Thoughts on my welder??

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I thoguht I would see what you experts thought about my first welder. I have a Capbell Hausfeld FCAW, WF2050. I dont plan to do anything large or anything commercial, just as a hobby. What are some of the limitations I'll find with this model? Any thoughts as to the quality or durability? Love this site btw, you guys are great!
Reply:I dont know anything about the model you have, but I will share what I feel is a little buyers remorse. Over the summer I noticed that Home Depot sold welders and picked one up after my next paycheck. I bring home $100 a week after car payments and insurance payments, so I didnt have a whole lot of money to spend, so I bought the weldpak HD. 115v machine,88 amps max. 1/8" max with fluxcore.Now after using this machine for a few months and using the bigger Millermatics at school, I really wish I'd have saved up for a larger machine. I dont really do much besides hobby welding and it does help with some chores, but I am pretty limited in what I can weld with such a small machine. It is nice being able to use the 120v input, but thats where the good ends and the bad begins.As long as you know your limitations in what you can weld, and you watch out for that nasty duty cycle you should be fine.Next time I'm buying bigger than I need.Even If I never use all that a big machine puts out, at least its there incase I need it.
Reply:Quattro,You shouldnt feel any remorse for buying that machine.  Lots of folks love thier little migs.  Use it to learn and trade up.  They keep their value pretty well...or keep it for a knock-around portable welder.  I have a mm130 that I throw in the trunk of my camry to tackle stuff at friends' houses.  I also use it for tacking stuff in the field off a generator.  A small mig/fc can come in quite handy, even if you have a big wire feeder.  Bigger is always better, right?...unless you are trying to put it in the trunk of a camry.Last edited by smithboy; 01-31-2006 at 09:33 PM.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.