For any of u guys not satisfied with the welds with this little machine,i did some testing on steel between 14 gauge,and 3/8" thick.The factory setting guide on the inside of the lid seem very voltage rich to me.This causes pin hole porosity,and excess splatter.using the supplied .030 wire,I came up with these settings: 14 gauge (wire speed 5,voltage C) 1/8" (wire speed 6,voltage D) 3/16" (wire speed 8,voltage E ) 1/4" (wire speed 9 voltage E.5) and even on 3/8" (wire speed 10,voltage E.5).Caution,3/8" is way above the recommended thickness.Try these settings,go slow,more like stick,less like mig,watch the puddle,have fun! this little bitch welds good!
@@gamerkilla It would work,if I had the choice,I would use Mig with gas,mainly because of the lack of clean up,no slag etc.But ive welded 14 gauge uni-strut with it,and it worked good.
Ok, so. Ok. I am certified in GMAW and FCAW processes. I schooled with Miller products and work with Miller products. I had the HF Chicago Electric 90 amp machine and it ran... ok. It was impossible to weld anything over 1/8" due to tripping the breaker so I always just figured that it ran a little wonky due to electrical shortcomings. I bought this TI 125 machine today and honestly, thoroughly impressed with how it runs. I ran outside corner joints on thin gauge, ran great. Fillet weld on a 1/8" flat stock, ran great. Good fusion at the toes, good contour. Didn't cut and etch. Ran an 1/8" square groove with backing on 1/8" flat stock. Again, ran great. Good contour. Good fusion. Haven't cut and etched. Thanks for the review, I'm satisfied with my purchase.
Ok guys, update. I cut and etched the start and the stop on the fillet weld. Both had good penetration at the root and on the legs. Guys, this isn't a Miller. Don't misunderstand. It's a good machine, it'll suit your garage purposes better than you'd probably expect, but don't expect a millermatic for 200 bucks.
@@53prime I know, Feels dumb when I talk about it. But this little cheap welder is something else. Has to be used to truly understand. Its just way more than what most welders would expect. But trying to explain that, many people just assume you don't have a clue what you're talking about.. at least that's what it seems like for me. This welder has some heat to it. Of course not a nice 220v Miller mig. But if get to use a titanium 125, it doesn't take long to realize,, it's not your run of the mill 110v cheapo welder. It's an anomaly. For the price it is special
I picked up one and love it. I'd say it runs a bit on the hot side with their ballpark settings and even on sheet metal, it will quickly blow holes through if you don't move pretty quick or just stitch weld or use a straight bead. So smooth though. Loving it.
I decided to buy this welder. I am a small contractor and i recently started to explore wrought iron fencing, it is a profitable niche! This is what i went with and had little previous welding experience. This turned out to be the best welder i could have bought. It is easy to use and no hassle. In the field on the jobsite that is GREAT not needing to dick with gas. I use a more comfortable strap but i do wield it on my shoulder while I go down the line. It is so damn small and light. It is so weird to be able to wear my welder, but it is really awesome. I love it. I've built about 1000' of wrought iron fencing with it and several small,repair jobs. Just hop in the Honda civic through the welder in the front seat and go fix a gate for $500 be back by lunch time i love the convenience of this thing. So far no problems
Hey man, thanks for this video. I always assumed that harbor freight welders were junk and not worth the time (I thought they only sold the Pittsburg one). Saw this video and assumed just by the way the welder looked it was 500$+, only to google it and realize they're only 219.99. Just bought this welder today based off this review, and I had no Idea I could get into welding this cheap. Sure my first ever welds look like junk, but it's my fault not the machine's. After 20 minutes of practice, I welded a tail-light mount on to my current build, and it came out pretty damn good! Thanks again.
Nice to see someone who gives competent reviews on the cheaper machines. I personally believe in the buy once cry once philosophy. However I understand that some people can't afford or don't want to spend a lot of money on something that they aren't making a living with. One man's trash is another man's treasure. No need for hating on them.
Thanks James for your comment! I appreciate it :) I work with what I can afford and I have built some cool things over the years with some simple tools. Yes I can appreciate your view on paying a bit more and buy once an have a good tool for years. I definitely see that when it comes with tools you use every day on a job. I have been quite surprised with the Vulcan Omnipro 220 and the Titanium 200 welders, they are definitely a step up from what you would expect from HF, this flux125 is there smallest welder in the Titanium line of welders and is quite simple, but I think it’s got it’s place for simple welding jobs for someone that just welds smaller projects on occasion around there shop. Take care and thanks for commenting :)
Mike, thanks so very much for not spending all that time on unpacking stuff! I think that most people people can figure out how to unbox things on their own.
I just bought one of these about 2 weeks ago and so far am blown away. I welded exhaust on my truck from the cab back. Smooth steady beads. No issues. And also have welded some 1/4" and 3/8" steel on some tractor implements and actually got good penetration and have yet to have anything break. After welding with thousands of $'s worth of machines this little thing kicks ass for the price.
bass 1776 Haha right on! I really think for the price and portability they are hard to beat! They weld much better then the older Transformer flux welders. Thanks for commenting 👍
I have a small engine repair shop. I have a great stick welder and a big TIG welder but I wanted something small I could easily and quickly do small welding jobs on zero turns and riding mowers. This welder is great for this. I replaced the crappy original wire with some Lincoln wire and replaced the ridiculous ground clamp with the heavy duty brass one. I use it for decks, frames, mufflers, and buildings things around the shop. Just recently used it to put hand rails on the front steps of my house. Great to have a tiny welder you can plug in anywhere.
They are really portable compact welders! I loaned mine out to some friends recently because they had an old under powered flux welder. They tried out this titanium for the weekend and were sold on it. Really great especially for the size and price 👍 Take care
I had mine for a little over a year and it has been a solid welder. Gone through maybe 8 spools of wire in that time. I did replace the ground clamp with a better one and also replaced the electrical cable with a true 20 amp cord. 3/8 is no problem.
People are so quick to blame their tools and not examine their own skills. A cheaper welder in the hands of an experienced welder is better than an expensive welder in the hands of an amateur.
Here’s is the truth!!! A welding machine is EXACTLY like a guitar!!!. A touch of a masters hand is the trick to them both!!! A well seasoned welder can make this welder work for about 90% of ANY job he needs around the house!!!. A well seasoned guitar player can take an $80 pawn shop guitar (as long as it’s tuned) and play it and change it’s worth in front of any crowd!!!!. I’ve seen BOTH proven MANY times!!!. I’m DEFINITELY gonna pick this up for the $200 price tag!! It’s convenience is definitely worth the 💰!! Great video!!!👍👍☝️
I was sent here from the harbor freight ad. I was just curious about welders after seeing the ad and thought I'd take a look at this video. And you know, even if I wasn't remotely interested in buying a welder, I think this is a great video. And in fact I'm ready to go buy a welder right now. I always thought about it and now seeing the price and seeing the the quality and seeing the work you did, I'm going to do it! One of the things I want to use it for is metal sculpture. Of which I have no clue about. But it's art! I can do whatever I want. Also, I'm a tech, I was various disciplines, and there are so many times where I know I could have used a welder. Now that they've become so inexpensive and easier to operate it's time to get one. Even though I'm retired, I like to work on old junk like cars, vintage lawn tractors, bicycles, and more. I'd like to do some custom work, I've even got an idea about building a bobber motorcycle. Yeah so I guess you could say that little harbor freight ad really worked out for them and I think you did a great job on this vide. You're a natural at doing presentation work, you're enjoyable to watch and listen to, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of your stuff. Later! John.
I have a Chicago Electric 125 amp welder, I used it to weld a hook to fork truck for dead pulling 3 ton racks. Granted I used 4 passes to make sure it has good penetration. I did this 5 yrs ago and its still holding good.
Late comment but I must add those things can make very strong welds. I have done some serious repairs with the ce 125 on trailers open and closed. The welds never failed.
Mike, thanks to your great review of this welder I have decided to purchase one of them when I can find a coupon. I attended a welding class at night at the local community college in West Memphis, Arkansas. I worked as an licensed aircraft mechanic for over thirty years and I was the only one who could weld on the airport. Most of the welding that I did was torch welding on chromolly tubing and brackets. The torch I used was made by Smith’s. It was the aircraft industry standard for welding. I also had a Lincoln mig welder that I used on the other types of metal.
Awesome to hear! I always rate aircraft machines as some of the most skilled of all machines, everything needs to be done right the first time. Thanks for checking out my videos. This welder is good for basic welding repairs around the home shop and are one of the most affordable ways to get into welding. Take care
Brad Morris - I just got the same email. I don't weld but I've always been interested in the process and when I saw that small welder I had to see what it could do. Pretty Impressive! And so is the price point. Even more impressive is the guy who made this video. What a nice job all the way around... with everything!
I hope they asked him before they did it. Just as a professional courtesy, as I'm sure they are benefiting off of his word as a respected social media fabricator.
Jeffery. You're wrong on that. It's ALOT more then nice, it's friggin AWESOME watching this guy who obviously knows wtf he's doing. This is my 1st timing seeing him, and I've done some searching. I got this like 90 Amp stick, Campbell & Hausfeld I think. But the stick holder never worked right , it don't hold the rod in very well, so as soon as I get an arc and pull up a tan, it falls off. AHG! It seems to have enough power, shit I've melted anything I've tried to weld with it. I think one time I got a spot weld to hold alright on a work cart, (ya know those green meshed garden cart looking things, that really are damn durable) but it was uglier then hell. Other then that when and if it holds, I've never been able to run a nice bead, (tho I just learned about the cursive 'e' z , or circles.. I was just running a straight line down the shoot, and literally melting everything up when it was all said and done.. lol. I was either gonna get a nice big welder and spend some big $$$ and take a college course on welding and get certified. But now I'm thinking, bout getting one of these, and getting someone to teach me. And if they can get me welding in a sufficient amount of time, whatever that is, I'll pay em. Weldings about the only thing I don't know how to do, ad far as constructing/building has to do. And my fiancée and I got this Lil ranch here with horses duck's, chickens 🐔 , Rottweilers, pitbulls, Shepards, and some moe shit. And I really need to do alot of welding around here. So if anyone has any tips on what I should do or get would be cool. Like should I get certified? I'm 53, and really don't need it as a career. Tho if I could make some side cash , that wouldn't make me angry! Or should I get one of these, or maybe a little better. I do not like the stick thing, prolly cuz this one I've had no good memories of. Lol. And it seems more complex then these wire feed things. Them seem so easy and cool. But loading the wire and setting all these different knows with different settings, and gouges, wire speed, steel depth. Penetration whatever else I DONT know about. It prolly seems easy to this guy and other welders ( I'm guessing ALL welders think they're the best, and prolly critical to other welders) but remember i know exactly next to nothing about welding. But I build homes, and I learn VERY fast when I'm interested and/ or needing to learn something. And welding is both for me.
