Forney Industries is one of the more expensive brands to go with for a welder. Some of their bigger welders cost almost a grand, but most of the smaller compact ones are more reasonably priced at just a few hundred dollars. The Forney welders are pleasing to the eye; they are green and black and have a simple design on the outside. They are made of metal with high-grade plastic accents and were designed to have a simple setup and easy to use controls.
The second Forney Welder listed below, the Forney 324 Multi-Process Welder, is their best 3-in-1 welder. The other two are some of their best welders as well, but they only work for one or a few types of welding, unlike the Forney 324 which does all types.
Welder Reviews
Forney Easy Weld 271
This 3-in-1 welder can be used for MIG, DC TIG or Stick welding. It is gas and electric combined into one. Part of why it is called the “Easy Weld” is because it’s incredibly easy to switch between different types of welding. As well as being easy to use, it also lasts a long time since it was designed for long-term use. It is completely made of metal and has an attractive bright green and black finish.
The Forney Easy Weld 271 is easy to carry and travel with since it is just shy of 25 lbs. The dimensions of the main box part of the welder are 14.19” x 19.31” x 11.61”. It has a low duty cycle and is compatible with wire sized up to 0.35 in. thick.
It can weld 3/16” and below with no issue. This is a good welder to buy if you plan on welding on multiple different types of metal. The only problem is that it doesn’t come with the accessories necessary to do TIG welding, but it is capable of doing so once you have the parts.
Forney Easy Weld 298 Arc Welder
As you can see, this is one of the smallest arc welders offered by Forney. It is the Forney Easy Weld 298 Arc Welder. It’s much smaller than the Forney Easy Weld 271, shown previously. It is only 16.2 x 8 x 12.5” big and weighs a teeny 13.74 lbs.
It is for stick welding. It can also be used for TIG welding, but the parts required are sold separately to do so. This welder is not meant to large projects or repairs; it is more for small projects or hobbies.
The settings on it may be hard to get just right for what you are welding. It’s best to practice on some scrap metal to figure out what will work best for you.
Forney 324 Multi-Process Welder
The Forney 324 is a Multi-Process welder that has MIG, FCAW, Stick, and TIG welding processes. Unfortunately, out of the box, it can only do stick or MIG welding right away. The TIG torch and other pieces must be purchased separately. This can make it a hassle to get everything set up and ready to be used. You might end up spending more money than originally planned for because of the extra parts needed. The TIG and stick are AC only.
This is the Forney welder that is cutting close to $1000 for purchase, but it is well worth the price. It has more adjustable controls than other welders and can be used for all types of welding. There are not many welders on the market capable of this many processes. This is one of the few that do.
On a positive note, this welder comes with a flow meter and gas hose. It’s not the easiest welder to carry around because it weighs about 51 lbs. and is 20 x 10 x 16 inches big.
It’s pretty powerful. It runs on 190MP and has a 115/230 Voltage input. Although, it may have an extremely reduced duty cycle if it is not plugged into a 230V outlet.
Forney 314 Arc Welder
This is the Forney 314 Arc Welder, for stick welding. It has DC and AC and produces 235 Amps of power. The duty cycle is 20% at 230 Amps and 50% at 150 Amps. It was made in Italy, so the parts are a higher quality compared to welder parts manufactured in labor countries like China.
Keep in mind that this welder is for stick welding only and cannot be used for MIG welding. This welder is also very heavy. It weighs around 108 lbs. but has wheels attached to the sides and a handle on top for easy pulling. Even though it’s heavy, it’s almost easier to transport because of the mobility created by the wheels. Other smaller welders have only a handle for carrying.
The Amazon price on the link above is discounted and cheaper than most other retailers.
The Forney 314 Arc Welder is a good, sturdy welder to have. It’s great for larger projects or long-term welding jobs.
Forney Welders Warranty
Forney Industries offers one year, three year or five year warranties with all of their welders and other products. As long as you make sure to register your welder at the Forney Industries website, there should be no problem with refunds or exchanges through the Forney customer service.
Forney Welders Work Great
Forney welders work well, and there are several options, each for different types of welding. There is even a 3-in-1 multi-process welder if you plan on experimenting with all types of welding. No matter which kind you get, all of them are reliable and can withstand a lot of wear and tear.
Most of their multi-process welders don’t come with all of the additional parts needed for each type of welding. Do your research beforehand so that if the one you’re buying doesn’t come with all the pieces you need, then you can plan on how much you’re actually going to be spending overall.
