I got my Titanium 125 when about 2 months ago for $150. I am currently putting angle iron rails on my utility trailer with it. That thing does some very nice welds, and I've never really welded before; especially not flux core. That machine is very much worth it.
I own a small engine repair shop. I needed a small wire feed welder for welding on mower decks and other things around the shop. The Titanium 125 is awesome. It’s tiny and weighs nothing. Welds great and easy to use. I upgraded the ground clamp to the heavy duty brass one and put Lincoln wire in it.
@@-DIYPRO- do you know if you can use these with a stick welder attachment? just wanted to see if that was an option or not for mig welders. i've only welded a couple times and was hoping to have both options.
Mech , you didn't mention the little wire feed switch on the inside left just under the hood . That allows you to feed wire into the gun effortlessly , all you have to do is remove the tip and let it fly . That is a really nice addition to the Titanium . I bought the 90 amp model , got it home , unpacked it and looked things over and the next day returned it for the Titanium , well worth the extra 70 bucks or so , had coupons for both . Being disabled , and unable to lift much , the weight difference was the biggest reason , second was the ability to have the infinite control of both voltage and amperage .
I have a small engine repair shop. I have a really nice stick welder but I wanted a small wire feed welder I could use with an extension cord so I could do repairs on things without having to get them close enough to my stick welder. The Titanium EZ Flux 125 is freaking awesome. It’s tiny, weighs almost nothing and plugs into a standard 120 outlet. I recommend throwing the flux-core wire and the ground clamp that comes with it in the trash and getting some Lincoln wire and the heavy duty brass ground clamp.
For those of you who were always tinkering with your car to make it faster, the Chicago welder is the way to go. It has a bigger footprint hence lots of room for modifications. For 40 bucks you can turn that little six cylinder welder into a mighty V8. With a rectifier you can change from AC to DC, pick your polarity then supercharge it with a capacitor. It will run circles around that Titanium machine.
@@patricklitwin975 Not really because a problem with the HF welder is you don't have a regulator, just a high and low switch. In my case, this was a 20 year old HF 90 welder. Like an old car it was just gathering dust. Like the previous comment, this is a fun weekend project, and it will boost the power of the HF welder, but for all around performance you can buy a low cost DC welder with a regulator, and there are a lot of them on the market.
I just traded up the Titanium 125 from the Chicago Electric and completed my first welds with the Titanium. The welding experience is night and day compared to the CE. The wire offers less resistance. The pool is much more visible. The experience of welding is much smoother overall. The difference doesn't seem that great on paper. But in actually welding, the difference is major. If the penetration is greater as seen in some videos. It really is worth it. This video helped me make the decision, so thanks Mech Master. You don't really compare the machines in depth, but the information you gave was well worth it. BTW, on my versions which was the CE 125 (renamed) the gun did seem a bit better, smaller, and the clamp was improved, stronger grip and a flat end for more contact. (not huge changes but good) These can still be purchased on big sale days for $169.
I bought one on a member discount 169.00, welds better than my Lincoln 125. I just finish converting a pickup bed box trailer to an 8' 6" x 6' 6" flat bed did all the welding with the Titanium, very impressed.
The newest models of the Chicago welder put down really nice beads with the new Vulcan wire, after a bit of tinkering I actually got it to run better than the Lincoln wire I would normally use, but the titanium still blows it out of the water haha it’s not even a competition
I have the titanium 125 for ~170 bucks. Brand new welder but after watching a few videos I can join metal together which is exciting. Very simple to get started.
For those of you that don't know, the power switch is on the back because European regs says the power switch must be a certain distance from the power supply. Or something like that. Got started with the 90amp flux-core welder, have since made a serious upgrade. But keep the cheap Chicago Electric/HF welders around for fun.
@@-DIYPRO- I got the Titanium 125, at $169 and it came with no wire. I learned to weld in the Navy in the 60's and did a lot in my 37 at Ford motor. This little thing really impressed me for small stuff
Was looking at the two literally an hour ago. Figured I should do a little research before making the purchase. Thanks for the video. Omw to grab that titanium on sale right now!
