E50 - Fixing our Harbor Freight Sawmill with our Harbor Freight Titanium Welder

[@markboggs9158]

I always call my welds "sh*t for looks, hell for strong"!

[@kenwalter867]

I was yelling at my TV again! Now that you have a welder you can get some acme threaded rod and an acme nut. Not like the Roadrunner acme, but a course thread that will hold a decent load. Usually what is used for scissor jacks, trailer stabilizer jacks, etc. I wish I could come and hang out with you for a while. 😂

[@rfelectrons]

Good idea on the sawmill carriage modification and congratulations on your first time welding project. I am not a pro, but have been welding for a while, so here are a few tips. 1. Try to use as short of an AC cord as possible between the generator and the welder. You will have significant voltage drop over a 100' cord. If you can, try out the welder on 240(it is much better) 2. Adjust your current a little higher. If "C", try "D". This will give you better penetration as you were welding on fairly thick steel. If you burn a hole, turn it down. 3. Play with the wire feed speed to achieve a consistent weld without the start / stop. You want a constant frying bacon sizzle sound. 4. Try holding the tip a little closer to the weld pieces. This will produce a hotter spark. 5. When you start the welding puddle, tilt the handle back a little and move it in small circles while advancing forward a smidgen on each circle. This keeps the puddle molten and and heats both parts of the steel evenly (in theory). Your mileage may vary. 6. Make sure Meg has some goggles as well while she is filming. You only get one set of eyes and flash burn is no joke (don't let the dogs look at the arc either). 7. While you are at the store pick up some of those 90 degree magnets. They are great at holding the pieces until you tack them. 8. If you are welding a long run (several inches), first place a tack or spot weld every inch or so to prevent the heat from warping the steel and getting things out of alignment. 9. Tell Meg you need 3 more 41/2 angle grinders (Flap Disk, Grinder, Cut Off Wheel, Wire Brush, etc.) because it slows you down changing these all the time. 10. Remember: "the grinder and paint, make us all the welders we ain't". Best Wishes, RM

[@WalnutsandWineberries]

Hi Randy! Thanks for taking the time to share this with me. Must have taken you quite a while. Please know it's appreciated. I was close to getting that big Lincoln but really wanted a small one just to have on the fly and always at my side in the workshop (simple tasks). This one is just standard 120V. I know some welders are interchangeable between voltage, but not on this one. I had a good chuckle with your bacon reference and #10 of course. So true!!

[@justinjdavis79]

Nice work John!! Your improvements are awesome!! Keep up the good work!!

[@johngersna3263]

When I first started welding I would throw the pieces that I welded up in the air and let them hit the ground and if they stayed together regardless of how they looked it was good enough. Miraculously not one of them ever failed. It's all about the penetration of the well, not how it looks. Just take a close look at some of the welds on the things that we all buy from Harbor Freight. 😂🤣👍😁

[@Hawksnest1976]

Great job John

[@thearrowheadwoodsman3811]

Nice upgrade too. I've had my share of trials and tribulations, you did well. If you're welding and it feels like you're running a sewing machine, then clean your welding surfaces better, paint, rust and pretty much any impurities. You'll get a much better weld, too. Keep up the good work, I'm happy I found your channel !! Cheers !!

[@WalnutsandWineberries]

I was quite pleased with how it turned out and just used the upgraded mill cutting some pine yesterday. Held up like a champ and really made the blade height adjustment a lot smoother and more balanced. My goal is to get a stepper motor on there so I can program some consistent vertical movement. Thanks for the welding tips. I found the flap wheels clog easily while removing paint. I'll be trying some other pre-weld prep tools/options.

[@PeaceIntheValley]

That is the exact smae welder I got, I think. I love it! I've used it for a 100 things so far!! If found the wire included isn't that great. You'll think your welds are not very good but then you switch wire and they get much better.

