Dear All,

I have noticed ads for a small, portable arc welder popping up.  It is a 110 volt, looks like an oversized electric drill, and takes up to 1/8" rods.  You can see it if you google "Temu portable welder."  It runs about 80 bucks and the same on on Amazon is about $160.

I am not a welder but I wonder if this might be worth the cost in the shop for tack welding, welding pattern welded billets before putting them in the forge, welding on a hunk of rebar for a handle, etc..  It may be too small and is just a novelty. 

Does anyone have any experience with these little guys or have an opinion (I'm sure there are always lots of opinions out there on IFI.

Thanks.

George

I saw some reviews on youtube in my feed. Not seen one. No idea if they are reviews or advertising.

Looks clumsy in your hand. A spoolgun is almost unpracticly large in my opinion. But I'm only an hobbiest welding in a garage.

I'd never seen one like this until you mentioned it but now I'm intrigued. I'm looking through YT video reviews. Going by price, I assume you're referring to the yellow on one Temu. I haven't found a review specific to the yellow one but have watched a few on others with the same model name. Just add 'reviews' to your search and then click Videos to look for video reviews.

Not necessarily referring to this precise model, but I once heard someone describe dirt-cheap welders as "Where the whole machine is a consumable!"

Not referring to anything but that made me laugh..

  I appoligize.  It struck my funnybone.

Heh heh heh. Ah, what's to apologize for, wearing your funny bone under your sleeve? 

I kept cracking myself up trying to think of somewhere I might want one of those things but figured I have a hot glue gun that takes up less space.

Frosty The Lucky.

I have to admit I can't be bothered to watch the YT videos.  But has anyone explained why it makes sense to hang the power supply off the stinger when a bench could support it perfectly well?

Regardless of the configuration, though, I bought my shop welder before the inversion revolution.  $60 doesn't seem like much to pay for the ability to run a few quick beads anywhere there's a 120V outlet.  Even if a few quick beads is all the machine has in it.

  Actualy, I had one a friend gave me and I kept it in the truck with a cheapo generator for fixes so I shouldn't laugh too hard.

I've never seen these till now.  The few short videos I found make it look like it would be good for the odd small job but I havnt seen more testing and even one of them stated they had no idea about how long it would hold up. Stating that it felt  cheaply made. 

Looking around I saw a small 110v box machine that has many purchases and good reviews for $70. on amazon. I would trust something like that a lot more than a compact hand held. It is still small enough to tuck away and be convenient and the leads would be replaceable rather than being integrated into the hand held unit.  

Just watched this demo of a pro welder trying out a $70. Welder. Honestly looks like it works well. 

 

I saw that same one yesterday.  I've been looking at getting a cheap welder just for tacking things together.  I had already ordered a cheap welder which will be here Monday.  So I was very interested in their take.  Basically, it's not as good as a professional quality welder, but for less than $100 it will do what I want it to do.  I ordered a different brand, so I can only hope it fares as well.  

 

 

For $70 +/- and the size it'd be worth stowing in the RV just in case. 

I cheat tig. I pull the wire out of my Hobart 120 Handler wire feed change gas and screw in the contact tip I modified to hold a . . . DRATS I can't recall the size tig tungsten. <sigh> Anyway, it works well enough as a tig IF you aren't doing critical welds. 

I'm thinking for $70 making room on my welding cart might be a good option.

Frosty The Lucky.

It's an interesting idea, but I'd have to redesign my welding cart!

Me too but it's a small enough unit I could duct tape it to the top of my wire feed and just hang the leads and gas hose. Not counting the gas bottle I've carried bigger lunches than that.

Frosty The Lucky.

I watched the video yesterday and said "I gotta get me one of those" I also liked the adjustable small welding table they built out of a bowling ball, 2 brake rosters and some scrap steel, gotta make one of those too.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

If i were looking for something ultra portable I would buy that. At the moment I have too many welders and no need for ultra portable. 

I have taken my Lincoln 135 mig welder to a few locations with the co2/argon mix bottle to help out some friends in a pinch. 

I do own a lincoln tombstone stick welder but have not used it yet and have never stick welded. Pretty sure I could get the hang of it quicker than tig welding. 

Ya can't beat something like that setup for $70. if you wanted small and a usable welder. 

The main thing I would use it for would be TIG welding stainless & aluminum.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

These little 110 welders have actually been on the market for a while. They have gotten smaller though. My wife bought me a Forney easy weld about 5 years ago. It is a bit bigger but smaller than the cheap wire feed they sell at harbor freight. No i will not be welding sky scrapers or battle ships with it but for use in tacking billets together, and other light duty welding i would highly suggest one. When she bought it the cost was ~$150 - $175. 

I have not watched it yet but i believe that is the same welder that John Switzer, Black Bear Forge, did a review on a couple weeks ago. The $80 dollar temu one not the Forney. 

I take it that is inverter tech i'd buy that it handles 1/8 7018 no prob how long it will last who cares  when i compare it to the price of my lincoln 200 square wave which blew a diode on the board after after some medium use tig'n alum and stainless.I just bought a mini diesel heater for under 200 cdn so i might get one of these for fun but i got to say it works ok in the vid i'd leave it on 220 unless i had no choice.