Great video with good info. I am saving back to get the Titanium 125. I will probably get it next spring for a diy topper for my Ford Ranger. I have a few other little projects that come up now and then, but no place inside to weld.
I'm just a newbie guessing but from the descriptions I'm thinking that the Chicago Electric is an "old" fashioned transformer AC welder (hence the heavier weight) and the Titanium is a newer DC based inverter technology to make those smoother welds. Note also that the Titanium has a 30% duty cycle whereas the Chicago Electric only has a 20% duty cycle.
I already picked one up. Love it! I did however change the ground clamp to a better one. Also, you forgot to mention that when you put in new wire, there is a button on the inside of the welder to feed the wire fast without powering the gun. It's in back of the front panel as you open the welder.
I was in to buy this yesterday! They are out of stock in all but one store in a 90 mile radius! I ended up with a Lincoln Handy Mig instead. Haven't even tested it yet! I might grab this Titanium 125 if it goes on sale! I see it for $170 with a super coupon. I like the size! Love to see what kind of penetration it gets compared to the Lincoln. The one nice thing about the Handy Mig, it's gas or Flux and honestly, it was only about $100.00 more! Even came with two full rolls of wire! (that's $30-40.00 right there!)
Just picked one up today...only saved 10 bucks and I bought the $20 1 year equipment protection 🤷♂️ Haven't used her yet, but looking forward to putting some ideas into production...when I have time.
Thanks for all your videos I’ve been watching a lot of them and it’s helped me quite a bit, I used to weld when I was in my late teens now 40 years later I want to learn how to weld again I want to get a good quality welder but I’m thinking of getting the titanium flex 125 just to have it and I can carry that with me when I go off roading back country travel with my jeep in teardrop trailer but my question is will that small welder work with a gas generator? thanks again for all your videos I think they’re awesome and extremely helpful for someone like myself👍
I haven't watched the entire video but.... I can tell you this... the Titanium is a much better welder than the CE. The Titanium welds like butter. I picked mine up and couldn't get my CE125 on facebook marketplace fast enough.
I've got both welders and I can agree that the titanium 125 is infinity better than the central electric 125. I've had the central electric 90amp model for about 4 years now, put 10 rolls of wire though it in that time and its not bad once you figure it's quirks out, at the time it was the only portable 125 welder I could afford. Its a tank but it has serious limitations. The titanium 125 if so much nicer in every way; the only thing I've found with it is it doesn't play well with my old 2200watt generator, so I use the 90 amp flux core when I need a portable welder
I just got one yesterday and I have very little experience with welding but I'm a professional blacksmith and custom knife maker so I thought it's time to start welding and I can't say enough good things about the Titanium. I absolutely love it. I have already built myself a small welding table and the welds look not too bad. I'll definitely improve over time but I'm more of a function over fashion guy so as long as it holds and doesn't come apart I'm too concerned about how ugly the bead is 🤪
The one problem with the exposed tip is that it’s live. Touch to the work when welding, and it will weld to your work. But I bought this little guy for some work where I can’t get my other welders to that aren’t critical, and it works just fine. If you don’t know how to weld, the welds won’t be good. It’s harder to flux weld than MiG weld. But if you do know how to weld, you can get some pretty good welds.
Got mine for $169.00 a few months ago and i'm just learning to weld. Found out right off the bat i had to replace the factory wire with lincoln innershield it less spatter and cleaner welds. Love the little machine learning alot with it
I'm in my early 40s and have been interested in learning more about welding, but never tried it before. Harbor Freight just had the Titanium 125 Flux on sale for $129.99, so I ordered it and some gear (helmet, gloves, better ground clamp, etc.) and am excited to try it out when it arrives in the mail. Do you have any recommendations on where to find scrap metal to learn with?
