I weld with a Harbor Freight Tig/Arc chinese equipment

by Dude
(Cali)

My experience with chinese equipment hasnt been that great. I picked up a Tig from HF to weld thin stainless metal. The Machine is really an arc welding machine but reversing the polarity making the torch negative and ground clamp positive, it becomes a scratch start tig. I noticed that tig torch has a gas knob and a hose running straight from the regulator. Its really annoying to waste gas everytime im about to weld because of the gas knob, and pressure itself builds up in the rubber hose, because of this pressure when i turn the torch gas knob i get a purge of gas until it stabilizes takes about 3 seconds. The equipment came with a GREEN electrode which melted and is worst for Inverters. Aside from having to purchase red electrodes and wasting gas- its actually a decent welder. Ive been notching round tubing about 1inch O.D. and welding leaving nice beads, it can weld stainless great. I fabricated and welded up a "shifting rod" for a VW Beetle reusing the old connectors one of which was cast.