What I tell people who can't stack dimes with flux. They wanna talk shit about the process when really it's just.....them. I ain't got no problems laying glass with flux 🤷♂️
I picked one up today, was on a black friday sale for $149.99, but no stock. Saw a couple of returns for $100, plus they let me use a %25 off coupon, $75 out the door, SCORE!. I tried it at home and welds great!. I upgraded from a basic $99 dollar black beginner harborfreight welder and its a big difference. Much cleaner and more consistent welds.
FilRider I bought one too yesterday for the $149 price. I have not tried it yet but I think it would work for what I need it for being nothing extreme.
Just got this welder recently and I love it (Im a high school entry level welder so I don’t need a miller or Vulcan or anything like that) and it’s pretty good for practicing or welding something that doesn’t need extreme structural integrity. Awesome video, keep up the good work 👍
Right on! I think for the price you really can’t beat it 👍 I run the Titanium 200 in my home shop just about every day. I loaded the flux 125 out to my friend that’s new to welding so he can start getting some practice on projects at his house. I’m glad you are enjoying your welder, they are pretty impressive for there price and size!
I’ve been stick and flux core welding for 40 years. Caught this on sale for $168 and couldn’t pass it up. Love the small form factor and light weight. Will be a perfect companion for my Predator 3500 generator to do small jobs in remote areas.
Most important tip for new welders: Never weld or grind without respirator. That stuff is terrible for you. The correct filter to use with a 3M respirator is the 2219. Have fun.
Just picked up a Titanium Flux 125 from HF primarily because of your very good review of this basic and affordable flux welder. I haven't tried it out yet but I have little doubt it will perform as expected for what I need it for around the house and garage. Thanks for putting out such great reviews.
Mike I just bought one of these based on your review, this thing is great!! I’m not asking it to weld big stuff, it’s just a go to for small projects and it welds like crazy!! It’s a great welder for little things, or a field welder for the irrigation gates I have to work on. Thanks for all your great reviews, and your welding tips. As for the rest of you it’s not a big boy welder I’m not asking it to be a big boy welder.
i have one now, for a year..i find it welds quite nicely.. always use clean steel, i like to soak any new steel in vinegar to remove the scale ,, soak it for a short time,, a little steel wool , and nice clean metal.. i find the wire brushing or grinding new steel just pushes the scale deeper into the steel// vinegar just washes it off... clean metal and this welder word great
Being someone who has never welded and that knows almost nothing about welding I’ve been wanting to get a small welder to have in the shop for small jobs and to use to learn basic welding skills. I’ve looked at getting the cheaper Harbor Freight Chicago Electric Flux 125 welder since I get coupons all the time to buy it for around $100 or less. But for less than $200 I am really interested in the Titanium Easy Flux 125. It’s incredibly small and appears to be well built especially compared to the cheaper Chicago Electric model. If this is a significantly better welder than the cheaper Chicago Electric model I’ve always believed that getting the best equipment you can afford based on how much you will actually use it is the best decision. For double the money I think I’d rather get this machine even though it will only see limited use most likely. Although if welding is like any other craft I do involving automotive repair and maintenance then once I start doing it and improve my skills then I’ll probably do it a lot more and find projects to do just for the fun of it and to gain more experience. If that’s the case I definitely want to get the best welder I can afford. Right now that’s around $250 which makes this appealing to me.
Great video, I am now subscribed. I am a retired mechanic and we do a lot of RV travel. If a spring mount broke or something similar happened to our fifth wheel while on the road I would find the closest HF and buy one of these little machines. We have a 4500 watt generator and that would be its power supply. For the cost this welder would likely be less expensive then calling a mobile welder and when the trip was over I would still have the tool. Thanks much for the video!
I have one and I love it. The wire it comes with is garbage. Switched to lincoln it's great. Ive used it many times with an extension cord and it's great.
I bought one a couple weeks ago. I do mobile auto repair. I use it to fix exhaust pipes and small repairs. I run it off my 4000 watt generator. It does just fine and takes up next to no space in my service van.
They are really great little welders! I really think they are so useful especially for your kind of work. We keep one around my work for quick repairs when you don’t have 220v and don’t feel like dragging out a gas bottle. Take care
Just bought mine Saturday and I'm loving it. Way better than the 125 Chicago, definitely a must buy if your looking for a cheap welder for your typical DIY guy.
I’ve pushed this welder very hard , building fences and gate instals. I love this little welder for its portability. Welds plenty hot for what I do. I will say I fried it this week after about 8 months of heavy use I will still buy another one due to how light and portable it is compared to my Lincoln. I’ll be buying the extended warranty if it’s available. I would still recommend this welder.
Do you think this would be good for art metal? Metals would include: copper, brass, aluminum steel, etc. Can you recommend any other welders for art work?
This was a good video man, sped up the weld footage, did voice overs, different angles, useful information. All around solid video man you got a new subscriber, thank you
Good little welder I have used .030 and .035 wire in it. Welded 14ga, 16 ga, 18 ga 10 ga 1/8, 3/16 tube (square and round) flat stock of the same mentioned Did some hand rails using 11ga and 14 ga with both wires recommended for the machine. I use .030 for lighter stock and .035 for heavier stock. I have had this welder for a couple of years fixed some converters also with it. Also did fencing with this welder 1/4" and 1/8" round tubing it has held up. I actually bought this to do the fence cause my Miller big 40 broke. used the generator for the power for this little machine it worked good. I would suggest this to a beginner or pro
This is good timing, I spent a day tearing my craftsman apart to replace the liner just to not be able to find one, then put it all back together and sputter again. I was about to throw it across the front lawn but thought let’s see if this roller will fit my sons busted blue hawk. It doesn’t but his finished the weld by putting it together wrong , go figure. I think I’ll get one of those tomorrow. Thank you for encouraging my sanity.
That sounds like a frustrating day! Sorry man :( if you only need a flux welder these seem to be quite useful to have around the house, I also own the Titanium unlimited 200 it’s a great welder but it’s 3 times more in cost. I hope you find yourself a new welder that fits your needs, it’s always nice having a tool that just works when you need it to. Take care
Was looking at this at harbor freight as my first welder to teach myself to well. Based on your review I think I will be picking it up thanks for sharing
I got one today as I said I would. I cut a slot in some heavy street sign post cleaned it and filled a large gap beautifully. Then the real world test, took a 10 inch junk of galvanized steel and welded it to rusty section the tall way without cleaning either of them. I then smashed it with a sledgehammer. It bent 2 inches from the weld and you could see where it hit on the other side. Holding strong and loving it.
For those curious about amperage draw of the titanium flux 125.I did some testing on 2 different settings.Both done with Blue Demon .030 wire,with welder hooked up to a 14 gauge,25ft extension cord.readings from a Kill a watt p3 testor.Wire speed at 10,voltage at G,peaked at 20.72 amps.Wire speed at 9,voltage on F resulted in a peak of 19.50 amps.So pushing the machine past 9/F could get u in trouble on a 20 amp breaker,on a longish weld.
@@Mikefestiva hey Mike, Maybe when/if I retire next year, lol.I like solving problems,im a industrial refrigeration mech now for 36 years,60years old,still learning every day.Had a big job last year,pipe weldors we contracted had a lot of leaks on ammonia lines.process was mostly inner shield flux core.I repaired most of them myself with tig.Wanted to see what might have gone wrong with the welding contractors flux core process.The only reason I bought the little titanium 125.It was pin hole porosity.Figured my findings could help some people.
Hey Mike I dont comment on you tube very much but wanted to say you are one very talented individual sir. I like watching your videos, they are always informational. Keep it up and thanks!
Thank you Joe :) I really appreciate your comment! I try and make good content, stuff that I’m interested in, I also try to encourage others to build things, the first video I ever posted on TH-cam was a little over 4 years ago, it was how I built a bandsaw mill for $350 with some really basic tools, I wanted to show others how with some simple tools, determination and a good eye for salvaging stuff other people could also make it happen, over the years I have made videos about things I have learned along the way or tools that I have found to work well for me. I thank you again for your nice comment and I do really appreciate it, people like you are who keeps me motivated to make more videos :) Take care
Great video! I found the video posted on the Harbor Freight website and used it to help me purchase this as my first welder (newbie: gonna try and teach myself how to weld! *gulp*). I used your video to help me decide which welder to buy! Thank you! Great video!
Thanks for commenting! You definitely can teach yourself how to weld, just make sure to salvage some scrap metal, I have a video on where to find cheap to free metal, and make a point to have fun when learning. Here’s a video I did with my nephew a few months back teaching him how to weld with the Flux 125 welder, I recommend checking out the video 👍 take care Andrew th-cam.com/video/b-zI6OJe-ik/w-d-xo.html
Chris Gilliam Man Stuff That’s great for me to hear! Still waiting for mine to arrive! Please share links to any helpful videos to get me started (for example, who knew you gotta hold onto the spool while loading it or it would come unwound?) Great work on the trailer!
Im a heavy equipment mechanic and use this quite often in the field for light stuff, handy not to have the get the leads out for stick welding little stuff.
Definitely well worth the money these costs for simple repairs, we keep one on hand at my work for simple repairs when we don’t feel like dragging a bigger welder and gas bottle around. They are a great little welder especially at its price point!
