A quick note for anyone who is using these cheaper/weaker welders.... Preheat your steel to a dull red then weld it will get Way better penetration and thus a far stronger weld. Great video John happy Thanksgiving 🦃🍽️
I have been a machinist for a long time and now starting to get into Blacksmithing. you have become my best instructor. Keep up the great videos. Thank you.
I love it. I have a similar, slightly larger cheap inverter welder (120/240), as well as a 100A, 120v buzz box (AC). I unplug the microwave (20A), run my 25 ft. 10 Ga cord with a triple outlet out the back door to my built in welding table (3/16" steel crawlspace lid) and do what must be done. There are a few things that might be good to know. Mostly you want 3/32" sticks; 1/16" or 5/64" can be handy for lighter work but are non- standard, can be hard to find, and Always Cost Too Much! For heavier work you can run multiple passes, which saves you having a five pound box of something you will probably never finnish using. I usually run short to very short beads, but I've never tripped the breaker at 70A. There's one thing to be aware of with these cheap inverter welders. Even though they are DC, they don't act like professional DC machines, but like an AC machine. So don't try to use 6010, ard 7018, but use AC sticks like 6011 and 7018AC. I was lucky to already have these. 7014 and 6013 work on anything. I prefer 6011. It is an aggressive deep penetrating stick, dirt tolerant, and fast-freeze for light welds. Anyway, thanks for the video, hope this may be helpful to those about to enter the hobby zone.
I own one of the small welders. And there are short comings but it is functional and once I got past the learning curve it has served me well. I am by no means a "welder" but I get by. Once you get used to it you can produce some "gorilla" welds that are strong but ugly. That is what grinders are for.
Last time I tried to weld was 25 years ago. Looked like chicken poop piles when I finished, and one of my co-workers had to fix it for me. I might try one of these to see if this old dog can learn some new tricks!
I'm a farrier. I work in barns and stables using whatever power is available. I have a 3kw generator on my trailer, but only power it up when necessary. I can get great penetration on horse shoes using a very similar harbor freight welder. Joint prep is the key to good welds.
You got that 80 amp didn't you? I love that little thing. If you point a fan at the back of it and keep it in the shade, it seems to forget about duty cycle. Haha, I know what you mean about using whatever power is available. I fix a lot of equipment at a local Equestrian Ranch and I use their power at the maintenance shed until it trips the breaker. I have a generator too, but as you know, horses don't like generators. 😆 I just finished fixing a manure spreader yesterday and I welded it with 3/32 6011 and 3/32 7018, using that little welder.
Im in the UK bought a little Inverter Welder from Aldi made in the UK , ive been using it for the last 8 years it';s been brilliant .im not a pro welder but the Aldi one does everything i want
That little welder would be quite handy for my shop. I've been looking at 110 welders but I didn't know if it would be good or a waste of money. This is the only review on small welders and now I feel better on getting one. Keep up the good work and God bless.
The one I went with was a deko pro. It's a solid little dual voltage machine that makes good welds. It has a few minor quirks but nothing that's a dealbreaker. For $130 you can't beat it.
The 80 amp arc welder from Harbor Freight is pretty good. I'm not trying to shill fir my channel but I have a review on it if you want to watch. It's not a very good review but it's there. I hope you find what you need and build something cool 😎.
Appreciate the review, I picked up a similar welder last year and have been very happy with it. For my small shed blacksmithing, it's perfect, and welding some small things is *so* satisfying! I primarily use it when I'm making small tools, or when I'm attaching a candle cup to a base plate. I wasn't having much luck peening over a rivet, so I just ground a little depression on the underside of the candlestick base and welded it instead, and it's worked a treat. Very handy for small jobs like that, easy to keep out of the way in a small shop, and for < $150 total for the welder/gloves/mask/box of rods, a very useful tool to now have on hand. I only have 110 in my shed but that was enough to handle these small jobs.
I got one of those tiny little stick welders a couple years ago and it’s come in very handy around the farm . Good for lots of little repairs when the leads from my tombstone won’t reach . Mine only weighs a couple pounds . And I can run it on a 100’ extension cord .
That little Vevor welder is just so "cute!" If I'd had that a bunch of years ago, I probably would have never bought three or four of the welders in my shop. Most of my welders are set up for 220v, but I had a little flux-core MIG that I loaned to a neighbor because he only had 110v in his garage. He'd welded a little in the past with a 'stick' welder, but had never used a MIG, and I'm pretty sure that little machine is perfect for his automitive sheet welding jobs. He seemed to like it so much that I'm a little worried I may never see it again. Which is probably O.K. since I have two gas shielded MIGs, a TIG and my old "standby" Lincoln "buzz box" -- all on 220v. If I had that little Vevor, that's the one I'd have loaned him.
I got over vise envy last year. I have a little jewelers vise that was $12. I worked on family guns with it, and it works great. As long as you just need it to hold something while you disassemble or file. I like how portable it is, too. It doesn't bolt down, it clamps, and it's light. So if I move it, it doesn't weigh 30lb.
I have to retell my adventure in stick-arc-hammer-forging. I could say I invented it, but with both stick welding and blacksmithing being around for so many decades, I know thousands have done the same thing. I got a cheap little inverter welder, and some small electrodes. I hadn't done any welding for twenty years, and not a lot for about 35 years. I was using a weed tool (like a flat blade screwdriver with a notch in the end), and one of those dandelions ducked in between a couple of bricks. This tool was made of the world's softest steel, and I suddenly had a tool with a thirty-degree bend in it. So I bent it back without breaking it all the way off, got out the angle grinder and cut a nice V-groove, and tacked it on with 1/16" 6013, welded with 1/16" 7014, ground it back, and realized I had a bunch of disconnected steel blobs. When you haven't welded for 20 years, and use a new machine, you may set the amperage too low. I used a low angle drill to clean out a couple low spots, and , filled them in with 3/32" 6011 (very agressive, deep-penetrating rod) @70A. That went well, but I had one area that I knew was a real mess so I ground it back some, but not all the way to good metal. I struck the arc with 3/32" 6011, to get a nice big bead of hot metal, then I long-arced to get the whole area white- hot, and then immediately hit it with a hammer on a small anvil. It seems to have worked, grinding shows one piece of metal. It is definitely stronger than the original. Filling a moderately deep V-groove with 6011 at fairly high amperage would have been the right thing to do. But if your metal is hot enough, forging your weld bead can move metal, so you don't have to grind away what you just laid down. Forging your still very hot weld bead is something to al least consider, especially with spot welds in light metal. (Hammer to move the metal a bit, not obliterate it.) If it does break again, I'll fix it again, being careful not to make the same mistake again. But like the man says, I won't be driving it down the highway.
