I am looking a welders at northern tools and harbor freight to make some homemade deer blinds. So many choices I am unfamiliar with welder types. I want to make sure the welder I use will make a strong enough weld to hold my weight and steel together. Any suggestions on a inexpensive welder that will do the trick. I will only use it to build deer stands and feeder legs. Arc welder? Stick welder? Wire Welders? So many choices

I would find a lincoln stick welder. Look on craigslist. I sold one a while back for $200. I don't have any personal experience with harbor freight welders but never really heard anything good.

I like my MIG welder better than my stick welder. If you get a 220 volt machine it will weld some big stuff all the way down to beer cans.

Northern tool and tractor supply both sell welders. I would choose the Hobart 140 mig. plugs into 110 and will up to 3/16 steel. not sure on your price range.. there about 500.00

I have a Hobart 180 220 mig that I like really well. Had a Lincoln 135 110 but was a little week. Get a 220v if possible

If the ONLY thing you are going to do is weld stands, you could use a stick and save a little coin. I have a 220v Lincoln MIG (135 I think it is) and a Hobart Plasma Cutter. Life would have no meaning without them.

Do not buy a cheap welder, it is money in a frustrating hole.

Charlie

Lincoln or Miller 140 MIG. The Harbor Freight and Northern machines work OK as long as you get good wire. You can run flux core wire outside and have no issue. 99% of people use way to heavy material on deer stands and the little 140's eat the thin stuff up. Welding 14g and 16g with stick sucks. If you aren't a decent hand you'll blow holes running 1/8" rods and running 3/32's is just too slow IMO.

Dude you can go to the local high schools and talk to the welder/shop teacher. Buy all parts (I use sq tubing) cut them yourself and deliver them to the shop class withy a hand written set of plans. Students will weld the blind up for a project grade! Some schools are really busy doing these "projects" but keep looking and you will find some. Frisco has what 5 highschools now?

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/category_welding+northern-industrial-welders

Flux core 125 has served me very well for deer blinds and hunting racks...crazy good sale on them right now as well.

Had two different wire welders from Harbor freight, both were junk, first one only lasted about an hour, the second one that was supposed to be an upgrade never worked at all . the thing would not feed wire from the first time we tried to use it. went with a Hobart 135 and problems solved.I also had a Miller that was great stick rod welder , stay with one of the major brands and at least if your welds do not turn out , you will know it is the welder and not the machine LOL

You concern me, Scott. From the sound of your post, you have no clue how to weld, and are coming here to inquire on a welder to purchase. Don't take this the wrong way, but I hope you are only considering the framing for a ground blind, and not a tower. Learn the trade before you risk your life building a tower. Big name welders are better, but if you're bugger welding, might as well go cheap. The results will be the same.

Best welder I have ever used was an esab in my HS welding class. Now At work I use a hobart 140,210 or the big gas stick welder depending on what I am doing. Hobart makes a decent machine to learn on but I would upgrade the torch on all the small machines. You could have the best welder made but the cheap torches the new ones come with make it that much harder to run a good bead. When I get my own shop setup I will be buying a nice used miller or esab whichever I can find first.

Walter

Find an older Lincoln or Miller stick welder, my Miller is 40 years old and still welds like new. I bought it used with 50 ft leads. Today I could sell it for twice what I paid for it

Im a pipe welder and I build feeders and stuff for myself I use stick for pipe obviously but mig is the easiest route for blinds and feeders and stuff, I've built them with my welding rig but its much easier with mig get you a hobart 140 600.00 and you'll be happy or lowes sells a lincoln140 for 525.00 (hobby,home) that will do just what you want, if you got the extra cash The miller is the way to go on mig machines Miller makes top of the line welders the only Lincoln's Ill use are the 20,000 dollar pipeline welders besides that Im miller all the way