Just wanted to say, Jeffrey, that you're a natural welding trainer/instructor. I watched this from the Harbor Freight website and felt compelled to come here and give you some props. Never heard of your channel before, but I recognize what sounds to me like someone who instructs on a regular basis since I'm retired from working in the field, fabbing in the shop and instructing employees who were going for their LA City Structural (SMAW) certs. I don't know where you are, but LA is a weird place to get certified for field structural work due to earthquake-related regs that require written testing of new field welders and every single question out of 100 is taken straight from the AWS code book, which no bottom-rung new welder has any reason in practical terms to memorize, but it's required nonetheless, so somebody had to figure out a way to get all the questions out of City Hall and into the classroom to drill memorization of meaningless (to welders anyway) code sections into the heads of the newbs.It was nothing but revenue generation for LA City as each test cost the applicant $50 bucks to try or retry as the case may be, or at least that's what it was when I left LA for good in '92. Probably more by now. Sorry, didn't mean to come here and go on a tangent. Good video is all I planned on saying. LOL. I'm a bored old man whose got slag burn scars from head to toe and I saw a guy doin' on video what I did for a job for close to 40 years. Brought back memories, which get harder and harder to trigger with each passing day it seems, so thanks for that too. Take care man.
@@Mikefestiva Grats man. Yea I am about to do some body work here soon and thought to myself... hmm a little igbt welder would be nice instead of my 20 year old canadian princess auto welder! And low and behold, there you were :P
Thanks Mike, just bought one on Black Friday sale price, I will keep watching and also printed out your advice to others, will go over this information a few times before attempting my first weld !
I'm an artist... was thinking about this 110 welder for some scrap metal sculpture and armatures, etc. I don't have 220 at my place. This should do the trick! 😊
@@Mikefestiva great, I used to weld bronze twenty years ago with a TIG almost daily. But haven't picked up a welder since...hope I can pick up on mig welding, I'll keep posted to ur channel for tips 👍
I was STOKED when HF came out with the Vulcan 125...I had previously been using the Chicago flux core box welder....NOT ANY MORE!!!...Like Night & Day Difference!!!😎👍🏻
I am a newbie at all this just got this welder to learn with and splatter is killing me. I know it’s me now and not the machine after seeing this video. Really enjoy your channel and teaching style. You kick it for some one like me to understand and have helped me a lot. Thanks for the work and time 👊
I'm truly looking forward to seeing you upgrade this welder to a mig setup(gas). I know this can be done , because we had a friend do it in the past . I remember he had to rig the trigger power up a little different but that's been a few years ago and a different brand of welder. Looking forward.
Thanks for commenting :) I think it’s definitely possible, I ordered some parts to convert it, I have a relay wired up to the circuit board and it switches when you pull the MIG trigger now, I tapped into the power on the board. Now I just need to wire up the gas valve and order a new MIG whip that’s set up to flow gas though it. Hopefully I can finish it in the next few weeks :) Take care
Haha thanks for commenting! I didn’t read the manual so I missed that feature :) Thanks I see its tucked on the back side of the front panel. Thanks Ronald! That’s definitely a nice extra feature.
Nice dude thanks! I was just asking about different welders and this was the first suggestion for beginners. Great video. I look forward to learning and checking out more videos like this.
I built a reverse trike scooter with a 90 AMP for the first time it's one of a kind. And you did a review on this one needless to say someday I'll get one for newer projects thank you for the review
Great review. I just picked up one of these today. I haven’t welded in 20+ years. Man I am rusty. Mangled 4 tips in ten minutes lol. Easy to setup it did better than me. But your review helped me make up my mind. Thank you! I’ll keep practicing.
I (along with lots of your subscibers it seems!) grabbed this welder on Black Friday. Can you do some follow-up videos with it, if you have the time? I think small projects like building steel boxes/chests, attaching steel hinges, etc. would be right up your subs' alleys for this welder. Or maybe even a small engine stand to hold up one of those Predator engines when you're upgrading all of those parts on it for your dirt bike!
This guys got a great setup, if possible ide like to see some close ups of his welds maybe behind a arc proof shield. Love the saying "if it's got slag you drag". That in its self will help guys
Should be "If you want penetration, drag." Guys, only push if you're working thin sheet, have a large root, are welding 3 up, or are hardfacing. Really anything 10 ga or over, maybe 12 ga if you want to go hot and fast, will benefit from a drag angle.
I’m thinking about picking one up. They have them on sale for a pretty good deal. I’ve done some welding, had my 6-G GTAW cert years ago but i didn’t work in the field for long, got into something that pays a little more, but this would be perfect for around the house, little diy projects and helping out friends who need something welded.
great review. i picked up one of these for $150 on black friday. works great. my only comment is i wish the wires were detachable. it's light but awkward dragging the cables around while it's connected to the machine. solid little machine though, worth every penny.
I was going to go for the Vulcan 215 mig, but I'm a beginner. I going to start with this one. The price is right. Then I will move up to the Vulcan if I need to.
I had always thought of Flux as what to use when your bottle is empty and u cant get another in time, but when you mentioned outdoor welding in windy conditions I saw a light bulb... Thanks Mike!
Haha yes I’m not the biggest fan of flux ether, I for sure prefer MIG but for a light weight compact welder I think it’s got it’s place, in the next video I look forward to seeing how it runs on a generator, test out the welds with a acid etch test and maybe start showing my nephew how to weld! Take care and thanks for commenting :)
I’m used to (amateur) welding with a big ass Miller with argon gas, but I bought this to do a little stuff. I tried to fix my snowblower handle and it was the worst welds I’ve ever done lol! And I’m not blaming the machine at all, I know I just need to fine-tune it. The weld held for a little while, needless to say I’ll get to practice welding some more on the snowblower…🤣🤣
Dumb questions, please forgive me I'm a beginner who doesn't want to get zapped: 1. It's safe to lean on table with arm/elbow while welding? 2. It's safe to put gun on table when not using? 3. Is it necessary to get a metal welding table or can wood be used?
Hello Alexandra You won’t get shocked if you touch or lean on your welding bench when welding, the only time there could be an issue is if you are outside welding in the rain and standing in a puddle and even that is extremely rare that you would have a problem. yes you can put the MIG gun down on your bench or table, if the trigger isn’t pushed in then the wire won’t come out and the tip of the mig gun won’t be energized. You can put a piece of metal on a wood bench but it’s not preferable because the wood underneath can get hot and possibly be a fire hazard. I would recommend if you bought this welder, consider going to Harbor Freight and buy there small adjustable welding table, it sells for about $80 and I think it would be well worth it for you. What kind of projects do you plan on welding, ART projects or just fixing and repairs? Here’s a video that will help you get started with this little welder, if you like the video consider subscribing please 🙂 One other thing, if you weld in your garage, consider once you are done, you stick around out there for another 45 minute or so, find something to do like cleaning up, it’s just something I like to do to stay out in the shop for the 45 minutes just for a fire watch, just to be on the safe side 🙂 th-cam.com/video/b-zI6OJe-ik/w-d-xo.html
@@Mikefestiva Hi Mike. Wow, thank you so much for answering! No welder on TH-cam has taken the time to answer these dumb questions of mine. First aid is my main concern as I'm a total newbie, so thanks again! Yes, I just got this exact welder! 1. Thanks for clearing up leaning on the table. I was confused by that. I should only be welding in our garage. One last thing, if I have my table clamped, I shouldn't pick my project off the table and weld correct? I must always keep it on the table? 2. I'm now gona buy that welding table at Harbor Freight! I've been eye balling it, but my dad offered to make me a little wooden table. I'll just let him know its safer to get a little metal welding table. 3. I'm going to be welding tiny metal art, little sculptures, using scrap metal: metal hinges, bolts, screws, washers, utensils, etc. Nothing thicker than 1/8 in. Thanks for the fire hazard tip. I'll stick around once everything is unplugged to make sure it's all safe. Thanks for taking the time, Mike. Happy Holidays!