That a nice little welder for a diy guy that just needs to make simple welds! If I didn’t have a welder already, that one would be on my have to have list! Thanks for sharing!
Another very good video John! I remember back about 40 some years ago I had gotten a cheap buzz box from Sears for home use…..that thing would not hold an arc, total piece of junk. The cheap buzz boxes have come a long way with inverter technology (same with MIG and TIG welders), a good thing for the hobbyist/home owner/someone that does not need a big machine.
Pretty neat get er done welder. Given the estimated intent and price point.....beats not having one at all! Good video Blessings Mr John Crawford out 🙏🔥⚒️🧙🏼♂️
I made a bending jig similar to the one you did where you welded the two pieces of round stock on the plate. I picked up some random sizes of tube/pipe so I can put it over one of the pins. I can change the size of the bend radius by putting one over another and so on. Maybe not the greatest tool but it works for my needs. One other thing I have done is the piece that you use to catch the curl on the end of the hook I will angle them out a bit. Works for different sizes of material as well as being able to adjust the depth of the hook a bit. Thank you for sharing these.
My son got almost that 19:20 , I can make due with it on limited work, But anyb one trying to learn welding, I pity the student, and Harbor Freight welding helmet was a horrible investment for myself, and perhaps I just got a bad one, but I've upgraded to a Miller Thanks
After my 3rd cheap welder broke down at home, i bought an old Messer Griesheim Rectostat 351. In work i used different welding machines, in school i used different ones, i used from old to young from cheap to expensive machines, i even used an old esab kc375. But the Rectostat is the best electrode welder i have ever used. My recommendation if you have the space and the needed energy and the weight is no problem, get a good old welder.
What is the effective difference of running it at 70A vs 140A? Does it limit the size of material you can keep hot enough to work with or is it just slower?
My first welder was a $100 one from Amazon (not this exact machine but a similar class i believe) - it was perfectly fine for my little needs around the shop! It really helps to pre-heat the material. Also if you stick to smaller material like 1/4" thick the stuttering is no issue (John was welding a huge chunck for those hardie stems). Anyways these little budget machines make a great low cost option to get started, and might even be the only welder you ever need! Great video John, thank you as always!
Just curious of what you think since I haven’t ever owned a welder, the only ones I’ve used were quite large welders and they were not my own. Do you think this would work alright for a stack of metal if you’re trying to make a Damascus billet? Since you just need it to hold long enough for a forge weld, I was curious if it would hold well enough for that. I don’t believe it was mentioned, if it was, I missed it. 🫠
@@dew7972 it might be a struggle if you are stacking up 1"+ of material. Pre heating will help a lot, and also using 220v if you have it available, is exponentially better than 110v (most of these machines are dual voltage). Another option is just to use some kind of wire to hold the stack together -- all you need is a temporary hold while you set up for the first weld. Good luck!!
I'm a huge fan of the 80 amp arc welder from HF. I've done a lot of work with that little welder and it has been a super valuable asset to my small mobile welding setup. It's probably made in the same factory as the vevor. I don't know if I got lucky, but I can't seem to get the thermal overload to shut the machine off. Haha, I do keep a high velocity fan pointed at the back of it while welding though. It's a good idea to do that for any welder because duty cycle is determined by how hot it gets and they're skimping somewhere (the fan for one) to sell them cheap.
I have the Vevor 140 3 in 1 welder over a yr. It runs flux core wire ( 030 & 040 only ) pretty good. I've run some stick with it and it works ok. At less than half the price of a Harbor Freight welder. I've made some tools and done some metal repair with it and it works fine on what I've used it for so far.
I have one of those vevor welders. You have to play around with the arc force and hot start settings to get good results with it. I got it because it also does hot staples for welding plastic. I really recommend a deko pro if you want a cheap stick welder that does a good job.
I can see where a little welder like that would be handy to take places for small jobs, easier to move than my clark mig welder. Thanks for an unvarnished review. I like the ideas for the hardy tools, always good to be able to make your own tools when possible. Good informational video as usual, thanks.
Thanks John for info on the accessories for the hardy hole. I couldnt figure out why you couldnt use square tubing instead of forging a solid piece, especially for a hobbyist. Now there isnt anything that will be slowing me down. A friend gave me a Swedish 101;b anvil, my neighbor has a bunch of scrap steel, decided to build a charcoal forge since I have hundreds of acres of woods. As soon as the hand blower gets in I will be heating up the metal. Decided to just buy my first set of tongs to build the rest of tools. Then I have so many machinist hammers around will dress one up as a cross peen. Then we will go from there. Stay safe and warm. Attempted to become a patron but paypal declined. will check into it.
There is a small weldwr of this same size that is made by a company called "Hone" that is an amazing little welder. Runs buttery smooth and ive welded up to 1/2 inch plate plugged into 110v outlet if its the only thing on the circuit
I picked up a Canadian Tire version a while ago, the helmet was definitely more than the welder. Once I got the right rods i didn't have any more problems. But if the rod is too big it doesn't do so good. Kinda like it was sounding for you.
