This welder is not for finer welds, and not for big jobs, but if you want to pursue a hobby in welding, or just want to fix a few things around the house, Forney 309 is just the welder for you. If you're a serious welder you will want to consider these MIG welders instead.
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Forney offers a wide range of welding machines.
This article addresses the Forney 309 140-amp MIG welder, which is one of the lighter-use MIG welders they offer.
For anyone looking for a compact, hobby- and odd-job-oriented, and compact machine, you don't need to look any further – the Forney 309 has everything you need.
This review will take a look at what this baby can do for you.
What’s the Forney 309 Good For?
The Forney 309 is less powerful and more specialized.
The welder is used primarily for MIG welding, although you can use it for flux cored welding as well.
That being said, this welder is much better suited for welding thicker and tougher materials. It can weld mild steel, stainless, aluminum, and many other alloys, but for finer and more precise welding, you’ll have to look somewhere else.
However, the manufacturer rates the welder to be able to weld ¼’’ steel, and some have even used it for cast iron, although we’re skeptical about that.
That all being said, the machine is supposed to be used with a standard 115V home circuit, which means that the maximum input for this welder is 120V.
The 309 has a maximum output of 140 amps. At this max output, the welder is intended for smaller jobs, hobby welding, odd jobs and the like.
Again, for a more heavy duty welder, you might want to check out the Forney 324.
Forney 309 140 Amp MIG Welder Pros
Let’s see what the pros of owning Forney 309 are. Here is a list of them, but I highly encourage you to keep going to read on in more detail:
- very compact
- multi-step transformer
- compatibility with other components
- good build quality
For starters, this is a very compact welder.
The fact that it can be moved around with ease is quite beneficial to the user himself. Also, this allows for easier storage. On top of that, the machine doesn’t feel cheap, and its slight heftiness is a testimony to its quality.
Another great pro for this machine is that it has a multi-step transformer.
This allows you to select one of 4 taps, which allows you to fine-tune your welding on the whole. The machine also has a very nice duty cycle, even at max power, allowing you to weld longer.
Also, the Forney 309 offers great compatibility. Of all the welders, the 309 accepts guns and consumables the easiest. No matter what brand the is gun, or what size the is wire, the 309 will not leave you hanging.
This also enables you to get only the machine if you already have the gun. The standard gun is a euro connect, so it is very easy to dismount it – it only takes about 5 seconds to do it.
Forney 309 140 Amp MIG Welder Cons
Like we said last time, no welder is perfect. Here are some of the cons:
- not good for large jobs
- not much penetration
The Forney 309 is, as we said, a small-job welder. This makes it inadmissible for heavy duty jobs.
You will be just fine welding smaller pieces of metal, but when truck frames and garage doors need welding, you will have to pull out a heavier unit. However, for all those looking for a small machine that will enable quick MIG welding, this is just the thing.
Of course, one of the cons is that the machine does only MIG. That too limits its options. Of course, this is not a con in itself, but in the context of comparison of this device and the 324, you will have much fewer options with 309.
Naturally, if you only want to do MIG, this will not present a problem for you.
Forney 309 Warranty Information
Forney folks are very confident about their products and offer great customer service. The length of the warranty depends on the part. The warranty for the transformer is 5 years (parts and labor or replacement).
There is also a 3-year warranty on the parts inside the battery charger or welder that are not the transformer, and there is a 1 year for all components and parts outside the battery charger and welder cover.
That one-year section drops to 90 days if the machine is being used for industrial purposes.
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Conclusion
And that’s all you need to know about Forney 309 MIG welder.
To summarize what has been said, this welder is an excellent choice for those looking for a smaller, more specialized welder. The welder is not as powerful as 324, but the manufacturer guarantees that it can weld easily everything up to ¼’’ steel.
That being said, the welder is not for finer welds, and not for big jobs, but if you want to pursue a hobby in welding, or just want to fix a few things around the house, Forney 309 is just the welder for you.
