So is the secret ingredient a little courage and humility? Not many guys would want to make their first welding attempt public. Thanks for showing us how it is done.

The definition of bravery is posting welds to the Internet. To post your FIRST welds on a popular YT channel is downright legendary.

I've the exact welder you have, as a certified welder...20 yrs ago when I was building garbage truck bodies...pour the coals to it with this welder, heat setting on a higher setting, dial in wire speed. If ya blow thru, move wand quicker, or dial heat down a notch or two. Also, you don't drag the bead, you push it. So, when welding right handed, you weld right to left pushing the bead along as you go holding wand at angle ///// like this but more like a 45 degree to the work. That keeps the heat in the steel. I've welded a bunch with mine, for the price, it welds beautifully once correct settings, remember, amps are your friend when welding. Penetration is key to a weld.

In my 20’s I was a welder for a few years learned in shop class in high school, now in my late 60’s with more time than $$ I bought the cheapest Harbor Freight flux core welder $150.00 replaced my floor pans in my truck and having fun with it. And now my neighbor is tapping me on the shoulder 😂always a pleasure to watch Dave ☮️

Brother, I'll give you mad props!! I'm actually a welder/fabricator for 30 years and you'll never see my welds on UKposts, respect!

50-something here. I am taking a welding class at the local community college. I love that we get 3 hours a week hands on plus an hour of lecture. We also will work thru all the major welding types - stick, MIG, flux core… just a good way to dabble on the cheap

There’s a phenomenon on UKposts, where you’ll have a very specific question about a car from the 80’s, or how to tie a bow tie, and the perfect teacher will present themselves at the click of a button. This is the first time I’ve been able to see the opposite end of the equation of a non relevant question being answered to such depth, great video!

Helpful hint: crank the amperage up until it's possible to blow through ... say at about the 3 second spot if you held it in the same place.... now you'll have enough heat to keep moving the "puddle" from the puddle forward into the "needs to be welded" section in those circles, with your hands locked in somehow ... ya know... same as the guitar .... ya gotta be locked in then proceed..... lastly ... since you can blow through in 3 seconds.. the key to weld strength is penetration .... between 2/3 and 5/8 of the way through the material you're working with is about perfect... not too deep for blowing through but deep enough that the weld will actually do it's job. I'm sure you've figured out the feed speed so it's working for you.... Thanks Mr. Dave once again for the share sir !

I love that welder. I bought the same one, built a time machine with it, traveled back to 2014, bought Bitcoin and came back. Now I'm a kabillionaire!!!! Thanks Harbor Freight!

Dave I was always taught.."A grinder and paint makes me the welder I ain't.." You did good 👍.

As the KING of boogerweld land, you sir, are better than I at welding on your first day. In all fairness I have attempted to weld a total of 5 times in my 53yrs on earth. A true welder told me it takes many hours of practicing and I'm never going to be good at it trying it once every 10 years. Love you channel, keep the content flowin...

So never welding before, I borrowed a buddy’s machine and with a bunch of donated steel shelving, I glued together my frame that supports my van build. What a feeling! I’m like a god! I can stick metal together! Now with confidence abound, I bought a production roof rack and cut it down to the size I needed and proceeded to glue it all back together. Three years later, everything is still intact and I couldn’t be happier. This video brings back great memories! Thanks Dave! Bryan from Vancouver

I bought one of those when they were first released, used it and abused it FOR YEARS until last month when it finally died after so many trips off-roading, and countless miles of wire run through it. I replaced it at opening the next morning. I've run that thing off of generators and solar inverters, and Blue Demon actually has a stainless wire that runs great in there if you need it. I've done as thick as 5/8" to 5/16" steel by just doing a couple extra passes. I LOVE that thing!!

