240V HF Mig Welder?

[BigE]

I received this welder as a gift so please no "don't waste your money" responses. It's the 240v 170 Harbor Freight flux/MIG welder. I've been reading up on here about how to make the most of this welder. I have already learned that I need to toss the HF wire and buy a quality product from Lincoln or the like. I've used a small 110V stick welder a few times, but other than that, I have no hands-on welding experience. As an occupational hazard, I have a lot of theoretical knowledge of welding which probably just makes me dangerous. I don't have a shop, just a small two car garage. I have a 240v air compressor to hook up as well so I'm going to run a single outlet to power both. I can't envision a time when I will run both at the same time - at least, in this garage. To start, I'll just be trying to learn how to use the thing - a lawn mower repair, exhaust stitch, etc. Eventually, I'll move into light fabrication like a work bench and then maybe auto sheet metal repair.

So given all of that, any recommendations, tips or warnings?

Thanks!

 

[zkling]

A friend of mine has one of those. While it does work fine, it is not nearly as refined as something from one of the bigger names. He has put some good stuff together with it though.

Tips for mig welding? Get some flat plate ~1/8-1/4" thick steel, clean it with a flap wheel or grinder to remove rust/mill scale/other and start running beads. Pay attention to how the puddle reacts, what it looks, how it sounds. Just get comfortable being under the hood. Then progress onto joints. Again flat plate, but now joining pieces together. Lap joints for starters. Run 0.030 wire for that machine. Mig if you can, flux if you can't get gas.

Try reading between welding tips and tricks and the miller site. You will get there. No one was born knowing how to weld. Practice is key. If you can find someone that knows what they are doing, and is willing to show you a few things that would be a big help.

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/improving-your-skills/mig/

 

[WhoWhatNow]

Apparently lots of guys modify these welders to work better. There is a large thread on Welding Web dedicated to those machines.

 

[hofferwood]

I got one----did the mods------Runs like a BEAST

The link for info
http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?236821-Chicago-Electric-170-Amp-MIG-Flux-Wire-Welder-Mods-and-Tests

 

[BigE]

Thanks, guys! I was going to try out the welder this weekend using my generator, but the 240v receptacle on it is a 6-20. The welder takes a 6-50. Oh well. I'll just have to jump on wiring up a circuit.