Harbor freight 90 amp flux wire welder...

[scoottrash1990]

well i got really tired of not having a welder....i had to take anything i needed welded to work or to a friend house....i get the Harbor freight coupons at work and i seen they had one for the 90amp flux wire welder so i went and picked one up....i also had a coupon for a welder cart and auto darkening mask so i got them also....it was just under $200 for the welder, mask and cart.....i got home and set everything up and tried it out....for being a 90amp it does really well...i was welding on a 3/8 thick plate and a 1in x 1in x 1in block..i never really weld anything thicker then 1/4in so it should do well....it comes with harbor freight brand wire that i used once at work and didn't like so i will be swapping that out for lincoln wire....the mask also works very well...all in all i am very happy with everything and it is a good welder for the price...if your looking for a welder for for light duty stuff take a look at this one...i did a little stress test on the block i welded to the plate....i bashed it with a big hammer over and over again and could not get it to crack or break....

[JEGZ]

i bought the 70 amp it's pretty handy. wouldn't weld a frame with it though.

[scooterpimp]

You will notice a big difference with an argon unit vs flux. But for general flux is ok.

[Clank]

Flux is just as strong as a gas shielded wire. They both 70 series wire I.E. 70,000 psi yield. Just remember that with flux you need to turn your wire speed down way low and drag your puddle. Gas shield welding process you push your puddle. Doesn't matter if its MIG, TIG, Stick, or Oxy/Acetalene, if it slags you drag. 18yrs professional Metal fabricator/Iron Worker, and too many certs to count. You also can't run wire larger than .030 with 90amps. .025 would be optimum. If you prep your work properly such as bevel one side of one piece to be welded, preheat the work to a minimum 250°F, run multiple passes, you could weld 1 inch plate. It would take forever, but it can be done.

[2TDave]

I've been toying with the idea if picking one up and trying to learn. Am I better off looking for something used or the HF cheapie? Would like 110v but I could drop 220 in the garage pretty easy.

[crackpipejoe]

I started off with a lincoln flux/gas welder from lowes. 220 is the way to go if you can drop it in on a flexible cable with a electrical box on the end. (what i did)
Flux without gas is reverse polarty, positive ground.
You want about 1/4 inch of wire stick out for preheat time on the flux inside the wire.
I run mine as hot as i can, and just enough wire to get a consistant arc. (takes time to learn the language of weld puddles)
Just go slow, drag with small wiggles, or straight on with small circles.
If working on a T or L shape, start at the bottom and work up. (it leaves a ledge for your old weld to pile onto and allows for the undercut to be filled.)
You got this 2TDave. It's easy.

[crackpipejoe]

May 6, 2014 18:58:50 GMT -5 scooterpimp said:

You will notice a big difference with an argon unit vs flux. But for general flux is ok.

if i could afford Argon or 75/25, 90/10, and 98/2. i'd have some nice stuff

[90GTVert]

My first welder was a cheap Campbell Hausfeld 80A 110V with just a wire feed and High-Low switch that a friend liked so much he gave it to me. lol I could get the hang of it after a while, but some things seemed impossible to do well. I finally bought a Hobart Handler 140 110V last year that has dial voltage settings instead of just high and low. That coupled with a reference that comes with it that tells recommended settings for different materials and thicknesses and wire sizes makes it much nicer for a noob like me. I've welded things for a few years now, just don't weld often. I think I'd rather have a used welder if need be that had more adjustment than a cheaper new one with high low. I'm by no means good at welding or think I know much at all about it, just a noob POV.

[2TDave]

He'll no I don't got that. Lol. I'll look at used stuff and ask for opinions on what I see. The breaker box is in the garage so it should be easy enough. I don't do electricity but a friend does.

[2TDave]

Hey what happened? It shows my old name and Brent is admin.

[90GTVert]

All looks OK to me?

[2TDave]

Just on my mobile app.

[190mech]

A flux core MIG makes a strong/UGLY weld!Works well for lawn mower decks or 1/4" or less stuff,real light stuff doesnt weld well with flux core(read 2T pipes)..A bigger/better unit (with Argon gas) will make a nicer looking weld,still sux on light stuff..
TIG is wonderful,expensive,and welds thin stuff super clean..The super OLD School Oxy/Acetylene setup does most stuff under 1/4" nicely and isnt a bank account cleaner either..
For some real good vids on welding,go see Jody here;
www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/

He's De Man!!

[moofus02]

I've got a 225 amp Lincoln stick welder and a propane oxygen torch but I missed out on a nice oxygen acetylene torch set on a real nice cart with tanks that had gas in them for 200 yesterday half a mile from the house at a yard sale the guy was rolling them aside and going for his truck when I pulled in. I don't catch all the good deals lol. I like tig welders but I hate my wire feeds all flux coated but I've used the gas ones also I would rather use a torch or stick welder. Dad won't sell me his torches or let me fill the tanks and use them to build pipes with. When I but a set he will say why didn't you buy or use mine lol the way it always goes

Sent from my SPH-L720 using proboards

[sirironduke]

Ive seen this welder too, its always on sale. Would you say its good to learn on? Being that ive almost never welded before. I say almost becouse i have played with one and somehow managed to stick my mini bike back together. I can soldwr and braze, just not weld.