I have one similar welder, though named HITBOX. Looks pretty much the same, so I'm guessing it's the ol' "same sh*t, different wrapping" kindda deal. Anyway, we use 230V here in Denmark, and the machine works perfectly. But if I use it on a 13A breaker, the HF tends to shut off at heat up. At some point, I'll need to have some wiring done to a 16A breaker instead. Great little machine anyway. ❤️
I can't believe that little thing did as well as it did. 😂 I have a little flux core that's a bit bigger that that one and it's really for little stuff
Hi John, have enjoyed your channel for years. Just a comment that may help, when using flux welding, eg stick/arc or mig gas-less, don’t push the weld pool. The thing to remember is “for slag, drag”. If you ‘push’ the weld you introduce impurities. Keep up the good work.😊
Don't know if anyone else mentioned this, but those little inverter welders don't like running on extension cords or sometimes even out buildings that have a long run from a breaker panel, there is no transformer inside. It is completely electronic and cannot maintain the current if there is a long cord between itself and the wall.
One thing to think about is the size of extension chord. It's just like welding leads, if your doing a longer run, you need a thicker/heavy duty chord. I kept tripping my GFCI until I got a bigger chord. You definitely don't want to plug directly in to the GFCI terminal either.
I am not a blacksmith, but I watch several blacksmithing You Tubers. It is satisfying. I love seeing the big machines and hammers working to forge nice projects, but I have really enjoyed your small, non-electric shop videos more than I thought I might. I had been thinking of an inexpensive means to forge metal when the need arises. (And it arose recently, and I had to eventually go to my brother's shop and use his torches to heat and form some small bar to complete an accessory I needed.) My little Mapp gas torch just would not generate enough heat for me to bend the metal as I needed. I just may invest in a few less-expensive blacksmithing accessories to fill in my needs from time to time. I didn't know they existed. Thanks.
I plug mine into a 15A circuit and it does just fine… mostly. It’s tripped a couple times, so I’d prefer a 20A dedicated circuit. But it can work on a 15A. Just don’t use the microwave/coffee machine/ ceramic heater at the same time! Lol Also, I’m burning 1/8 & 3/32 7018 & 6013 just fine.
Picked up a different welder for quick and dirty a month ago. Simder MIG140, which does stick and flux core gasless MIG. It also has the 120/240V leads for higher amperage. $89 on Amazon. Love your ideas for DIY hardy hole tools. Do you have a pictorial list of all such tools? I like to build things like that in my spare (retired) time. Whatever looks like something useful. One of the little Vevor forges should work fine. First tools will be tongs. Thanks for doing these videos!
My first (and only, so far) hardy tools i have made so far was made similar to the hook bending jig. It's 1.5 x .25 bar that i cut a shoulder into about 1.5 inches from the end so that it fit diagonally into my vevor anvil. Then i simply ground the other end to shape. It works... Sorta. Thanks for showing us this affordable welder. Do you think the welds are clean enough to use use it when welding up billets for pattern welding?
I'm no welder myself. I have a hard time with welding on hardy shanks. My last jig I made I apparently ground the weld down too much at the base and after using it a few times the shank broke off in the hardy hole.
My first hook jig was a piece of angle iron with a couple of pipe nipples welded to it. It fits in the vice but not in a hardy hole. Less welding on mine but limited use. However since my anvil doesn't have a hardy hole, I'm not at a loss. John, here's a request for a topic. could you explain and maybe demonstrate when and why to use the the horn and the face of the anvil? And what happens when you use one but should be using the other. Sometimes, it seems pretty obvious and other times I'm still trying to figure out why you went to the section of the anvil that you did and/or why you later changed to the other. Thanks
I bought a similar welder and am surprised at how light they are by comparison with the old 'buzz box' type welder. In UK 240v is standard so not the 110v problem domestically but 110v is standard on building sites. The quality of the leads was very good. The only problem I had was that there was a lump of copper pipe where the fuse should have been in the plug. I'm not sure if that is standard manufacture in China or someone changed it unofficially. Not for all day use but used as you did it is perfectly adequate.
I wonder if you could run this off of that little Gator generator Harbor Freight sells. Keep the two in my trucks toolbox for emergencies or repairs out on the property. Heck, I wonder if it would work off of an inverter hooked to the truck.
I’ve tried welding off the smallest generac generator recently with the smallest mig welder Hobart makes, and it did not work worth a darn. The small generators just don’t like that kind of draw i guess. I was disappointed, as I was hoping to rig up a mobile welding cart with a generator and welder on a hand dolly.
If the generator or the inverter can deliver the neccessary power - why not. They recommend an 110v/15A - (that would be 1,65 KW) Outlet. So 2KW generator/inverter should be enough ...Edit: 2 KW could empty the battery real quick so I think generator is the better thing. 2KW at 24V would be 84 amps - massive ;-)
You need 5 or 6 kw minimum really or else you are pushing the generator past its limits, either the generator will burn out or the power will fluctuate so much the electronics in the welder will die.
Seus vídeos são francos e honestos e sempre trazem dicas muito boas para quem gosta de "blacksmithing". Eu tenho um aparelho de solda desse tipo e prefiro usar para soldas em aço inóx com eletrodos de inóx bem finos e a precisão é muito boa! Obrigado!
I actually have a larger welder like that, but it's basically the same kind of under-powered type unit. I've made a couple of jigs and it was fine, probably would have lasted longer had I been a better welder. A light duty welder like this is useful though. I have a wheelbarrow that should have been retired but that baby welder allowed me to patch it up twice over at this point filling pits and gaps.
Stick/rod/electrode diameter choice and the type of rod you use will also be a huge factor in how well it works. Multiple passes might be required, but you can certainly weld just about any ferrous metal item you need with a buzz box like that. Read up on the rod you are using for best practices. Also a possibly when using junk/scrap run a root bead using 6011 to burn out some paint/oil/rust contaminants and then switch to a different rod (I tend to use 6010 or 6013 for my root pass, but they can be a bit more challenging for beginners). It looked like John was using 7018 rods, but I was watching without my reading glasses. 60** series is plenty strong for most things being done here, and certainly good weld penetration and good weld fill with no undercut or voids is more important than the tensile strength of the weld fill material. Just one welder’s opinion, but opinions are like belly buttons (and other body parts), everybody has one. -John Your mileage may vary.