@@dec23 No problem 🙂 I’m happy to help, I like to encourage others to learn how to weld and fabricate, I think you will find a lot of good info in most of my videos. To answer your other question, most of the time you can clamp your ground clamp to your metal table top and that works fine, if you pick your part up off the table and try to weld your welder won’t arc, you are usually better clamping your ground clamp to your sculpture, especially a clean metal surface, just quickly grind off any paint and rust, the reason you do this is because when you weld you are creating a electrical connection - ground clamp to + electrode wire. When you buy more wire make sure to buy Flux welding wire, I use .035” there’s also .030” wire, what ever wire size you decide to buy, make sure you buy the same size electrode tips for your welder( the small copper tip that your wire comes out of at the tip of your Mig gun) A few more things to consider, clean off any paint or rust in the area you’re planning on welding, also grind off any galvanized coating on bolts and stuff in the area you are welding, Zinc isn’t healthy to breath when it burns. One thing I would also suggest buying at some point is a welding respirator, I bought a nice Miller welding respirator on Amazon for about $35? Here’s another video that could help, this is part 1 there is a part 2 to this video as well. th-cam.com/video/xT-DqcsuzBM/w-d-xo.html One last thing, make sure you have a fun time! Grab some scraps of metal and just practice when you get time. Welding is a good skill to learn and it’s fun creating stuff! Ps I also have a video that covers places to salvage free scraps of metal so check that video out too. Take care 🙂👍
@@Mikefestiva Hi Mike! Excellent tips, man! Seriously, you've given me information I never thought about. I'll be looking through more of your videos! Yeah, I'll just clamp directly to my sculpture - it should be a decent size sculpture for an easy clamp. Good tips on shaving off any galvanized coats on bolts - i never thought about that. I believe I will have to do that for utensils as well. If I have any more questions when I start welding, I hope you'll keep me in mind! Happy welding! 👍🏼🗜
Welders like these have saved a lot of "bacon" out in the desert canyons of Utah, etc. on "4x4 excursions" where we'd break something that really needed to be welded as opposed to bolts or tape, etc. (I busted a control arm in the middle of nowhere, Montana. Limped for miles upon miles without seeing a sole). People like to stroke their own egos and put down anything smaller than the "best" *they're* able to buy but, that's nonsense. As long as the welder keeps a clean bead at reasonable duty cycles (more than a couple of inches before cycling out for 30 min. to cool down), it's OK for fixing frames and supports, making jigs and fixtures, etc., esp. while out on the trail. As I say, people really enjoy "pooh pooh-ing" something like this, right up until *they* are the ones that need to be rescued. My son and I are outfitting a big (mid 80s), 4x4 Suburban for a cross country, open trail trip. I'll be setting up a dual battery system with possibly even a third (I get overly ambitious at times) strictly for running lights, etc. w/an alternator stolen from a fire/rescue vehicle to handle the extra amps and will have a large inverter for a computer, small fridge, welder, etc. There's *no way* I'm going to be stuck in the middle of nowhere, on a solo run, with a busted frame, rock slider, spare carrier, skid plate, torn body panel or just a busted swing arm on a "swing-out, utility hook" that supports gear. I've seen too many "that could never happen" type situations that actually happened because... "Murphy is my co-pilot." 😆 Anyone planning an overland excursion or building a search/rescue type of vehicle should *always* dedicate space/weight allocation for 100 lbs. (minimum, 100 lbs goes fast) of tools/equip. such as a welder, hand tools, cordless impact, grinder, compressor, etc., *on top* of the "standard kit" of shovel/pick/axe/pry bar/sand anchor/jack, jack handle & jack foot plate/winch accessory (snatch-block, tree straps, cable blanket, shackles, gloves, remote, etc.) that are *mandatory* for any long distance, off-road adventure... Outside of a close-to home, RV park, "single destination" (driving in a circle) type trip. I realize how much "extra stuff" I've written as "necessary" here but, I've seen *lots* of people (including myself) lost/stuck/disabled in some pretty desolate landscapes while I was living and stationed out in the Montana/Utah/Colorado/Nevada deserts and mountains of the Rockies... Some of them didn't come out alive. People are too over confident and put themselves in over their heads, all because they let their ego overtake their common sense. While in the Airforce, in Utah we did a *lot* of civilian relief, flood aversion and S&R types of operations, after the massive, annual storms and flash-floods that would wipe both things and people out of the canyons and flood the city of Salt Lake. Some simple equipment would have saved a lot of lives and desperate situations but, inexperience and over confidence, the "curse of the rookies" gets a *lot* of people into trouble. For every one seen/noted, there are several more that go unreported because they got out on their own... Eventually. If *anything* I've said here gets people to realize the dangers and saves just one person or family from tragedy, that's what it's all about and this diatribe/rant is worth it. That starts with being properly prepared for the unforseen/predictable events that are inevitable, once you're out of cell phone range. Something like a portable, light duty welder (flux core mig or even small stick) would be a godsend when you bust a control arm or tie rod. Bright blessings, easy trails and pretty sights to all (and to all a good night...) 😉
@@miscellaneous037 Thanks, you induced me to reread and "fix" my late night, rant of a comment. It "reads better" now (but it doesn't really read, at all). 😀
@clint, same with me, I almost picked up the Chicago Electric one, because it was so cheap, wouldn't be a big loss if I wasn't good. Glad I waited, the flux 125 from Titanium so far has only impressed and it's so easy to use.
I picked up one of these last weekend for $149 plus tax. I have always used my old Lincoln AC225 “tombstone” or oxyacetylene torch. I had gotten fairly adept at thin stuff with 1/16 rods with the Lincoln. But now I know why everyone uses MIG or flux for sheet metal. Love the little Titanium 125. Now I want the Ultimate 200. Thanks a lot Mike. You costing me money🤣🤣🤣
Right on! These little welders are quite useful! Yes the Titanium 200 is a great welder and I highly recommend buying on. I used a stick welder just like you described for many years, but once I got a MIG welder I found myself using the old Lincoln less and less. Take care 🙂
Beautifully Produced!!! Most videos of this nature are just flat-out too painful to watch. Everyone is trying to be the next Cecil B DeMille. I subscribed... and I don't even weld. Although after watching your video that could change... Thanks for the info!
Nope just getting started like what you have to say about the welder so I’m looking at going out and picking one up here in the next few weeks. We’ll work great for my small farm!
Great video Mike, I found it on Harbor Freights website when looking for a welder! I think it will be perfect for what i need, I don't weld much at all. You make it look easy, I hope my welds turn out that nice!
Right on! I think you will get some good use out of this welder. A friend of mine mentioned he saw my video on the Harbor Freight website about 6 months ago, that’s cool there still using my review on there 👍 Take care
@@Mikefestiva Yeah, I actually ended up buying the titanium 140. I'll need to do some thin exhaust stuff so I figured that having the gas would be a nice option for that. So far I just did some flux core welding and it worked great.
Nice review... I know nothing about welding, with that being said would u reccomend i start off with a wire welder like one u just reviewed or a stick welder...
I had a stick welder, it was hard to get an arc started and would often trip the 15amp breaker in my garage. Bought the Titanium 125, it is practically point and burn. Doesn't trip my breaker either. Clean metal, good ground, and I don't pay any attention to the chart on the case...I typically keep the wire speed at 50-75% and I just adjust the amps higher and lower based on how thick the metal is. I've welded exhaust/mufflers, dirt bike, atv, moped frames, riding mower decks and more. A neighbor has one and built a fairly heavy duty utility trailer with this welder, he has more skill than me and his welds look great. Mine don't look amazing but they hold.
Yes they are great little welders! I have mine to my brother because he needed a welder. I have one at my work still, we use it often for simple repairs when you don’t want to pack a gas bottle along. Take care
As long as the generator has a 20 Amp branch circuit...IT'LL WELD!!!😎👍🏻...Lesee....V x A = W.... 120 Volts x 20 Amps = 2,400 Watts....I'd say you could get along quite nicely with a minimum 3,500 Watt Generator!!!😁👍🏻
For any of u guys not satisfied with the welds with this little machine,i did some testing on steel between 14 gauge,and 3/8" thick.The factory setting guide on the inside of the lid seem very voltage rich to me.This causes pin hole porosity,and excess splatter.using the supplied .030 wire,I came up with these settings: 14 gauge (wire speed 5,voltage C) 1/8" (wire speed 6,voltage D) 3/16" (wire speed 8,voltage E ) 1/4" (wire speed 9 voltage E.5) and even on 3/8" (wire speed 10,voltage E.5).Caution,3/8" is way above the recommended thickness.Try these settings,go slow,more like stick,less like mig,watch the puddle,have fun! this little bitch welds good!
Thanks Jeffrey for posting this! I’m sure this info will definitely help some people out 👍
@@MikefestivaI just picked up mine last night, where on the PCB, did you find "switched power" for connecting the gas solenoid valve?
I was wondering if this would be a good welder for doing a exhaust on vehicles and grill gaurd building stuff like that
@@gamerkilla It would work,if I had the choice,I would use Mig with gas,mainly because of the lack of clean up,no slag etc.But ive welded 14 gauge uni-strut with it,and it worked good.
Been welding 24 gauge with it all the way down it's not always pretty but it works and is solid
I love mine too and I was a welder for 40 years. Retired in 2005.
Ok, so. Ok. I am certified in GMAW and FCAW processes. I schooled with Miller products and work with Miller products. I had the HF Chicago Electric 90 amp machine and it ran... ok. It was impossible to weld anything over 1/8" due to tripping the breaker so I always just figured that it ran a little wonky due to electrical shortcomings. I bought this TI 125 machine today and honestly, thoroughly impressed with how it runs. I ran outside corner joints on thin gauge, ran great. Fillet weld on a 1/8" flat stock, ran great. Good fusion at the toes, good contour. Didn't cut and etch. Ran an 1/8" square groove with backing on 1/8" flat stock. Again, ran great. Good contour. Good fusion. Haven't cut and etched. Thanks for the review, I'm satisfied with my purchase.
Should note these were all flat and horizontal. Will run some overhead and some uphill soon and rate.
Ok guys, update. I cut and etched the start and the stop on the fillet weld. Both had good penetration at the root and on the legs.
Guys, this isn't a Miller. Don't misunderstand. It's a good machine, it'll suit your garage purposes better than you'd probably expect, but don't expect a millermatic for 200 bucks.
@@53prime
I know, Feels dumb when I talk about it. But this little cheap welder is something else. Has to be used to truly understand. Its just way more than what most welders would expect. But trying to explain that, many people just assume you don't have a clue what you're talking about.. at least that's what it seems like for me.
This welder has some heat to it. Of course not a nice 220v Miller mig. But if get to use a titanium 125, it doesn't take long to realize,, it's not your run of the mill 110v cheapo welder. It's an anomaly. For the price it is special
I picked up one and love it. I'd say it runs a bit on the hot side with their ballpark settings and even on sheet metal, it will quickly blow holes through if you don't move pretty quick or just stitch weld or use a straight bead. So smooth though. Loving it.
I decided to buy this welder. I am a small contractor and i recently started to explore wrought iron fencing, it is a profitable niche! This is what i went with and had little previous welding experience. This turned out to be the best welder i could have bought. It is easy to use and no hassle. In the field on the jobsite that is GREAT not needing to dick with gas. I use a more comfortable strap but i do wield it on my shoulder while I go down the line. It is so damn small and light. It is so weird to be able to wear my welder, but it is really awesome. I love it. I've built about 1000' of wrought iron fencing with it and several small,repair jobs. Just hop in the Honda civic through the welder in the front seat and go fix a gate for $500 be back by lunch time i love the convenience of this thing. So far no problems
They are great little welders, for the size and price you just can’t go wrong! Thanks for commenting 🙂
Hey man, thanks for this video. I always assumed that harbor freight welders were junk and not worth the time (I thought they only sold the Pittsburg one). Saw this video and assumed just by the way the welder looked it was 500$+, only to google it and realize they're only 219.99. Just bought this welder today based off this review, and I had no Idea I could get into welding this cheap. Sure my first ever welds look like junk, but it's my fault not the machine's. After 20 minutes of practice, I welded a tail-light mount on to my current build, and it came out pretty damn good! Thanks again.
