Please, no comments about Chinese equipment, or rants about supporting America. I'd just like to hear from anyone who is running, or has tried to run this
setup. Picked one up last week, and spent most of yesterday playing wit it. Specifically I can't get any kind of stable arch on sheet metal (20ga).
I'll take it back if I can't get better results and start looking for a real welder, but for 200 smacks I couldn't resists at least trying. Also
I'm using with 25/75 CO2/Argon. Wondering if I'd get better results with straight Argon...
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Anyone running the Harbor Freight Tig?
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 LumbeeNDN |
Anyone running the Harbor Freight Tig? |
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Posts: 2445 (05/24/09 6:19 AM) |
Lumbee (Mark)
---------- "I'm not a welder, but I play one on HondaChopper.com" 
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 rakeNtrail |
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Posts: 2889 (05/24/09 7:08 AM) G.O.T.F. Member |
Mark,
I've tried one and it worked fine. You've answered your own question, it's the gas. Tig requires straight argon. Also, what kind of tungsten are you using? The stuff they sell at harbor freight is shit. Try 1.5% Lanthanated Tungsten. The only thing pure tungsten is good for is sharpening your knifes. Also, a diamond wheel is best to sharpen your electrodes with and sharpen with the electrode and not across it.
Underneath all this fat lies the body of a
God!
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LumbeeNDN |
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Posts: 2446 (05/24/09 8:08 AM) |
...thanx RnT, should have trusted my gut instead of the guy at the local welding store. I was originally going to get a bottle of straight Argon, but the
"expert" at the local welding place said I could get by with my 25/75 mix as long as I was doing mild steel. With my 25/75 mix the weld has way to
much chalky stuff on it when I'm gone. I'll give straight Argon a try and see how much that helps. I already got the headz up on the cheap electrodes
that came with the box, I'm using quality 2% stuff.
Lumbee (Mark)
---------- "I'm not a welder, but I play one on HondaChopper.com"
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rigidchop |
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Posts: 2260 (05/24/09 8:16 AM) Senior Member
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some one at the whcm last year said they were pretty good, for the price, but they didn't have a very long duty cycle. one of these days i'm gonna pick
one up for myself.
just a regular guy who is addicted to bikes |
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ShagNas |
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Posts: 979 (05/24/09 9:16 AM) |
when you get it working I would like to see some pics of the welds it can produce. I might be interested in getting one
Fifteen Grand & Fifteen Miles does not make you a Biker!!! Visit the HondaChopper.com Member List Web Page
My Build Progress |
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squints007 |
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Posts: 85 (05/24/09 10:51 AM) |
no comments on chinese shit? your on a jap enthused web-site. im turning japanese, im really turning japanese, i really think so!!- your gas is wrong-but good
score! if it is anything like motorcycles, it will probably outlast a miller or lincoln and cost three times less! ha ha ha -truth hurts badly
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Duncan Idaho |
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Posts: 928 (05/24/09 11:14 AM) Senior Member |
Used one in our shop for over a year. No problems other than it doesn't have fine adjustment. It also doesn't have frequency control so you can't
weld aluminium. Straight argon. Never had a problem with penetration or the duty cycle. I use one now hooked up to the dryer connection in my garage.
Last Edited By: Duncan Idaho
05/24/09 11:17 AM.
Edited 1 times.
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squints007 |
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Posts: 87 (05/24/09 11:19 AM) |
attaboy duncan, over a year of tiggin under 300 bucks, now thats american!!
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Duncan Idaho |
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Posts: 929 (05/24/09 11:29 AM) Senior Member |
Squints, I'm glad you approve. I can take that off my list now.
