Author Topic: Harbor freight welder  (Read 12507 times)

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Offline 1930

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Harbor freight welder
« on: December 15, 2012, 04:50:04 PM »
I was considering buying a second welder for the workshop, anyone have any experience with the harbor freight 68886 or 5.

I have the lincoln for the heavy work but I thought I could maybe use one of these in-expensive ones for light duty and still be happy with it.

Not seeing very nice things on-line about either but I dont know if thats just H.B bashing or if they really are just junk.
Always looking for what interests me, anything early Dodge Brothers/Graham Brothers trucks ( pre 1932 or so ) and slant six / Super six parts.

Offline scottg

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Re: Harbor freight welder
« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2012, 07:57:22 PM »
Go and pick one up off the floor!
 You know what your Lincoln weighs.
 So you know.
 
  You buy your welders by the pound!!
I got one in a fairly sturdy sheet metal case.
  Turned out to be the only part I kept (for the scrap)  when I tossed the rest of the dead body in the dump.
just sayin............
     not even enough copper to scrounge in one of those.   
 yours Scott

Offline fflintstone

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Re: Harbor freight welder
« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2012, 09:17:35 PM »
The harbor freight welders are great “welder kits” they need a $50 capacitor added to them to function well. After you add the capacitor they are good machines.

Hofferwood did a good write up on how to do it on garage gazette.

http://www.thegaragegazette.com/index.php?topic=14925.0

There are tons of stuff on the web for doing this Mod.

My very first MIG welder was a HF model I bought used close to 20 years ago.

I have a huge MIG welder and want a 120V machine to set up with .023 wire just for sheet metal. I may consider an HF machine and doing the mod.
Hofferwood sent me a printable coupon for the 170 amp #68885 model for $169. I may do it.

For what its worth the small Lincolns and millers are not USA made any more.

Offline 1930

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Re: Harbor freight welder
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2012, 06:01:16 AM »
Thanks for the comments, I will continue evaluating but I guess I am still leaning toward finding something else I can burn that 300 dollar gift certificate on. I dont like the idea of having to add something to a machine just to make it work good
Always looking for what interests me, anything early Dodge Brothers/Graham Brothers trucks ( pre 1932 or so ) and slant six / Super six parts.

Offline bunger

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Re: Harbor freight welder
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2012, 09:52:10 AM »
I wanted a lightweight portable MIG so I bought a 90Amp, 120 vac HF welder but found it wasn't good for anything thicker than sheet metal (which it was good at).
I sold it and bought a Clarke 130 Amp, 120 vac unit which I am able to weld up to 1/4" material.

If  I had a HF gift cert. buring a hole in my pocket I'd be looking at this http://www.harborfreight.com/roller-cabinet-44-13-drawer-gloss-red-industrial-uality-68784.html
Milk crate suckage winner for February 2012

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Offline rusty

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Re: Harbor freight welder
« Reply #5 on: December 16, 2012, 10:31:18 AM »

I have / had the smaller version of that, I put some wrenches and a 3/4 impact gun in the bottom drawer and it folded up like alumnium foil ;P

It's cheaper because it's lighter because the sheet metal is thinner, if you are ok with lightly loading it, it's pretty tho :)

110V mig machines in general often have issues because of the limited amount of power available to the machine, if you *must* have a portable machine you can plug in at your buddy's house with no 220v outlet, it's what you are stuck with, but otherwise, it's worth swinging for the 220v machine....

It's not just about the weight ;P it's also about the wire feeder, the wire feed mechanism is what made miller :)

Sure a good welder can cope with anything, but who wants to spend 75% of their welding time futzing with the feed mechanism......

(Is it just me, or does that machine look just like the Home Depot Lincoln machines?)
Just a weathered light rust/WD40 mix patina.

Offline 1930

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Re: Harbor freight welder
« Reply #6 on: December 16, 2012, 05:04:26 PM »
I could be wrong but I think the 68886 is a 220 unit. I wouldnt own a 110 no matter who made it. I need versatility

I am thinking about the multi drawer cart, I have a blue point top and bottom tray but it would be nice to not have to lock up my tools in my box everynight.
Always looking for what interests me, anything early Dodge Brothers/Graham Brothers trucks ( pre 1932 or so ) and slant six / Super six parts.

Offline 1930

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Re: Harbor freight welder
« Reply #7 on: January 20, 2013, 09:46:41 AM »
My neighbor gave me this welder a while back,  



 is it worth keeping, he says it works, I believe him, I have not stick welded since high school and dont really see the benefit over the much easier to use mig.

If its not really worth keeping I plan to trash it cause I am trying to clean up the garage, if anyone wants it and I am told there is nothing special about it than they are welcome to it for the cost of the shipping but it is heavy and shipping will not be cheap and once I send it I need to get paid for sending it and no I do not have time to package it all up and take it anywhere to get a quote. Thanks
Always looking for what interests me, anything early Dodge Brothers/Graham Brothers trucks ( pre 1932 or so ) and slant six / Super six parts.

Offline rusty

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Re: Harbor freight welder
« Reply #8 on: January 20, 2013, 10:03:31 AM »
The patent number on the front was assigned to Emerson Electric, who made quite a lot of electrical appliances for Sears. Most were quite well made, however, welding machines weren't really their specialty, ......

(Designed in the mid 1960's)

Edit: PS: The patent mentions alumnium windings....
« Last Edit: January 20, 2013, 10:25:48 AM by rusty »
Just a weathered light rust/WD40 mix patina.

Offline 1930

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Re: Harbor freight welder
« Reply #9 on: January 20, 2013, 04:38:49 PM »
Thanks Rusty, If when you say aluminum windings you are thinking scrap than thanks but no thanks, hard to justify spending the time to disassemble.
Always looking for what interests me, anything early Dodge Brothers/Graham Brothers trucks ( pre 1932 or so ) and slant six / Super six parts.

Offline rusty

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Re: Harbor freight welder
« Reply #10 on: January 20, 2013, 05:01:25 PM »

Well, copper windings would, alumnium isn't worth the time.

Put it in the next yard sale :)

In theory, it would be nice to have a machine that weld at 200+ amp, in practice, it's a light, intermittant duty machine that will probably get mad at that current range after 2 or 3 minutes, making it next to useless for anything serious.

Just a weathered light rust/WD40 mix patina.

Offline Nolatoolguy

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Re: Harbor freight welder
« Reply #11 on: January 20, 2013, 05:02:35 PM »
I wouldn't touch that thing again with a ten foot pole.

We got one in the corner of my cousins shop. And it is a absolute piece of garbage.

We use all miller welding equitment an couldn't be happier with it. Their pricy but you get what you pay for.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2013, 05:04:15 PM by Nolatoolguy »
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Offline 1930

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Re: Harbor freight welder
« Reply #12 on: January 21, 2013, 04:16:27 PM »
I wouldn't touch that thing again with a ten foot pole.

We got one in the corner of my cousins shop. And it is a absolute piece of garbage.

We use all miller welding equitment an couldn't be happier with it. Their pricy but you get what you pay for.
Thanks for the chuckle but a....... its not a very good welder in my humble opinion but its awfully nice of you to offer it to someone would have been enough
Always looking for what interests me, anything early Dodge Brothers/Graham Brothers trucks ( pre 1932 or so ) and slant six / Super six parts.