I bought my first Harbor Freight welder, heck it's still my first and only welder, a Dual Mig 171 and use it still. I need to do a HD video of it, last video was in 360 or 480p, before HD. But I've built a log splitter with it, repaired a Ford Ranger, boat trailers. I only started welding because I could afford to start welding.. so I don't forget that when I think about upgrading.

Hi Dave I am a welder for over thirty years and I say your on the right track try to always go from bottom to top when you draw down it gives you a nice weld but no penetration. so your bracket instead of welding on the down hill practice gup hill this way you get more penetration and a stronger weld. it takes a while to get it but when you do it is like riding a bicycle you never forget how to! Now your using what is known as a flux core welding wire if you get a solid wire and run a gas it costs more but gives a cleaner weld you can see this on line watch some videos to see the difference! You would probably enjoy the gas shield wire better but it costs more to run... Happy welding!!!

One thing I’ve learned from welding is to torch the metal a little before you start a pass. It not only gets rid of moisture but also has heat in the metal so you don’t start a cold weld. A cold weld will start super narrow and be very weak until it starts to heat up to actually melt the filler wire and 2 pieces of metal together.

Dave I worked in a Foundry for a few years. And I learned how to TIG weld while I work there. I bought a MIG welder for the house just so I could weld a few things together. And I ended up welding my own bumper out of 316 plate with a small Lincoln hobby welder . My welds turned out very well my boss was very happy with my welding and he said that a hobby welder does a pretty good job just as well as a Industrial, as far as hobby welding goes. It's good for a quick fix when you need it

I want to tell you about a weld helmet that my dad had. We're talking 60 years ago, maybe 65 years ago. Yeah because I'm 75 now so I was about 10 years old. I would go out in the garage and get my dad's welding helmet and put it on my head and then go outside at the noonday sun and look at the sun and it looked like the moon.

So lol.... Great job trying your best. From experience and taking welding classes without gas it's really hard to get a good weld. Keep up the good work Dave!

I bought this welder, also with no experience, and built a large retaining wall, garden edging, and a sail shade pole with it! Fun learning curve, and satisfying to stick metal together!

Thanks Dave Whipple for “honest” trial, demonstration and test ( I love your admitting using the UKposts University). “Welding by smell” and two attempts of puddling and missing the joint and your helmet film removal = hularious! It has been GREAT catching up with Mick and Belle’s channels. Loved your window seat at the coffee shoppe! Love the WHIPPLES !

This was my first welder years ago, and I still keep it around for obvious reasons, even though I have several other Lincolns including an engine drive. This thing has a time and a place.

I like your disclaimer at the beginning. So open honest and up front. Hard to find that these days in between clickbait and bashers.

I have owned this same welder for about 4 years. By far best bang for your buck.

I’ve been welding professionally for over 10 years and welding before that. I’ve had one of these for about 3 years they work. Worth the money to stick some stuff together and you can even get nice looking beads out of it beings how cheap it is. They work just fine keep up the videos man

I bought my dad one of these exact welders to help him do a fairly big project and I was incredibly impressed with it. I had everything shipped to his house from Harbor Freight, helmet, wire, minor welding tools, exc. Everything worked well, to the point that I might get one for small projects around my house since it’s so much lighter than my heavy welders.

Yup, learning just like you. Nothing to do but to do it, right. Those charts give you a starting point, it's learning to analyze your weld and make the appropriate adjustments to those settings. also managing wire stick out, it's a balance of wire feed and how fast or slow your welding. Definitely a worthy skill to add to the tool box.

The best quote I've heard for when your welds aren’t pretty is; "a grinder and paint make me the welder I ain’t". Love the content!

I considered going to welding school , a guy on a forum said "you don't need that, for a fraction of that tuition you can buy a top of the line welder. Then practice with it, pass the basic test, and then get an apprenticeship." I dropped the project, because I have one bad eye that had cataract surgery , repetitive- strain neck pain, , and I do worry about breathing the fumes. I grew up in the 70's so I probably already have 3-4 lbs. of lead in my bones lol. I did watch Welding Tips and Tricks , as you probably have . That guy started a lot of carreers. Another great video Dave, thanks.