Dang my old Lincoln and Miller's were boat anchors. Bought a Tooliom 200 for 300$ on Amazon , dual voltage, MIG, flux, rod and lift TIG , great machine 10 ft leads. And yes the nozzle matters as you use it as a pivot /drag set. Anybody who welds difficult has a nozzle MIG or flux.
Given that fluxcore by nature doesn't produce the cleanest welds, it's most practical use is for field work in windy conditions where using gas isn't the best option. Understandably and also innately, fluxcore is the homeowner's choice because of price and least amount of setup. 15 lbs is pretty lightweight I'd say and along with being the lowest pricepoint option, it would make sense buyer's wouldn't buy a cart for it. A strap seems to make the most sense to me so the user, whether a homeowner or pro working onsite hired for small repair gigs, can just strap it over their shoulder and fix things around the house or on site.
@@-DIYPRO- actually I got them both at the same time, and for some reason on the lowest setting the titanium seems to be incredibly hotter. Where it’s almost to hot. The Chicago don’t burn through half as bad. By no means do I want anyone to take my part of this conversation as advice! Bc I’m not professional by any means. Just shade tree messing with hobby’s for several years.
Was deciding on this welder or the Forney 125 ! From the looks of it the Titanium 125 seems to be the better deal ! The Forney can take a 10 lb. spool, but has limited settings, and only a 6 month warranty. The power cord comes out the front on the Forney, and comes with a mig tip. Plus !! Black Friday price on the Titanium will be $149.99 !! 👀😱👀😱👀😱👀😱👀👍👍😁
The only thing I dislike about my titanium 125 is it doesn't take a 10# spool of wire. The 2# just don't last long. A longer lead would be nice too, but it is light weight when you have to move it. Just a bit of a pain.
On the thin sheet metal i had to run the T-125 on A-4. Welded great and had no burn threw. Love my T-125. I still had the 90 for shelf art. It keeped tripping my breakers.
I just bought the HF 125 bc $150 is all I had on me but after watching this I wish I had known about DC and AC power and I wish I had bought the titanium welder. Yea I can take it back and upgrade I just hate doing that.
Today in Katy, TX: Titanium is $210. Chicago Electric is $150 - $30 off = $120. Almost half the price, so I went with CE. But still not sure. If they were both on sale, it would be easier to justify the difference.
I was going to upgrade the ground clamp but my brother showed me a trick. If you have an old battery cable or thick piece of stranded copper about a foot or so fold it in half then shove it down into the clamp. It will have good clamp tension and contact. I really don't care what it looks like, I'd rather save $.
I wish I watchthis video about a week ago before a purchased the chigago electric 125. It did the job just fine but titanium seems to be a better welded hands down.
I just picked this up today and it doesn’t cold feed into wood like the manual says without cycling off. Welding is extremely intermittent even after fixing the feed problem. Do you think it could be my ground or a faulty inverter?
I don't think the Titanium is available here in the U.K., we don't have Harbour Freight. We do have the other welder available in the genetic form under umpteen Chinese badges. The smaller one looks fantastic, especially for someone who wants to be mobile and probably working outdoors where flux has the upper hand. They would need to be near a power supply but I can see it being very popular with farmers. Or even someone who has a power source on the back of their pickup. Another excellent video.
i have to disagree with your supposition,, for about 14 years i used almost daily one of the HF blue 110v welders, that i paid $72 on sale in 03, as my only welder and i used it for everything from doing intricate little welds building scrap metal art motorcycles to putting sides on my utility trailer and modifying motorcycle and bicycle frames and throughout that whole time that little never kickoff on thermal one time and if you switched to a decent flux wire like forney you didn't have near as much splatter as you did with HF wire. with that said i will concur that if you can afford it get the inverter welder because they are better but if you can't afford it then there's no problem using the cheaper welder for more then just one project regardless of what anyone else says...........
