Howdy guys and gals I just noticed this new forum, I hang out on the tomatoes forum, as I love to grow vegetables.
Metal work, woodwork and guns are the others. That’s me in a nutshell!
On to the cheap welder, if you want a cheap welder that’s just what you will get. What I think is a good deal on a home welder is a miller syncrowave 180 SD.
It will tig and stick weld any thing you will come across at home.
The thing cost me 1,700 dollars; I opened up a machine account at a welders supply and paid the thing off. I have a 300-dollar mig welder that the rectifier has gone out in and since I have the other welder I haven’t gotten around to fixing the thing.
But will some day (LOL)
Every one I know that has purchased a CHEAP welder has had the same problem. Look for duty cycle and the amount of amperage that you plan on welding most of the time. I can weld all day at around 90 amps with mine but if I go up on the amps I need to cut back on the weld time accordingly to let the thing cool off. Some of the cheap welders have a poor duty cycle and even if they say you can weld 90 amps, you are on a 20 or 40 percent duty cycle, this means that you have to stop welding for 6 out of 10 minutes on a 40 percent duty cycle.
Not a good deal. So to end this long-winded speech, if you can afford it and have good credit or self-control saving money buy a good welder that will handle the job and give you good service the first time.
Take a welding class if you cant weld very well or don’t know that much about it.
Buy a good book on the subject from a community college and read, read, read and practice. Old habits are hard to break and a good set of experienced eyes is good thing to have. I hoped this helped and will see you guys around more often. Worth | 