Nice to see someone who gives competent reviews on the cheaper machines. I personally believe in the buy once cry once philosophy. However I understand that some people can't afford or don't want to spend a lot of money on something that they aren't making a living with. One man's trash is another man's treasure. No need for hating on them.
Thanks James for your comment! I appreciate it :) I work with what I can afford and I have built some cool things over the years with some simple tools. Yes I can appreciate your view on paying a bit more and buy once an have a good tool for years. I definitely see that when it comes with tools you use every day on a job. I have been quite surprised with the Vulcan Omnipro 220 and the Titanium 200 welders, they are definitely a step up from what you would expect from HF, this flux125 is there smallest welder in the Titanium line of welders and is quite simple, but I think it’s got it’s place for simple welding jobs for someone that just welds smaller projects on occasion around there shop.
Take care and thanks for commenting :)
@@Mikefestiva 👍 Your welcome. Your reviews have been really making me take a hard look at the HF welders.
Mike, thanks so very much for not spending all that time on unpacking stuff! I think that most people people can figure out how to unbox things on their own.
I just bought one of these about 2 weeks ago and so far am blown away. I welded exhaust on my truck from the cab back. Smooth steady beads. No issues. And also have welded some 1/4" and 3/8" steel on some tractor implements and actually got good penetration and have yet to have anything break. After welding with thousands of $'s worth of machines this little thing kicks ass for the price.
bass 1776 Haha right on! I really think for the price and portability they are hard to beat!
They weld much better then the older Transformer flux welders. Thanks for commenting 👍
Awesome!!!...the Inverter DC Circuitry on these little buggers kicks A$$!!!😎👍🏻
I have a small engine repair shop. I have a great stick welder and a big TIG welder but I wanted something small I could easily and quickly do small welding jobs on zero turns and riding mowers. This welder is great for this. I replaced the crappy original wire with some Lincoln wire and replaced the ridiculous ground clamp with the heavy duty brass one. I use it for decks, frames, mufflers, and buildings things around the shop. Just recently used it to put hand rails on the front steps of my house. Great to have a tiny welder you can plug in anywhere.
They are really portable compact welders!
I loaned mine out to some friends recently because they had an old under powered flux welder. They tried out this titanium for the weekend and were sold on it. Really great especially for the size and price 👍
Take care
I had mine for a little over a year and it has been a solid welder. Gone through maybe 8 spools of wire in that time. I did replace the ground clamp with a better one and also replaced the electrical cable with a true 20 amp cord. 3/8 is no problem.
People are so quick to blame their tools and not examine their own skills. A cheaper welder in the hands of an experienced welder is better than an expensive welder in the hands of an amateur.
Absolutely. Ageed.
stufoo, that's the statement of the year 👩🏭👍
Facts
Here’s is the truth!!! A welding machine is EXACTLY like a guitar!!!. A touch of a masters hand is the trick to them both!!! A well seasoned welder can make this welder work for about 90% of ANY job he needs around the house!!!. A well seasoned guitar player can take an $80 pawn shop guitar (as long as it’s tuned) and play it and change it’s worth in front of any crowd!!!!. I’ve seen BOTH proven MANY times!!!. I’m DEFINITELY gonna pick this up for the $200 price tag!! It’s convenience is definitely worth the 💰!! Great video!!!👍👍☝️
I was sent here from the harbor freight ad. I was just curious about welders after seeing the ad and thought I'd take a look at this video. And you know, even if I wasn't remotely interested in buying a welder, I think this is a great video. And in fact I'm ready to go buy a welder right now. I always thought about it and now seeing the price and seeing the the quality and seeing the work you did, I'm going to do it! One of the things I want to use it for is metal sculpture. Of which I have no clue about. But it's art! I can do whatever I want.
Also, I'm a tech, I was various disciplines, and there are so many times where I know I could have used a welder. Now that they've become so inexpensive and easier to operate it's time to get one. Even though I'm retired, I like to work on old junk like cars, vintage lawn tractors, bicycles, and more. I'd like to do some custom work, I've even got an idea about building a bobber motorcycle. Yeah so I guess you could say that little harbor freight ad really worked out for them and I think you did a great job on this vide. You're a natural at doing presentation work, you're enjoyable to watch and listen to, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of your stuff. Later! John.
That’s awesome! Good luck with your future projects, thanks for watching and supporting my channel! 👍
I got one the wire speed control knob doesn't work after 6 small weld jobs it keep spinning around and around
I have a Chicago Electric 125 amp welder, I used it to weld a hook to fork truck for dead pulling 3 ton racks. Granted I used 4 passes to make sure it has good penetration. I did this 5 yrs ago and its still holding good.
Late comment but I must add those things can make very strong welds. I have done some serious repairs with the ce 125 on trailers open and closed. The welds never failed.
Mike, thanks to your great review of this welder I have decided to purchase one of them when I can find a coupon. I attended a welding class at night at the local community college in West Memphis, Arkansas. I worked as an licensed aircraft mechanic for over thirty years and I was the only one who could weld on the airport. Most of the welding that I did was torch welding on chromolly tubing and brackets. The torch I used was made by Smith’s. It was the aircraft industry standard for welding. I also had a Lincoln mig welder that I used on the other types of metal.
Awesome to hear! I always rate aircraft machines as some of the most skilled of all machines, everything needs to be done right the first time.
Thanks for checking out my videos.
This welder is good for basic welding repairs around the home shop and are one of the most affordable ways to get into welding. Take care
It was cool to see this video used in the latest Harbor Freight email ad.
Brad Morris - I just got the same email. I don't weld but I've always been interested in the process and when I saw that small welder I had to see what it could do. Pretty Impressive! And so is the price point. Even more impressive is the guy who made this video. What a nice job all the way around... with everything!
I hope they asked him before they did it. Just as a professional courtesy, as I'm sure they are benefiting off of his word as a respected social media fabricator.
Its also nice seeing a guy testing these cheaper welders,that can actually weld LOL!
Haha thanks Jeffrey! Take care
@@Mikefestiva u got talent Mike,your a lot younger than me,and I luv seeing this! gives me hope,lol!
Thanks Jeffrey :)
Jeffery. You're wrong on that. It's ALOT more then nice, it's friggin AWESOME watching this guy who obviously knows wtf he's doing. This is my 1st timing seeing him, and I've done some searching. I got this like 90 Amp stick, Campbell & Hausfeld I think. But the stick holder never worked right , it don't hold the rod in very well, so as soon as I get an arc and pull up a tan, it falls off. AHG! It seems to have enough power, shit I've melted anything I've tried to weld with it. I think one time I got a spot weld to hold alright on a work cart, (ya know those green meshed garden cart looking things, that really are damn durable) but it was uglier then hell. Other then that when and if it holds, I've never been able to run a nice bead, (tho I just learned about the cursive 'e' z , or circles.. I was just running a straight line down the shoot, and literally melting everything up when it was all said and done.. lol. I was either gonna get a nice big welder and spend some big $$$ and take a college course on welding and get certified. But now I'm thinking, bout getting one of these, and getting someone to teach me. And if they can get me welding in a sufficient amount of time, whatever that is, I'll pay em. Weldings about the only thing I don't know how to do, ad far as constructing/building has to do. And my fiancée and I got this Lil ranch here with horses duck's, chickens 🐔 , Rottweilers, pitbulls, Shepards, and some moe shit. And I really need to do alot of welding around here. So if anyone has any tips on what I should do or get would be cool. Like should I get certified? I'm 53, and really don't need it as a career. Tho if I could make some side cash , that wouldn't make me angry! Or should I get one of these, or maybe a little better. I do not like the stick thing, prolly cuz this one I've had no good memories of. Lol. And it seems more complex then these wire feed things. Them seem so easy and cool. But loading the wire and setting all these different knows with different settings, and gouges, wire speed, steel depth. Penetration whatever else I DONT know about.
It prolly seems easy to this guy and other welders ( I'm guessing ALL welders think they're the best, and prolly critical to other welders) but remember i know exactly next to nothing about welding. But I build homes, and I learn VERY fast when I'm interested and/ or needing to learn something. And welding is both for me.
Harbor Freight owes you a check
Haha! Well I have not seen one yet :) Thanks for commenting!
It’s not the welder it’s the welder
What I tell people who can't stack dimes with flux. They wanna talk shit about the process when really it's just.....them. I ain't got no problems laying glass with flux 🤷♂️
Lincoln refers to people who weld as a "weldor".
I picked one up today, was on a black friday sale for $149.99, but no
stock. Saw a couple of returns for $100, plus they let me use a %25 off
coupon, $75 out the door, SCORE!. I tried it at home and welds great!. I
upgraded from a basic $99 dollar black beginner harborfreight welder
and its a big difference. Much cleaner and more consistent welds.
FilRider I bought one too yesterday for the $149 price. I have not tried it yet but I think it would work for what I need it for being nothing extreme.
velr50gt Yeah I pretty much used it for around the house and occasional automotive use. For the occasional repair, the welds are very strong.
Dude that is a smoking deal! I paid $179 on sale for mine. They are really good welders especially for the price.
How the hell did they let you use the coupon? Those seem to ALWAYS exclude welders in the fine print.
Just got this welder recently and I love it (Im a high school entry level welder so I don’t need a miller or Vulcan or anything like that) and it’s pretty good for practicing or welding something that doesn’t need extreme structural integrity. Awesome video, keep up the good work 👍
Right on! I think for the price you really can’t beat it 👍 I run the Titanium 200 in my home shop just about every day. I loaded the flux 125 out to my friend that’s new to welding so he can start getting some practice on projects at his house. I’m glad you are enjoying your welder, they are pretty impressive for there price and size!
I’ve been stick and flux core welding for 40 years. Caught this on sale for $168 and couldn’t pass it up. Love the small form factor and light weight. Will be a perfect companion for my Predator 3500 generator to do small jobs in remote areas.
Picked one up on the Black Friday sale for my 14 year old's Christmas present. Having a great time learning to weld together, thanks for the video!
Right on! That’s a awesome Christmas present! I’m really happy to hear you got him a welder. Welding is a great skill to know 👍
Most important tip for new welders: Never weld or grind without respirator. That stuff is terrible for you. The correct filter to use with a 3M respirator is the 2219. Have fun.