Only difference in the two is weight the titanium lays a slightly better bead but not much if you need a welder the Chicago electric works great and last forever......and the titanium is 65 more dollars its now 220 thanks to inflation and the Chicago is 149
I needed a small welding job done one a set of street bike pipes(cat delete), and I could pay $250 to have it done, or buy this welder and do it myself. I have four machines, but just bought a house and the garage doesn't have 240 power(yet). This will solve two problems at once, and save me over paying to have work done I can do myself.
Nothing to be scared of, but definitely requires a level of respect. Biggest thing is fire safety protocol and even though it *probably* won’t kill you, don’t get any part of your body on the work piece between the ground clamp and the gun. Upstream of either is relatively safe, but going between them will almost certainly result in a shock in the right conditions. Like I said, probably won’t kill you but it isn’t pleasant either 😂
@@ihatekate08 thats funny cuz I use the ground clamp as a guide for my hand so I don't get too close to the piece . I don't use gloves and the rubber handles on the ground are long gone
You might have a video on this already, not sure as this is the first video of your's I believe I have watched. But what accessories do we need to buy after we get the welder? Everyone does a video on the welder but not so much the other stuff you need to get and what they do.
See if these help you out. Let me know if you have any questions after that. th-cam.com/video/36eOiqFM0ls/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/FWY6K2rwsTU/w-d-xo.html
WRONG! The HF 90amp can do a lot of projects, not just one and by the time you upgrade to the titanium you’ll be almost an expert in welding thin metals. Due to lack of HF90 settings, you know exactly what you’re doing when you can control the machine😅😅😅
Yeah I have mastered the HF 125 flux core Chicago Electric black brand welder. That thing is great as long as the hands behind it are. Upgrade the ground. Run it off a dedicated 20amp circuit. Prep your mating surfaces. I've gotten paintable welds off that machine. Best 90 bucks I've ever spent. I also have other welders but I wont knock that HF welder specially at that price.
There's one big reason you missed, why to get the Chicago 125 welder.... if you want to run big 10 lb wire spools. The Titanium only takes the small 2lb spools, no room for the 10lb'ers to fit. You can get 10 lb spools on Amazon for $35. The 2 lb spools are $15-20. Its less than half the price so you'll save big time running 10 lb spools. $10 per lb vs $3.50 per lb. Way cheaper.
Pissed I bought the $100 welder last summer. I just bought the Titanium 125 and its so much better. I had looked into doing the DC conversion on the cheaper welder and its just not worth the money or effort.
is the titanium welder strong enough to weld tabs to a motorcycle frame? I am trying to weld few metal tabs to the frame where the seat would fit so that the seat feels secure enough? any replies would be much appreciated.
Assuming your tabs are 3/16in. Or thinner than yes it would do just fine. If you haven't welded much I'd highly suggest practicing a bunch to make sure you are getting a full pen weld, that is if that is if your safety is dependent on the weld.
@@-DIYPRO- thanks for you reply. any idea if the welder would work with a outlet of 15amp as that is only available outlet i have at my apartment and unfortunately no garage. I'll try to practice as much as I could before welding the frame, the only reason I am welding it by myself is because all the local welders in dallas are charging me more than 100$ for simple job and so I thought why not I weld the frame myself.
It was more that if are getting a welder to weld a bunch then you'll want to spend the extra and get the titanium. If you just have that one project to do and then it's going to sit in the garage for 10 years then the Chicago electric will do just fine. It will weld more than just once.
