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These are inexpensive Alternatives to help you get started with Arc & Tig welding on a poor mans budget, or as I like to think why invest big money when you don't have to and or can't!!!

Here's some info regarding the HF 80 Amp Inverter Arc Welder Item # 91110

For those of you who want to Tig Weld this lil machine can do a lot on bicycle frames!!!

An 80 AMP Inverter Arc Welder #91110 & Links for more info.

Bought An 80 AMP Inverter Arc Welder #91110 - WeldingWeb™ - Welding forum for pros and enthusiasts

Harbor Freight Welder Review - 120 voltt 80 amp Inverter

In the next link one poster talks about having 2 of these machines and runs them parallel with each other which gives him twice the heat!
80 AMP Inverter Arc Welder #91110 - Page 2 - WeldingWeb™ - Welding forum for pros and enthusiasts

Remember you have to read thru the threads to get to the posts that have good info, like the one below read the last post & watch the video.
80 amp inverter welder ac/dc? - WeldingWeb™ - Welding forum for pros and enthusiasts

Here's an alternative Inverter AC/DC Arc Welder that can be setup to Tig also it's the Forney AT-100 arc/tig

Here's the thread Link below & google the Forney AT-100 arc/tig on ebay it's less money than the Horrible Freight 80 Amp Inverter Item # 91110 and this Forney is Italian Made in Europe not China and it has an additional 20-Amps.

Forney AT-100 arc/tig?? - WeldingWeb™ - Welding forum for pros and enthusiasts

Definitely checkout forum member Porta's video with the HF 80 Amp Inverter Welder Item # 91110 see the link below.
http://motorbicycling.com/f26/weld-video-29096.html

Here's another youtube video with the HF 80 Amp Inverter Welder Model / Item # 91110
YouTube - harbor freight 80 amp inverter arc stick welder

Share you welding knowledge & experiences with the forum here!

Peace C.H.
Here's the Link to Harbor Freight's 80 Amp Inverter Welder:
80 Amp Inverter Arc Welder
 
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Yay!

A spot for me to ask questions next week. Moving into a place with a garage. My stepdad gave me a small mini brazer/welder that runs mapp and oxygen, but I haven't been able to even try to learn anything until I get a garage (which should be Tuesday.)
 
What are methods besides using a magnet to see if scrap metal I want to weld is steel? I know sometimes stainless steel of types may be somewhat magnetic, but not as much as steel. Many times stainless steel is not attached to a magnet at all. Density of metal that seem lighter I usually can tell is aluminum, color may not be a good way though. I have two pieces of metal that are attracted by a magnet. I want to weld them together with mig 75/25 AR CO2. What does anyone know?

There are pictures of bbq grill bowl scrap metal round to cut and add the other flat round weld together to make cover for chain and also partly cover exhaust pipe. Also want to put welded brackets too. Then weld matching brackets on frame to match so that the cover is removable.

The frame on bike is steel. The rectangular shape part is stainless steel pool step that was being scrapped. I may attach to foot pegs, also may cover with rubberized no skid on top of the stainless.

I know I would need other gas tri mix, but rather than that I can screw an bolt to brackets to connect to non-stainless steel, ie. the steel brackets and the steel frame. I know dis-similar metals cannot be welded together.

I know also that there is paint or something on the second flatter round metal scrap I will sand off.

Measure Twice
 

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Picture of area to cover ref previous post

Measure Twice
 

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Yes stainless can be welded to steel with mig tig or stick equipment. Tig or Mig , use Argon gas... stick mig or tig, use wire or rods compatable with 304,306, or 308 stainless steel , not mild steel.
 
lol i welded stainless to mild steel as well as titanium using an arc welder....

although that's for the more experienced person.
 
Thanks for the info. I got already made foot pegs that fold up, so I will maybe use the stainless steel pieces if I find some other use for them later.

