This is a half decent hood for $34

https://www.amazon.com/YESWELDER-Powere ... 89&sr=8-15

I am not an Amazon affiliate and I don’t link for profit.

Yes but do you accept tips?

Can’t. Ethics violation.

10% duty cycle is not very good. Would honestly look for at least 35% which even the ones in this price range that are saying 85% duty cycle are probably barely over 35-60% maximum.

Chances are the TIG function on the ones offering it are going to have sub-par components--TIG torches are not cheap and I'd reckon they will start melting themselves apart with much use.
Same goes for the leads in general. Most of these machines are going to have leads less than 3 feet long and not a large gauge.

What's your honest budget here? No shame if you can't afford a big fancy machine (no need to at this point) but it would be worth a little extra to get more juice for the squeeze.

Being that this is mostly a toy to train with....and I also wanna get a similarly priced plasma cutter as well...

$~130-150 is where I was hoping to be for the unit, but don't mind spending up to ~$180-200 for the right one.

I figure that I will still have to plunk down about the same amount of money for supplies, gloves, helmet, etc. so I have to keep this in mind. Ditto for plasma cutter.

I'm hoping to be all in - Welder, plasma cutter, supplies, gloves, helmet, apron, extension cord, etc etc for less than $500.

I do have a nice supply of 4ga welding wire I bought for another project that I still have, so extending a ground lead or making new cables would be pretty inexpensive.

You have some unrealistic expectations for an unrealistic budget.

The WORST thing a person can do is buy the cheapest garbage you can find. You will never get good results, or enjoy what you are doing.

There is good advice being given in this thread, but like always, you seem to have it all figured out and have your mind made up.

Why do you ask for opinions when you already have your mind made up?

People are suggesting that you get a decent quality .22lr to get started.

You insist that you are fine with a RedRyder bb gun.

Ok. In that price bracket I don't think a 230V machine is going to get you much. The construction of the unit may prefer the higher input voltage but with the inverter, as was previously said, 110/120V it will weld decent up to its rated capacity.
Which....the rated capacity, like anything else, is max pipe dream level.

If you wanted to spend a little more, the YesWelder mentioned in the first couple replies on the thread is a pretty good little unit. But it's $360.

I think (just my opinion) that if you really want the wire feed capability, going with the following unit may be a good idea; it's not my favorite, nor my preferred, but in this instance, a decent option over the others you mentioned prior:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CBBHFX5/re ... GhlbWF0aWM

YesWelder Flux-135. $119.99

You get the 3-in-1 capability of DC stick, DC TIG, and flux wire. *The TIG function is DC TIG only, so it will NOT do aluminum, and it doesn't come with a TIG torch. That's not really a deal breaker, as to run TIG, you'll have to buy ($$$) a bottle of 100% argon, for the shielding gas, regulator/flow controls, and the normal supplied TIG torches in this price bracket are one step above junk. They don't hold up, they fall apart, and are difficult to modulate the controls on (TIGs either have a foot pedal control or a thumbwheel to adjust the power) because of the sub par quality. So consider the TIG function an easter egg, but don't expect much out of it.

The rated duty cycle at the sweet spot of 90A is 100% @ 104A. I don't trust it 100%, but I trust YesWelder to be a bit closer on their marketing wank than LDHTHOPI or however you spell that sneeze. That S7 200A machine. you linked to for $169 may very well out power the YesWelder but I'm not convinced it is going to do so with any sort of longevity. It sounds very overdriven for the price. Something is going to release its smoke on that one sooner than later. I think they're still wishing with these numbers but I doubt you'll hit the duty cycle on this unit.

YesWelder comes with leads that are at least long enough to do a job. 8-10 feet or so. Probably not the best quality, but it beats monkeying around with making your own only to find out the metric Chinese connectors are not Tweco/Dinse but some proprietary Xi Jing Ping Co. thing......maybe not, but have seen it all too often to not have it cross my small mind. I'm pretty sure the YesWelders use Dinse connections.

The power cable looks short, 6 feet or so, but with a proper extension cord that is remedied.

YesWelder is a Kickstarter funded company with a decent presence in the US. Outside of Amazon, they sell all over and are actually a real company that you can call, get data, get parts, get manuals, and get warranty. Even with it just being a 110/120V machine, for $120 I'd try it.

EDIT: Found An older review video back when they were pretty colors. Now IIRC they are all black/red.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpQXyUqwVwE

My first welder was from Harbor Freight a 110 AC stick machine. I burned it up in twenty minutes. Sent it back and Harbor Freight gave me credit on a Century AC Stick machine. Second welder is a Hobart Handler 180. Some projects I use both. When I really have to do heavy welding I still use my Century AC stick welder. I welded up a 12 foot long three axle trailer with it by welding all I could and then turning the frame as needed. I strill have Oxi/Acetaline too.

Excellent timing...

So which direction are you going to go?

My neighbor has that same Lincoln welder.
It’s been sent back to Lincoln twice in less than a year for repairs. Both times taking about 4 months to get it back.

At least harbor freight will swap it right out in the store and your back home welding the SAME day. The titanium welders have great reviews tho.

I'm getting a welder...

This is pretty cheap, and will work about as well as a cheap ass welder.



Get a decent MIG welder, for chrissakes.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/tls/ ... 79238.html

$50 broken welder, but considering it has a bottle and reg, that's a pretty good deal

A quick run down craigslist came up with these name brand 110v wirefeeds

https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/tls/ ... 19221.html
https://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/tls/ ... 90936.html
https://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/tls/ ... 95785.html
https://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/tls/ ... 49541.html