Customer Reviews

Speedway Series 7117 125 Amp 110 Volt Single Phase Wire Feed Flux Welder

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

You may have read other reviews on this item. The main highlights are: QUICK ARRIVAL, GREAT VALUE, and the wire feed is broken, or doesn't work well, or at all. And now my experience:

Ordered it, it came in about 36hours! WOW. So i get it out of the box, set it up and poof! the Motor is making noise but the wire feed wheel is not moving... I open it up(b/c im already expecting disaster based on everyone else's reviews), and the Transformer is mounted dead center in the unit, the wire feed motor is too long to fit properly, so the assembly person simply jam'ed it in sideways and didnt put all the screws in it. (LOL Quality control)

Upon further inspection, the unit is all bent up as if it had been dropped several times. The metal housing is too weak for the 25lb or so transformer that is in there! Anyways... The assembly workmanship on this unit was horrific!!! but from the sounds of other peoples posts, mine was about PAR.

The fix: I mounted the transformer in the unit about 1/4" over away from the feed motor and the feed motor slipped right into place. Buttoned it all back up and whallah... Works like a champ. I call this a KIT because it comes w/ all the parts you need to have a good cheap Welder, but i suspect if YOU choose to buy this unit, you will have to send it back or finish building it correctly your self! HA!

The feed wheel works ok, but not very steady feed, however, i have NEVER welded b4 in my life b4 i got this thing so it may just be me. After about 30-90min goofing w/ it, i could weld competently and cleanly. and I was able to adjoin much thicker pieces than the advertised 3/8" steel.

I recommend this product if you want a super CHEAP CHEAP welder. but beware, the factory workmanship is not up to any American standard of any kind. I recommend an ISO audit for the ole speedway factory!!! I'm sure that would go well...

My list of defects (major design flaws) in this unit.
1. They sourced wrong motor (need one that sits more shallow in the unit). But its very possible they fell victim to the classic procurement blunder of running out of inventory on their primary part, and the dude that sourced the backup hosed it up good.
2. Transformer is too heavy for the thin gauge sheet metal used as the housing and consequently causes the unit housing to buckle and warp (thicken it up guys, geez!)
3. Move the transformer mount over a 1/4" or so. So its out of the way of the feed wheel mechanism (then you don't have to worry about the longer motor, at least till the housing buckles and snaps the motor clean off the feed assembly HA!

LOL Sloppy Engineering!

I'm 54 yrs old and have been welding since 1973.This little welder surprised me it is very well made and easy to operate /is great to teach with and it will melt 3/16 steel if you don't keep it moving.Have not really tried the low side yet on anything thin but I have no doubt that it will be fine.I have ran 6 rolls of.35 wire so far and I have found it best to take tip out during spool change so it don't cobble up at spool.Both of my local hardware stores carry the spool I use it is a 2pound 5/8 hole that this welder uses and tips are also easy to get a 10 pack is about $5. Seems to have slight problem finding hole in tip/goes through liner fine but when it gets to tip?? If you run high side you can weld about 7 to 8 minutes before heat light comes on and shuts you down but thats a long weld.And by the time you check what your doing grab a drink of what ever its ready to go again.

I think this has to be the best purchase I have made in a long time .
this littel welder has amazed me ,if you are a do it your selfer and think you might need a welder I can rate this a must have for any tool collection!

I was fully prepared for this thanks to an earlier review by "o8k", but when this welder arrived, the feed motor was dangling inside the frame because it was "assembled" too close to the transformer. Like many Chinese products assembled of various components from different sources, either nobody bothered to plan out the assembled machine properly, or the person who did was a complete idiot. There is no way that this design could properly work as intended - the feed motor mounts are closer to the transformer than the parts require for proper fitment. Morons!!!

The fix is simple enough, you can just drill new mounting holes for the transformer to move it closer to the fan assembly. You just have to tip the thing on its' back, unbolt the transformer, drill away, then reassemble.

If you are buying this, one assumes that you know how to fix things. Great. Here's job one: fix this POS welder. The individual components are of reasonable build quality, but the final assembly is pathetic - completely lacking in quality control.

For the price, and given that I expected to need to modify the welder, I am satisfied, but buyers beware, this is not a ready-to-use tool by any stretch.

Purchased this speedway welder a year ago and like most projects it didn't start on time. So now I opend the box and wanted to use it. The fan works but nothing else. There is no model#, no serial# associated with the machine. To top if off, no UL rating!!! A welder with no UL rating, what a concept (will this burn my house down?). The reason! Made in China. I tried to call Homier but have been getting the run around. Nobody picks up their 800 number. I've sent e-mails and have gotten responses such as: response #1 we've received your inquirey, days later, response#2 please fill this form with model# and serial#(HA!), days later we've received your form. So far nothing else. Here is another kick to the groin. I plugged it into a 20amp GFCI circuit and it blue the circuit everytime. Tried multiple GFCI circuits thru out the house. This is a BAD product and so far AWEFUL customer service. I don't recommend it at all. A WASTE OF MY MONEY that I don't think I'll every see. I was forced to give this one star so that this review can reach you, otherwise I would have given it zero stars!

I had the first one replaces because the wire would not feed at all. the second one worked the first 3 or 4 times I used it and now it will not feed again. Do not buy this spend the extra money and buy a Hobart. or other American made product.

the wire feeder on this welder doesn't feed the wire very well I think it would be ok If I could get the wire to feed steady.

first unit the motor didnt run to feed the wire through but they replaced it quick and were very helpful on the phone. after i got the second unit i set it up right away and tested the motor it ran fine. i used it on steel today and i think if i wasnt new to welding it would be great in other words any problem at this point is due to the user.

Welds don't penetrate as deep as you may think, but I'm not the most experienced welder.

Good for starters or small projects that don't require extremely pretty welds. So if you are thinking about getting into welding, but don't know anyone with a welder, this is a small investment to get you started.

The feed jams easily when you first start, but once you are past that things go much smoother.

Used to fix the runners on my Geo and patch a few very small spots of rust on the frame.

The only complaint is that it would have been nice if the wire reel was included. Beside that not a single thing wrong or defective with the unit so far but if there is I am sure the company would be willing to replace it.