Harbor Freight Vulcan Migmax 215 Review Follow up

[@clarkgriswold2480]

Thank you for all your reviews on this welder. I bought one yesterday and these videos helped. Thank you!

[@saint27573]

I got the Vulcan Omni pro 220 , and it works like a charm . Harbor Freight is selling better product than they use to .

[@MsWillysg503]

looks good,I picked up the Vulcan omnipro 220.its got the synergic settings with the display.Welds great!

[@coltangel]

Great video guys! Definitely a welder I have my eye on.

[@douglassmith2055]

Nice vid, you guys have a NICE shop there. Looks like crazy amounts of equipment. That welder is getting some attention, they had it on sale over new years for like $550. For a welder offering 220 amps, can weld 3/8, auto set (copied from Miller) and one year money back , it is one hell of a welder.
Can't lie, I bought a Miller 211 from Cyberweld two July's ago for $999 on sale no tax , free ship, and have LOVED using it. the Miller 211 was probably the BEST selling welder from Miller, sits right in the sweet spot for home/ shop welder. THAT is why it was completely copied by the HF line down to the angled wire feed and auto set features which Miller was the original developer of.
Miller offers 230 amps not 220, and a full 5 yr warranty and will have parts for it. What will happen if you need parts for the Vulcan is unknown at the moment. In the past HF has had ZERO parts for their welders. Will the Vulcan line still be around in 5 yrs or will they have a totally new line by then, who knows. Agreed, best bang welder for the cash going at the moment. They are sold out at my local HF btw......

[@Nothingtoya]

You guys have convinced me to buy this welder, Ive been on the fence about it.

[@fastfoodvwFL]

Much better than the first one. And a great review. So I'm guessing you're right about HF picking up their standards, you're the 3rd or 4th person to say that. Bout time. They've got a steep slope to overcome their past.

[@FullThrottleJunkie]

thanks for the review and going in-depth on the welds overall a great review and helping me make my decision

[@bryantenhundfeld4005]

Much improved over the first video!

[@michael184272]

Great video..very interesting..
Just purchased this welder fortunately using the 15% off coupon...
What would be the smallest wire gauge you would use for a 20-25 foot welder extension cord?

[@johncoonradtjr.5141]

Where did you get the 15% off coupon I am a fast track member will that give me the 15% off on the Vulcan 215 welder.

[@Joeak74]

Harbor Freight is going to be the new "Craftsman" in America. I'm talking the old Craftsman. Harbor freight's new products like the Vulcan welder line, Earthquake XT air impacts, Earthquake XT cordless impacts, Hercules 20 volt lithium cordless tools, etc,etc, etc are very nice tools for the money. In most cases they kick the shit out of WAY OVER PRICED equivalent Snap On tools. The new Hercules 20 volt cordless tools is going to be offering up to 60 that's right 60 new tools for that battery platform alone. Sorry Dewalt. The batteries are also less than HALF the cost of the dewalt's, and they are using quality Samsung lithium ion cells.

[@chipfriday8166]

Sounded much better on auto set! Could have held your torch longer to take advantage of post flow.

[@pyrochuck4856]

Hey looks good, thanks. I'd love for you to get Harbor Freight powerdcoating kit and let us know how it works. Wanting to get one but still a bit nervous about it LOL

[@carbonshocks]

We actually have one and its not bad. Just need to make sure the air pressure is set right otherwise it works for what we need.

[@HoustonKilby]

I just got a 215 for my shop I'm excited to test that bad boy out .

[@taylort123]

Good video except for one thing towards the beginning. Most innershield fluxcored wires run on DC negative, not DC positive. Dual shield however does run on DC positive as its a spray transfer process

[@garypostell5268]

Awesome 👍

[@AbideinChristFully]

I'm actually considering this welder mainly because it's from harbor freight. If there is a problem, you just take it back. With something like Everlast, I heard you have to pay shipping both ways, and that is IF they decide to repair or replace. After so long, I heard it is prorated...so you pay partial I assume.