if you buy it to save money on a car repair by doing it yourself and not planning on using it again for awhile get the ce. but if you are going to get into more stuff get the tie
I got my flux 90 for 15$ when we switched from the "flux 90" to the "flux 125" (they are the same welder, the 90 was a 125). Then I did a trade up at full price a couple years later , when the titanium 125 went on sale and I think the difference was like 20$. Basically I got the titanium 125 for 35$ brand new
Not the same welder, the 90 amp the wire feed motor runs on ac while the 125 runs on dc also the 125 runs a lot smoother both circuit boards are different
I ordered mine online because NONE of the stores had em. That's another downside of the COVID stimulus: everyone is buying the toys I want with their expendable income!😂
I need to fabricate a engine mount for a go kart and dont really know how to weld but it's time I learned! You guys think this Titanium will do the job? The engine is a cr125 2stroke going on a shifter kart doing 80mph+
I just bought the Titanium as a present for myself for Christmas and for all the reasons you stated, plus it was on sale for $179. It's a great entry level welder, dc current which is better for flux and better voltage control. Plus I need to work out doors so Mig is not an option at the moment. I also plan on changing out the ground clamp for a better circuit and a better weld. Been watching many videos on the subject and have learned so much without even dropping a bead yet. I can't wait to try this baby out! 😁
I disagree if you do a lot of welding you would constantly be changing wire with the titanium compared to the Chicago that holds a 10 pound reel both work just as good you just got to dial it in
For $80-100 the flux 90-125 is about where I'd stop spending cash on a flux only hobo freight unit . At $200 you may as well go another $100 and pick up a factory refurbished ez 130 hobart that has gas shielded capability that will be vastly superior for welding thin sheet with c25 vs self shielded
wire speed on 125 does not control amps or current.. it controls wire speed only.. even if u convert the 125 to dcen. 120vac into transformer 35ish vac out on hi and 25ish vac on low... about the same on converting with bridge. the wire speed is takes its power from the output of the transformer. to a bridge on the board to bring it down to its volts and current. not watch whole vid et. but comparing ac welder to a dcen isnt much of one.. its 2 diff animals..
This is from Miller website "Wire speed controls amperage as well as the amount of weld penetration." This is from welding.com " the faster the wire is feed into the joint, the better contact it has. The better contact, the more amperage gets through the wire and the higher the heat." I'll let you think about it.
@@-DIYPRO- i can understand that. it came off as direct control inside with circuit. there saying yes it does. but not like a circuit board could do more control.... so ill give them 50% lol
The Titanium needs a real handle. Also a metal wire feeding system. I personally would be happy to pay a few extra $$$$ for that after coupon of course.
I plan on buying 10# spools and then filling my little 2# spools as needed . Respooling wire shouldn't be that difficult , several videos on TH-cam about it , yeah , some are commercial and some are just absolutely crazy , but the idea behind it is fairly simple . The Titanium came with a small spool , and I bought 2 - 2 pounders off Amazon , so with 3 spools , I should be able to make a decent effort to respool some wire . Will be a lot cheaper too .
@@dring219, would love to see someone respool the wire exactky like it is wound by the factory. Besides, the customer will be paying for the wire, not me, when I weld.
@@thefirewooddoctor I have also seen a welder / cart mod that had had a spool holder attached to a welding cart that held a 10# spool of wire and a hole was drilled in the back of the welder . That would only work if the welder was never bumped or moved out of position . An external spool holder with retainers would be quite a bit easier to make and also use . Only downside is debris collecting on the large spool if it wasn't properly covered and wire wipes would have to be in place .I am also not welding for others , just myself , so respooling is something my wife and I can do while we are sitting watching TV .
Thats cause you havent a clue... these are night and day difference. Chicago one will burn threw cause all you have is a high and a low so either not enough power or to much.
YOUR wrong I’ve had my harbor freight 125 for over 5 years and no problems my new titanium 200 is hard to adjust keeps burning through my stainless yet my hb 125 which is not supposed to do stainless does beautiful
A more fair comparison between the two would be to convert the Chicago Electric to DC using the bridge rectifier. Re @bulvie603 below true but cost more than $40. Advantage of a transformer welder is far more durable components than the inverter welder. The Titanium welder has sensitive circuit boards / electronics that are sensitive to temp changes and shorter life expectancy. So the old school Chicago is really a tougher welder that the other and when converted has a steady electrode output.
I got my Titanium 125 when about 2 months ago for $150. I am currently putting angle iron rails on my utility trailer with it. That thing does some very nice welds, and I've never really welded before; especially not flux core. That machine is very much worth it.