The 7018 is way better for heavy work, (especially forge tools!!!), but if you have to restart, porosity could give you a terrible weld. You might want to use 240v for that, or get someone else to do it, if you only have 120v. ( At least it's welders, not economists, they usually don't have more than one contradictory opinion at the same time. )
Certainly 7018 is going to be preferred for its strength and most people can get a better looking weld with it than 60 series. It is worth us mentioning to those who don’t know that 6010/11 make a great rod for root passes and also when you don’t have perfectly cleaned weld surfaces (like when using scrap metals). Which brings up the subject of weld safety and fumes. I know John once in a while touches upon galvanization and producing zinc oxide fumes, but nobody remembers to mention to not use chlorinated brake cleaner to clean parts, as when you weld it produces phosgene gas. Personally I use acetone for multiple reasons, but the quick evaporation is a good enough one to start with. Yup, still have my belly button, must still have my opinion. 🤔
I bet the welder runs off or uses capacitors. At higher amps the 110v isn’t enough to keep them charged which causes pulsing. My miller suitcase stick/tig welder doesn’t do that on 110v. But it’s twice the size and $2,500+. A helpful tip for 110v is don’t use it on an extension cord. It kills the input power
So a curious question sir. Do you think that little welder would be able to weld up the face on my Peter Wright anvil. The face is dished some from over a hundred years of work. Just wondering your thoughts on that one
@@BlackBearForge ok, thank you for your time sir. Still thinking about getting one for use on the simple jobs you talked about. Thank you for your information sir.
⭕️ brother bear ... i jus commented on one of your older videos, i think it would be awesome to do something of an area shot or video of your Forrest with you playing the banjo over it... as in intro or an outro for food for thought... the axle shafts of vehicles or pickups have a general concensus that they are 4140 steel ... would that be sufficient to use as "tools" for the pritchel hole ??
Other welding channels have tested these little welders (I have one) and shown that even if you set it at 70 amps at 120 volt, you're not getting 70. You're probably getting 50. So straight number to number comparisons on other welders are not valid.
You can tig of a small welder , you just need a flowrator gauge, tig torch.. just invert your DC and AC connections.. ground with positive, and weld with negative end..
When you say "110v" outlet, what amperage are you referring to? Every outlet I have is 15A, and the electrician was gonna charge me $13k to "upgrade" to add a 20A (and come up to code as things have changed since my home was built.)
@@BlackBearForge thank you! In the video you said it didn't do so good at a higher setting, would it work well enough to make his and such like you did here at the lower setting?
I got one of them for $200.( hit box) 2 years ago. Had trouble on 110, on 220 much better. But don't have 220 at home, where i can weld. but its for small stuff, beginer like myself. Not bad but, if you can afford more you will be better off.
I have a similar welder from a different brand that probably came out of the same factory in China. It is absolutely perfect for an auto mechanic. I’d unplug the auto lift and plug this in in its place. When I was done I’d plug the lift back in. 200a rated from “hitbox” I love that thing. Never got the surging but I never tried to run it on 110v.
Hey if vevor doesn't want that welder back can I have it? I am trying to get myself a little blacksmithing setup and that would really help with making little tools - I have a lot of wrought Iron at the house I bought and I'd like to make my back gate match instead of being galvanized pipe
A quick note for anyone who is using these cheaper/weaker welders.... Preheat your steel to a dull red then weld it will get Way better penetration and thus a far stronger weld. Great video John happy Thanksgiving 🦃🍽️
Great idea Roy
That's just the question I was about to ask. Thanks.
@@521cjbGlad it helped 😊
@@BlackBearForgethanks John Glad to help 😊
Solid tip. Thanks.
Sometimes I close my eyes and it's as if Ron Swanson is talking to me about metal work ;)
Yes!
I have been a machinist for a long time and now starting to get into Blacksmithing. you have become my best instructor. Keep up the great videos. Thank you.
Who else squinted when the sparks came at the camera?
😄
Hah, caught me
I definitely squinted lol 😂
The camera isn't as close as it seems, I use a zoom lens. I also keep a clear lens filter on the camera that I can replace when it gets pitted..
😂😂😂
I love it. I have a similar, slightly larger cheap inverter welder (120/240), as well as a 100A, 120v buzz box (AC).
I unplug the microwave (20A), run my 25 ft. 10 Ga cord with a triple outlet out the back door to my built in welding table (3/16" steel crawlspace lid) and do what must be done.
There are a few things that might be good to know. Mostly you want 3/32" sticks; 1/16" or 5/64" can be handy for lighter work but are non-
standard, can be hard to find, and Always Cost Too Much! For heavier work you can run multiple passes, which saves you having a five pound box of something you will probably never finnish using.
I usually run short to very short beads, but I've never tripped the breaker at 70A.
There's one thing to be aware of with these cheap inverter welders. Even though they are DC, they don't act like professional DC machines, but like an AC machine.
So don't try to use 6010, ard 7018, but use AC sticks like 6011 and 7018AC. I was lucky to already have these. 7014 and 6013 work on anything.
I prefer 6011. It is an aggressive deep penetrating stick, dirt tolerant, and fast-freeze for light welds.
Anyway, thanks for the video, hope this may be helpful to those about to enter the hobby zone.
I love the on screen comments John.
Thanks
I own one of the small welders. And there are short comings but it is functional and once I got past the learning curve it has served me well. I am by no means a "welder" but I get by. Once you get used to it you can produce some "gorilla" welds that are strong but ugly. That is what grinders are for.
Very cool and love the flatbar idea for hardy hole
Last time I tried to weld was 25 years ago. Looked like chicken poop piles when I finished, and one of my co-workers had to fix it for me. I might try one of these to see if this old dog can learn some new tricks!