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rigidchop |
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Posts: 2268 (05/24/09 12:16 PM) Senior Member
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hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!
just a regular guy who is addicted to bikes |
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LumbeeNDN |
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Posts: 2448 (05/24/09 12:38 PM) |
...I'll throw some pics up...as long as no one makes fun of my welds
Lumbee (Mark)
---------- "I'm not a welder, but I play one on HondaChopper.com"
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squints007 |
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Posts: 97 (05/24/09 12:58 PM) |
off what list? you have a list and im on it ? if so dont take me off please! were not here to make fun either, here to help or get help! vincent van gogh
sucked as an artist , and then he cut his ear off!! painting sells improved dramatically and it wasnt because his paintings improved either! i dont know where
youre from, but maybe you have seen this months horse. theres a guy here in co. that has been bustin out crazy chops by the name of SLIM . welds arent the
prettiest, but has built some of the coolest chops ive laid eyes on, from a fabbers stand point anyways i think all welds are pretty
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Roadkill Savior |
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Posts: 6395 (05/24/09 1:17 PM) Senior Member |
Whats the horse?
City streets have many interesting flavors that come out when it rains.
Roadkill I -- Roadkill II -- Roadkill III H.C.C.M.F. Local 6978 |
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squints007 |
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Posts: 103 (05/24/09 1:34 PM) |
MY TRANSPORTATION TO WORK! HAHAHA I DONT KNOW IF YOUR SERIOUS OR NOT , BUT ITS THE BACKSTREET CHOPPER MAG, KINDA LAME, BUT BETTER THAN NOTHING
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LumbeeNDN |
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Posts: 2459 (05/28/09 9:26 AM) |
...having better luck with the right gas, and good electrodes, however not real good luck sheet metal. I've got it turned all the way down, and still
burning through when trying to jump a gap. Anyone did sheet metal with this rig?
Lumbee (Mark)
---------- "I'm not a welder, but I play one on HondaChopper.com"
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Duncan Idaho |
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Posts: 938 (05/28/09 11:38 AM) Senior Member |
built oil tanks and battery boxes with it out of 16, 18 and 10 ga metal. Never had the problem you're talking about.
Sending a PM. |
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LumbeeNDN |
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Posts: 2460 (05/28/09 2:31 PM) |
...thanx for the advice Duncan. Still not much luck with the sheet metal. Here are a few pics of one of Jeromy's frames I'm welding up. For $160 smacks
($200 sale price + 20% off coupon) its hard to complain for the money spent...
http://picasaweb.google.com/marklocklear/TIGWelds#
Lumbee (Mark)
---------- "I'm not a welder, but I play one on HondaChopper.com"
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rakeNtrail |
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Posts: 2902 (05/28/09 3:19 PM) G.O.T.F. Member |
Mark,
Are you getting a good point on your electrodes? Grind with the electrode and not perpendicular to it. A long smooth point. I use a diamond wheel to do mine. also, when the amperage is right you shouldn't feel rushed to weld. Work your puddle just like gas welding. The heat goes where you aim the torch. Also try backing your sheet metal seams with a piece of copper. Copper tubing works too. It does two things: 1. it holds the molten metal in place. 2. it helps to draw excess heat out of the joint
Underneath all this fat lies the body of a
God!
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LumbeeNDN |
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Posts: 2461 (05/28/09 4:07 PM) |
...hey RnT, yeah, I'm doing all those things. No diamond wheel, just using the wheels that came with my bench grinder, but I hear the carbide wheels gives
better results...I plan on getting one.
...I've got a set of pipes that had a real bad ding up at the header, so I cut it out, pounded it out, and was hoping to weld it back in place. I tacked it in place with my MIG, and hoped to TIG weld the rest. Theres maybe a 1/16 gap where I cut it out. I can't jump the gap, and it just burns through. I can hold an arc on the surface away from the gap, but as soon as I approach the gap, it blows through. I have the machine turned down as low as it will go (zero). These pipes are pretty thin, not to mention 30 years of rust beign knocked of, so I think its more the material and not the welder...
Lumbee (Mark)
---------- "I'm not a welder, but I play one on HondaChopper.com"
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