Wow..... 3 pages overnight. I wasn't expecting more than a couple responses.
Thanks for all the constructive comments and help, I'll touch on a few points that y'all have brought up.
If insist on trying thiswhich has positive lock in up position and still flips down easily when you nod ur head. A good, say, Huntsman will only be $10 more than the one u linked
Good thought, I probably do want something a bit more easily used and comfortable.
The problem with learning to weld with a cheap welder is that you can't determine if the problems you are having is due to poor technique or poor machine performance.
That said, lots of people have learned to weld with the cheap machines. Good luck!
That was part of the reason I posted here. It seems it should work-- for someone that knows what they are doing. Unfortunantly, I'm not that someone.
Well said.
My first machine was an older model of that very Harbor Freight unit the OP is looking at. I had prior welding experience so I was able to produce some serviceable welds, the worst part on the HF unit is striking up your initial arc. Much much harder than the Lincoln units I learned on. My friends and some family that tried to weld couldn't accomplish much.
That said I have no complaints with the HF ... If I could make a recommendation it would be to spring for the HF MIG unit that uses flux core wire (FCAW) therefore no gas is needed. MIG welding has a much lower learning curve than arc welding.
Good Luck.
I might look into the MIG. I really just started with the suggestion of the welder I did due to having the coupon here.....
Slightly confused by your statement of saying this will be a learning project and then go on to say, you have no interest in welding in the future.
i have a feeling i might be chastised for this on here, but if your going to be spending a few hundred anyways, and have no interest in welding later, why not just get the frame jigged up how you want it and hire one of those mobile certified welding truck guys to come through and weld it up for you. shouldnt take them too long and save money if the frame is already jigged,and if its going to be for a go-kart, (used, abused outside in the dirt/ woods) probably safer that someone who knows what they are doing and less chance of a joint not holding together.
although i think if you get a welder and get comfortable with it, you'll want to continue welding in the future
Unfortunately, I live in the city. My plan is to make a go kart styled after a morgan 3 wheeler just to play with in our neighborhood etc. Also, I do like to do things myself, and the whole (or the majority) of the reason for doing this is to do it.....
LOL @ the above two responses.
I use my welder all the time for things I would have never imagine needing it for, once you have that capability it makes your life so much easier.
Also the HF auto dark helmet is like $10 more than the one your looking at when you use a coupon, it would be a worth while investment (along with a different welder) unless you want the learning curve to be STEEP.
I'm seeing a trend.... lol. Thanks for the heads up on the helmet.
i see that since you are in a big city, you should be able to grab a old tombstone lincoln 225 AC for 50-75, i grabbed mine for 60 with 3 boxes of rods, all i had to get was a helmet and i got one of those at lowes for 16 bucks......while they were on clearance.....just check Craigslist ever day a couple times a day, those things are always sprouting up.....plus when you are done with it.....list it for what you paid for it
Should be in theory, but practice is a bit harder. I don't have time to troll craigslist during the day while I work, and I also don't have a lot of 'normal' hours outside of work, so stalking things on craigslist doesn't work well/ appeal to me usually.
I think what you said was great advice, people need to hear the truth whether they want to or not. I image he wants to since he posed the question.
Hopefully he doesn't intend on just getting the welder and going immediately into go-cart fab. That would be one scary ride.
I did post to get replies, spot on.
I may be foolish at times but I'm not a fool
Listen to what others are saying.
I would even say it may be better for you to learn to MIG on a tubing project vs. arc welding.
Please learn how to weld before you put your kid in this go kart.
I'm seeing a MIG Trend here....
Also.... this is entirely for the 30 year old kid sitting in front of the computer..... and I don't tend to share my toys! In all seriousness, we don't have any children (or plans for them at this point)
I liked my washer and dryer so much that I married her.
Once I installed a ring on my Washer/ Dryer it stopped working right.......
(I also may have told the washer/ dryer my clothes were folded wrong..... when I make a mistake I make a big one....)
I have the HF 90 amp flux welder,
TheToolReviewGuy
How much experience did you have going in to using it?
Another thought, centred around safety of the cart (maybe some day in the distant future someone's kid is driving when a weld fails or something), - is see if there is a welding coarse at a local college or vocation school where you could build it while taking evening classes.
Unfortunantly not that I'm aware of, and not that I'm really able to fit into my schedule. I can work in my garage at 1 am.... can't take a class then though
I really hate discouraging someone from learning a skill such as welding, but I'll save you a bunch of time, effort and money. Go purchase a used kart frame or project. You will be time, money, patience and safety ahead.
That defeats the purpose. why bother at that point? Plus what I want doesn't really exist. Similar 3 wheeled karts are out there, but not quite like the Morgan.
14 gauge was the thinnest I could do with my HF stick, 12 was easy-peasy.
If you really need to do 14-16 gauge having a little 1/4" by 1" copper bar clamped behind the weld zone helps out.
I could just use larger tubing if that would make it easier...... I just thought 14 gauge due to that being the minimum suggestion on some of the plans I have seen so far. I'm using a small-ish engine, and want to keep weight down. I am 5'11 175, so the engine already has some work to do.....
Can't wait for the go-cart video in the WTF thread.
Might be better to start with something a bit safer, like a trailer hitch or overhead hoist....
I think my second project could be a harness bar for the car.... GREAT IDEA! lol
I've used that welder before, my biggest gripe is it only has a high/low voltage setting. Which- from a beginner's perspective, makes things more difficult than they would be with a 5 way/continuous selector. This is especially crappy with thin material.
What would you consider "not thin" material
To the OP, Alot of folks on here have said what not to do, but if you want to bring your parts up this way I will show you some basic welding skills and techniques using mig and stick welding. We could get that cart up and going in one weekend. Best of luck.
Wish I could take you up on that. If I knew someone that could help me/ teach me/ let me use their equipment that would be ideal.
