Here is a great little welder I like better than the Harbor Freight cheepie, flux core 90 amp welder. This one comes in at 120 amps per the description on the Amazon page. the model is a MIG 130. That is misleading as it does not use shielding gas nor is it a true 130 amp machine. Once you get past that, it’s a great little welder. $87 bucks, you cannot beat that. I like this over the 90 and 125 amp welders sold by Harbor Freight. Why? It has 4 power settings vs only 2 on the Harbor freight welders. Having that extra bit of adjustability comes in handy when dialing in the settings for thinner tubing that is used on bicycles and 20ga steel .
The biggest issue many newbies have when It comes to electric welding is blowing out holes in thinner metals. Half of the issue is having the welder set too hot and poor welding techniques. Once you have a decent welder you can master the techniques. You can get this little gem for $100. If you have $500, I highly suggest getting the Hobart Handler 140 MIG. It’s a true MIG welder and you can also run Flux Core wire if you dont want to spend the additional $300 for a 30cu ft bottle and a welding cart. It also will hold 10lb wire spools so you can save on wire and it’s a better welder. I’ve had mine for 5 years and it’s going strong.
I also suggest you get the following items to complement your budget welder:
- Welding Helmet
- Blue Demon .035 Flux Core Wire E71TGS
- Welding Pliers
- Traditional Leather MIG/Stick Welding Gloves
- Welder’s Chipping Hammer
- Welding Torch Holder
Check out my video below where I unbox the MIG130 Flux Core Welder