Hobby art welding cheap ep3 stick welder

[bignigg51]

hey man just the black 240 volt harbor freight inverter stick welder hope it runs good i just got for home practice, now im just waiting to get my 240 v socket put in my garage ill try to make a video for ya

[CCSinventions]

@crankyjew right on brother!

[f0ckt]

sweet vid.

[gabeindy]

you know my stic welder welds better than my torch.

[freddytk421]

@crankyjew DC is better than AC for steel. Why do you think the AC buzzboxes are cheaper than the DC/AC welders? why pay more if it's not better and why do they only teach people in schools welding with DC for structural and pipe? look it up. just because people had to use AC in the past due to expense it's no longer an issue due to inverter technology.

[Shindins24]

Thank you so much for your videos! And greetings from Adelaide Australia!

Am dying to get into some metal art-work and now I can go into the hardware store with a least a little more knowledge about what i need to get.....

Extra Brownie points to you for living in Texas, I have a friend who has moved over there and the video she showed me looks amazing, beautiful countryside!

And thanks to my son for keeping his youtube signed in!!

Julie

[SWiFTPOSSUM]

dude i really like the videos. very helpful

[freddytk421]

Harborfreight pawns all you noobs.

[drivin69]

seems like an 1/8" rod i got a chicago just to weld for fun and it was a piece of junk you have to use 3/32 rod or it is useless and even when it does work it is still useless...

[freddytk421]

@drivin69 Im sure it's useless to you, like a book is useless to someone that cannot read. Why would you try using 1/8 rods? look at the amps needed for the different sizes of rods. There are hundreds of people on youtube that love this thing, but they understand its limitations.

[anarchy763]

awesome video. thanks man

[werewolf7789]

COULD I WELD 1\4 INCH MILD STEEL AND STIIL GET A VERY GOOOD WELD

[freddytk421]

@werewolf7789 it depends on your skill but it would take a long time and a few passes.

[stoobers1]

@werewolf7789

1/4 inch steel need 1/8" rod. 6010, 6011, or 6013 rod need 90 amps.

An easier rod is 7018 (electrode negative).

This welder cannot produce the current needed for 1/8 rod.

I have never seen an AC or DC welder that is 110 volts that can weld with a 1/8" electrode. Bummer!

[tbndeereman75]

@werewolf7789 you could weld 12 foot think steel with it, it will just need alot of passes

[Thetruthishere11]

no harbor freight grinder?  lol.

[freddytk421]

@Thetruthishere11 I got my grinder before I knew about that place. I bought one but it broke the same day I bought it. It was a magnesium one but they don't have those anymore because I told them to get rid of that line.

[aknowneemus]

good video freddy!

can you give me a tip to change this to a TIG welder?

i know i need a "tig torch" and some "argon" but its the "how to" i need to know.

any help is appreciated.

[freddytk421]

@aknowneemus I really don't know about that. there is a guy on here that has it setup like that. search harborfreight tig scratch, ask him

[spazmoso]

at max settings what kind of depth are u getting?even a cheap welder will work but if it doesnt do what i need it too do,it isnt cheap ta know?

[freddytk421]

@spazmoso I'm not sure. it's just really for having fun with not really for serious welders.

[chukchee]

Very nice!

[Munky332]

now that i got 230v wired in (wow i didnt think it would be that easy!) i wish they made a 110/220 version of this. the option of extra volts for a higher duty cycle + amperage would be awesome. i dont have one of these yet, as im runnin a true mig setup with my clarke 131EN, but this one might be next on my welding list!

[freddytk421]

@Munky332 Longevity has some stick/tig inverter 110 220 machines from china that are very affordable.

[SSuperCuriouss]

Also, how did you see with the weld helmet dark lens on, to hold those tiny rods together?

[freddytk421]

@SSuperCuriouss I use an auto darkening helmet. it only gets really dark when there is an arc.

[SSuperCuriouss]

Thanks, real good info! I wanna build some metal sculptures.

I know almost nuthin about welding, so i bought a little stickwelder, and got some metal from the junk yard.

How do I know how many amps to set it to?

I've tripped the power already :) but didnt clean the metal with a grinder!

[freddytk421]

@SSuperCuriouss Just try it all different ways at first and practice on the junk. there are charts if you search google that tell you all the settings for what you need.

[herring7]

The video that this is a response to is what convinced me to get an inverter arc welder. I decided I wanted to be able to do heavier items than this particular model can handle. I got a Smarter Tools 240v one. It goes up to 200 amps but the good part is it's 100% duty cycle @120 amps so you basically never have it cut out due to overheating. $250 Just look for "Smarter Tools IGBT".

[1990notch]

@herring7 I was thinking about getting the Smarter Tools 200A inverter. Have you run it on full 200A setting or close to it yet? How do you like it otherwise?

[freddytk421]

@1990notch This one is only 80amps but thats only on startup. It's only like a 75amp machine. I do have some and have used it on 200a and it's fun. I rarely get a chance to weld on thick metal like that.

[herring7]

@1990notch I have not run it on 200A, only 130A (haven't needed anything that high yet), but apparently the thing you have to be concerned with is that there is a copper connection between the circuit board and the outputs. Because apparently a circuit board alone can't handle 200A for very long and will burn out at these places. I opened mine up and saw that there were copper washers, or wires or something, in between the screws and circuit board.

[dylanz333]

Thanks for the answer, but maybe I wasn't clear in my first question. I was only wondering what the outlet on the wall looks like. (normal or one with a T). Thanks, your vids are awesome.

[freddytk421]

@dylanz333 Normal. Thanks.