I'm a farrier. I work in barns and stables using whatever power is available. I have a 3kw generator on my trailer, but only power it up when necessary. I can get great penetration on horse shoes using a very similar harbor freight welder. Joint prep is the key to good welds.
You got that 80 amp didn't you? I love that little thing. If you point a fan at the back of it and keep it in the shade, it seems to forget about duty cycle. Haha, I know what you mean about using whatever power is available. I fix a lot of equipment at a local Equestrian Ranch and I use their power at the maintenance shed until it trips the breaker. I have a generator too, but as you know, horses don't like generators. 😆 I just finished fixing a manure spreader yesterday and I welded it with 3/32 6011 and 3/32 7018, using that little welder.
Morning Mr John! Let's watch 😊
Im in the UK bought a little Inverter Welder from Aldi made in the UK , ive been using it for the last 8 years it';s been brilliant .im not a pro welder but the Aldi one does everything i want
No chance that was made in the UK.
Made in the UK m8 says so on the Label i mthought it would have been made in China but no made in the UK @@snowflakemelter1172
And it is 220@@snowflakemelter1172
So many great ideas in one video thank you for the lesson enjoyed. Take care of that right now.
That little thing I think is a good option if I ever get to have a shop for blacksmithing or whatever
That little welder would be quite handy for my shop. I've been looking at 110 welders but I didn't know if it would be good or a waste of money. This is the only review on small welders and now I feel better on getting one. Keep up the good work and God bless.
The one I went with was a deko pro. It's a solid little dual voltage machine that makes good welds. It has a few minor quirks but nothing that's a dealbreaker. For $130 you can't beat it.
The 80 amp arc welder from Harbor Freight is pretty good. I'm not trying to shill fir my channel but I have a review on it if you want to watch. It's not a very good review but it's there. I hope you find what you need and build something cool 😎.
Appreciate the review, I picked up a similar welder last year and have been very happy with it. For my small shed blacksmithing, it's perfect, and welding some small things is *so* satisfying! I primarily use it when I'm making small tools, or when I'm attaching a candle cup to a base plate. I wasn't having much luck peening over a rivet, so I just ground a little depression on the underside of the candlestick base and welded it instead, and it's worked a treat. Very handy for small jobs like that, easy to keep out of the way in a small shop, and for < $150 total for the welder/gloves/mask/box of rods, a very useful tool to now have on hand. I only have 110 in my shed but that was enough to handle these small jobs.
I got one of those tiny little stick welders a couple years ago and it’s come in very handy around the farm . Good for lots of little repairs when the leads from my tombstone won’t reach . Mine only weighs a couple pounds . And I can run it on a 100’ extension cord .
I think there brilliant ,no gas no wires just put a Stick in and your away
That little Vevor welder is just so "cute!" If I'd had that a bunch of years ago, I probably would have never bought three or four of the welders in my shop. Most of my welders are set up for 220v, but I had a little flux-core MIG that I loaned to a neighbor because he only had 110v in his garage. He'd welded a little in the past with a 'stick' welder, but had never used a MIG, and I'm pretty sure that little machine is perfect for his automitive sheet welding jobs. He seemed to like it so much that I'm a little worried I may never see it again. Which is probably O.K. since I have two gas shielded MIGs, a TIG and my old "standby" Lincoln "buzz box" -- all on 220v. If I had that little Vevor, that's the one I'd have loaned him.
I must say, John, I have vice envy staring at that big honking Wilton in front of you.
I got over vise envy last year. I have a little jewelers vise that was $12. I worked on family guns with it, and it works great. As long as you just need it to hold something while you disassemble or file. I like how portable it is, too. It doesn't bolt down, it clamps, and it's light. So if I move it, it doesn't weigh 30lb.
I have to retell my adventure in stick-arc-hammer-forging. I could say I invented it, but with both stick welding and blacksmithing being around for so many decades, I know thousands have done the same thing.
I got a cheap little inverter welder, and some small electrodes. I hadn't done any welding for twenty years, and not a lot for about 35 years.
I was using a weed tool (like a flat blade screwdriver with a notch in the end), and one of those dandelions ducked in between a couple of bricks. This tool was made of the world's softest steel, and I suddenly had a tool with a thirty-degree bend in it.
So I bent it back without breaking it all the way off, got out the angle grinder and cut a nice V-groove, and tacked it on with 1/16" 6013, welded with 1/16" 7014, ground it back, and realized I had a bunch of disconnected steel blobs.
When you haven't welded for 20 years, and use a new machine, you may set the amperage too low. I used a low angle drill to clean out a couple low spots, and , filled them in with 3/32" 6011 (very agressive, deep-penetrating rod) @70A. That went well, but I had one area that I knew was a real mess so I ground it back some, but not all the way to good metal.
I struck the arc with 3/32" 6011, to get a nice big bead of hot metal, then I long-arced to get the whole area white- hot, and then immediately hit it with a hammer on a small anvil. It seems to have worked, grinding shows one piece of metal. It is definitely stronger than the original.
Filling a moderately deep V-groove with 6011 at fairly high amperage would have been the right thing to do. But if your metal is hot enough, forging your weld bead can move metal, so you don't have to grind away what you just laid down. Forging your still very hot weld bead is something to al least consider, especially with spot welds in light metal. (Hammer to move the metal a bit, not obliterate it.)
If it does break again, I'll fix it again, being careful not to make the same mistake again. But like the man says, I won't be driving it down the highway.
That a nice little welder for a diy guy that just needs to make simple welds! If I didn’t have a welder already, that one would be on my have to have list! Thanks for sharing!
Another very good video John! I remember back about 40 some years ago I had gotten a cheap buzz box from Sears for home use…..that thing would not hold an arc, total piece of junk. The cheap buzz boxes have come a long way with inverter technology (same with MIG and TIG welders), a good thing for the hobbyist/home owner/someone that does not need a big machine.
Pretty neat get er done welder. Given the estimated intent and price point.....beats not having one at all!
