Harbor freight mig welder mod

Hey, I thought if any one owns a harbor freight 230 v gas mig welder. you might be intrested in this. I bought one during their sunday side walk sale for $150( Every day price was $299.) It worked well for about 1 week. Then the wire would only come out if the torche was streched out straight. After flinging the welder across the shop. :twisted: I was going to buy a $700. welder on line and looked up the specs. They have a metal liner or conduet. my welder had a plastic tube that wore a grove in it after use making the wire stick. I went to the local shop here and found a metal liner for $12 The thing works just great. Also I use a roto zip saw (with the 3" metal cut off wheel from harbor freight ) to cut metal. cuts like butta Baby. If you do or want to do your owm bike frame mods I recomend these two tools.

 

Thanks for the tip! Mine stopped feeding as well and I've no knowledge of welding or welders. You may have saved me some very costly mistakes!

 

Yes its normal for the liners to wear out on them...not that fast though.

Least you got it figured out usually the liners wear out from the twisting and such! Thats why my welder lines are keep straight as much as possible.

Good post :wink:

 

Funny we are talking about this right now. It must be welder repair time. I just replaced the liner in my linkon welder today. Had to get a new liner because the last 6 inches had a blockage in it somehow. Works smooth now. I dont know how someone works on anything without one. Mandatory tool for the big as well as small shop.

 

boy you arent kidding...

i just replaced 2 liners at work on some millermatic rigs...

thats just crazy...


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GEEZE you guys.

I just got my first stick welder a year ago.

Some serious tool envy going on here.

 

I got a 70 Amp stick welder, its ok, but I wish it was more powerful. I am looking at this from harbor freight...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=91811

Mainly for the TIG part.

 

I also have a Hobart handler 110 mig welder and a 220 lincoln tomb stone welder. I love being able to tinker. A few years ago Home depot had a 30% off sale and then 10% more off if you opened up a credit account with them. So 40% off was a deal. Paid right at 150$ for it. Works really well. The Hobart I got used for 100. It needed a power cord put on it. Also works well. Hang in there and look around deals are there if you just take the time a look.

 

One thingI might add, is if you do replace your liner. One of the threads on the lock nut in the trigger in reverse so it's righty loosey.

 

Really, funny actually, as the UPS man brought my new welder to the house yesterday. Muss be weldin' season.

 

Yeah, plastic liner; no good.

For longer life of your liner, keep your lead nice and straight.

I use to put an earplug on the wire just before the feed rolls. It keeps the wire and the liner clean.

 

nothing to be envious of Carl. i work at one of the Big 3 as an electrician and hang out with the millwrights because, i know a LITTLE bit about miller welding machines. i have no idea where i picked it up, probably from one of the millwrights...

as for me, i havent got much more than a cheap PM (popular mechanics) branded 21 piece metric socket set and some screwdrivers at home. work has all the good stuff but then they paid for most of it...

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I got the hi end 110 one with the 4 power setting n gas ready. Haven't had a problem in 4 years. Actually my whole business is built around their tools which have saved me tons of loot. Though you gotta buy smart, not everything they sell is great.

Also have found that the mig wire they sell is the best. Have bought all the pricey brands and always went back to HF wire.

Next thing I want is that arc/tig welder they have on sale all the time.