[herring7]

@freddytk421

The interesting thing is that if you look at the I1 value shown on the machine (0:56) it says 21.8A. If you have it at 80 amps output and it's running at 23 volts, that's 1,840 watts of power. Divided by 120 that's just over 15 amps (I get 15.33), so I guess the 15 amp outlet is fine. I wonder if you could possibly trip a 15 amp breaker if you had it on 80?

Getting my own welder has me learning more about how electricity works.

[herring7]

@herring7 But then I wonder why it says 21.8 amps input on the panel? I guess there is a conversion inefficiency? And would you definitely trip a 15 amp breaker then?

[freddytk421]

@herring7 I don't know nothing about that stuff.

[dylanz333]

I know that the welder is rated for 20 amp input, but do you plug this into a normal outlet, like this = (15amp) or one with a flat and a T input (20 amp).

[freddytk421]

@dylanz333 I don't know what country you are in but it's the standard US plugs like a toaster or tv. I do show the plug somewhere in this vid.

[MrJoeWeld]

Thanks for the review after watching this vid i went to Harbor Freight and bought this welder!

[freddytk421]

@MrJoeWeld So how is it working out?

[MrJoeWeld]

I love it! Its a really neat little welder.

Do u have any videos or could you explain how it welds or what the main differances are when you switch the polarity?

Thanks!

-Joe

[getsumbaby]

Very informative video - thanks.

[halosux4life]

dont you use a 6010 for a b pressure test?

[freddytk421]

for the root and 7010 or 7018 for the rest, but I would not use this little welder for that. lol this is more for tinkering, nothing important like that, plus thats no fun :)

[Sylvia441]

what kind of metel rods are you using here?

[freddytk421]

3/32 6011 rods here but I have learned that 5/64 rods are even better since I made this video.

[YamahaBoyTTR230]

Where did you find the 5/64 rods? I can't seem to find them. Are they just limited from harbor freight or what? P.S. I'm thinking about getting this just to play around with a little and maybe some other things if I feel like it.

[freddytk421]

I bought them at a welding supply company called Alamo welding supply, not at harbor freight. Just call a few places they will have them. if you can't find them 1/16th is good

[freddytk421]

This little welder is perfect for playing around.

[Puqsimat]

I just bought a Chicago electric 115/230 Volt and just wondering can I do same stuff you were doing on here?

[freddytk421]

Yes, and more.

[SWAT487]

can you weld a motorcycle frame with this welder?

[freddytk421]

I could. if it's steel. but with someting that important you may want to have it inspected if you don't know what to look for.

[TheShadowrider750]

excellent i glad to see the evolution i you vids.

[Vintagesansui800]

Just keep in mind everyone that you need a 20 amp socket for these welders so if you only have a 15 amp socket you may need to upgrade to 20 amps.

[TheLightningStalker]

You're getting really good at these, 5 stars! That's a really nice grounding clamp, it looks like real brass. Those give a lot better contact than the all steel ones. Also, that Harbor Freight inverter looks like it's really easy to start.

One of the other guys mentioned that he's using a stick welder with a wire feeder to do wire welding. It will probably work, but wire welding is really best done with a constant voltage. Stick welders, on the other hand, use constant current. v v v v v v

[TheLightningStalker]

Continuing, all you need for a good wire welding power supply is a step down transformer, diodes, an inductor coil, and a big capacitor. It's basically nothing more than a heavy duty linear power supply. This is what you find in a Hobart wire welder. Also, the output has to be DC, of course. Usually the wire is positive for solid wire and negative for flux core. It's also good to have a few taps on the transformer to get the different heat (voltage) settings.

[ColtonNeilMiller]

how much do one of these run for?

[7018welder]

I have the biger chicago electric welder

its a 130amp dc inverter and it does a good job you can use 1/8 rods with it

[freddytk421]

Nice I always wondered about that one it says it is a 230 volt what is the difference between that and a 220? one of my subscribers is getting that model and he was wondering the same thing.

[7018welder]

the differance is that there is a 10 volt differance it will work just fine i have mine hooked up to a 30 amp dryer out and it works just fine the unite only draws 26 amps peak start up 13 amps runing this unite will work off a 5500 watt gas genirater

[freddytk421]

I have a miller trailblazer 302 generator but I never use it. I have a 30 amp plug in my garage If I bought this I could sell that generator that is just sitting there looking pretty. I totaly love this 80amp inverter I imagine the 130 amp would be all I would ever need. Do you think that 130amp inverter would power my mig suitcase welder? It says any cc/cv powersourse would that cut it or do I need to keep my generator if I want to use that?

[7018welder]

keep it keep it miller is a good product

if you want to run your wire off of a stick welder get a used miller dial arc ac/dc 250 amp the welder i have is fore repair and process pipe it dose not enough arc volts to power your wire feeder you need at mineum 180 amp dc to even get any where with wire feed welding i do a lot of that so i konw it was a nice idea but it won't work vary well

[kingjamez80]

Actually 220==230==240 V, it's an RMS voltage and different people call the same voltage different things depending on how their meter reads it. US households have 2 "120" volt lines that makes 240volts because they are out of phase.

[kingjamez80]

I have the Chicago electric TIG/ARC 130/90 amp box. I love it, for the money it's really had to beat. However if you don't plan to TIG, your little 80 amp box is a jewel for it's price / size.

[IHARTPIE]

Hi Freddy,

What does reversing polarity do with the little HF welder.

Have you used the HF quick Strike rods and do they work well.

Check out my Bike Motor.

Thank you

Stuart

[Greathome2]

I like what you said about motivation to finish it. Cute small toy horse