Best Buget Welder To Buy?

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by 0331grunt

I've got a Lincoln WeldPak 100 (or something like that) and it works great. I was curious if you HAVE to run gas when doing patch work? I don't have regulator set up and just do flux. It's all I've done (self taught) and my practice patches seem to be good. Just curious.

That's the same machine I have. It's an old one, bought in the early 90s. Trust me on this, buy a bottle and conversion kit. You will come back here and thank me. If you're good with flux core, you will weld like Jessie James with MIG conversion. It's night and day. With the gas, you can run the little .023 wire which is perfect for sheetmetal.

[0331grunt]

Originally Posted by Sinister

Fluxcore will leave slag/residue which can come back to haunt you when you go to paint.

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

That's the same machine I have. It's an old one, bought in the early 90s. Trust me on this, buy a bottle and conversion kit. You will come back here and thank me. If you're good with flux core, you will weld like Jessie James with MIG conversion. It's night and day. With the gas, you can run the little .023 wire which is perfect for sheetmetal.

Thanks guys. I was afraid of that but its another reason to buy more stuff!!

[nicolas72gmc]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

That's the same machine I have. It's an old one, bought in the early 90s. Trust me on this, buy a bottle and conversion kit. You will come back here and thank me. If you're good with flux core, you will weld like Jessie James with MIG conversion. It's night and day. With the gas, you can run the little .023 wire which is perfect for sheetmetal.

^^^^ yeah what Kevin Said!!!!

[SpaceForRent]

Does anyone in here use TIG?
It's a great choice for small stuff, low heat input, very accurate.

[massopust13]

This is a very timley topic for me. I purchased a 72 Longhorn this summer and have had very little time to work on it thus far. I just ordered some new rockers and door pieces to replace on saturday and I bought this welder.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=55525

Has anyone used this item?

I've been reading some stuff on these boards the last month or so. I will get some photos up soon. I live in Milwaukee, but my truck is currently being stored at my folks' place in Central Wisconsin.

[Sinister]

Originally Posted by massopust13

This is a very timley topic for me. I purchased a 72 Longhorn this summer and have had very little time to work on it thus far. I just ordered some new rockers and door pieces to replace on saturday and I bought this welder.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=55525

Has anyone used this item?

I've been reading some stuff on these boards the last month or so. I will get some photos up soon. I live in Milwaukee, but my truck is currently being stored at my folks' place in Central Wisconsin.

It looks like the lowest amperage you can weld at is 58 amps with that welder, which is too hot for sheet metal. You need to be able to get down to 20-25 amps. IIRC

[highperf4x4]

Originally Posted by SpaceForRent

Does anyone in here use TIG?
It's a great choice for small stuff, low heat input, very accurate.

Did someone answer this guys question and I just missed it?

Since I don't do alot of welding I'd like to get as much "user" info as I can. All I really know is that heat is a killer for sheet metal hence all the spot welding but what's the deal with TIG? I don't know anything about it.