Has anyone been brave enough to buy a wire welder from them. I'm looking at
this model
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=55167
I won't be welding anything more than 1/8 thick and I have to weld outdoors
and the gas might get blown away so MIG is out. And this is for occasional
use only so I don't need anything heavy duty. Any opinions?
Thanks,
Gene

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"Gene T" (clip) I have to weld outdoors and the gas might get blown away so
MIG is out.(clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I use a MIG outdoors, with flux-core wire and no gas. This has the added
advantage that the welder is easier to haul around. Also, I can flip a
switch, and I'm ready to weld--no opening and closing bottle valve, or
adjusting flow. My welder is a Lincoln, but I can report that a friend of
mine has a HF wire feed welder, and he is happy with it.

Thanks for the input Leo. I feel a little better that I won't be buying a
POS!!!!!
Gene
"Gene T" wrote in message
...
Has anyone been brave enough to buy a wire welder from them. I'm looking
at this model
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=55167
I won't be welding anything more than 1/8 thick and I have to weld
outdoors and the gas might get blown away so MIG is out. And this is for
occasional use only so I don't need anything heavy duty. Any opinions?
Thanks,
Gene

--





This message has been scanned by Norton Anti-virus software

"Gene T" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the input Leo. I feel a little better that I won't be buying a
POS!!!!!
Gene

Trouble is, you won't know if it is a POS for a while. Like the first time
you try to get replacement parts ....................

Good luck.

Steve

On Sat, 11 Jun 2005 02:10:39 GMT, Gene T wrote:
Thanks for the input Leo. I feel a little better that I won't be buying a
POS!!!!!

Don't count on it yet!

HF changes stuff around all the time. You need to find someone talking
about the exact same SKU (55167) and preferably recently.

I buy a lot of stuff from harbor freight. But you have to be careful.
And I strongly prefer shopping the local HF store instead of mail order.
The packaging, shipping are flaky at best, and returns are a real pain.
Check http://www.harborfreightusa.com/ to find if you've a local store.

"Gene T" wrote in message
...
Has anyone been brave enough to buy a wire welder from them. I'm looking
at this model
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=55167
I won't be welding anything more than 1/8 thick and I have to weld


sdb
--
Wanted: Omnibook 800 & accessories, cheap, working or not
sdbuse1 on mailhost bigfoot.com

On Fri, 10 Jun 2005 21:48:08 -0700, the inscrutable "SteveB"
spake:


"Gene T" wrote in message
.. .
Thanks for the input Leo. I feel a little better that I won't be buying a
POS!!!!!
Gene

Trouble is, you won't know if it is a POS for a while. Like the first time
you try to get replacement parts ....................

This is where it finally becomes obvious that the usual scam, an
extended warranty, is the way out. Buy that and you get instant
replacement of the item (at the store you bought it) for LIFE!
Replacement parts aren't necessary because they give you a an
entire new unit. I did this warranty purchase for my arc welder
and auto-darkening welding helmet. Murphy's Corollary demands that
once you -purchase- an extended warranty, it will never be needed.
I'm covered!

---
Chaos, panic, and disorder--my work here is done.
http://diversify.com Comprehensive Website Development

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 10 Jun 2005 21:48:08 -0700, the inscrutable "SteveB"
spake:


"Gene T" wrote in message
. ..
Thanks for the input Leo. I feel a little better that I won't be buying
a
POS!!!!!
Gene

Trouble is, you won't know if it is a POS for a while. Like the first
time
you try to get replacement parts ....................

This is where it finally becomes obvious that the usual scam, an
extended warranty, is the way out. Buy that and you get instant
replacement of the item (at the store you bought it) for LIFE!
Replacement parts aren't necessary because they give you a an
entire new unit. I did this warranty purchase for my arc welder
and auto-darkening welding helmet. Murphy's Corollary demands that
once you -purchase- an extended warranty, it will never be needed.
I'm covered!

---

I have welded for 31 years now, and here is my take on extended warranties,
warranties, and how they apply to welding machines.

YOU NEED A WELDING MACHINE WHEN YOU NEED IT!

You need to fire it up and have it weld, just like you need your car to
start first time every time just when you need it. Having to take things to
a repair center, take it back and exchange it, leave it at a repair station,
search for obsolete plasic Chinese replacement parts is unacceptable.

How many times do you expect to replace a welding machine? What if it craps
out in the middle of a job?

Ask the guys who fix the machines at the factory service centers. The
question they get asked the most isn't "How much will it cost?", but "When
will it be done?"

I disdain anything but machines from top manufacturers if you need to depend
on them. If you just need something that will work now and again, and have
time to dick with the downtime, any old thing will do. I just don't like
the aggravation. I own a Lincoln 175SP+, and really like it. Had it two
years now, and it works first time every time. And when I need replacement
consumables, I just go to the welding store. I bought a NexGen, and love
it.

When I get ready to weld or build something, the last thing I want to do is
fool with equipment that won't start/run. No matter IF there is a free
replacement. (at extra cost when you buy it, that is)

Steve