[Dirtdragon]

I have a lincon firepower 100 259.00 home depot
chop saw 1hp 14" 49.99 harbor frieght
tubing notcher 39.99 harbor frieght
model 3 bender+2 dies 670.00 vansant racing


The saw is slow but works fine if not pushed.The welder works slow but I have been able to weld on my frame and glued some 120 wall tubing. its bigest draw back is the duty cycle if I weld too long it turns off for @ 5minutes and to get penatration I use flux-core wire and real slow wire speed.As I can save up the money I will upgrade all except for the bender.

 

[big4294x4]

as soon as I sell my Jeep, I am going all out w/ the tools. Going to be fun

 

[EBSTEVE]

Depending on what you want to do a small 220 welder will handle everything you will want to do I would not buy a 110 you will just wish you would have gone bigger sooner or later. The Hobart’s and Millers have everything to run gas except the bottle so keep in mind if you buy a Lincoln that you will need to get the kit for gas that is about $100 if you want to run gas and you may not care now but someday you might. As for a chop saw my wife bought me a Harbor freight saw last year for Christmas ( they were out of the $49 one so she got the $99 one for $49 ) anyway I don't have a chop saw at the moment but the cheap one lasted me about 10 months of mild use. As for a bender JD, Pro tools are basically the same thing just don't go with a cheep pipe bender from Harbor freight and you should be fine as for a notcher if you buy the Harbor freight one and plan on using it much count on it being a temporary tool as it will not last.
I would say if you can buy good stuff and get by until you can save the coin to buy the next tool instead of spending your money two times once on cheap then again replacing it.

 

[zachv]

if you buy a Lincoln that you will need to get the kit for gas that is about $100 if you want to run gas

What?! You may be confused with the cheapo Lincoln kits from Home Depot, but any one that compares to Hobart or Miller, like the SP135 or SP175 come with gas regulators included.
I think the problem is that Hobart and Miller don't market cheap units that would compare to the HD units.

Like EBSTEVE said, go 220 on the welder. You will regret the purchase of the 110 units if you intend to actually use the machine.

 

[Grim Reaper]

If you looked at the page for the welder you'll see that they give you wire and you can get a tank for $88, gloves a helmet and hammer for $44. So for $688 you can all that and there is free shipping. Get the bender and (1) 1.75 die then make your own stand. Now you can get away without the gas for alitle while and save the $88 and use it for the chop saw. Plus it only cost $25 more for them to fill the tank.

The wire that comes with that is a 2lb Flux core. It will work. It's nice to keep around if you need to weld on a breezy day. The machine can handle a standard 11lb spool.
$88 is for the small tank that you can blow though in a couple of hours. Biggest tank that they will let a non comercial acct have at the local welding store will set you back about $150 and thats filled. $22 a refill. Its about 4-5 times the capacity of that $88 tank. In the long run it's a lot cheaper because to refill a small tank is about $17 but to refill the big tank is $22 for atleast 4 times the volume.
I paid a little more for my welder but it came with the Deluxe cart special package deal. The cart was nice and it was worth the little extra it cost. I was right at $800 ready to go mig.

 

[Grim Reaper]

why not use it flux core and save money by not having a tank, itll burn hotter too

http://www.cyberweld.com/migwire.html

Mig spool 10#
$25.00

Gasless 10 # (flux)
$53.50

Not counting the cost of the tank Flux core is double the price and that's enough to fill a 80# tank.
True mig also gives a nicer looking weld that you don't have to chip slag off of and MUCH less spatter.
Yes it is true that you can weld a thicker material with the same machine when using Flux but any of the 220v 175 range machines have plenty of power to weld 1/4. Not often you need to weld thicker than that for what we are doing. However you can weld thinner material with mig better than you can flux.
If I need to weld thicker then 1/4 I'm barrowing my buds Stick and breaking out the 7014 rods.

 

[StudNuts]

$220 AC/DC 220 ARC
6013 7.49
6011 7.49
used jd2 with 1.75 180/5.5 $350
HB chopsaw $40
HB notcher $40
lowes 10amp sawzall $99
milwaukee 4.5" angle grinder $69
flap disk $3

total = $836

 

[morpheus]

used jd2 with 1.75 180/5.5 $350

a deal like this is not very common!

- jack

 

[MASTER_of_DISASTER]

Are there any places beside in motor sports that use tubing benders?
I would love to have a bender but for 700 bucks its not going to happen.

 

[Mr.N]

$220 AC/DC 220 ARC

DC for $220, who makes it?

 

[Shrock]

I ditched my chop saw for a dry cut carbide, but if I had to buy another one it would be the RIGID one.

Fill out one of those pre-approved low interest credit card slips and by some quality tools. Doesn't have to be the very best, but on big items like benders and welders, you dont want to have to do it twice.

 

[UNLIMTD]

Miller 175 - It does 1/4" without a problem.
Auto Darkening Helmet - VERY IMPORTANT!!!
Delux Cart
80 CF tank
$1000.00


HF Metal Bandsaw $139.00 I can do cuts of 1/16 thickness, much more accurate than a chap saw. I had the Dewalt Chop [email protected] $200.00. I returned it, bought this and have never looked back. Well I got it on sale for $139.00 now it is $199.00.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=37151

I am still looking for money for the tubing bender, but I decided that I needed to spend the money on the Welder, so I didn't have to do it twice