Good video
Blessings Mr John
Crawford out 🙏🔥⚒️🧙🏼♂️
Thanks 👍
John, Thank you for all your videos! You have helped me a ton!
Glad you like them!
I made a bending jig similar to the one you did where you welded the two pieces of round stock on the plate. I picked up some random sizes of tube/pipe so I can put it over one of the pins. I can change the size of the bend radius by putting one over another and so on. Maybe not the greatest tool but it works for my needs. One other thing I have done is the piece that you use to catch the curl on the end of the hook I will angle them out a bit. Works for different sizes of material as well as being able to adjust the depth of the hook a bit. Thank you for sharing these.
Just found your channel and Subscribed. Nice work.
Welcome aboard!
Nice review of the welder. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.🙂🙂
It's Adorable!
My son got almost that 19:20 , I can make due with it on limited work, But anyb one trying to learn welding,
I pity the student, and Harbor Freight welding helmet was a horrible investment for myself, and perhaps I just got a bad one, but I've upgraded to a Miller
Thanks
This is a great demonstration of why I will be setting up my (mini) forge AWAY from my wood workshop
After my 3rd cheap welder broke down at home, i bought an old Messer Griesheim Rectostat 351. In work i used different welding machines, in school i used different ones, i used from old to young from cheap to expensive machines, i even used an old esab kc375. But the Rectostat is the best electrode welder i have ever used. My recommendation if you have the space and the needed energy and the weight is no problem, get a good old welder.
Haven't seen ur video's in a bit been busy in the workshop 😊
What is the effective difference of running it at 70A vs 140A? Does it limit the size of material you can keep hot enough to work with or is it just slower?
My first welder was a $100 one from Amazon (not this exact machine but a similar class i believe) - it was perfectly fine for my little needs around the shop! It really helps to pre-heat the material. Also if you stick to smaller material like 1/4" thick the stuttering is no issue (John was welding a huge chunck for those hardie stems). Anyways these little budget machines make a great low cost option to get started, and might even be the only welder you ever need! Great video John, thank you as always!
Just curious of what you think since I haven’t ever owned a welder, the only ones I’ve used were quite large welders and they were not my own. Do you think this would work alright for a stack of metal if you’re trying to make a Damascus billet? Since you just need it to hold long enough for a forge weld, I was curious if it would hold well enough for that. I don’t believe it was mentioned, if it was, I missed it. 🫠
@@dew7972 it might be a struggle if you are stacking up 1"+ of material. Pre heating will help a lot, and also using 220v if you have it available, is exponentially better than 110v (most of these machines are dual voltage). Another option is just to use some kind of wire to hold the stack together -- all you need is a temporary hold while you set up for the first weld. Good luck!!
I'm a huge fan of the 80 amp arc welder from HF. I've done a lot of work with that little welder and it has been a super valuable asset to my small mobile welding setup. It's probably made in the same factory as the vevor. I don't know if I got lucky, but I can't seem to get the thermal overload to shut the machine off. Haha, I do keep a high velocity fan pointed at the back of it while welding though. It's a good idea to do that for any welder because duty cycle is determined by how hot it gets and they're skimping somewhere (the fan for one) to sell them cheap.
I have a little stick welder in my blacksmithing shop. Don’t use it alot but it’s a time saver
I wonder if connecting the ground clamp directly to the work piece improve the performance
Very nice work and video John
A good ground is always key to a good weld.
Thanks for sharing with us John, it would be handy in an artists fabrication shop as you stated , Fred.
I bought the YesWelder Flux 135 wire welder, and it works absolutely great for welding up San Mai billets. I imagine it would be great for hardy tools
I have the Vevor 140 3 in 1 welder over a yr. It runs flux core wire ( 030 & 040 only ) pretty good. I've run some stick with it and it works ok. At less than half the price of a Harbor Freight welder. I've made some tools and done some metal repair with it and it works fine on what I've used it for so far.
Thanks for sharing
Nice vid and a honest review.
I have one of those vevor welders. You have to play around with the arc force and hot start settings to get good results with it. I got it because it also does hot staples for welding plastic. I really recommend a deko pro if you want a cheap stick welder that does a good job.
That's a cool welder
I can see where a little welder like that would be handy to take places for small jobs, easier to move than my clark mig welder. Thanks for an unvarnished review. I like the ideas for the hardy tools, always good to be able to make your own tools when possible. Good informational video as usual, thanks.
Thanks John for info on the accessories for the hardy hole. I couldnt figure out why you couldnt use square tubing instead of forging a solid piece, especially for a hobbyist. Now there isnt anything that will be slowing me down. A friend gave me a Swedish 101;b anvil, my neighbor has a bunch of scrap steel, decided to build a charcoal forge since I have hundreds of acres of woods. As soon as the hand blower gets in I will be heating up the metal. Decided to just buy my first set of tongs to build the rest of tools. Then I have so many machinist hammers around will dress one up as a cross peen. Then we will go from there. Stay safe and warm. Attempted to become a patron but paypal declined. will check into it.
There is a small weldwr of this same size that is made by a company called "Hone" that is an amazing little welder. Runs buttery smooth and ive welded up to 1/2 inch plate plugged into 110v outlet if its the only thing on the circuit
I picked up a Canadian Tire version a while ago, the helmet was definitely more than the welder. Once I got the right rods i didn't have any more problems. But if the rod is too big it doesn't do so good. Kinda like it was sounding for you.
I have one similar welder, though named HITBOX. Looks pretty much the same, so I'm guessing it's the ol' "same sh*t, different wrapping" kindda deal. Anyway, we use 230V here in Denmark, and the machine works perfectly. But if I use it on a 13A breaker, the HF tends to shut off at heat up.
At some point, I'll need to have some wiring done to a 16A breaker instead.
Great little machine anyway. ❤️
_HOLD ME CLOSER TINY WELDEER_
Came in to say it.
I'm enjoying these what can you do when you start up type videos...I like that little hook jig on a piece of plate...great idea.
