chicago electric welders

GYOGI65 · Apr 13, 2009

need an inexpensive welder for home has anyone bought a chicago electric from harbor freight wire feed or arc will only get limited use have a 100 amp so mig for small stuff want somthing that can do 1/4 in or heavier with multiple passes

krooser · Apr 13, 2009

I'm no fan of Chinese welders but whatever you buy get a gas welder not a flux core... you'll be much happier.

Remember... you'll never be sorry your bought quality.

menace2u · Apr 13, 2009

My Dad bought a 210 model from them. First one was DOA. So he sent it back (at their expense) and 2nd one arrived DOA. He sent that one back and they sent a 3rd unit. That one arrived and partially worked. Forgot which part was broken. They told him to keep it since it was costing them more to ship the thing. They refunded his money and he kept the unit which worked briefly after he repaired it - only to have something else fail. My Dad is a pack-rat and never throws anything out. This unit is no where to be found in his garage. So that tells you something.

But maybe his situation was unique.

AndrewT

Vulturej · Apr 13, 2009

I have used a couple different CE welders from HF, IMO I would not waist my money. If you want to keep cost down look for a good used welder in your area. I bought a Lincoln tombstone arc welder for $100.00 off of eBay for my father’s farm last year.

autoace · Apr 13, 2009

I bought one of their better 220 volt ones years ago. It worked well for years, but the wire feed went on it, and no parts are available, no big deal, It was a "get me through purchase".

If you can swing it get a small Hobart, or Clarke...but hey if you need a practice welder to play with, the HF welders are inexpensive enough...

Merkava_4 · Apr 13, 2009

Don't waste your money on an off brand HF welder. I learned how to weld on the very best machines money can buy and in doing so, that removed one variable from the equation, and that's a poorly operating machine. Learning how to weld is hard enough without having to deal with a POS machine.

Lincoln, Miller, Hobart, or Thermadyne.

vssjim · Apr 13, 2009

Just save up you money and buy quality welder like a Lincoln because the cheap welders just don't work very well

krooser · Apr 13, 2009

I bought a Lincoln Sp 100 several years ago for $100.00... it was nearly new but needed to be converted to gas. After I did that (about $75.00 IIRC) it was a great welder. I'd still have it but I needed a little more "omph" to weld thicker steel.

rsanter · Apr 13, 2009

I have a lincolin, miller and a century welder.
all have been great and I would not hesitate to buy them again

bob

goodfellow · Apr 14, 2009

Well, I must be the exception then! HF carries welding machines from China, Russia and Italy. The Italian machines are top quality, while the Chinese and Russian stuff is questionable.

In 2000 I purchased a 220volt HF "Dual-Mig 180", and it's been great. It was made in Italy (in fact it was the same machine that many truck vendors rebadged under their own label and charged three times the HF price) and it included a spot weld timer, slope-up and burnback controls, and a separate liner for using aluminum wire (it actually does a fair job running aluminum without a spoolgun, but I didn't buy it for that purpose). The machine has a 20% duty cycle at 170 amps max.

I have run miles of wire through that thing and it has performed very well. For $500 (in 2000) it was a bargain. It included a wheel kit and some cheap accessories (which I promptly pitched). All I really added was a good Victor Flowmeter regulator and some quality Lincoln wire. I have absolutely no complaints about this HF purchase.

Italian made MIGS are a standard in Europe -- and they perform very well.

goodfellow · Apr 14, 2009

rsanter said:
I have a lincolin, miller and a century welder.
all have been great and I would not hesitate to buy them again

bob

I agree, but the irony of today's American brand welders is that once you open these things up and take a look at the parts and components, you'll be surprised by how many are actually made in China, Italy and Taiwan.

I'm sure it's good quality stuff, but most of the components are not sourced from domestic suppliers.

musgofasta · Apr 14, 2009

I know I'm in the minority, but I've beat on my $99.00 Chicago FluxCore Welder. It welds hot and long. I admittedly don't do a lot of long welds, but I've never hit the duty cycle on it. Probably have 5 pounds of wire through it.

Yes, it's a little messy because of the flux slag, but it's been reliable. I hope to step up to a 220v machine, and for how much I use it, I'll take a look at the HF ones. Get one with the 20% off coupon, and buy the warranty for piece of mind if you need to.

ktm450 · Apr 14, 2009

I'd shop around for a used lincoln, hobart, or miller small wire feed welder. If you don't do much welding there is nothing more frustrating than a machine that doesn't work well, and if your an experienced welder, same thing. I've used the HF etc. and also lincoln, hobarts and millers in my welding classes. Night and day difference. In fact, if you can don't go for the cheap lincoln etc. sold in the big box stores, you want one with true variable on the feed and amps, not the switched steps.

