Is this a decent welder?

CornyKegs 728
Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
HarvInSTL

HarvInSTL

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
721
Reaction score
7
Location
Saint Louis, MO
Ok first off I need to say that I haven't welded in almost 10years, and before that I have only welded once or twice.

I have the square tube steel for my brew stand and now I just need to find a decent/cheap welder.

I have a coupon from HF to purchase this welder for $99. Would it be fine for welding up a brew stand?
 
In my opinion, "decent" and "cheap" are mutually exclusive when talking about welders.

Nevertheless, it will likely do the job if it works out of the box (and if it doesn't, take it back and get another one).

I've sworn off HF tools. I'm frequently dissatisfied with them. The 14 inch chop saw I bought from HF is probably the very last thing I'll ever buy there. I'm not happy with it either.

Hobart Welders Forum is a good place to learn about welders and welding. They discuss other brands of equipment there, and you can probably search those forums to get a run down of pros and cons of the single-wire size, 115 volt, flux-core only economy welders.

jeff967 mentioned that he uses a Miller welder with flux-core wire. Be aware that MIller and Hobart and Lincoln are high quality welders. You shouldn't draw conclusions about the capabilities of a Chicago Electric welder from HF or suitability to task based on other people's experience with Miller, Lincoln, Hobart, ESAB, etc.

I have a Hobart Handler 187. It is a 230 volt welder, and I'm running C25 gas with solid .030 wire to make my Brutus Ten. It is definitely not necessary to have a welder like this to build a brew stand, but I'm very happy with it. It's a dream to weld with.

If you are going to use the welder for other projects besides a brew stand and you want to stick with something in the 115 volt class, take a look at Hobart, Lincoln, and Miller welders in that class. Northern Tool has the Hobart Handler 125 on sale for $299 right now. It's upgradeable to full MIG when you decide you want to weld with gas. While you're browsing Northern Tool, take a look at the Hobart Handler 140, which is the top of the Hobart line in 115 VAC class.
 
I don't know what design stand your making. But if you are going to support scalding liquid up high you better make sure its secure.

90Amps isn't very much current and the duty cycle is pretty low. I would double check the material thickness you're working with vs what that welder can handle. But with multiple passes, proper preperation, and practice I would think that welder could be used.

Like everything you get what you pay for. I personally wouldn't buy that one.
 
billtzk said:
In my opinion, "decent" and "cheap" are mutually exclusive when talking about welders.

Nevertheless, it will likely do the job if it works out of the box (and if it doesn't, take it back and get another one).

I've sworn off HF tools. I'm frequently dissatisfied with them. The 14 inch chop saw I bought from HF is probably the very last thing I'll ever buy there. I'm not happy with it either.
Click to expand...

I realize that most of HF tools can be crap, and that there is a reason why they are so cheap. My options are to either spend $100 on a cheap welder that I most likely will not use again or spend $300-500 on a welder that I will likely not use again.

I'm sure the flip side to that is if I had a quality welder I might be inclined to use again, but for the life of me I can't think what I would use it for.

billtzk said:
Hobart Welders Forum is a good place to learn about welders and welding. They discuss other brands of equipment there, and you can probably search those forums to get a run down of pros and cons of the single-wire size, 115 volt, flux-core only economy welders.
Click to expand...
Sweet, I'll check that out!

billtzk said:
jeff967 mentioned that he uses a Miller welder with flux-core wire. Be aware that MIller and Hobart and Lincoln are high quality welders. You shouldn't draw conclusions about the capabilities of a Chicago Electric welder from HF or suitability to task based on other people's experience with Miller, Lincoln, Hobart, ESAB, etc.

I have a Hobart Handler 187. It is a 230 volt welder, and I'm running C25 gas with solid .030 wire to make my Brutus Ten. It is definitely not necessary to have a welder like this to build a brew stand, but I'm very happy with it. It's a dream to weld with.
Click to expand...
Don't worry I'm not expecting to build the Sears Tower with a HF welder or any other HF tool for that matter.

I'm just building a simple, single tier brewstand.