Thanks for sharing
I can't believe that little thing did as well as it did. 😂 I have a little flux core that's a bit bigger that that one and it's really for little stuff
While limited in usefulness, it would be a game changer in a small shop that didn't have anything else.
Hi John, have enjoyed your channel for years. Just a comment that may help, when using flux welding, eg stick/arc or mig gas-less, don’t push the weld pool. The thing to remember is “for slag, drag”. If you ‘push’ the weld you introduce impurities. Keep up the good work.😊
Don't know if anyone else mentioned this, but those little inverter welders don't like running on extension cords or sometimes even out buildings that have a long run from a breaker panel, there is no transformer inside. It is completely electronic and cannot maintain the current if there is a long cord between itself and the wall.
One thing to think about is the size of extension chord. It's just like welding leads, if your doing a longer run, you need a thicker/heavy duty chord. I kept tripping my GFCI until I got a bigger chord. You definitely don't want to plug directly in to the GFCI terminal either.
I am not a blacksmith, but I watch several blacksmithing You Tubers. It is satisfying. I love seeing the big machines and hammers working to forge nice projects, but I have really enjoyed your small, non-electric shop videos more than I thought I might. I had been thinking of an inexpensive means to forge metal when the need arises. (And it arose recently, and I had to eventually go to my brother's shop and use his torches to heat and form some small bar to complete an accessory I needed.) My little Mapp gas torch just would not generate enough heat for me to bend the metal as I needed. I just may invest in a few less-expensive blacksmithing accessories to fill in my needs from time to time. I didn't know they existed. Thanks.
Build bending jig with square stock that fits Harbor Freight socket drive for multiple size hooks.
I plug mine into a 15A circuit and it does just fine… mostly. It’s tripped a couple times, so I’d prefer a 20A dedicated circuit. But it can work on a 15A. Just don’t use the microwave/coffee machine/ ceramic heater at the same time! Lol
Also, I’m burning 1/8 & 3/32 7018 & 6013 just fine.
I scrolled too fast and misread the thumbnail as "Tiny Weiner" and I laughed out loud.
😂😂😂
Thats how I feel about it, ngl. But like John said, I'm not welding for other people.
I've got a multi process welder too, but for someone without a welder... Gotta spend the $200 on PPE no matter how cheap the welder is.
Picked up a different welder for quick and dirty a month ago. Simder MIG140, which does stick and flux core gasless MIG. It also has the 120/240V leads for higher amperage. $89 on Amazon.
Love your ideas for DIY hardy hole tools. Do you have a pictorial list of all such tools? I like to build things like that in my spare (retired) time. Whatever looks like something useful. One of the little Vevor forges should work fine. First tools will be tongs. Thanks for doing these videos!
My first (and only, so far) hardy tools i have made so far was made similar to the hook bending jig.
It's 1.5 x .25 bar that i cut a shoulder into about 1.5 inches from the end so that it fit diagonally into my vevor anvil. Then i simply ground the other end to shape.
It works... Sorta.
Thanks for showing us this affordable welder. Do you think the welds are clean enough to use use it when welding up billets for pattern welding?
I don't do much pattern welding, but in those instances, I only weld the ends and plan to cut off the weld in the end. So it should work
I'm no welder myself. I have a hard time with welding on hardy shanks. My last jig I made I apparently ground the weld down too much at the base and after using it a few times the shank broke off in the hardy hole.
Would this welder be adequate for some damascus? Welding some steel plates for forging?
I think it would be a reasonable option for tack welding the billet together for forge welding
@@BlackBearForge Thank you so much for your videos that are brimming with knowledge. I look forward to starting my journey into blacksmithing.
I really do need to suck it up and just get an anvil already. I think harbor freight has a 50+ lbs one with a horn and a hardy hole for under $200.
Thanks.
My first hook jig was a piece of angle iron with a couple of pipe nipples welded to it. It fits in the vice but not in a hardy hole. Less welding on mine but limited use. However since my anvil doesn't have a hardy hole, I'm not at a loss.
John, here's a request for a topic. could you explain and maybe demonstrate when and why to use the
the horn and the face of the anvil? And what happens when you use one but should be using the other. Sometimes, it seems pretty obvious and other times I'm still trying to figure out why you went to the section of the anvil that you did and/or why you later changed to the other. Thanks
I bought a similar welder and am surprised at how light they are by comparison with the old 'buzz box' type welder. In UK 240v is standard so not the 110v problem domestically but 110v is standard on building sites.
The quality of the leads was very good. The only problem I had was that there was a lump of copper pipe where the fuse should have been in the plug. I'm not sure if that is standard manufacture in China or someone changed it unofficially. Not for all day use but used as you did it is perfectly adequate.
I wonder if you could run this off of that little Gator generator Harbor Freight sells. Keep the two in my trucks toolbox for emergencies or repairs out on the property. Heck, I wonder if it would work off of an inverter hooked to the truck.
I’ve tried welding off the smallest generac generator recently with the smallest mig welder Hobart makes, and it did not work worth a darn. The small generators just don’t like that kind of draw i guess.
I was disappointed, as I was hoping to rig up a mobile welding cart with a generator and welder on a hand dolly.
If the generator or the inverter can deliver the neccessary power - why not. They recommend an 110v/15A - (that would be 1,65 KW) Outlet. So 2KW generator/inverter should be enough ...Edit: 2 KW could empty the battery real quick so I think generator is the better thing. 2KW at 24V would be 84 amps - massive ;-)
NO on both accounts. unless you want bubble gum welds or kill your truck battery in about 5 minutes.
You need 5 or 6 kw minimum really or else you are pushing the generator past its limits, either the generator will burn out or the power will fluctuate so much the electronics in the welder will die.
Seus vídeos são francos e honestos e sempre trazem dicas muito boas para quem gosta de "blacksmithing". Eu tenho um aparelho de solda desse tipo e prefiro usar para soldas em aço inóx com eletrodos de inóx bem finos e a precisão é muito boa! Obrigado!