Just picked up a Titanium Flux 125 from HF primarily because of your very good review of this basic and affordable flux welder. I haven't tried it out yet but I have little doubt it will perform as expected for what I need it for around the house and garage.
Thanks for putting out such great reviews.
Mike I just bought one of these based on your review, this thing is great!! I’m not asking it to weld big stuff, it’s just a go to for small projects and it welds like crazy!! It’s a great welder for little things, or a field welder for the irrigation gates I have to work on. Thanks for all your great reviews, and your welding tips. As for the rest of you it’s not a big boy welder I’m not asking it to be a big boy welder.
Really appreciate that Keith!!!
@@Mikefestiva I used your name in my review on HarborFreight. Hopefully they see your selling products for them!!
i have one now, for a year..i find it welds quite nicely.. always use clean steel, i like to soak any new steel in vinegar to remove the scale ,, soak it for a short time,, a little steel wool , and nice clean metal.. i find the wire brushing or grinding new steel just pushes the scale deeper into the steel// vinegar just washes it off... clean metal and this welder word great
Being someone who has never welded and that knows almost nothing about welding I’ve been wanting to get a small welder to have in the shop for small jobs and to use to learn basic welding skills. I’ve looked at getting the cheaper Harbor Freight Chicago Electric Flux 125 welder since I get coupons all the time to buy it for around $100 or less. But for less than $200 I am really interested in the Titanium Easy Flux 125. It’s incredibly small and appears to be well built especially compared to the cheaper Chicago Electric model. If this is a significantly better welder than the cheaper Chicago Electric model I’ve always believed that getting the best equipment you can afford based on how much you will actually use it is the best decision. For double the money I think I’d rather get this machine even though it will only see limited use most likely. Although if welding is like any other craft I do involving automotive repair and maintenance then once I start doing it and improve my skills then I’ll probably do it a lot more and find projects to do just for the fun of it and to gain more experience. If that’s the case I definitely want to get the best welder I can afford. Right now that’s around $250 which makes this appealing to me.
Great video, I am now subscribed. I am a retired mechanic and we do a lot of RV travel. If a spring mount broke or something similar happened to our fifth wheel while on the road I would find the closest HF and buy one of these little machines. We have a 4500 watt generator and that would be its power supply. For the cost this welder would likely be less expensive then calling a mobile welder and when the trip was over I would still have the tool. Thanks much for the video!
Hey Jim thanks for subscribing and your kind comment 👍
I have one and I love it. The wire it comes with is garbage. Switched to lincoln it's great. Ive used it many times with an extension cord and it's great.
I bought one a couple weeks ago. I do mobile auto repair. I use it to fix exhaust pipes and small repairs. I run it off my 4000 watt generator. It does just fine and takes up next to no space in my service van.
They are really great little welders! I really think they are so useful especially for your kind of work. We keep one around my work for quick repairs when you don’t have 220v and don’t feel like dragging out a gas bottle. Take care
Just bought mine Saturday and I'm loving it. Way better than the 125 Chicago, definitely a must buy if your looking for a cheap welder for your typical DIY guy.
They definitely work well! A big improvement over the 125 Chicago electric 👍
Just picked one up today for $149.99! Black Friday Special! 👍
Nice! That’s a great deal 🙂 I got mine on sale but still paid $179. You will definitely get your money’s worth out of it 👍
Same here! Mike, thank you for the review - it helped to make a decision.
I did too! I’m excited to try it.
I bought one last week and I have been enjoying it. It suffices for what I need it for.
thanks for making this video. I'm 16 and want to get into some welding and some fabricating but don't want to spend a crap load of money.
I’ve pushed this welder very hard , building fences and gate instals. I love this little welder for its portability. Welds plenty hot for what I do. I will say I fried it this week after about 8 months of heavy use I will still buy another one due to how light and portable it is compared to my Lincoln. I’ll be buying the extended warranty if it’s available. I would still recommend this welder.
Do you think this would be good for art metal? Metals would include: copper, brass, aluminum steel, etc. Can you recommend any other welders for art work?
@@dec23 this welder will only weld steel. You can not weld brass,copper or aluminum with this machine. Brazing would be your best bet. Just TH-cam it.
@@gilbertmartinez930 ok, thanks. I appreciate it! :)
This was a good video man, sped up the weld footage, did voice overs, different angles, useful information. All around solid video man you got a new subscriber, thank you
Good little welder I have used .030 and .035 wire in it. Welded 14ga, 16 ga, 18 ga 10 ga 1/8, 3/16 tube (square and round) flat stock of the same mentioned Did some hand rails using 11ga and 14 ga with both wires recommended for the machine. I use .030 for lighter stock and .035 for heavier stock. I have had this welder for a couple of years fixed some converters also with it. Also did fencing with this welder 1/4" and 1/8" round tubing it has held up. I actually bought this to do the fence cause my Miller big 40 broke. used the generator for the power for this little machine it worked good. I would suggest this to a beginner or pro
This is good timing, I spent a day tearing my craftsman apart to replace the liner just to not be able to find one, then put it all back together and sputter again. I was about to throw it across the front lawn but thought let’s see if this roller will fit my sons busted blue hawk. It doesn’t but his finished the weld by putting it together wrong , go figure. I think I’ll get one of those tomorrow. Thank you for encouraging my sanity.
That sounds like a frustrating day! Sorry man :( if you only need a flux welder these seem to be quite useful to have around the house, I also own the Titanium unlimited 200 it’s a great welder but it’s 3 times more in cost. I hope you find yourself a new welder that fits your needs, it’s always nice having a tool that just works when you need it to. Take care
Was looking at this at harbor freight as my first welder to teach myself to well. Based on your review I think I will be picking it up thanks for sharing
I got one today as I said I would. I cut a slot in some heavy street sign post cleaned it and filled a large gap beautifully. Then the real world test, took a 10 inch junk of galvanized steel and welded it to rusty section the tall way without cleaning either of them. I then smashed it with a sledgehammer. It bent 2 inches from the weld and you could see where it hit on the other side. Holding strong and loving it.
Right on that’s a good report! I’m amazed with the power of these compact light weight welders! Thanks for commenting :)
I didn’t realize how small it was til I saw it in person. I will probably upgrade the hose and clamp later on.
We don’t have this welder in the UK, but all the reviews I’ve seen for it have been excellent.
They are great little welders! Quite affordable and really capable machines 👍
Colin Furze could weld some stuff up quite nicely!!!🤣😂😆👍🏻
I got it yesterday. Still reading the manual. Thanks for the video.
For those curious about amperage draw of the titanium flux 125.I did some testing on 2 different settings.Both done with Blue Demon .030 wire,with welder hooked up to a 14 gauge,25ft extension cord.readings from a Kill a watt p3 testor.Wire speed at 10,voltage at G,peaked at 20.72 amps.Wire speed at 9,voltage on F resulted in a peak of 19.50 amps.So pushing the machine past 9/F could get u in trouble on a 20 amp breaker,on a longish weld.
Thanks Jeffrey for taking the time to post this info! Have you thought about making some TH-cam videos? I think you would make some helpful videos!
@@Mikefestiva hey Mike,
Maybe when/if I retire next year, lol.I like solving problems,im a industrial refrigeration mech now for 36 years,60years old,still learning every day.Had a big job last year,pipe weldors we contracted had a lot of leaks on ammonia lines.process was mostly inner shield flux core.I repaired most of them myself with tig.Wanted to see what might have gone wrong with the welding contractors flux core process.The only reason I bought the little titanium 125.It was pin hole porosity.Figured my findings could help some people.
Hey Mike I dont comment on you tube very much but wanted to say you are one very talented individual sir. I like watching your videos, they are always informational. Keep it up and thanks!
Thank you Joe :) I really appreciate your comment! I try and make good content, stuff that I’m interested in, I also try to encourage others to build things, the first video I ever posted on TH-cam was a little over 4 years ago, it was how I built a bandsaw mill for $350 with some really basic tools, I wanted to show others how with some simple tools, determination and a good eye for salvaging stuff other people could also make it happen, over the years I have made videos about things I have learned along the way or tools that I have found to work well for me. I thank you again for your nice comment and I do really appreciate it, people like you are who keeps me motivated to make more videos :) Take care
Just saying, I've referenced this video 4 times over the past few months. Thanks Mike
Right on 👍 Thanks Larry!
Great video! I found the video posted on the Harbor Freight website and used it to help me purchase this as my first welder (newbie: gonna try and teach myself how to weld! *gulp*). I used your video to help me decide which welder to buy! Thank you! Great video!
Thanks for commenting! You definitely can teach yourself how to weld, just make sure to salvage some scrap metal, I have a video on where to find cheap to free metal, and make a point to have fun when learning. Here’s a video I did with my nephew a few months back teaching him how to weld with the Flux 125 welder, I recommend checking out the video 👍 take care Andrew th-cam.com/video/b-zI6OJe-ik/w-d-xo.html
I just completely rebuilt a trailer with mine. Worked great. Made a believer out of me.
Chris Gilliam Man Stuff That’s great for me to hear! Still waiting for mine to arrive! Please share links to any helpful videos to get me started (for example, who knew you gotta hold onto the spool while loading it or it would come unwound?) Great work on the trailer!
Mike festiva Which video is the one about how to find scrap steel?
Im a heavy equipment mechanic and use this quite often in the field for light stuff, handy not to have the get the leads out for stick welding little stuff.
Definitely well worth the money these costs for simple repairs, we keep one on hand at my work for simple repairs when we don’t feel like dragging a bigger welder and gas bottle around. They are a great little welder especially at its price point!
Another QUALITY PRESENTATION brought to you by Mike Festiva!!! Go Mike GO! I always look forward to your videos.
