China welding machines

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I go outta my way to buy USA

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On December 7th, 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Upon refloating some of the ships, a Navy diver recovered an un-exploded bomb that said 'Made in USA' on it. It had been emptied of explosive and sold to the Japanese as scrap in the 1920's. They kept that bomb for two decades and re-commissioned it to use against us instead of scrapping it.

Harbor Freight might have welders that are better than Miller or even the wire-feed Finger Of God, but I still won't buy them because I refuse to knowingly finance a country that has made public statements that their intent is to destroy us as world competitor. Besides, they don't develop their technology, they steal it from us, and by buying it, any Chinese-purchasing American consumer is complicit in the theft.
In my opinion, anyway.

I'm glad you guys are getting your dollar's worth out of your purchases, and I hope that history shows me to be a misguided fool when it's said and done. I do truly hope that.
 
The Cheap chinese machines flooded the Australian market but thet found no service companies would touch them a lot of people have gone back to the name brand machines. Try to claim warranty on a Chinese machine ,a distributor friend bought some in & took 1 home to try out when he plugged it in he woke up up on the floor after recieving a serious electric shock they dont pass the same safety standard tests as the US & UK built machines .We only buy from the US or UK as they support their products through training & service centres throu-out Australia

I kept the owner's manual for the Chinese hoist that a previous employer purchased. It had a warranty card that you filled out. There was no address to mail the warranty card to.
 
I leave the welding up to my buddy, he pulls up with his big welders mounted on his flatbed.
Don't know what kind, don't care. I tried welding, problem is I can't see, even with a good
self-darkening welding helmet.
I know my limits, so I leave it up to the pro and his reasonable price, usually work trade or a simple meal.
 
You ain’t gonna MAGA by buying Chinese ****.
Chinese welders are like Chinese car parts, stereo equipment, clothes, plumbing fixtures and everything else, pure crap.
 
You ain’t gonna MAGA by buying Chinese ****.
Chinese welders are like Chinese car parts, stereo equipment, clothes, plumbing fixtures and everything else, pure crap.
I could probably weld the circles around most here with my $89 harbor freight welder....
Just like my dad could probably beat most here in pool with a crooked tree Branch...
And we demand cheap crap we get cheap crap, when we demand good engineering we get there cars and trucks....
 
Can you even buy a welder that’s actually made here? I doubt it because anything electronic isn’t made here.
 
I could probably weld the circles around most here with my $89 harbor freight welder....
Just like my dad could probably beat most here in pool with a crooked tree Branch...
And we demand cheap crap we get cheap crap, when we demand good engineering we get there cars and trucks....
Do we really want to rage about who's dad is better? lol
crooked tree branch? :lol:
 
Most of these cheap import welders are adequate enough for the hobbyist as long as its not being used for any type of structural or pressure work
They would never hold up under any kind of commercial/industrial work.
Its like comparing a cheap piano to a Steinway
 
I have a cheap harbor freight flux core welder works good for what it is & since it is 110, I can take it anywhere. However since I bought a Lincoln 220v mig, I don’t use it much anymore.
 
Do we really want to rage about who's dad is better? lol
crooked tree branch? :lol:
"Rage" ???... :rolleyes:...
Come on man! LOL... I'm sure this is obvious to most but I probably have to explain this to you it was an example of someone's skills....
 
I bought a stick welder back in the 80’s, AC/DC. I think others have used it more than I have. Once I had to go repo it from one guy so another could use it.
I bought a wire welder around 2000. I used it once or twice. Now I take my welding jobs to work and do them on weekends that I have weekend duty.
 
Most of these cheap import welders are adequate enough for the hobbyist as long as its not being used for any type of structural or pressure work
They would never hold up under any kind of commercial/industrial work.
Its like comparing a cheap piano to a Steinway


A question Steve. How many home welders are building structural steel and pressure vessels?

I would build a complete mild steel race car chassis with my welder and not be afraid to strap you in it for a few runs.