[@WalnutsandWineberries]

Hi Bryce! I was pleasantly surprised with this welder, and I think it was a good call since I have zero experience welding. It opens the door to so many simple tasks and being gasless makes it that much more versatile. So, I ordered mine online and also ordered the spool of wire from Harbor Freight (Vulcan brand). I didn't try the starter spool of wire yet. Maybe I'll toss that aside in case I'm in a pinch one day. If you have found a brand that's notably better, please share.

[@thecowboysailor1852]

@@WalnutsandWineberries One of the things I did when I started welding and blacksmithing was to go to a welding supply store (WSS). The guys at these stores are usually helpful in advising on the consumable materials you need. As for gas, (if your welder will use gas shielding) when using flux core wire I have found (by advice from my local WSS) CO2 and Argon mix work best. If you should decide to use plain wire, CO2-only gas will work well enough. I use straight Argon when welding Aluminum. For welding aluminum, it will be necessary to purchase a spool gun, as the aluminum wire is soft and will pile up in the threader (the nozzle after the feed roller) creating what looks like a bird's nest. As for the level of welder you have become, you are now officially a dirt dobber. The reason for this title is that your welds look like a dirt dobber's nest. :) Remember improvement only comes with practice, practice, practice.

[@deanbarr5740]

I'm a member/customer and a big fan of Harbor Freight. They have decent tools at a budget friendly price. I've been thinking of getting me a wire welder. I have a 240 v Lincoln stick welder and I'm a bubble gum amateur to say the least. I considering a welder like you got. I can definitely see they have their place in different projects on the farm.

[@WalnutsandWineberries]

Hi Dean! I've had very few issues with my Harbor Freight stuff. My sawmill, wood chipper, cement mixer, generator... the list goes on and on. I can let that sawmill sit for a month, go out there and start it with a single pull in the middle of winter. I was going to get a stick to get started, but wow! I was amazed at how much skill is required to stick weld. I'll try it one day but not until I'm comfortable with my MIG. I really like the fact I can grab it with the generator and bring it anywhere on the property. It's amazing how little power it needs (must be the inverter). $200 for that little guy is very worth it in my opinion. Take care Dean!

[@marknunya3035]

It was awfully nice of them to name the welder Tuesday so you don't have to think about it like the you did for Ricky 😆😆😆. Meg it's ok to get ret from the rater you just need to get a rowel 😂😆😂 JK. As always good luck and God Bless.

[@micky8912]

If you are going to be welding a lot, Consider getting a welding jacket to protect your arms and back from splatter and "Weld burn" (its like sun burn on your skin) Hold your tip closer to your work will help keep the heat where you need it. Up the feed rate to reduce the skipping when you are welding, a pair of wire cutters will come in handy with this welder. all the spatter comes from the flux core, non shielded mig welders. the Gas shield would help prevent this. Not an expert, but what I found that works, every time you weld you will find what works for you.

[@nookworm1]

I saw a rainbow and lots of sparks - as far as understanding what you did, nah! Glad it worked out.

[@karljolley8346]

yep that is a great starter welder. I have it and have done a lot of projects and nothing has broken yet. The HF wire is very poor, check your local metal supply for some good stuff. And it is so light I have had it up on a scaffold welding,

[@PeaceIntheValley]

You doubled the value of the sawmill! Strust you know that. :). I finally got to comeback and finish watching. With the welder you can easily make a handle or weld on a impact wrench socket 3/8 adapter.

[@WalnutsandWineberries]

So funny... Gas spring strusts. The real goal, Bryce is to get a stepper motor on there so I can program an Arduino or even a raspberry pie to get the saw adjusted with cpu accuracy. No measuring needed. It would be soooo nice if I can pull that off.

[@PeaceIntheValley]

@@WalnutsandWineberries I'm sure you could do that without too much problem. Are you thinking you could then program in calculated preset cuts based upon your desired output - ie 12" log could get 4 2x4, 6x6 or whatever the need was? Then you just choose the diameter then it gives you a list of what your options are from optimal output vs manually putting exact number of what you need? You do something like that, you might have sawmill manufacturers wanting to license that.

