Homemade Harrow

We had this 90′ maple tree removed from our backyard. I was sad to see the tree go, but a good part of the trunk was rotten and spongy. After the stump was ground and the mess cleaned up, I wanted to fill the hole with some top soil and plant some grass. Moving around 7 yards of dirt was going to be a chore, so I made my version of a harrow that I could pull behind my lawn mower.

I used my PrimeWeld TIG 225 in stick welding mode mostly because I wanted to practice SMAW and also because I didn’t want to spend a lot of time cleaning the metal.

I think it came out great, especially since this was all from scrap metal I had lying around the shop. It did exactly what I needed it to do and made the job a lot easier. I made this YouTube video of the build and part of how I was able to use it.

New TIG Machine

I’ve been wanting a TIG/Stick welding machine for some time. Not because I need one, but because I want to learn how to TIG weld. I looked at a number of options, trying to stay budget friendly. I ended up getting this TIG 225X machine from Primeweld.

It’s been getting pretty good reviews, especially from some welders that are fairly critical of inexpensive chinese imports.

What sold me on it was not just the price at $775, but that it does pulse as well as AC welding – which means I can weld aluminum!

It came with a CK Worldwide torch and an upgraded foot pedal. I picked up a bottle of argon from a local welding suppliers, as well as some filler rod and stick electrodes from Harbor Freight.

It’ll take a while to learn how to do all of this with some degree of acceptability, but it’s going to be a lot of fun!

Found an old welding cart on Facebook for $20. Cleaned it up and painted it. Perfect fit!

Makes my Hobart 175 amp MIG welder look so tiny!