I have a Lincoln SP-135 running on a 30A 125V circuit and it does great. Also have it set up with the stich/spot welder option and gas. I've done thin, thick material, aluminum, and stainless all with great results.

back2class · Apr 14, 2009

I had one of those made in Italy migs. TOTAL CRAP! They work fine untill they don't. Buy a used major brand. Wire feed is fine for most applications around the home shop so do not feel you need gas.

Kurn · Apr 14, 2009

Again,with anything HF it's a roll of the dice.I've got a Dual Mig 151 set up for gas and it's worked just fine.Just remember,you're not gonna be welding ship keels with it or any other light duty welder.And a caviat about used welders-Make sure you can test before you buy,unless you know it works.The only exception might be a Lincoln 225,they seem to last forever.

rickairmedic · Apr 14, 2009

I had a HF dual mig 131 for years and welded all kinds of stuff with it with no problems . I sold it to a neighbor recently for almost what I paid for it when I upgraded to a 220V 185 Amp machine . HF unfortunately doesnt carry that machine anymore . I am pretty sure the only 110V MIG they carry now is flux core only and the gun is hot all the time . The 131's the gun was only hot when you pulled the trigger . I also ran mostly Fluxcore through the little 131 which I would recomend with a 110V welder unless you are working with sheetmetal as it penetrates better .

Rick

Titus · Apr 14, 2009

I recently picked up the Chicago Electric 110 Amp, 220 Volt Flux and MIG Welder. I got it to play with while in my welding class, with the intention of replacing it once I knew what I really wanted. It is a refurbished one, and cost only $129.95. I still need to buy a tank of shielding gas and regulator, but it works fine with the included spool of flux core wire.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=55525

goodfellow · Apr 14, 2009

rickairmedic said:
I had a HF dual mig 131 for years and welded all kinds of stuff with it with no problems . Rick

That early model 131 was a nice machine Rick. I remember they were popular about 10 years ago and had the brown/orange color scheme. The later blue color scheme versions were not as well received.

I've seen many hobby shops that still use those 131's. Parts are hard to find, but they are doing light metal fab work "day in and day out" -- great little welder.

Chris Adams · Apr 14, 2009

Kurn said:
Again,with anything HF it's a roll of the dice.I've got a Dual Mig 151 set up for gas and it's worked just fine.Just remember,you're not gonna be welding ship keels with it or any other light duty welder.And a caviat about used welders-Make sure you can test before you buy,unless you know it works.The only exception might be a Lincoln 225,they seem to last forever.

Say maybe you could give me some advice on that welder, I got one of those for 110 bucks, shipped the other day, but on 30 amp the wire seems to run too fast, even set to the bottom. On any other setting no problem but I was sort of hoping to weld sheet metal with it. Does yours do that?
I'm just playing with it with the flux wire, I have a bottle, wire and regulator mounted but am hoping to get some more practice time before I start blowing Argon.

Chris Adams · Apr 14, 2009

rickairmedic said:
I had a HF dual mig 131 for years and welded all kinds of stuff with it with no problems . I sold it to a neighbor recently for almost what I paid for it when I upgraded to a 220V 185 Amp machine . HF unfortunately doesnt carry that machine anymore . I am pretty sure the only 110V MIG they carry now is flux core only and the gun is hot all the time . The 131's the gun was only hot when you pulled the trigger . I also ran mostly Fluxcore through the little 131 which I would recomend with a 110V welder unless you are working with sheetmetal as it penetrates better .

Rick

I had one of their flux only 110 volt machines. It was only hot when you pulled the trigger. Used it to do a couple jobs, sold it for more than I paid for it. Acutally a useful little machine for the bucks.

rickairmedic · Apr 14, 2009

goodfellow said:
That early model 131 was a nice machine Rick. I remember they were popular about 10 years ago and had the brown/orange color scheme. The later blue color scheme versions were not as well received.

I've seen many hobby shops that still use those 131's. Parts are hard to find, but they are doing light metal fab work "day in and day out" -- great little welder.

Mine was actually the blue one and as I said it worked great never had a lick of trouble out of it . I even used Lincoln tips in it from Home Depot and it is still going strong at my neighbors across the street from me

. I actually considered keeping it when I upgraded it but the 185 amp 220V machine I picked up isnt much bigger so if I needed to use it somewhere other than my garage I could since I have a 30' extension cord I made for it . I have 220 in my garage but peaple who dont usually still have a 220volt dryer

.

Rick

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