[@WalnutsandWineberries]

@@PeaceIntheValley I like how you think, Bryce, but it would be much simpler. All I really want is to have a few presets on a stepper motor so I can square up a log and then cut the slabs consistently. i.e. drop the blade 1.5 inches, drop it 5/4, return to top, etc. You would get much more consistent results vs. using the vertical ruler on the mill. I'm pretty careful with measuring and I still get a variance of 1/16 to 1/8 in. on the slabs.

[@thecowboysailor1852]

@@WalnutsandWineberries Irregular sizes is the reason I purchased a thickness planner.

[@jimfurman3145]

That's called gubber welding .... but that's how you learn .... been there done that!

[@genegreear4183]

Good job John. I am a HarborFreight fan too. Sure DeWalt and Milwaukee are better tools. But you can buy five or six tools for the price of one DeWalt. I would just toss that grinder and spend the fourteen bucks for a new one HarborFreight. I didn’t see all that sand you showed close to the mill. If you make a big pile of it. The rain will was it for you. If you mix concrete, just use off the top. Love watching you with the patience of Job figuring those things out. How many acres do you have? Later my friends

[@MrAmartin8]

Ya think a little grease would make your screw bolt you put on your saw mill lift mechanism might make it last a while longer . By the way that was a really good idea the way you fixed the lift mechanism .

[@johnpierce6025]

how did your arms feel the next day after welding with no sleeves to protect them from the arc flash lol

[@rogerdudra178]

I like that girl. She just told you to get a welder.

[@michelletique259]

Hello John, I'm afraid you have damage your ball-bearing screw by putting your grounding clamp too far away from your welding point. The intensity of the current is going on every metallic path he will find and specially when there is a very thin contact between 2 parts, the current will create and arc and destroy the bearing.

[@paulobernardi-ng2eu]

Sua Sawmill precisa de uma Cobertura e proteção contra chuvas e geadas senão em breve estara enferrujada!

[@funnyfarmdad9997]

Not bad for a beginner welder. As long as it holds it doesn’t matter what it looks like. At least that’s my thought. I noticed something in this video. You look and sound a lot like David Duchovny. Is the truth out there?

[@WalnutsandWineberries]

Thanks Gene. I've been called a few others, but that's a new one. Haha! The Peacock family was the best xfiles episode.

[@rogerdudra178]

I'd wager any weld coming from me would stand for much criticism.

[@paulobernardi-ng2eu]

Seria mais prático instalar uma manivela para rodar isso para cima e para baixo!

[@rogerdudra178]

I'd do the same thing if it didn't work. Time to think.

[@MrAmartin8]

One more comment . Instant sun burn if you weld very much with tank top on ... One more comment . Flux core welding leaves a residue that has to be removed before applying more weld . but not with gas mig welding . Also you didn't put the nozzle on the end of your welder . Not sure if it's needed on a flux core welder ... Also welding on paint makes for an ugly weld ...

[@thomasblincoe8325]

Ain’t harbor freight great?!, they also have a stick welder that works good also. I use both depending upon the weld and material.

[@WalnutsandWineberries]

Absolutely! I've owned a stick welder for about 20 years but never used it because the plug is an odd shape and I could never plug it in to anything. Actually, I bought it with that angle grinder I hold so dearly. Anyway, I never realized how tricky a stick is vs MIG. Stike. Establish arc. Feed at the right rate and draw a bead all at the same time. Lots of trial and error to get good at that I'm sure.

[@johnbowen1493]

Just cut off the threads and weld the studs right to the tubes.

[@fredbaumberger8988]

Couldn’t have just screwed it in flush on the inside and then back the nut off to lock it in

[@johnbowen1493]

CO2 is cheaper to buy and welds just as well as Argon on mild steel. No reason to use Argon unless you plan on welding stainless and aluminium.

[@animalheiniger2729]

Us CO2 it is cheper