From my research so far I won't be using anything larger than 3/16" square tube steel and this 90amp cheapie should be ok for that.

billtzk said:
If you are going to use the welder for other projects besides a brew stand and you want to stick with something in the 115 volt class, take a look at Hobart, Lincoln, and Miller welders in that class. Northern Tool has the Hobart Handler 125 on sale for $299 right now. It's upgradeable to full MIG when you decide you want to weld with gas. While you're browsing Northern Tool, take a look at the Hobart Handler 140, which is the top of the Hobart line in 115 VAC class.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the very detailed information, exactly what I was looking for!


the_wickster said:
I don't know what design stand your making. But if you are going to support scalding liquid up high you better make sure its secure.

90Amps isn't very much current and the duty cycle is pretty low. I would double check the material thickness you're working with vs what that welder can handle. But with multiple passes, proper preperation, and practice I would think that welder could be used.

Like everything you get what you pay for. I personally wouldn't buy that one.
Click to expand...
Simple single tier, low center of gravity brew stand. Since you mentioned that you wouldn't purchase this one, what type/brand/model of welder do you own?

What type/brand/model would your recommend and why? Just trying to get as much information as possible to make sure that an informed choice is made.

Thanks again everyone for their comments!
 
I'd be surprised if there wasn't an HBT member in the St. Louie area who wouldn't let a fellow HBT'er borrow his welder and maybe give him a couple of pointers along the way.... anyone?

Are welders the kind of tool that you could rent for a few days?
 
I realize that most of HF tools can be crap, and that there is a reason why they are so cheap. My options are to either spend $100 on a cheap welder that I most likely will not use again or spend $300-500 on a welder that I will likely not use again.
Click to expand...
From my research so far I won't be using anything larger than 3/16" square tube steel and this 90amp cheapie should be ok for that.
Click to expand...
kind of what i said
 
Take this suggestion however you like, and by all means ignore it if you like...

I just took a look at the course descriptions for St. Louis Community College and there's a welding class. If you're truly interested in welding I would suggest spending your $99 on the class and learn to use the equipment. Also, the instructors are usually pretty happy to let students bring in their own projects, as long as they understand that they're expected to use the practices taught on their stuff and have it graded.

I toss this suggestion out there also because I know, at least as the community college I work at, that they should have some pretty nice equipment. After speaking with my school's welding instructor I was told that not only will one of those HF welders not have a decent duty cycle, but that you'll only end up frustrated trying to learn how to weld with it also. It won't produce a decent bead for anyone but the best welders, and they wouldn't be caught dead using it anyways. If you have to buy an inexpensive welder you're better off getting a Lincoln stick welder and learning with that.

Just my 2 cents, and I'm sorry if it sound kind of "preachy",
Matt
 
I'd 1) offer a friend with a welder a case from the first batch to come out of your new project, or 2) buy that cheap one and make it work.

You said yourself you might not ever use it again. I couldn't justify spending $400 on a good one in that case. I'd get the cheaper one, even if it meant more work. As long as the metal you're using to fab the stand isn't ridiculously thick, that welder should be able to get it hot enough to weld... I mean, that's what a welder is supposed to do. If it doesn't, maybe you can even take it back and tell HF that it's just not good enough.

Alternatively, you could maybe find an alternative to welding... you should be able to find some other sort of fasteners that might be totally sufficient.
 
Spending more on a welder might not work out to be more expensive. Say you spend 400 on a welder that you won't curse, you use it for the 2 or 3 weeks you need to make your setup, then sell it for 300-350 as "almost new" in craigslist... just a thought.
 
HarvInSTL said:
Since you mentioned that you wouldn't purchase this one, what type/brand/model of welder do you own?

What type/brand/model would your recommend and why?
Click to expand...

I'm probably not a fair comparison but I have a Lincoln SP 135 plus. 120V (115/110V nominal whatever) I use gas with mine since it makes it a little easier and prettier looking welds. I use it mostly for my jeep and I wish I would have put 220/240V in my garage. I don't trust 135A or my skills for anything "structural" but I did do some minor frame repairs and other things that have held up well.

Any of the three major brands (Miller, Lincoln, Hobart) are good choices. (Hobart seems to have better prices from what I've seen) 135/140A seems to be the limit for the 120V welders. That HF welder has such a low duty cycle (10%) you would spend more time waiting than welding.

