10 minutes at full 130 amps.  I like the machine better than stick welding for small stuff and that is why I bought it.
Reply:wow thats pretty thick, how long have u had the machine for. is it the newer one they sell or the one thats made in italy? any problems?
Reply:I have had my welder for about 5 months.  I do not know where it was made.  Here are some pictures of the machine.   I have not had any trouble with the welder todate.  I will be adding a torch control pot some time soon to change the current on the torch instead of the panel.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...h/100_0301.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...h/100_0293.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...h/100_0298.jpgLast edited by blacksmithman; 05-10-2005 at 01:12 PM.
Reply:Looks exactly like the one I saw at HF yesterday, $299 or something like that in the store.  I think it was stamped Made in China.I was wondering if it had a solenoid valve inside since it had an Argon connection in the back and front.  From your pictures I see that it does indeed have a valve.  So how does the gas flow work?  This thing is scratch start, right?  Does the gas start when it senses an arc or ??Just curious..TinkerCentury 135GS, ThermalArc 250GTS
Reply:When you make contact with the metal the solenoid is turned on.  The problem is I'm not sure what I have to do to turn it off because you lift the torch away from the weld to stop welding.  The welder does not always shut off the gas flow, or I do not know the proper technique to make it shut off each time I weld.  It has shut off some times so I have to find out what if it is a timer our current driven.  I do shut the valve off at the torch.Here is another picture of the valve.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...h/100_0292.jpgLast edited by blacksmithman; 05-11-2005 at 10:29 AM.
Reply:Thanks for the additional picture.  Can't comment on the design or performance of these units but from the pictures you've posted the construction/assembly looks pretty decent.I would assume that it's got some kind of fixed post-flow timer built into it.  I know it's a real stretch with the kind of manuals they usually give you with these things but does the manual say anything about gas flow control?Maybe some of the other folks that have this type of HF welder would comment on how the gas flow control seems to work on their units.  At least then you would know if your unit is working correctly.TinkerCentury 135GS, ThermalArc 250GTS
Reply:I read the posts on here.  I found a lot of information, some very good, some a little sketchy, but speaking as an experienced heliarc welder (tig or gtaw) I can point out some good pointers.  In general most tig units of any size will use a remote control.  I would say this is more commonly the foot pedal.  The finger control is less common, but it is handy for instances where your foot is not available, such as if your paying up inside an aircraft.  It is more difficult to get used to the hand though.  When dealing with a remote the rule of thumb is to stick to 1 amp per .001"  In other words move your decimal point three places.  Example is for 1/4" steel is 0.250" you would use 250 amps.   1/16" = 0.0625"   1/8" = 0.125"    1/4" = 0.250"    3/8" = 0.375  1/2" = 0.50"    When you dial in this amperage thats the maximum amperage you will recieve.  Like with your car the futher you depress on the pedal the more power you get.  The less, well less amperage.  But you only get a maximum of whatever youre dialed into.  The main reason why this is so important is that with tig you really want to get your puddle established quick and fast.  It should establish in the first two seconds.  The exception to the rule of amperage for thickness is that you bevel and use multipass to get proper penetration.  Also, Tig is a slow, expensive process.  Its good for thin stuff.  It can do thick, but honestly youre better off with arc.  But its the operators choice.  I personally dont like the smaller machines but I'm spoiled working in fab shops.  Hope this helpsGood luckCHRIS
Reply:Originally Posted by TinkerThanks for the additional picture.  Can't comment on the design or performance of these units but from the pictures you've posted the construction/assembly looks pretty decent.I would assume that it's got some kind of fixed post-flow timer built into it.  I know it's a real stretch with the kind of manuals they usually give you with these things but does the manual say anything about gas flow control?Maybe some of the other folks that have this type of HF welder would comment on how the gas flow control seems to work on their units.  At least then you would know if your unit is working correctly.
Reply:Originally Posted by TinkerBlacksheep,Unfortunately new TIG welders just don't come cheap.  I got my used ThermalArc inverter off of Ebay from a pawn shop sale.  Still cost me over $500 but man it's a sweet machine.Looks like the HF unit is going for $199 on the net.  From the description and picture you'll have to add a regulator and a bottle of gas to complete the setup.  Those could add another couple hundred dollars.  It also appears to be a scratch start TIG machine which could make learning and use a bit more challenging than if it had lift-start or high frequency start.  Check with some of the folks that have posted that own these units to see what they think about them.An alternative might be a good used machine.  I've talked to a couple of folks that have sold Miller Econotig machines (DC/AC transformer types) in the range of $500 when they were trading up.  While that machine may have some shortcomings it's got a number of features (arc starting, AC capability for Aluminum, pedal current control, etc.) that you wouldn't get with the Harbor Freight unit.