You can say we told you so -- And thanks !

[rsisson]

You all can say it... we told you so...

I was really getting frustrated....really frustrated... with my wire welder....

So I went and got a small (80A) Inverter Stick Welder and a box of Sticks (7014's)

W O W ! This is what I remember. My first weld with this thing was better than ANY weld with the Wire Welder...

1) Its smooth....much less splatter
2) I CAN SEE THE PUDDLE !
It had been hidden by the nozzle of the Wire Welder
3) It is adjustable from 0-80A so I can adjust the heat to what I am comfortable with and doesn't burn through
4) I can feel the stick, I am in control of the feed...
5) Wow does it put down some material...
6) It is consistant...being solid state it STAYS at what ever power I set weld after weld after weld,(overheat) cool off, after weld...

But the big one is I can see the puddle so I can adjust the heat and travel speed...

As for the size, only 80A, it is probably small for you guys, but it will do 3/16 which is MUCH more than I will ever do...If I want to work on my garden tractor I will just make multiple passes...

It is the one from Harbor Freight..

(http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=91110) .

weighs next to nothing...I like it...I might actually get my frame built...

[trikeman]

Interesting. I bought a wire welder first because I was scared off of being able to use a stick, and I wasn't I wanted to hassle with 230v. Finally I bought a use stick and some of those 7014s and I agree with you - wow!. I think if I had bought the stick first, I would never have bought the wire welder. OK maybe I would have because I sort of enjoy learning them all.

[Pagan Wizard]

I think your link is borked. I get a message on HF's site saying


The item number is the first 5 digits of the catalog number. Please try the search again.

[rsisson]

Here are some pictures after only a few tries...

and another try at the link

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=91110

Thank you ...Thank you ... Thank You

Still have some issues, but I have only burned about a dozen sticks...

Sticks occasionally when I start...mosty on old sticks
Occasionally burns through, but I can fix that easily now...

but WOW this is SO MUCH BETTER

[TheKid]

I found one of those last year, and planned on using it for aluminum non-bearing parts. I used it on steel once, but I still prefer the wire welder. I have no problem seeing the puddle with the wire welder.
I find that 70 amps is sufficient for the work we do on the Zombie projects, and this welder certainly fills the bill. If you prefer to use stick, I'd say this welder is a great choice. It's fairly inexpensive, small and lightweight. I used it to repair handrails on my stoop. It was so much easier than wheeling the wire welder around. I used 6013 sticks, being told that they were the easiest to use, and that's what I had when I used my original A/C only stick welder. There was plenty of spatter with the inverter welder, even when it was set on D/C. Maybe I'll try the 7014's just for the heck of it. If the welds are that much cleaner, as yours are, I'll reconsider using stick.

[robertwb70]

If seeing the puddle was the main problem maybe you have that plastic nozzle on the end of the stinger that's for use with the shielding gas?-if you're not using gas it can be removed for a much better view (my friend has a Clarke wire feeder that we did that on). My Lincoln came with 2 nozzle shield thingies (technical term) one for gas (big view blocking and extends past the tip) and one for flux core (smaller and stops behind the tip).

[TheKid]

It also helps if you hold the tip at an angle that allows you to see the puddle, and orient your view so you could see the puddle and the line you want to weld on.

[n9viw]

I've made it a habit to, when I can, orient myself to my work so I am looking down at the puddle and dragging AWAY from me. The nozzle is technically pointing AT me, so it doesn't get in the way at all.

Congrats on your success, though! Those welds do *look* good, but have you cut one up yet? Also, both of the pictures you took still had small chunks of slag left on them... they might have looked even better had you gotten all that off. Still, excellent work for just starting out, we're proud of you! :D