For the most part the weldor is far more critical than the welder.
 
Most of these cheap import welders are adequate enough for the hobbyist as long as its not being used for any type of structural or pressure work
They would never hold up under any kind of commercial/industrial work.
Its like comparing a cheap piano to a Steinway
I have to agree you'll probably not see in the $89 harbor freight welder in an industrial shop being used everyday and I definitely wasn't trying to say that that would be the truth.
I would say for 80 to 90% of the stuff that we do at these cars as far as making brackets and doing exhaust and various other small cash it's at least for me been way more than adequate... Frame connectors and such...
Of course my biggest structure has been my snowmobile sled Deck and ramp. Of course everything's well gusseted but also the engineering of it being more stacked and welded together than depending on the welds to hold the weight...
 
"Rage" ???... :rolleyes:...
Come on man! LOL... I'm sure this is obvious to most but I probably have to explain this to you it was an example of someone's skills....
Yea, I'm a little thick at times. lol
Good to have someone keep me in line. :D
 
A question Steve. How many home welders are building structural steel and pressure vessels?

I would build a complete mild steel race car chassis with my welder and not be afraid to strap you in it for a few runs.

For the most part the weldor is far more critical than the welder.
I'll go back to my take on the subject.
Comparing a weld made by a novice and someone that's been doing it for a lifetime.
There is a difference.
 
I have to agree you'll probably not see in the $89 harbor freight welder in an industrial shop being used everyday and I definitely wasn't trying to say that that would be the truth.
I would say for 80 to 90% of the stuff that we do at these cars as far as making brackets and doing exhaust and various other small cash it's at least for me been way more than adequate... Frame connectors and such...
Of course my biggest structure has been my snowmobile sled Deck and ramp. Of course everything's well gusseted but also the engineering of it being more stacked and welded together than depending on the welds to hold the weight...


I don’t think my boss would be happy if I was loafing 90% of the time because our welding machine has a 10% duty cycle
 
My old Hobart mig is so old, it was made here in the USA before the Chineeeeeese stole even our first welder blueprint!!!
I must be unlucky soul, probably 95% that i buy made in China quickly turns to chit.
 
I have had my Millermatic 251 since 2004. Still going strong.

My Miller EconoTig is a little under powered, but gets occasional use since I bought it way back in 04 or 05. I was going to buy a Synchrowave 180, and the sales guy talked me into the EconoTig. I should have bought the Synchrowave 180.
 
I'll go back to my take on the subject.
Comparing a weld made by a novice and someone that's been doing it for a lifetime.
There is a difference.
Its like anything else. A good instructor and practice practice practice
There is no mystery to it and understanding what your doing, being able to make a good weld in any position possible
If your not willing to pound wire all day when its 95 out than you don't have the dedication to learn
If you never learned the theory behind various welding methods you will always be at a disadvantage and if you aren't proficient at stick welding your not considered a welder
And you need to know how to use a torch properly, including flushing welds and wash them off.
Just takes time to learn, not a big deal, trust me
Now body and paint like the pros? To me thats something special
 
Its like anything else. A good instructor and practice practice practice
There is no mystery to it and understanding what your doing, being able to make a good weld in any position possible
If your not willing to pound wire all day when its 95 out than you don't have the dedication to learn
If you never learned the theory behind various welding methods you will always be at a disadvantage and if you aren't proficient at stick welding your not considered a welder
And you need to know how to use a torch properly, including flushing welds and wash them off.
Just takes time to learn, not a big deal, trust me
Now body and paint like the pros? To me thats something special

Hmm. There is no mystery to making out of position welds? Okay. When it's 95 out, I take a nap. "Anybody can weld with 7018", this from a professional welder. Washing welds with a torch? That's what a carbon arc is for. As to taking time to become proficient, as my old man always put it, "people learn as they age, some just don't live long enough to be worth a ****".
 
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