[jeeplvr]

Sue me if this is a repost.
Has anyone used this HF tig welder?
I have a promotional code that takes 100.00 off but you can only order it from the website via the online catalouge order form thingy.
Code# 91811-1mra
With the code it's 199.00

 

[wizard_Drd]

Here ya go

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=325687

 

[ozarkjeep]

Ive used a very similar machine ( but a brand name), inverter welder, the one we had could be wired 110/220, and we used it on 110 for portability.

Ad a gas bottle and a cart, and we welded mild steel and stainless with it, from thin sheet metal to 0.250 and even thicker.

I was impressed, but it is scratch start , but that may or may not be a problem for you, depending on what you want to do with it. ( it wont weld aluminum)

If that machine would last a few years under home shop usage, I would buy one myself.

I would bet that if you dont overheat it, it woudl last a long time.

 

[hotcowboy76]

Hey that code doesnt work! :flipoff2: I say give it a try and if you dont like it within 30 days return it. HF pays for the shipping on the way back and I think for the shipping to you if the order is over $100 or something. I would think its worth it! If your not going to use the code or it can be used twice let me know!

 

[rusted]

If I had $200 I'd buy it just to learn how to TIG.

 

[NothernAZxj]

Here ya go

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=325687

another worthless link...no info at all..thanks for nuthin :flipoff2:

 

[JJS]

i've been looking at the same one to get myself started on TIGing. let us know how that one works out for you.

 

[jeeplvr]

The code is actually the item number. I don't think I explained it right in the first post.
If you go to the HF site and click the "view cart" link at the top of the page. Of course there isn't anything in your cart yet but half way down that page is a link that says "order from printed catalog". Click this link and enter the item# 91811-1mra, and click the "add" button and 199.00 price will show up.

Edit: I guess I should say that my intention here is not to weld aluminum since I use a spool gun for that.
I want to use this tig welder to do light jobs like sheet metal and exhaust. I have access to a Lincoln tig/arc welder but it's huge and not very portable.
I know how to tig weld and scratch start isn't an issue for me.

I ordered the welder and will give a writeup when I get some time in on it.

 

[jeeplvr]

Got the HF tig/arc welder Friday and finally got aroud to testing it this afternoon. Arc is not bad with 7018 1/8". I am out of argon so I'll have to wait to tig until sometime this week.
Over all it looks and feels like a quality unit and with what i've done with it so far and the 199.00 price I feel prety damn good about the purchase.

 

[ozarkjeep]

sweet!

keep us updated, If it tigs well I want to order one also.

 

[rusted]

Got the HF tig/arc welder Friday and finally got aroud to testing it this afternoon. Arc is not bad with 7018 1/8". I am out of argon so I'll have to wait to tig until sometime this week.
Over all it looks and feels like a quality unit and with what i've done with it so far and the 199.00 price I feel prety damn good about the purchase.

:laughing: This is just like another board, where I heard the same thing, I think about 7018 too.

We want to know how the TIG is! :flipoff2:

I was thinking the same thing about that machine. Just MIG the Al stuff and use that for thin steel or cromo or exhaust etc.

*edit* not that I have anything that will ever be cromo, but I do have stainless and sheet metal to weld on someday. :laughing: I'm still at fixing the lawnmower stage tho.

 

[jeeplvr]

:laughing:
We want to know how the TIG is! :flipoff2:

Working on it.
Here's a couple of pictures of what it can do with 1/16" to 1/16" and 3-16" to 1/16"

Before you say they are ugly welds, consider I was using steel mix (25% CO2 and 75% Argon) and no filler rod.
I like this welder very much.

 

[braxton357]

another worthless link...no info at all..thanks for nuthin :flipoff2:

Yeah, I ended up buying a much larger AC/DC arc welder and adding a tig torch. :flipoff2:

It ended up being about the same price.

 

[jeeplvr]

I forgot to mention that this tig/arc welder has a current control switch. To weld the 1/16 steel I had to turn down the current control to the second to the lowest setting. To weld the 3/16 to the 1/16 steel the current setting was at half.
I think this welder would weld much thicker steel, perhaps 3/8.
Definitely good bang for the buck.

 

[hotcowboy76]

any update on the tig???

 

[jeeplvr]

I should get some better results tonight since I now have Argon and rod.
I will post some pics later.
Regardless, this welder is very much worth the 199.00 in my opinion.

 

[jeeplvr]

I really like the tig welder part of this welder. Other than the scratch start, it work as good as our high dollar Lincoln on steel.
Here are the latest pics. My tig skills are very rusty, and truthfully not that good to begin with, so go easy on me!
Latest pics

 

[ozarkjeep]

I was in the local HF store yesterday, they have that machine on sale for $200...

I might go back and get one!

 

[jeeplvr]

I was in the local HF store yesterday, they have that machine on sale for $200...

I might go back and get one!

I have tigged with it a little more and I love it. It works great for what I do.

 

[ESPEED]

This is the company in China (KENDE) that makes the 130 amp tig for HF KENDE p# TIG130s

http://www.chinakende.com/producten.asp?productsid=&page=2&smallname=&miaoshu=&lifang=#

due to this post here (good) and all the others (mostly negative) all over the Net I bought one just so I could try it. IT WORKS. Actually it works pretty good.

These are my observations so far.

DC only
There is no information on the box for specs
the instruction manual is poor
it does not come with a plug I used a 20A plug (230V)
MAX amp draw is 18A
it only works on 230V
the tig range is 5-130 amps
It worked better after I replaced the suppled tungsten with good 1/16 Red one
it came with a lot of extra stuff
IT IS NOT SCRATCH START IT IS LIFT TO START (pg 11)
yes it has a gas valve on the torch IT ALSO HAS A BUILT IN SOLENOID VALVE
the built in solenoid provides pre and post flow
I had to make an adapter hose for my regulator (does not come with a regulator)
the stuff used to protect the cable/hose to the torch is super stiff and clumsy (getting used to it) I may replace it (only to get one longer than 6ft not because it is to crappy to use

after I used it to make sure it worked I opened it up and it is put together pretty well even had some PANASONIC parts inside (I did the same to my MM210 and if it can have parts made in China and Mexico I guess it is OK for my Chinese welder to have Japanese parts)

the adj knob is marked 1-10 I have no idea how to translate this to amps. so as I used it I just marked it with a sharpie so I can remember what works

this may not be the best machine to learn on (I have been welding for along time) starts and stops are harder compared to more expensive machines

there is NO remote amperage control (this looks like it would be super easy to fix but I do not have time to do it right now)

I can turn it down and make very nice welds on 22 gage sheet metal
I got out my bucket of 4130 drops and welded .095 until the torch was so hot I could not hold onto it even with gloves on and the machine did not shut down and the thermal l.e.d. Did not come on
the lift to start was easier to use after I started using my auto dark helmet so I could see what was happening