Sometimes in life, you are pleasantly surprised…. Sometimes a good surprise and sometimes a bad surprise. I happened to experience a good surprise over the weekend when I tried my buddy’s MIG weld 140.
It’s a really solid welder that laid down some nice beads.
Since it was my first time using this Forney welder and I was impressed, I figured I would write a review to share my findings.
In this review you’ll learn:
- Why I like this Forney welder
- Two upgrades you must do if you use the Forney 140
- Pros and Con of this welder
- Who should avoid this welder
Yes, you read that right.
We are going to break down the good and the bad on this little welder, and help you make an informed purchasing decision. I always want to help you get the most for your money… so you can always have a few extra bucks for cool stickers and a sweet hood.
So, let’s get down to business.
There are a lot of good welders on the market and plenty of crappy little box of welders too. Don’t believe me? See this. I know exactly what you’re thinking! “ If I can buy a few hundred dollar welder, why would I bother with a more expensive machine”.
I get that question all the time from new welders.
Forney MIG Welder 140 Testimonials
“I really like this welder. It’s 120 volts and perfect for my hobby. It’s definitely not a professional welder,. But that’s ok. I do wish they included everything needed to get you welding right out of the box. Other then that, I like it a lot.”
Read T.L. Walker’s Original Testimonial Here
“I recommend this welder if you’re not doing anything heavier than ¼ inch. I like to use my friends 220v for ½ and thicker, but they are more expensive. This machine seems solid so it will last a long time, although it’s smaller and heavier then I thought.”
Read This Amazon Customer’s Original Testimonial Here
Why I like the Forney 140 MIG
And I’ll tell you exactly why you want to consider the Forney. First, it’s a great American brand that’s been around for over 75 years. They have great customer service willing to answer any question about your welder and welding. And finally, you get a great warranty standard with your purchase.
See if your bargain basement welder has any of that.
Nope, didn’t think so.
As a new welder, it’s important to have support for your questions and support for your welder. So really the increased cost translates to a better overall value for you.
And anytime you embark on a new project or skill you’ll need all the support you can get.
Now that we know why the Forney brand is good…
Let’s take a closer at the machine itself.
Pro’s and Con’s
Pro’s
- Uses Tweco parts. These are precision-engineered parts used on ESAB machines.
- Welds up to a ¼ thick material
- 5/3/1 warranty standard – just like the Hobart machine I highly recommend.
- Weighs only 57lbs
- Euro connections. Quick connect and disconnect your gun and ground clamp.
- Comes with .023/.030/.035 tips for different wire
- Metal drive – for durability and smooth wire feed
Con’s
- The duty cycle is limited to 20%
- Manuals are not well written so you may need to supplement with some youtube support. Or a phone call.
- A 20 amp circuit is needed in your home – which might be an issue.
- 8ft long cord. I generally recommend a 15ft cord. It makes a big difference.
- Need to purchase a regulator for the MIG welding gas setup.
This little welder has a lot going for it: It’s well built, there is a great warranty and you’ll get quick phone support. If you do end up buying it, keep this in mind: there are two upgrades you must do.
- You will definitely need to upgrade the clamp. This guy wrote a super in-depth review … it’s worth a read. However, he said the camp is heavy duty. Nope. This one is.
- You’ll really want to consider running a 20 amp line if you don’t already have one.
Yes, it might be a bit of work, but resetting your breaker every time you drop a weld for more than 3 seconds isn’t fun either.
We covered some really important aspects of Forney and the Forney 140 so you might be thinking ” who exactly would want to buy this welder.?”
I’ll tell you.
And I’ll tell you by elimination…
Who’s should NOT buy this welder :
If you’re a professional and want to have a welder in your shop just in case a bigger Miller 252 breaks…. Skip this machine. It’s not worth the price for the capabilities.
If you’re a semi-professional and need a small machine for smaller commercial jobs or house calls.
In fact, I wrote an entire article about the Hobart 230.
If you are new and on a super low budget and need a welder and gear… go with this one.
That leaves us with….
Exactly WHO should buy this Forney 140: The DIY’er who occasionally welds and wants a solid machine, technical support, and a great warranty.
If you are a weekend warrior and dust off your machine to make an occasional repair or make an awesome bbq and have the extra money to invest in a welder for years to come, this is made for you.
Conclusion
I mentioned that I was pleasantly surprised by this welder…. And I’ll tell you exactly why. The wire delivery was smooth. The gun felt nice in my hand, and the machine felt like it was solid. I mean well built and well assembled. This is definitely not a discount welder.
So…
If you’re a DIY’er in search of a great machine for your garage – pull the trigger and buy it!
Just remember the two upgrades you must do. If you want a solid machine that’s a step above the Forney. It’s a bit more heavy duty
