How good ar eCraftsman Mig welders (gassless)

[rider]

I'm looking for something to do all-around welding. I'm looking to weld frames together, sheet metal, tubing, square tubing, anywhere from 1/8" thick to 1/4" thick.

I really don't know anything about welders, so I'm relying in all of your help.

Here's what I found:

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/tls/1024872974.html

[MunkeyQ]

I don't know about the Craftsman brand, but I'm not a fan of gasless MIGs. My first welder was a little Sealey gasless, much like that, which was alright for thin sheet but it did spit a lot and was hard to get a good bead.

After that I bought a rather expensive semi-pro gas machine, which was amazing in comparison. Nice smooth bubble-free welds and generally much easier to use. How much experience do you have in welding?

[Vargus]

I got to use a Lincoln MIG over the weekend and even as a cmplete noob I was able to get almost professional results on ~1/16" steel tubing once I was able to get the hang of feed rates and the voltage. (Didn't even burn through. :)) The wire feed on the Craftsman is probably fine, but the voltage "ranges" leaves a lot to be desired. Just seems like a waste of money to buy that Craftsman that would be better spent buying a good stick welder.

[ytter_man]

The fact that it only has two current settings turns me off right there. 'high' and 'low'? Come on now.

Although, for the price it isnt bad for small jobs where beads wont be longer than a few inches.

[rider]

Well, I'm looking for things like making a gokart frame, or maybe welding a two stroke onto a bike to make a moped, things like that. So not serious welding, but strong enough to last a couple years. Would this thing be good enough for these kinds of things?

[HLC]

http://www.bikerplus.net/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1165

this company's selling 'em new for $150 .

Specs say it doesn't weld as thick as 1/4 inch steel, 3/16 is max rated.

[MunkeyQ]

The fact that it only has two current settings turns me off right there. 'high' and 'low'? Come on now.
Saying that, my big pro welder has four settings and I only use two of those most of the time. I vary speed...weird I know, but that's how I was taught.

However, with flux cored wire this might not work out so well.

Still, I advise getting a gas welder. The ones which work off mini disposable cylinders (unfortunately you can only get Coogar or Argomix in these) are quite good. It's easy to be put off by a cheap hard-to-use machine.

[eesakiwi]

If that welder is the 'generic' one I see a around a lot.
The nozzle is quite nice, just like a bigger welders, but smaller.

What I don't like is where the tip screws into the tubing in the handpeice.
Theres just not enought meat there & if theres any splatter in the thread it gets distorted & then shorts out the machine.
The tip ends up jutting out to one side which stuffs up the feeding of the wire too.
The other thing is, using gas, where the gas gets into the handpeice, if theres any backpressure the gas comes out the feed end of the handpeice.
Also, theres just a hand operated valve for starting & stopping the sheilding gas.
It needs a electric switch & a proper electric valve to control the gas flow.

I have one (in peices!) & to use it I would fit another handpeice/line before going any further.
I have adapted it to use the big rolls of wire too.

I used someone elses welder (same sort) & it was set up for gasless wire.
Actually I was quite impressed!
You could weld the thinnest sheetmetal & not burn thru. The actual weld metal deposited was tiny, but useable.
It would be perfict for welding lots of small steel metal parts (like where I would usually use brazing to do that job) or any car panel work.

I spent yesterday cutting up a trampoline frame & welding it into a gocart frame, just tacking it together as I know I will have to adjust it later to get it all squared up right.

I use a 150 amp DC inverter welder & 2.5mm Low Hydrogen rods.

Not the iron powder sort of Low Hydrogen rods, I have trouble with them, I also have trouble with using any sort of 'General purpose rods' too.
I have done lots of stick welding & have passed lots of welding tests, but I wouldn't recommend using general purpose rods to anyone.
I found the few I used yesterday wouldn't 'bridge' a gap & had to be used with a 'hot arc' (which I don't like doing as the weld tends to be a surface weld & weak).
The parent metal gets too hot & then you end up with 'burnthru' and gets too hot & molten & then falls out.

I'll check the rods # & post it next time I'm on here.

Trampoline frames are perfect for making Gocart frames, they have plenty of bends & some bits where the tubing is swaged & fits into the other Peices of tubing.
You can virtually assemble the frame before tacking it together.
I'm using a 3 wheeler MC bike rear axle & wheels & the 250cc engine from it.
I think I'll end up using wheel barrow wheels for the front wheels.
They might end up having a suspension on the front wheels,( welded 'A' frame & a small MC bike shock on each wheel).
& a car steering box for the front wheels too.

[MunkeyQ]

^^ Good post.

I've only used an arc welder a couple of times and never really got the hang of it. MIG/oxy-act for the win. Whatever machine you buy, make sure you can get spares for it. You will probably need a new liner at some point, and the wire feed rollers can wear out.

Old school tables with melamine tops and box section frames/legs are also good for making things. Poke around behind schools for broken ones.