Hey Dave, you are a true life saver! I have been contemplating on buying this exact model from HF & was hoping someone would do a review on it. Now I feel confident that this welding machine will be a good starter for a Novice welder just like you. Thanks again & keep on putting out great videos as always. And stay “ Radical “ 😊

I’ve got one just like it. I started building a rocket stove but was frustrated with my welds. You’ve inspired me to get my machine back out…thanks, Dave!

Hood time, that's what it's all about. I learned on stick when I was 10 years old, so when we got our first MIG it almost felt like cheating! Fast forward almost 30 years and I've welded with nearly all processes available and gotten decent, somewhat good at them all...But, nothing satisfies me more than lighting up a 7018 rod with a fixed lens hood and just reverting back to the old ways... I've welded on many a railcar that is traveling all over this great USA and will always take pride in being able to make molten, liquid metal defy gravity. Love your perspective, keep up the good work!

I’m actually waiting for it to go on sale. Did some torch work years ago and did stick welding in school 20 years ago. Thanks for the honest review

I can't tell you how refreshing it is to watch a video like this. I too bought that welder and my welds looked like yours. I also practiced a lot and now they're looking better. Thanks for your transparency and humbleness, the world needs more of it.😊

Great video, Dave. Like you, I've never welded, but I was always fascinated by it. Now, you've given me a little confidence to give it a try. Thank you!!!

Love this one! It's like watching myself my first time trying welding. Good on ya, my father welds for a living so I've seen it and heard it (the sound of what a good weld should sound like) my whole life, but never did it myself. And still did the same as you in my 40's when I finally bought a chineseium multiprocess welder from amazon to fix a disc harrow that broke on me last year. Took me a while to dial in my helmet to where I could see what I was doing too without being 1/2 scared that I'd go blind.

I've owned mine for about 3 years. I never really welded prior to owning it. Since then I've built about 12 barbecue pits (1/8-3/8) thick metal and done sheet metal repair on my 1951 and 1947 Chevrolets. Also sheet metal repair on a few other classic car projects. The work has turned out really great and I'm enjoying doing it. All on a Harbor Freight budget. I really enjoy your videos and way of living.

Practice, practice, practice. Really watching the puddle and slowing down are key to success. I like to do little “e” motions when I weld instead of circles but either works. Play with wire speed and amps too. You’ll get better!

I'm not an expert welder either but I know more than a beginner. One of the best U-tube welder channels to watch ( Welding Tips and Tricks ) ! Jody Collier is able to explain welder set-up and the welding processes in a way I could understand them and my welding has improved a bunch. I do flux core welding mostly and it is a DCEN ( Direct Current Electrode Negative ) process and you need to check and make sure your machine is set up correctly and that will help imensley . If your weld bead stands tall, your setting is too low on voltage and wire speed. If the bead is stands low ( concave ) settings are too high, lower the voltage and wire speed until the beed stands a little higher than flush with the metal you are welding. I hope this helps you !

I've had a HF flux core welder for a couple years and never really used it because I didn't have a proper helmet- aka -couldn't see jack! I went a step below HF and found a basic helmet on Temu for $15. Haven't used it yet but serendipity sent your vid at just the right time. Thanks for the motivation!!

As a journeyman Pipefitter with access to fancy welders at work, a cheap fluxcore is a great tool to have at home, just used mine for an exsaust hanger on my old F-150

An old farmer was welding in his oily coveralls awhile back, a spark caused his clothing to catch fire, he went up like a tiki torch. Having the right clothing and equipment is more important than however much you paid for your welder.

Great job there Dave, never stop learning and trying new skills! Thanks for sharing.