Good luck with the trailer!
I own a small engine repair shop. I needed a small wire feed welder for welding on mower decks and other things around the shop. The Titanium 125 is awesome. It’s tiny and weighs nothing. Welds great and easy to use. I upgraded the ground clamp to the heavy duty brass one and put Lincoln wire in it.
Still use and love mine.
@@-DIYPRO- do you know if you can use these with a stick welder attachment? just wanted to see if that was an option or not for mig welders. i've only welded a couple times and was hoping to have both options.
Mech , you didn't mention the little wire feed switch on the inside left just under the hood . That allows you to feed wire into the gun effortlessly , all you have to do is remove the tip and let it fly . That is a really nice addition to the Titanium . I bought the 90 amp model , got it home , unpacked it and looked things over and the next day returned it for the Titanium , well worth the extra 70 bucks or so , had coupons for both . Being disabled , and unable to lift much , the weight difference was the biggest reason , second was the ability to have the infinite control of both voltage and amperage .
Yea, should have!
I have a small engine repair shop. I have a really nice stick welder but I wanted a small wire feed welder I could use with an extension cord so I could do repairs on things without having to get them close enough to my stick welder. The Titanium EZ Flux 125 is freaking awesome. It’s tiny, weighs almost nothing and plugs into a standard 120 outlet. I recommend throwing the flux-core wire and the ground clamp that comes with it in the trash and getting some Lincoln wire and the heavy duty brass ground clamp.
For those of you who were always tinkering with your car to make it faster, the Chicago welder is the way to go. It has a bigger footprint hence lots of room for modifications. For 40 bucks you can turn that little six cylinder welder into a mighty V8. With a rectifier you can change from AC to DC, pick your polarity then supercharge it with a capacitor. It will run circles around that Titanium machine.
I'd definitely side with you if you are a sparky and want a fun weekend project. If not then spend $50 more and get DC with the Titanium.
Very interesting. Will either of these mods help with welding thin sheet metal without blowing through?
@@patricklitwin975 Not really because a problem with the HF welder is you don't have a regulator, just a high and low switch. In my case, this was a 20 year old HF 90 welder. Like an old car it was just gathering dust. Like the previous comment, this is a fun weekend project, and it will boost the power of the HF welder, but for all around performance you can buy a low cost DC welder with a regulator, and there are a lot of them on the market.
I just traded up the Titanium 125 from the Chicago Electric and completed my first welds with the Titanium. The welding experience is night and day compared to the CE. The wire offers less resistance. The pool is much more visible. The experience of welding is much smoother overall. The difference doesn't seem that great on paper. But in actually welding, the difference is major. If the penetration is greater as seen in some videos. It really is worth it. This video helped me make the decision, so thanks Mech Master. You don't really compare the machines in depth, but the information you gave was well worth it. BTW, on my versions which was the CE 125 (renamed) the gun did seem a bit better, smaller, and the clamp was improved, stronger grip and a flat end for more contact. (not huge changes but good) These can still be purchased on big sale days for $169.
my dad has had his chicago electric for 3 years and welds car frames together, so i think it’s well worth the price
Right on!
I say always go for the inverter welder. I went from a transformer welder to my Everlast inverter welder and it was like night to day in comparison.
I bought one on a member discount 169.00, welds better than my Lincoln 125. I just finish converting a pickup bed box trailer to an 8' 6" x 6' 6" flat bed did all the welding with the Titanium, very impressed.
Right on!
The newest models of the Chicago welder put down really nice beads with the new Vulcan wire, after a bit of tinkering I actually got it to run better than the Lincoln wire I would normally use, but the titanium still blows it out of the water haha it’s not even a competition
I do like the new Vulcan wire
I have the titanium 125 for ~170 bucks. Brand new welder but after watching a few videos I can join metal together which is exciting. Very simple to get started.
Nice, it actually is pretty cool to melt 2 pieces of metal together and have it stick!