For me I don't like to buy a specialty tool unless I am going to get multiple uses out of it or the cost of not using it justifies buying it. I would think you could buy and cut up a shelf rack and bolt it back together for your needs for less than $100

If you lived near Milwaukee I'd offer to weld it together for you. Still would if you want to make the trip and bring some home brew. :tank:
 
Rent a high quality MIG with gas. OR get a decent stick welder. Or bite the bullet and get a good MIG welder. DO NOT even bother trying to use that POS. You will NEVER get a decent weld out of it! And you'll burn it up trying. It is not worth it!! That welder is capable of tacking really thin metal only. I have a Hobart 120V and it will weld a nice bead, but it has significant restrictions especially in the duty cycle category. I use a 60 year old stick welder more often, as it has the power to penetrate, where the MIG only wishes it could even on the highest settings. Do yourself a favor and do some destructive testing to make sure you're getting a solid weld. Weld some scrap pieces together, let them cool, then tear them apart with hammers, chisels, pry bars, etc. After it breaks apart take a look at your weld, you start to realize how hard it is to get real strength from underpowered welders. I would be very careful considering your skin is depending on the strength!
 
I just finished welding up my one tier brewstand, I had an old arc welder for some years (stick ) , and bought a 230 volt- Miller 180. I think I paid about $ 1200 including the tank (argon) and rolling stand, I can't say enough good things about it. It really only took a long saturday to cut and weld a really solid brewery on wheels.

My suguestion to you would be rent one, or buy one then sell it, they really don't loose allot of money on the resale market if they a somewhat new;

Here's my stand and welder >

SavantSystem1400021.jpg
 
I was just up at HF in North County, and asked about this exact model... The guy was very nice, and said that it would not be as good as going to Ango rents on Page and renting one. He then pointed me to the Mr. Beer kit they had and asked if I had tried that.... The conversation got very quiet. I did pick up the $19 angle grinder to cut my Keg up this weekend. AG is sooo close I can taste it.

John
 
davidgarcia said:
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100039229
would this be a good welder to weld 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 1/8 Sq. tubing?
Click to expand...

Yes it would be good for that using flux-core wire. And it is upgradeable to MIG, which I really think most people would prefer once they try it. That Weld Pak 100 HD is very much like the Hobart 125 (not the 125EZ, but the regular 125) that Northern Tool has on sale for $299 right now. Given choice between the two, I'd go for the Hobart as it has slightly better specs.
 
MrShake said:
Spending more on a welder might not work out to be more expensive. Say you spend 400 on a welder that you won't curse, you use it for the 2 or 3 weeks you need to make your setup, then sell it for 300-350 as "almost new" in craigslist... just a thought.
Click to expand...

Joe Dragon said:
Rentalmax here in Illinios rents welders. I looked it up- anywhere from $30 to $50 a day for a 110.
Click to expand...

These two comments are worth thinking about.

Two or three days of welding eats up the OPs original budget, and may not be long enough to get the job done unless he already knows how to weld. A beginner might have a tough time accomplishing that.

Purchasing a better welder and then selling it when done will get you back most of your money, especially if you shop around to get a good price to begin with. You won't have to sell it for $100 less than you paid if it is virtually brand new.
 
I was in this same situation last summer. I patiently watched craigslist for 3 months, but never found an affordable 110 MIG welder. I did a lot of research and settled on a compromise between the big names and the little names. I ended up getting a Clarke 130EN. I've seen Mendards carry these (and it might fit in the 20% off bag). But the best price I found was: http://store.weldingdepot.com/cgi/weldingdepot/WE6523.html. Since they are just over the border in IN, the shipping was cheaper then the tax would be here in IL.

I got the welder and used the CO2 tank from my keggerator for the gas. I spent a day practicing and was able to lay some good beads with it as long as I kept the breeze down in the garage. It took some fiddling but I eventually found a power/speed setting that would go through 1/8" mild steel fairly consistently. I hope to find some time in the next month to dedicate to fully assembling a brewstand.
 
HF is nothing more than an a semi-organized landfill. Foreign made tools of very poor quality and priced accordingly. "Disposable" is another word that comes to mind. If you already have the welding skill, I say rent a good mig unit. A brewstand can be easily welded in less than a day if all of your parts are cut and fit beforehand. If you don't have the necessary skills, I would agree with the poster that suggested taking a class. You will most likely be able to weld your brewstand in class for close the the same money you would throw away on that HF POS. Not to mention having quality instruction that you can always use down the road.
 
billtzk said:
These two comments are worth thinking about.

