I have to apologize, I thought you were talking about mig welders, because that's basically what I've sold in the last few years. I still say you need to put down a couple hundred bucks to get something you can rely on. I don't know about the Wal-Mart welders, but I know for about $200, you can get a good Lincoln buzz box.

 

Really? What are the features of such a welder (bearing in mind I am pretty ingnorant about this stuff). For a set up like that, $200, what sort of duty cycle? What could I weld with it? Does it have to use gas? Any particular Lincoln models you can recommend?

 

A Lincoln AC-225 will give you welding power between 40-225 amps. You can use stainless steel and hardfacing electrodes as well as your mild steel for normal applications. It will handle larger electrodes(5/32). You can add a carbonarc torch for several shop uses(loosening rusty bolts quickly). Lincoln has a better warranty than a lot of the others. 20% duty cycle. I realize you are looking for a welder for one specific reason, but this one will help you out on several occasions.

 

If you use an arc welder for body work, you will end up with a lot of holes where none were before. Get a torch set and rent the bottles. Gas welding is your only hope. Don't buy a brand X mig welder even if you could spend $500.

 

How bout the Campbell Hausfeld wire feed, flux core welder? I've seen it around $80. Don't know if it's junk...

 

54Guy
I was gonna come back here and say I have heard you can get a Campbell Hausfeld mig welder (gasless) for $200 at wal-mart but seems dtpatt2 beat me to it. Gasless mig would be the way to go, lot easier to work with.

dtpatt2
Where exactly did you find a Campbell Hausfeld mig for $80? Later

 

jw,

Guess I'm cornfusing the mig wilder to the arc. At wally world they have a arc wleder for around $80 and the flux core mig is around $230. I couldn't find it on walmart.com, but here is a link to it.
http://www.contractorstools.com/camp_w_flux_WF2000.html

Thanks for the correction!

 

54Guy,
I found it for $140!

http://www.overstock.com/se/Campbell...ed_Welder.html

 

Hmm out of stock.

But I found it on two more sites!!!

http://www.dakmart.com/website/ItemD...d=25065&cID=61

http://www.dakmart.com/website/ItemD...d=25063&cID=61

Ones flux core, ones gas...

Hope this helps!!!

 

Here's the link:
http://www.welding-direct.com/fpsticwel85a.html

It's about $129, with a 15% duty cycle. Those of you who know quite a bit about welding, what might be wrong with this? Or...right with it? Does it seem to be a good buy?

Apparently this company makes their own equipment and has free shipping in the continental U.S.

 

Bet the campbell hausfeld stick welder in cheaper than that. Name brand, too.

 

http://www.eshop.msn.com/eshopframe....69097%26fp%3dF

 

Fire Power welders are made by Victor, the same makers of the popular oxy-acetylene torches. Also known as Thermadyne. That particular welder isn't bad, but it has very limited capabilities. Like I said before, you're looking for a welder for one single purpose, which I really think you should not do. The welding capabilities and amperage of that particular welder are very low. Find something you can use for many uses, you'll thank yourself in the end.

 

Dang, that url didn't work. $72.00 for a Campbell Hausfeld.

 

J. B. man, a dollar sixty nine or something like that....

*snikkerrezz*

QUESTION: How long do you need it to last?

For me, a piece of equipment like that is not open to how cheap I can get it, but how high the quality is and the versatility of the unit. You can always find someone going out of business willing to sell high quality tools and equipment at bargain prices....