Tried a $40 stud welder from Harbor Freight, here's what happened on a 2012 F-150

Last week I grabbed that cheap stud welder to pull a dent on a customer's F-150 tailgate. I expected junk, but it actually held up through maybe 30 welds before the tip started sticking. The issue was the ground clamp, it kept slipping on the frame so I had to rig it with a zip tie. Lesson learned: spend the extra money on a good clamp, not the welder itself. Has anyone else had luck with budget pullers on thin steel panels, or am I just asking for trouble? I'm still on the fence about recommending it to my buddy who does side jobs.

2 comments

2 Comments

the_grace1mo ago

Honestly, my buddy tried one and blew the fuse in his garage twice!

phoenixb341mo ago

blew the fuse in his garage twice" is honestly the most polite way that could have gone. Dude's lucky he didn't fry the whole panel and have to call an electrician to explain why his garage smells like burnt toast. My cousin did the same thing with a space heater and now he just runs an extension cord from the kitchen like it's totally normal. Honestly, if the product needs that much power maybe it should come with a warning label that says "your house might fight back.