Two or three days of welding eats up the OPs original budget, and may not be long enough to get the job done unless he already knows how to weld. A beginner might have a tough time accomplishing that.

Purchasing a better welder and then selling it when done will get you back most of your money, especially if you shop around to get a good price to begin with. You won't have to sell it for $100 less than you paid if it is virtually brand new.
Click to expand...

After thinking about this situation today, I think I've decided to side with billtzk. If you have the cash to leave in it for a while, I think you'll be best served by purchasing a nice welder and working with scrap in your spare time for a couple weeks. Then you can take your time getting to know the machine and wait till your comfortable with tackling the bigger brew stand project. WARNING: a good welder will be difficult to part with!
 
davidgarcia said:
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100039229
would this be a good welder to weld 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 1/8 Sq. tubing?
Click to expand...

Just be careful to NOT overheat it. Sure it has a thermal safety switch, but if you weld until it shuts off every time, it won't last long at all. All 110V welders will have this problem/condition. Ya just can't expect to weld all day with them. Repairing an exhaust is one thing, building a metal frame with upwards of 15 feet of weld seams will take some time.
 
One welder "trick" that often gets over looked is using a propane torch to pre heat the base metal to red hot prior to striking an arc to it. This allows for better pentration on thicker metal if using an underpowered machine.

Ofcourse experimentation is key.
 
Jeffro said:
One welder "trick" that often gets over looked is using a propane torch to pre heat the base metal to red hot prior to striking an arc to it. This allows for better pentration on thicker metal if using an underpowered machine.

Ofcourse experimentation is key.
Click to expand...

That works great on mild steel, but is disasterous on aluminum and problematic with stainless. It's also good to point out that steel that's sitting in your garage at 30 degrees should be brought inside overnight to at least get it to room temp.
 
billtzk said:
In my opinion, "decent" and "cheap" are mutually exclusive when talking about welders.

Nevertheless, it will likely do the job if it works out of the box (and if it doesn't, take it back and get another one).

I've sworn off HF tools. I'm frequently dissatisfied with them. The 14 inch chop saw I bought from HF is probably the very last thing I'll ever buy there. I'm not happy with it either.

Hobart Welders Forum is a good place to learn about welders and welding. They discuss other brands of equipment there, and you can probably search those forums to get a run down of pros and cons of the single-wire size, 115 volt, flux-core only economy welders.

jeff967 mentioned that he uses a Miller welder with flux-core wire. Be aware that MIller and Hobart and Lincoln are high quality welders. You shouldn't draw conclusions about the capabilities of a Chicago Electric welder from HF or suitability to task based on other people's experience with Miller, Lincoln, Hobart, ESAB, etc.

I have a Hobart Handler 187. It is a 230 volt welder, and I'm running C25 gas with solid .030 wire to make my Brutus Ten. It is definitely not necessary to have a welder like this to build a brew stand, but I'm very happy with it. It's a dream to weld with.

If you are going to use the welder for other projects besides a brew stand and you want to stick with something in the 115 volt class, take a look at Hobart, Lincoln, and Miller welders in that class. Northern Tool has the Hobart Handler 125 on sale for $299 right now. It's upgradeable to full MIG when you decide you want to weld with gas. While you're browsing Northern Tool, take a look at the Hobart Handler 140, which is the top of the Hobart line in 115 VAC class.
Click to expand...
Try one of these units from these guys... I have had a lot of luck with them and they are super helpful with all my projects no matter how small... https://weldingmart.com/
 

Similar threads

M
For Sale Water Distiller, 50 gallon
Replies
0
Views
343
MichelleC
M
B
For Sale Single Tier Brutus stand with control panel
Replies
1
Views
520
easttex
easttex
lonestar1
Mega Pot 15 Gal Kettle Pin Hole - How to Repair It Suggestions
Replies
29
Views
2K
Bobby_M
Bobby_M
S
"Single" vessel fermentation and serve with pressure option
Replies
8
Views
1K
rkhanso
rkhanso
M
Michigan Sabco Brew Magic in Michigan.
Replies
0
Views
329
madmax77
M
CornyKegs 300

Latest posts

Back
Top