Thanks Joe! I always appreciate hearing from you :)
Just wanted to say, Jeffrey, that you're a natural welding trainer/instructor. I watched this from the Harbor Freight website and felt compelled to come here and give you some props. Never heard of your channel before, but I recognize what sounds to me like someone who instructs on a regular basis since I'm retired from working in the field, fabbing in the shop and instructing employees who were going for their LA City Structural (SMAW) certs. I don't know where you are, but LA is a weird place to get certified for field structural work due to earthquake-related regs that require written testing of new field welders and every single question out of 100 is taken straight from the AWS code book, which no bottom-rung new welder has any reason in practical terms to memorize, but it's required nonetheless, so somebody had to figure out a way to get all the questions out of City Hall and into the classroom to drill memorization of meaningless (to welders anyway) code sections into the heads of the newbs.It was nothing but revenue generation for LA City as each test cost the applicant $50 bucks to try or retry as the case may be, or at least that's what it was when I left LA for good in '92. Probably more by now.
Sorry, didn't mean to come here and go on a tangent. Good video is all I planned on saying. LOL. I'm a bored old man whose got slag burn scars from head to toe and I saw a guy doin' on video what I did for a job for close to 40 years. Brought back memories, which get harder and harder to trigger with each passing day it seems, so thanks for that too. Take care man.
Try getting some RNA supplements for that memory fix....:-} Truth be told, it saved my life, I'm not kidding.
Dude! You're a star now lol Harbor freight put this video up on their website for this welder lol
🙂 yes I thought that was pretty cool! I friend told me about that a few weeks back!
@@Mikefestiva Grats man. Yea I am about to do some body work here soon and thought to myself... hmm a little igbt welder would be nice instead of my 20 year old canadian princess auto welder! And low and behold, there you were :P
I appreciate this video, straight no chaser. I learn by reading, however seeing is quicker. thanks.
Thanks Mike, just bought one on Black Friday sale price, I will keep watching and also printed out your advice to others, will go over this information a few times before attempting my first weld !
I'm an artist... was thinking about this 110 welder for some scrap metal sculpture and armatures, etc. I don't have 220 at my place. This should do the trick! 😊
Yes this Titanium 125 would be perfect for that! I think you will be happy with it 🙂
@@Mikefestiva great, I used to weld bronze twenty years ago with a TIG almost daily. But haven't picked up a welder since...hope I can pick up on mig welding, I'll keep posted to ur channel for tips 👍
Was thinking of going with the cheap Chicago electric flux core. I think you just changed my mind. Thank you.
Yes I think this welder is definitely a upgrade from there Chicago flux welder. Thanks for checking out my video :) Take care
I was also considering the the $100 flux welder, but it seems like for an extra ~$60 this is worth it.
I was STOKED when HF came out with the Vulcan 125...I had previously been using the Chicago flux core box welder....NOT ANY MORE!!!...Like Night & Day Difference!!!😎👍🏻
Ordered mine Wednesday. Can't wait for it to come in
Glad your first impressions are good.
Right on! I think you will like yours :) so far I think it’s a great compact but powerful welder.
@@Mikefestiva I hope so as I'm downgrading from a Hobart 210MVP. Just never used anything but flux core and 110v for my simple needs
Harbor Freight no longer includes welding wire with this unit, so be sure you pick some up when you buy the welder!
Yeap, just got one no wire in box. Their 2lbs .030 is like $15 although much higher quality wire is the close to same price on Amazon.
I just bought 6 pounds (three 2 pound spools) of wire off Amazon for $24.99. Much cheaper than HF!
I am a newbie at all this just got this welder to learn with and splatter is killing me. I know it’s me now and not the machine after seeing this video. Really enjoy your channel and teaching style. You kick it for some one like me to understand and have helped me a lot. Thanks for the work and time 👊
I'm truly looking forward to seeing you upgrade this welder to a mig setup(gas). I know this can be done , because we had a friend do it in the past . I remember he had to rig the trigger power up a little different but that's been a few years ago and a different brand of welder. Looking forward.
Thanks for commenting :)
I think it’s definitely possible, I ordered some parts to convert it, I have a relay wired up to the circuit board and it switches when you pull the MIG trigger now, I tapped into the power on the board. Now I just need to wire up the gas valve and order a new MIG whip that’s set up to flow gas though it. Hopefully I can finish it in the next few weeks :) Take care
Get one before the tariffs kick in. Seems like a solid choice. Thanks for the review.
Thanks for checking out my video! Yes so far I have been really happy with this little welder. Take care
cold wire feed is a great feature as well. i didn't see the switch till after i installed the spool.
Haha thanks for commenting! I didn’t read the manual so I missed that feature :) Thanks I see its tucked on the back side of the front panel. Thanks Ronald! That’s definitely a nice extra feature.
Just picked one up today, I'm excited to get started practicing. Thanks for the review! As a beginner your information is really helpful to me.
Nice dude thanks! I was just asking about different welders and this was the first suggestion for beginners. Great video. I look forward to learning and checking out more videos like this.
I built a reverse trike scooter with a 90 AMP for the first time it's one of a kind. And you did a review on this one needless to say someday I'll get one for newer projects thank you for the review
Thanks for giving all this important information. I’m staring how to weld , and as a matter a fact I bought the same welder .
Thanks my friend
I think you will enjoy learning how to weld, it’s a great skill to know 👍
I bought one from harbor freight and welds great you won't go wrong
Thanks for the video looks like the perfect unit for me your welds came out looking good
Wow. I saw this at HF the other day. Had my doubts. After seeing this review im going to pick one up. Great content
These are perfect for throwing in the Jeep and being able to do a quick weld on the trail to get back home
There junk
@@bobcat8439 they're* at least learn to spell if you're going to trash talk a product.
Great review. I just picked up one of these today. I haven’t welded in 20+ years. Man I am rusty. Mangled 4 tips in ten minutes lol. Easy to setup it did better than me. But your review helped me make up my mind. Thank you! I’ll keep practicing.
I (along with lots of your subscibers it seems!) grabbed this welder on Black Friday. Can you do some follow-up videos with it, if you have the time? I think small projects like building steel boxes/chests, attaching steel hinges, etc. would be right up your subs' alleys for this welder. Or maybe even a small engine stand to hold up one of those Predator engines when you're upgrading all of those parts on it for your dirt bike!
This guys got a great setup, if possible ide like to see some close ups of his welds maybe behind a arc proof shield. Love the saying "if it's got slag you drag". That in its self will help guys
Should be "If you want penetration, drag."
Guys, only push if you're working thin sheet, have a large root, are welding 3 up, or are hardfacing. Really anything 10 ga or over, maybe 12 ga if you want to go hot and fast, will benefit from a drag angle.
I’m thinking about picking one up. They have them on sale for a pretty good deal. I’ve done some welding, had my 6-G GTAW cert years ago but i didn’t work in the field for long, got into something that pays a little more, but this would be perfect for around the house, little diy projects and helping out friends who need something welded.
great review. i picked up one of these for $150 on black friday. works great. my only comment is i wish the wires were detachable. it's light but awkward dragging the cables around while it's connected to the machine. solid little machine though, worth every penny.
I think you will be happy with this little welder, for the price they are hard to beat! Take care
I was going to go for the Vulcan 215 mig, but I'm a beginner. I going to start with this one. The price is right. Then I will move up to the Vulcan if I need to.
Great Mike. Now I'm anxious for the follow up video.
Right on Kevin! Hopefully soon :)
Just got mine today for 170 love it . Haha I forgot I could weld this good
I had always thought of Flux as what to use when your bottle is empty and u cant get another in time, but when you mentioned outdoor welding in windy conditions I saw a light bulb... Thanks Mike!
Haha yes I’m not the biggest fan of flux ether, I for sure prefer MIG but for a light weight compact welder I think it’s got it’s place, in the next video I look forward to seeing how it runs on a generator, test out the welds with a acid etch test and maybe start showing my nephew how to weld! Take care and thanks for commenting :)
Ive seen road service use this exact welding machine to repair a class 8 (60,000 lbs) trailer landing gear out in the field. Solid machine lol
Glad to know that. I plan on doing a little structural work with mine as well.
Looks like a great little welder! If my DCEN modified HF 90amp ever quits on me, this one would be the one I will get to replace it.
Right on! Thanks for checking out my video :)
Let's definitely test a duty cycle and compare to the Lincoln 140
Sounds good!
I’m used to (amateur) welding with a big ass Miller with argon gas, but I bought this to do a little stuff. I tried to fix my snowblower handle and it was the worst welds I’ve ever done lol! And I’m not blaming the machine at all, I know I just need to fine-tune it. The weld held for a little while, needless to say I’ll get to practice welding some more on the snowblower…🤣🤣
Dumb questions, please forgive me I'm a beginner who doesn't want to get zapped:
1. It's safe to lean on table with arm/elbow while welding?
2. It's safe to put gun on table when not using?
3. Is it necessary to get a metal welding table or can wood be used?
Hello Alexandra
You won’t get shocked if you touch or lean on your welding bench when welding, the only time there could be an issue is if you are outside welding in the rain and standing in a puddle and even that is extremely rare that you would have a problem.
yes you can put the MIG gun down on your bench or table, if the trigger isn’t pushed in then the wire won’t come out and the tip of the mig gun won’t be energized.
You can put a piece of metal on a wood bench but it’s not preferable because the wood underneath can get hot and possibly be a fire hazard.
I would recommend if you bought this welder, consider going to Harbor Freight and buy there small adjustable welding table, it sells for about $80 and I think it would be well worth it for you.
What kind of projects do you plan on welding, ART projects or just fixing and repairs?
Here’s a video that will help you get started with this little welder, if you like the video consider subscribing please 🙂
One other thing, if you weld in your garage, consider once you are done, you stick around out there for another 45 minute or so, find something to do like cleaning up, it’s just something I like to do to stay out in the shop for the 45 minutes just for a fire watch, just to be on the safe side 🙂
th-cam.com/video/b-zI6OJe-ik/w-d-xo.html
@@Mikefestiva Hi Mike. Wow, thank you so much for answering! No welder on TH-cam has taken the time to answer these dumb questions of mine. First aid is my main concern as I'm a total newbie, so thanks again!
Yes, I just got this exact welder!
1. Thanks for clearing up leaning on the table. I was confused by that. I should only be welding in our garage. One last thing, if I have my table clamped, I shouldn't pick my project off the table and weld correct? I must always keep it on the table?