I actually have a larger welder like that, but it's basically the same kind of under-powered type unit. I've made a couple of jigs and it was fine, probably would have lasted longer had I been a better welder. A light duty welder like this is useful though. I have a wheelbarrow that should have been retired but that baby welder allowed me to patch it up twice over at this point filling pits and gaps.
Did you try switching polarity to DCEP?
Nice video.
Stick/rod/electrode diameter choice and the type of rod you use will also be a huge factor in how well it works. Multiple passes might be required, but you can certainly weld just about any ferrous metal item you need with a buzz box like that.
Read up on the rod you are using for best practices. Also a possibly when using junk/scrap run a root bead using 6011 to burn out some paint/oil/rust contaminants and then switch to a different rod (I tend to use 6010 or 6013 for my root pass, but they can be a bit more challenging for beginners).
It looked like John was using 7018 rods, but I was watching without my reading glasses. 60** series is plenty strong for most things being done here, and certainly good weld penetration and good weld fill with no undercut or voids is more important than the tensile strength of the weld fill material.
Just one welder’s opinion, but opinions are like belly buttons (and other body parts), everybody has one.
-John
Your mileage may vary.
The 7018 is way better for heavy work, (especially forge tools!!!), but if you have to restart, porosity could give you a terrible weld. You might want to use 240v for that, or get someone else to do it, if you only have 120v.
( At least it's welders, not economists, they usually don't
have more than one contradictory
opinion at the same time. )
Certainly 7018 is going to be preferred for its strength and most people can get a better looking weld with it than 60 series.
It is worth us mentioning to those who don’t know that 6010/11 make a great rod for root passes and also when you don’t have perfectly cleaned weld surfaces (like when using scrap metals).
Which brings up the subject of weld safety and fumes. I know John once in a while touches upon galvanization and producing zinc oxide fumes, but nobody remembers to mention to not use chlorinated brake cleaner to clean parts, as when you weld it produces phosgene gas. Personally I use acetone for multiple reasons, but the quick evaporation is a good enough one to start with.
Yup, still have my belly button, must still have my opinion. 🤔
What are your thoughts on using this to weld stacked metal for pattern welded steel?
Since those welds only need to hold up until the forge weld sticks, I think this should bee fine
@BlackBearForge Sweet, thanks! I just started forging 2ish months ago and am always on the lookout for starting equipment. Thanks for the great work!
I bet the welder runs off or uses capacitors. At higher amps the 110v isn’t enough to keep them charged which causes pulsing. My miller suitcase stick/tig welder doesn’t do that on 110v. But it’s twice the size and $2,500+. A helpful tip for 110v is don’t use it on an extension cord. It kills the input power
So a curious question sir. Do you think that little welder would be able to weld up the face on my Peter Wright anvil. The face is dished some from over a hundred years of work. Just wondering your thoughts on that one
I don't think so. It's pretty light duty
@@BlackBearForge ok, thank you for your time sir. Still thinking about getting one for use on the simple jobs you talked about. Thank you for your information sir.
Would this welder be ideal for welding up Damascus steel billets?
Seems like it should be since those welds are typically cut off anyway
I'd try some 7014 rod.
⭕️ brother bear ... i jus commented on one of your older videos, i think it would be awesome to do something of an area shot or video of your Forrest with you playing the banjo over it... as in intro or an outro for food for thought... the axle shafts of vehicles or pickups have a general concensus that they are 4140 steel ... would that be sufficient to use as "tools" for the pritchel hole ??
I was starting to worry cause after the grinder if that breaks your back to a chisel.😂🤣
Other welding channels have tested these little welders (I have one) and shown that even if you set it at 70 amps at 120 volt, you're not getting 70. You're probably getting 50. So straight number to number comparisons on other welders are not valid.
Excellent point.
What rod did you use?
3/32 6013
@@BlackBearForge thank you
You can tig of a small welder , you just need a flowrator gauge, tig torch.. just invert your DC and AC connections.. ground with positive, and weld with negative end..
When you say "110v" outlet, what amperage are you referring to? Every outlet I have is 15A, and the electrician was gonna charge me $13k to "upgrade" to add a 20A (and come up to code as things have changed since my home was built.)
It comes wired with a 15 amp plug. Although my shop is wired for 20 amps on the 110V circuits.
@@BlackBearForge thank you! In the video you said it didn't do so good at a higher setting, would it work well enough to make his and such like you did here at the lower setting?
Hey, i want to get into blacksmithing but dont really have a place to do it at, hhvat sjould i do?
I got one of them for $200.( hit box) 2 years ago. Had trouble on 110, on 220 much better. But don't have 220 at home, where i can weld. but its for small stuff, beginer like myself.
Not bad but, if you can afford more you will be better off.
I have a similar welder from a different brand that probably came out of the same factory in China.
It is absolutely perfect for an auto mechanic. I’d unplug the auto lift and plug this in in its place.
When I was done I’d plug the lift back in.
200a rated from “hitbox”
I love that thing.
Never got the surging but I never tried to run it on 110v.
Hey if vevor doesn't want that welder back can I have it? I am trying to get myself a little blacksmithing setup and that would really help with making little tools - I have a lot of wrought Iron at the house I bought and I'd like to make my back gate match instead of being galvanized pipe
A grinder and a paint, makes me a welder I aint 😁
🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝👍👍
👍👍
Having issues with vevor. All items have shipping labels, but only one item is shippping at a time. And only after a previous item is delivered....
110v = 20 amp braker 240v= 30 amp braker
I LIKE YOUR WILTON VICE FELLA. I BET YOU PAID A GOOD BIT FOR THAT SIR.
👍
Is it AC or DC ? DC will act like that with an AC welder
New gloves, John
7018 rod on an AC will act like that low hydrogen rod are DC
I've told people that I can weld but by no means am I a welder, won't fall, not a slag weld, but not pretty either.
We used to call that a “gorilla” weld…… big and ugly but strong as hell….