Welding two lumps of metal together is I find, very therapeutic. I taught myself to arc weld 50 plus years ago through necessity, the welder guy who turned to weld together my new trailer frame was to drunk to stand up, so, I gave it a go myself. There sure wasn't any youtube videos to go watch back then, but after a few burnt through holes and half a dozen stuck rods I soon worked out how the power adjustment wheel influences the whole process. I still have, and regularly use the same trailer, it has never needed welding since, so I must have done it okay. I have a CO2 welder, which is okay on very lightweight metal, but if it is heavy duty stuff, I much prefer arc welding. I also taught myself do oxy-acetalyne welding too, on all sorts of metals from cast iron to lead. I think my next step now I have retired is TiG. Many thanks David in the UK.

Great video. This little unit is a MIG (metal inert gas ) welder. Mig welders are constant voltage power supplies, so you set the voltage and wire feed speed on the dials. The machine delivers the amperage needed to weld. Stick welders are MMA ( manual metal arc ) and are constant current power supplies where you set the amperage. On a slightly more expensive multi process welding machine there will be a switch to change between the two modes. With fluxcored wire the inert gas is generated as the flux inside the wire is heated.

So many people out here have used this video to get started and I want to say thank you!

Your videos are always so relaxing to watch , I just wish they went for longer , good job Dave

welding for 15 or so years and your 1 hour progress looks better then some "professionals" Ive worked with

I welded things for 10 years with 2 harbor freight welders. Chicago electric Flux machines, one 120v and the other 240 volt. I built a trailer and 2 garden tractor end loaders and countless other repairs and builds. I had about $400 in those welders and made/ saved tons of money building and repairing things for myself and others.

I’ve taken in person classes but I know how intimidating this can be - such a great video, approachable and useful as always. (Also much love for the t dub in the background!)

Free Tip : Like woodworking, preparation goes a LONG way. Generally, the better the fabrication of parts, the easier they are to weld together and the better the weld will be . . . In time. Keep going, you're doing well.

love it! I picked up a cheap YesWelder 135 flux core unit off Amazon this year and I've done a couple of small DIY jobs - not the prettiest welds but they are functional and that's good enough for me!

Great way to start Dave, I bought a craftsman flux welder 24 years ago and done a lot of home projects with, including floor pan replacement. Practiced for a while and became walk in the park. I’m not a professional welder by all means, but there’s a since of gratitude doing it myself. I noticed you were missing the shield, it will help keep the welds cleaner. Good luck!

That’s a couple of nice looking F150s you got there. I’ve had a 94 and a 96 F150. Those were my favorite trucks I’ve owned.

Congrats on 50K RGL! You helped bring me back into the hobby after a 20 year hiatus, and also bring the youngsters in my family along for the ride.

I’m 70 years old now and have always wanted to try welding. I’m retired from the electronics industry so I’ve had experience in all types of soldering over my career. Maybe I will try this cheaper approach to try welding. Thank you for this video.

Thanks for showing this, Dave! I've wanted to see this done as long as I can remember. I'm chicken to try but you've given me a shot of courage.

Miller Welders have a great app with heat settings, metal thickness and it is very helpful.

I appreciate this video. The only welding experience i have is the continuing education class that I took at my local vocational school. I think you did an excellent job with your review!

I spent $1500 on tuition, textbook and equipment to learn MIG welding at the local community college. It was worth every penny!!! Spent another $600 on a Hobart welder, and now I know what I'm doing!

I actually want to do some of my own fabrication work and this gave me the warm fuzzies. Thanks, Dave!

I bought the 170 to serve as my aluminum spool gun addition to my repair arcenal and it's been a good machine. It was interesting and frustrating at the same time watching the progression from way too fast, no puddle control to passable weld with apparently good tie-in on the edges of the weld bead. Nicely done...first-timer! Of course it helps that a guy named Dave Whipple has quite an extensive toolbox of skills already - a good starting point for someone new to the process!