Safety I have been told about having footpegs that foldup if they hit the ground for some reason. I may even make the square tube that was going to support the foot pegs further out to clear my chain and carb covers angle up a few inches higher. This will allow more of a lean in a turn and the pegs less close to hitting a rock or a bump when off roading as it is meant to be used for.

Just one other question, I bought the steel at OSH and they just say that it is weld-able. What more does anyone know about this stuff. I Tig welded it and now only have Mig available with flux core or the AR 75 C02 25 shield gas to use. Would you suspect that this is mild steel, maybe I can contact the store and find out the supplier they use to get more detail? I also may have got some at HomeDepot as well, so I am curious to what is it's make up?

Measure Twice
 
MEASURE TWICE said:
Thanks for the info. I got already made foot pegs that fold up, so I will maybe use the stainless steel pieces if I find some other use for them later.

Safety I have been told about having footpegs that foldup if they hit the ground for some reason. I may even make the square tube that was going to support the foot pegs further out to clear my chain and carb covers angle up a few inches higher. This will allow more of a lean in a turn and the pegs less close to hitting a rock or a bump when off roading as it is meant to be used for.

Just one other question, I bought the steel at OSH and they just say that it is weld-able. What more does anyone know about this stuff. I Tig welded it and now only have Mig available with flux core or the AR 75 C02 25 shield gas to use. Would you suspect that this is mild steel, maybe I can contact the store and find out the supplier they use to get more detail? I also may have got some at HomeDepot as well, so I am curious to what is it's make up?

Measure Twice
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Most of your hardware store small steel is mild steel. Don't worry about it. As far as welding stainless to carbon steel you need a 309 stainless arc welding rod the standard is a 308 and it would probably work ok but for ultimate crack resistance on dis similar metal like that the 309 is recommended. For the small amount you are dealing with I would bolt it together with stainless bolts or screws. For one thing the stainless will get color marks, blue and straw colors from the heat and who wants to get a bottle of tri gas for that little bit. I would use the straight wire mig with the c25 gas you got over the flux core simply cause it's cleaner and nicer with less spatter unless you are outside in the wind although either will work. If it's magnetic and you can bend it center punch it and drill it without breaking your punch or burning up six drill bits on a hole its mild. The good stuff is like a570 or ht1 or hy80 and you aint getting that at home depot and if you did you would pay dearly for it. It is also weldable but much harder to center punch and drill cause it has more carbon in it so its tougher stuff. Just sort of figure that if it isn't a tool its mild.
 
Thanks for the details. No joking:)

I have maybe an easy project I'll 1st practice on other stuff to get the nack of the welder. Not stainless, just a noisy gas generator that I am going to adapt the exhaust to have an automobile muffler I have seen inperson how it is done and on Youtube.

The stainless I have saved for some other stuff and maybe weld or not later.

You know I could maybe for kicks make a muffler from scratch, but don't really think it is cost effective.

Finishing up on Motor bike, no pedals anymore OHV and art vehicle mod still going on.

Measure Twice
 
Didja know you can make your own tig welder with a 70 amp automobile alternator and a 5 HP motor? Can probably get away using a smaller motor if you don't plan to do anything too thick.
 
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A long time ago I held a GMAW3G mig ticket... long since expired, but I still remember a bit about throwing an arc. If I need it, I have a neighbour with a MIG machine I can probably use if I pay him for materials used, same for his oxy/acety torch rig.
A friend of mine a few years back picked up a little portable wire feed welding rig that hooks up to car batteries for power. By changing the length of wire and number of batteries (and how they were connected, series or parallel) it was capable of some surprising work. If I ever trip over one myself I'll be grabbing it.
 
Maxvision said:
Didja know you can make your own tig welder with a 70 amp automobile alternator and a 5 HP motor? Can probably get away using a smaller motor if you don't plan to do anything too thick.
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Oops, my bad. It's a 50 amp alternator. Don't think anyone makes a 70 amp.
 
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