[@thatguythatdoesstuff7448]

That Dude There You are correct. With Everlast, you pay shipping both ways. And expect to be without your welder for a minimum of 3 months. Some people reported nearly 6 months.
Don't get me wrong, Everlast does make really good machines. I have a TIG and it works well. But their people are total assholes and their sales and service are a joke.

[@carbonshocks]

All Very Good Points. We use a lot of Harbor Freight stuff on the Race Team
1. If we lose it the cost to replace is not horrible
2. If we break it, there are HF all over!

[@josephwhite9992]

Looks like Harbor Freight is trying to make better products. Only time will tell if they have succeeded. I only wish they had put in four drive rollers like Everlast has done with their better welders.

[@thecherokeechannel688]

Helpful video. Thanks!

[@garypostell5268]

Cost of the welder is right up there with the red and blue these days Dec 30 21

[@repentfulsinner]

Thank you for saying too low wire speed! Great job!

[@patfinley82]

Would you recommend this welder for a first time user?

[@carbonshocks]

Absolutely!

[@bad1487]

Am looking at that scout in the background... Mind doing a video about that?

[@marcusmayhemadventures6479]

Good job. Looks good. Might sell my Hobart Handler 180 and pick up one of these.

[@danielsach4474]

Marcus Mayhem Adventures we got rid of our Hobart as well. Way better.

[@marcusmayhemadventures6479]

It is adequate for 1/8 to 1/4 but truly sucks for anything thinner and doesn't have the punch for thicker. Then again I might just wait till I get my bonus and get a Rebel.

[@AbideinChristFully]

Do you have a link to that info about thin metal? Thanks

[@AbideinChristFully]

Nevermind: "Synergic mode settings seemed to run on the hot side from 1/8" and down. Flux core wouldn't be my preferred process for 1/8" and under anyway. It does work, but manual settings worked better for me on thinner material.
Then I switched to some 0.023" solid wire and 75/25% gas, and then 0.030". The synergic settings seemed to work a bit more consistently with solid wire compared to flux core. Seemed perfectly usable from 16 gauge through 3/8" (which was the range of material thickness I had available). This is my first MIG welder, so I definitely need practice, but even so, I was pleased with the results. I still have to finish the part two review video. Once that's up I'll post it here. "
weldingweb.com/showthread.php?713951-Vulcan-MIGMAX-215-Review

[@marcusmayhemadventures6479]

A link? No. That's from personal experience.

[@burnsm2012]

Great video, what # lens do U prefer.

[@SawyerMotorsports]

Get a wireless mic for the camera. The volume differences make it difficult to watch comfortably. Other than that, great video. Maybe add some more action scenes in between the chatting.

[@carbonshocks]

Looking into upgrading a lot.

[@kcookish]

for someone who it sounds like,,,, have done a ton of welding..... i was suprised it took you that much weld to know you had the setting wrong.... just saying

[@carbonshocks]

Always a critic.....

[@41bjballar]

Not to bad. Volume could be better and maybe camera that doesn't do random stuff lol but overall not to bad. Nice start. Don't really know welders so can't comment on that part. Haha

[@quiz_9253]

you guys have any issues with the wire speed?
recently got one and atleast in the manual mode the speed doesnt change much from the lowest setting to the highest setting

[@carbonshocks]

nope it has been great. Still going strong!

[@nathanmiller2064]

Mine the wire speed is too slow in manual or auto.

[@Thingsandstuff247]

I want to 6g root pass with one of these vulcans

[@joebriggs9599]

What size breaker for this welder on 220?

[@Joeak74]

I also get a laugh from the Miller guys that have the "If its not Miller its not shit" attitude.
Open up that miller and take a look inside. Take note where all those components are made. "Assembled in America" doesn't count as much as "Made in America". Unfortunately that's how it is in the global market we live in.

[@cumminsmilitia2063]

Were you running c25 gas or none gas and what electrical plug?

[@carbonshocks]

C25 on 220 power

[@cumminsmilitia2063]

What setting should I use to work on exhaust pipes and what voltage

[@carbonshocks]

@@cumminsmilitia2063 For this welder my personal setting would be 3 and D and I would spot weld for standard exhaust tube. Depending on metal quality and age you never know exactly what your getting into with exhaust tubing.