You seem to be learning quickly! I haven't welded since high school metal shop in 1979-80. I had a helluva time seeing through that helmet lens but i learned to flip the shield up just enough to see where I wanted to strike a bead and held the rod as close to the metal as I could without it arcing. I flipped the shield down and struck an arc and the light from the arc was enough to see the bead forming. It worked good enough and I was able to accomplish the 5 basic welds satisfactorily.

I love the coincidence that there was an ad for this very welder & it said basically everything you're saying! I know the ad was random but it was pretty cool to see it in action as you try it out! Hope you will continue to enjoy the use of it & will share your future projects!

I've been wanting to learn how to weld for years, but never gave it a try. I guess it's time to watch some welding videos and then visit Harbor Freight. Thanks for sharing.

Glad to see you active again and how you can do so much with simple tools. And you have a great way of explaining

My Dad was a welder, I took an Adult Ed wielding class, and now you have temped me again with this video. I love welding. Thanks for the belly laugh.

I'm a retired aircraft technician. The only welding training I've ever had was Oxyacetylene. All my tig/mig/arc has been self taught. I have this same HF welder great For small stuff. Bigger stuff I use a DC stick. It's a lot of fun teaching yourself, and taking pride in your weld quality. Have fun Dave. I do!

I started welding with a craigslist Hobart 125 flux core and you really do get the hang of it after about fifteen to twenty welds. Super fun. I'll never be a real welder, but I can stick stuff together and make and fix stuff and the beads look pretty good. Gotta love flux core. So convenient. And low start up cost.

Hi Dave, I’m glad to see you!! Yep sticking metal together is definitely something a fella should be able to do! Every handy fella needs a mig welder! It sure is helpful to able to make what ya need out of strap laying around the ole homestead. I have found that clean metal is so much easier to weld, also make the temp a lil hotter than the chart says so you can dial it back. Always start on scrap the same thickness you want to weld. Go slow and practice. It’s really fun to be able make stuff that makes your life and the job easier. Thanks Dave God bless you and the family

Fantastic! This is how videos should be done! Simple, informative, great edits, no extra bla bla bla! Well done

Arkansas abounds in Tornado shelters ... they're everywhere. This new work should get really interesting in more ways than one! God Bless you all, Brother :)

Welding, I too are a novice and this was a great intro video, bit keen to try now!

I'm about to set up at home as a "welder" - I did oxy/acetylene in college, but that was 61 years ago...! I've also been watching the same YT videos but they don't show just how bad first attempts can be so... if my first attempts are as rubbish as yours i would otherwise have returned to cabinet-making. But to then see how much better you can be after an hour or two is so encouraging... As always - Thank you, thank you.

Pretty good progress really . From boogers and bubblegum to a few ok beads in very short time . Flux core is pretty sensitive to polarity and generally you get the best results and much less spatter running electrode positive . But not ALWAYS . I've seen cases where EN ( electrode negative ) made no difference or worked better for whatever reason . It does take practice and lots of it to stay proficient. Get some scraps of 3/16" or 1/8" plate and just lay beads as often as time allows . You will see your progress , learn to know what speed to move , how much wire to feed , what heat /.amperage to use , etc .. Another tip , remember the duty cycle on that machine . It's probably somewhere around 20 - 25 % , which means you need to let it rest 2-5 minutes for every minute of welding time . Otherwise you overheat it and it drops output , making for really nasty crappy beads . Good luck and keep at it .

Dave, I've looked at this same welding machine for years but I know absolutely nothing about welding! However, I do have a strong interest in it! You've given me the courage to try it! Thanks for this video!

I've been watching you for a long time now, since I lived back in Michigan. You inspired my wife and I to take the leap off grid and we bought land in the Rockies in northern New Mexico and we did it. Got some videos of the area up on our channel, just getting started, and it's breath taking here. Thanks for the inspiration man.

great segment Dave. I've thought about getting a small welder but have absolutely no experience at it. was good to watch you start from zero and progress through passable, functional welds. thanks for sharing.