2. I'm now gona buy that welding table at Harbor Freight! I've been eye balling it, but my dad offered to make me a little wooden table. I'll just let him know its safer to get a little metal welding table.
3. I'm going to be welding tiny metal art, little sculptures, using scrap metal: metal hinges, bolts, screws, washers, utensils, etc. Nothing thicker than 1/8 in.
Thanks for the fire hazard tip. I'll stick around once everything is unplugged to make sure it's all safe.
Thanks for taking the time, Mike. Happy Holidays!
And, yes! I just now subscribed!
@@dec23 No problem 🙂 I’m happy to help, I like to encourage others to learn how to weld and fabricate, I think you will find a lot of good info in most of my videos.
To answer your other question, most of the time you can clamp your ground clamp to your metal table top and that works fine, if you pick your part up off the table and try to weld your welder won’t arc, you are usually better clamping your ground clamp to your sculpture, especially a clean metal surface, just quickly grind off any paint and rust, the reason you do this is because when you weld you are creating a electrical connection - ground clamp to + electrode wire.
When you buy more wire make sure to buy Flux welding wire, I use .035” there’s also .030” wire, what ever wire size you decide to buy, make sure you buy the same size electrode tips for your welder( the small copper tip that your wire comes out of at the tip of your Mig gun)
A few more things to consider, clean off any paint or rust in the area you’re planning on welding, also grind off any galvanized coating on bolts and stuff in the area you are welding, Zinc isn’t healthy to breath when it burns.
One thing I would also suggest buying at some point is a welding respirator, I bought a nice Miller welding respirator on Amazon for about $35?
Here’s another video that could help, this is part 1 there is a part 2 to this video as well. th-cam.com/video/xT-DqcsuzBM/w-d-xo.html
One last thing, make sure you have a fun time! Grab some scraps of metal and just practice when you get time. Welding is a good skill to learn and it’s fun creating stuff! Ps I also have a video that covers places to salvage free scraps of metal so check that video out too.
Take care 🙂👍
@@Mikefestiva Hi Mike! Excellent tips, man! Seriously, you've given me information I never thought about. I'll be looking through more of your videos! Yeah, I'll just clamp directly to my sculpture - it should be a decent size sculpture for an easy clamp. Good tips on shaving off any galvanized coats on bolts - i never thought about that. I believe I will have to do that for utensils as well.
If I have any more questions when I start welding, I hope you'll keep me in mind! Happy welding! 👍🏼🗜
I just grabbed the 140 model on Craigslist. Good welders. They give you a cheat sheet to set it up... Light weight!
I have one and have to admit it welds nice. You do need better wire and a better clamp though.
Great welder! Thanks Buddy. I disagree with the adage "slag ya drag", vertical up is a push.
Welders like these have saved a lot of "bacon" out in the desert canyons of Utah, etc. on "4x4 excursions" where we'd break something that really needed to be welded as opposed to bolts or tape, etc. (I busted a control arm in the middle of nowhere, Montana. Limped for miles upon miles without seeing a sole).
People like to stroke their own egos and put down anything smaller than the "best" *they're* able to buy but, that's nonsense.
As long as the welder keeps a clean bead at reasonable duty cycles (more than a couple of inches before cycling out for 30 min. to cool down), it's OK for fixing frames and supports, making jigs and fixtures, etc., esp. while out on the trail.
As I say, people really enjoy "pooh pooh-ing" something like this, right up until *they* are the ones that need to be rescued.
My son and I are outfitting a big (mid 80s), 4x4 Suburban for a cross country, open trail trip.
I'll be setting up a dual battery system with possibly even a third (I get overly ambitious at times) strictly for running lights, etc. w/an alternator stolen from a fire/rescue vehicle to handle the extra amps and will have a large inverter for a computer, small fridge, welder, etc.
There's *no way* I'm going to be stuck in the middle of nowhere, on a solo run, with a busted frame, rock slider, spare carrier, skid plate, torn body panel or just a busted swing arm on a "swing-out, utility hook" that supports gear.
I've seen too many "that could never happen" type situations that actually happened because...
"Murphy is my co-pilot." 😆
Anyone planning an overland excursion or building a search/rescue type of vehicle should *always* dedicate space/weight allocation for 100 lbs. (minimum, 100 lbs goes fast) of tools/equip. such as a welder, hand tools, cordless impact, grinder, compressor, etc., *on top* of the "standard kit" of shovel/pick/axe/pry bar/sand anchor/jack, jack handle & jack foot plate/winch accessory (snatch-block, tree straps, cable blanket, shackles, gloves, remote, etc.) that are *mandatory* for any long distance, off-road adventure... Outside of a close-to home, RV park, "single destination" (driving in a circle) type trip.
I realize how much "extra stuff" I've written as "necessary" here but, I've seen *lots* of people (including myself) lost/stuck/disabled in some pretty desolate landscapes while I was living and stationed out in the Montana/Utah/Colorado/Nevada deserts and mountains of the Rockies...
Some of them didn't come out alive. People are too over confident and put themselves in over their heads, all because they let their ego overtake their common sense.
While in the Airforce, in Utah we did a *lot* of civilian relief, flood aversion and S&R types of operations, after the massive, annual storms and flash-floods that would wipe both things and people out of the canyons and flood the city of Salt Lake. Some simple equipment would have saved a lot of lives and desperate situations but, inexperience and over confidence, the "curse of the rookies" gets a *lot* of people into trouble. For every one seen/noted, there are several more that go unreported because they got out on their own... Eventually.
If *anything* I've said here gets people to realize the dangers and saves just one person or family from tragedy, that's what it's all about and this diatribe/rant is worth it.
That starts with being properly prepared for the unforseen/predictable events that are inevitable, once you're out of cell phone range.
Something like a portable, light duty welder (flux core mig or even small stick) would be a godsend when you bust a control arm or tie rod.
Bright blessings, easy trails and pretty sights to all (and to all a good night...) 😉
"Murphy is my co-pilot." Too funny!
@@miscellaneous037
Thanks, you induced me to reread and "fix" my late night, rant of a comment. It "reads better" now (but it doesn't really read, at all). 😀
Nice, I've been threatening off and on for years to get a welder, maybe this will be the one :) thanks for sharing!
Right on! Yes this is a good affordable entree level welder that’s quite powerful especially for its size! Take care
@clint, same with me, I almost picked up the Chicago Electric one, because it was so cheap, wouldn't be a big loss if I wasn't good. Glad I waited, the flux 125 from Titanium so far has only impressed and it's so easy to use.
Great video, just bought one, new at welding
Thx Jeffery for the info on your settings! Awesome sharing!!!
I picked up one of these last weekend for $149 plus tax. I have always used my old Lincoln AC225 “tombstone” or oxyacetylene torch. I had gotten fairly adept at thin stuff with 1/16 rods with the Lincoln. But now I know why everyone uses MIG or flux for sheet metal. Love the little Titanium 125. Now I want the Ultimate 200. Thanks a lot Mike. You costing me money🤣🤣🤣
Right on! These little welders are quite useful! Yes the Titanium 200 is a great welder and I highly recommend buying on. I used a stick welder just like you described for many years, but once I got a MIG welder I found myself using the old Lincoln less and less. Take care 🙂
lucky guy, I can't find one and I ordered with the 179$ coupon indefinite backorder on my email
Great vid!! I watched a while back and watched again since I just picked up the titanium 125. First welder and have done some fence repairs with it.
Beautifully Produced!!! Most videos of this nature are just flat-out too painful to watch. Everyone is trying to be the next Cecil B DeMille. I subscribed... and I don't even weld. Although after watching your video that could change... Thanks for the info!
Thanks I really appreciate your comment 🙂 and thanks for subscribing too!
Nope just getting started like what you have to say about the welder so I’m looking at going out and picking one up here in the next few weeks. We’ll work great for my small farm!
Thanks, Michael. Another good video!
Right on David! Thanks :)
Great video Mike, I found it on Harbor Freights website when looking for a welder! I think it will be perfect for what i need, I don't weld much at all. You make it look easy, I hope my welds turn out that nice!
Right on! I think you will get some good use out of this welder. A friend of mine mentioned he saw my video on the Harbor Freight website about 6 months ago, that’s cool there still using my review on there 👍
Take care
@@Mikefestiva Yeah, I actually ended up buying the titanium 140. I'll need to do some thin exhaust stuff so I figured that having the gas would be a nice option for that. So far I just did some flux core welding and it worked great.
Nice review... I know nothing about welding, with that being said would u reccomend i start off with a wire welder like one u just reviewed or a stick welder...
I had a stick welder, it was hard to get an arc started and would often trip the 15amp breaker in my garage. Bought the Titanium 125, it is practically point and burn. Doesn't trip my breaker either. Clean metal, good ground, and I don't pay any attention to the chart on the case...I typically keep the wire speed at 50-75% and I just adjust the amps higher and lower based on how thick the metal is. I've welded exhaust/mufflers, dirt bike, atv, moped frames, riding mower decks and more. A neighbor has one and built a fairly heavy duty utility trailer with this welder, he has more skill than me and his welds look great. Mine don't look amazing but they hold.
I need to put new floor pans in my Ghia, would this little welder work for those, not sure how I ground the frame?
Definitely not bad for price I love mine
Yes they are great little welders! I have mine to my brother because he needed a welder. I have one at my work still, we use it often for simple repairs when you don’t want to pack a gas bottle along. Take care
@@Mikefestiva Would you mind doing some penetration etch testing? Maybe test penetration on flat vs beveled edges.
Another well done video Mike. Well done! I would like it if you can test this new welder with a 5500 watt or lower gas engine generator!
Sounds good! I have a generator around the 4500 watt size, I will definitely try it on the next video. Take care :)
As long as the generator has a 20 Amp branch circuit...IT'LL WELD!!!😎👍🏻...Lesee....V x A = W.... 120 Volts x 20 Amps = 2,400 Watts....I'd say you could get along quite nicely with a minimum 3,500 Watt Generator!!!😁👍🏻
Just bought mine today. Can't wait to see just how bad I weld. Lolol.