[@cumminsmilitia2063]

When you set the metal gauge thickness on the machine does it automatically adjust the speed on its own?

[@cumminsmilitia2063]

@@carbonshocks where should I set up my C10 gauge at how much should I open it

[@adriancampos3939]

Is the tank needed

[@henrygarrett6226]

Morena78521 if you want to mig weld, yes but if you buy flux core wire then no

[@2S1L3NT]

They're so good because they're made by Canary and they've been producing welders for 40 years...
Its not a new product that harbor freight just jumped into market with.

[@michaelrockwell9691]

Maybe time to review a new video camera!

[@carbonshocks]

Working on it! We are geared back up to get things going again! Last year was super busy.

[@UnWrecked]

I just picked up one of these vulcan migmax 215. This video has me hype! Lol like the channel, I subbed. Check out mine if you get the chance.

[@ircimager]

Mayyybe they got tired of being known as the use it and lose it store

[@WV591]

HF picking up their standards and prices . day late dollar short. no resale value.

[@smokinquack89]

Paid review?

[@ktanner11]

Most likely

[@carbonshocks]

Nope.

[@carbonshocks]

@@ktanner11 Most Likely Wrong ;)

[@ktanner11]

@@carbonshocks okay i was wrong just most reviews are paid no harm no foul 😉

[@zcavka916]

1 year warranty is a huge downside.

[@carbonshocks]

zcavka916 a one-year no-questions-asked money-back guarantee is a downside how's that? If you want to get an extended warranty it's 35 bucks a year even if you have any other welder you can't get a tech to touch it for 35 bucks

[@douglassmith2055]

The money back for a year is a plus for sure but in year 2,3,4,5 which eventually do get here before you know it, the Miller would still be under warranty for FIVE years, and they have a service center with actual parts for the welder. The entire Vulcan line could be gone from HF by then and you are ......wait for it......screwed. Kind of like every OTHER welder you bought from HF for the past 7 years. No parts, no service. Are you getting it yet?

[@thatguythatdoesstuff7448]

Douglas Smith
Did you know that if you have an older style welder that is still under warranty, whatever goes wrong, you get the new Vulcan equivalent?
Harbor Freight is not going to abandon the welder market. They are going to dominate the hobby/light industrial market. Why would anyone worry about parts availability? If it's under warranty, you get a new machine. If it's not, yeah, you have to buy a new one.
Two MIGMax 215s, covered at 3 years apiece is roughly the same price as a Miller 211 covered at 5 years.
The cost to fix a Miller outside it's warranty is more than a new welder from Harbor Freight. A friend has a failed Miller that was $1900 new, failed in year six of light service. Miller wants $1100 to fix it. And he still has a machine that is a ticking time bomb. It's not worth fixing it. Just because Miller has parts available doesn't mean fixing the Miller is a good deal. It's usually a terrible deal, unless you are a production shop fixing a $15,000 rig for $1100.
Vulcan is not Miller, we all know that. Hobbyists don't need Miller. They just need something that works well, and the Vulcan welders are already proven in performance.
If the Vulcan fails within the warranty period, you get a new machine, you pay for a new warranty and the 3 year warranty period starts over. At that point, you are still well under the cost of a Miller.
The Vulcans aren't perfect. Harbor Freight's warranty program isn't perfect. But it fits the typical home garage workshop in terms of price to performance and that's why Harbor Freight is constantly sold out of these machines.
By the way, I own a Millermatic 190. I am not here defending a purchase I made. I'm simply saying that the Vulcan welders make great sense for average joes and shops doing light fabrication.

[@benthurber5363]

Time is money. Seen plenty of Red and Blue constantly down and out for repair. Meanwhile, you still have a job you need to complete and no welder.
Would rather be down for an hour than days at a time, and I doubt many dealers loan machines for small operations. And they're certainly not going to comp you on all the billable hours lost.

[@carbonshocks]

@@thatguythatdoesstuff7448 They still sell the other models. They dont upgrade you.