Literally last week I was looking at this welder and trying to convince myself that it would be a cheap way to learn basic welding. I plan to figure it out as I go, just like you did. Thanks for the video!

Great job man and thanks for sharing your actual learning process. I have a similar welder and have been using it for not quite a year now and have gotten much better with practice. I can even do a decent overhead weld now! The 3 biggest tips I will share with are getting your settings right for the thickness of material, having a small space between your 2 pieces if you're doing a butt weld and always grind down to clean metal at least an inch back before you weld. Knowing your skill level you'll be achieving professional results in no time!

Retired welder of 43 years Take your time and slow down and enjoy the puddles Dave. Flux welding sucks I would rather stick weld. Kudos to you for trying something new and videoing it. Practice practice practice.

I bought stick welder about a year ago along with the appropriate wardrobe. I have yet to even plug it in lol. You may have just inspired me to get outside and lay some nasty beads down.

I’ve had their Vulcan 215 mig for about eight years. Paid $400 for it right when they introduced them. It has been a great welder, never had an issue.

I was self taught in 1973 on a 1942 Monkey Wards stick welder. In 2018 it finally shorted out and got scrapped.

I’m impressed! I started on my farm with stick welding with a Lincoln buzz box. Those wire welders r great for almost any small job! I hope they pay you for the video/ad

I enjoyed the review and your initial welds! The dream is real! There have been many times I wished I could weld in the course of some project. One day I hope to get a welder and learn how! 🙂

Very cool. I am not a welder but I worked around people who were. Our companies field superintendant was in his 70s in the late 1980s. Somebody had welded diamond plate to a truck bed frame in one long continous weld and it cracked completely when the first load got put on it. He told me things like that should have several inch welds with spaces in between. Once a long weld starts to crack it will go all the way. A couple of coworkers took a free welding class from the local community college. They spent a whole class laying bead on a 12in x12in plate so they could get the motions down.

Lol, you didn't loose your eyesight, burn your arm or foot... I'd say a very successful first day welding! Be radical Dave, just don't burn down the garage!

I’ve NEVER had a desire to weld ANYTHING…until today! Thank you, Dave! :-)

I am NOT a welder but I got one of these and with a lil help from a professional welder I was able to build a trailer using that lil welder. For the money its not bad. Awesome video, really enjoy your videos. Hoping one day I'll be able to find some land and live a more simple life.

I am in this exact position too. I realize how handy the ability to weld is to a property owning individual but haven’t welded since high school and it’s a wonder none of us got… (s)killed! Anyway, thanks boss, you’ve inspired me!

I’ve been welding for decades! Practice is all you need Dave ! Just wait when you start welding overhead! Great job for a novice!!!! 😁👍

I had to LOL when you found the film on the lens. I can totally see myself doing that. I'm no welder either but it seems to me that you progressed quickly. Thanks for a great vid.

Nice job Dave. Inspired me to get a new helmet...says the plastic film😁 One request....MORE CONTENT. Always appreciate your subjects, the honest delivery, and the wholesome overall presentation! Blessings.

I was just lookin at this the other day.... Dave, you know just what content everyone wants to see.

Not often would I want to give you advice but this is one of those rare instances. I’ll try to find an email to send you my contact info. A few simple but easy things and you’d be doing real welds that will actually hold things steady and true. Great video. Take care Dave

Hello! I do welding often at work with .045 wire and with gas. I’ve been looking into this welder as my first one for at home. I’ve been watching videos for reviews and seeing how well it works. I gotta say, this was quite comical to watch so Thankyou 😅

Good solid video! You instill confidence in all of us. Thanks Dave!

In a short period of time you went to having it professionally looking. It don't take much time at all to learn how to do that straight line and do it smoothly.

I have bought a Lincoln machine last year, and like you learn from video and some friend, what a blast, just love welding ;)