Do welders ever go on sale at Harbor Freight?

>>1174518
Buy a used one on craigslist?

I'd bet you can buy a better welder secondhand than a Chinese HF one new.

>>1174520
Maybe. I actually own an HFT MIG welder that works really well aside from the shit duty cycle but unless I'm doing a ton of welding at a time it works fine.

>>1174521
You looking for an arc welder or a tig?

I personally wouldn't buy a cheap tig simply because I want to be able to weld titanium and other exotic metals with it. Plus the start flare will make the welds look like shit, and not having the variable power options and AC/DC welding, etc.

Harbor Freight welder would probably just explode or electrocute you.

>>1174522
Well, I don't "need" a TIG rig but I want one just because I enjoy TIG welding more than MIG. It's, in my opinion, easier to work with. I like being able to control the puddle. Same reason I used to do a shitton of old school oxy/acetylene welding when I was doing a lot of heavy work. I still say that there is no better way to control the puddle than with gas welding. Sure, it takes forever to do a job and it rarely looks sharp but it's oh so pleasing.

>>1174527
I own an HFT MIG rig and it works fine. Had it several years now. With HFT, it's a crapshoot. You either get a good tool or a piece of shit. You don't know until you bring it home.

>>1174518
>I can't afford a Miller welder plus the $650 for an argon tank, you know?

Its going to be even harder to afford it, when you buy a worthless welder from harbor freight and you decide you need to upgrade immediatley

Save your money up the first time

>>1174522
I also want to be able to work with thinner materials within burning through them. I have to run my MIG welder at the lowest power settings when I'm working with real thin gauge shit.

>>1174529
>Got a tool set for my Dremel for Christmas.
>Very nice, decide to use the cutting blade for some project I was doing.
>Turn it on, the RPM gets going and the fucking blade bends the shaft it's on, causing the whole thing to flail around on the vice.
>Practically shit my pants as the wibbly wobbly blade flails around and get the thing to turn off

I don't like Harbor Freight...

>>1174535
kek yeah, I've had some duds, too. For example, I'll never buy anything with a batter from HFT. Their cut off wheels are subpar as well but I've never had that happen.

>>1174536
The cut off wheels just shatter in your face, this was a metal saw blade.

>>1174530
>Save your money up the first time

This would be my advice too. Buy a better welder OP, make better welds and weld more materials, thinner and thicker materials too.

>>1174518
>$650 for an argon tank
isnt that a monster tank?


check out estate sales websites and look at the pictures. make offers. but you have to be really fast with welders, either the sellers don't know what they have ( or buried under other junk ), or even okay deals are gone after the first day

>>1174518
you can rent gas tanks for usually under 100$ a year
typically its half that cost
also do yourself a solid and DONT BUY HARBOR FREIGHT
find something second hand before buying new garbage

Harbor Freight has 20cu ft gas cylinders for $90 and I've used the 20% coupons on it.

Size sucks if you're going to be welding a lot, but the exchanges are less than $20. Plus it's cheaper than the bottle deposit at the gas supplier.

Make sure you get one with a DOT stamp.

>>1174518
I buy the big n' heavy machines as used pro shit. I don't know what voltages you are running over where you live (US?) but if you live somewhere sane I'd recommend big three phase machines. 220V machines are usually puny as the voltage and single phase won't give enough oomph, a shitty 3,5kW which isn't much in a welder. Stuff with motors that need to really run like table saws, drill pressed love three phase also.

On used machines you light news to look trough the thing but at least you know what you have! My water cooled 350A Mig (or in my case Mag) cost me 50€ + 150€ in parts which is still dirt cheap. I got a Wallius stick/TIG machine for free as it had no power plug. Also around 200-250A. Look around in forums dedicated to DIY, there usually is a for sale board which has proper shit for sale. Also Facebook groups in your local area.