For those of you that don't know, the power switch is on the back because European regs says the power switch must be a certain distance from the power supply. Or something like that. Got started with the 90amp flux-core welder, have since made a serious upgrade. But keep the cheap Chicago Electric/HF welders around for fun.
I just got the 125 and I bought hobart wire, it impressed me so much. I LOVE it
Which one? The Titanium or Chicago Electric? I don't think I've ever tried hobart wire, I'll have to put that on the list.
@@-DIYPRO- I got the Titanium 125, at $169 and it came with no wire. I learned to weld in the Navy in the 60's and did a lot in my 37 at Ford motor. This little thing really impressed me for small stuff
Was looking at the two literally an hour ago. Figured I should do a little research before making the purchase. Thanks for the video. Omw to grab that titanium on sale right now!
This sale is the cheapest it gets. I still love mine.
@@-DIYPRO-
I got mine with that same $60-70 welding table.
I just took off the ground clamp and bolted the ground cable to the side of the table
Great video with good info. I am saving back to get the Titanium 125. I will probably get it next spring for a diy topper for my Ford Ranger. I have a few other little projects that come up now and then, but no place inside to weld.
I'm just a newbie guessing but from the descriptions I'm thinking that the Chicago Electric is an "old" fashioned transformer AC welder (hence the heavier weight) and the Titanium is a newer DC based inverter technology to make those smoother welds. Note also that the Titanium has a 30% duty cycle whereas the Chicago Electric only has a 20% duty cycle.
I already picked one up. Love it! I did however change the ground clamp to a better one. Also, you forgot to mention that when you put in new wire, there is a button on the inside of the welder to feed the wire fast without powering the gun. It's in back of the front panel as you open the welder.
How has it been working out for you! Still have my Titanium and use it all the time.
I was in to buy this yesterday! They are out of stock in all but one store in a 90 mile radius! I ended up with a Lincoln Handy Mig instead. Haven't even tested it yet! I might grab this Titanium 125 if it goes on sale! I see it for $170 with a super coupon. I like the size! Love to see what kind of penetration it gets compared to the Lincoln. The one nice thing about the Handy Mig, it's gas or Flux and honestly, it was only about $100.00 more! Even came with two full rolls of wire! (that's $30-40.00 right there!)
That doesn't sound like to bad of a deal. If you end up getting the titanium let us know how they compare!
Just picked one up today...only saved 10 bucks and I bought the $20 1 year equipment protection 🤷♂️ Haven't used her yet, but looking forward to putting some ideas into production...when I have time.
just upgraded from the CE to the titanium .and the difference is night and day.its a bad ass little welder.perfect for my work van
Right on!
Thanks for all your videos I’ve been watching a lot of them and it’s helped me quite a bit, I used to weld when I was in my late teens now 40 years later I want to learn how to weld again I want to get a good quality welder but I’m thinking of getting the titanium flex 125 just to have it and I can carry that with me when I go off roading back country travel with my jeep in teardrop trailer but my question is will that small welder work with a gas generator? thanks again for all your videos I think they’re awesome and extremely helpful for someone like myself👍
I haven't watched the entire video but.... I can tell you this... the Titanium is a much better welder than the CE. The Titanium welds like butter. I picked mine up and couldn't get my CE125 on facebook marketplace fast enough.
Yep I hear you!
I've got both welders and I can agree that the titanium 125 is infinity better than the central electric 125. I've had the central electric 90amp model for about 4 years now, put 10 rolls of wire though it in that time and its not bad once you figure it's quirks out, at the time it was the only portable 125 welder I could afford. Its a tank but it has serious limitations. The titanium 125 if so much nicer in every way; the only thing I've found with it is it doesn't play well with my old 2200watt generator, so I use the 90 amp flux core when I need a portable welder
I just got one yesterday and I have very little experience with welding but I'm a professional blacksmith and custom knife maker so I thought it's time to start welding and I can't say enough good things about the Titanium. I absolutely love it. I have already built myself a small welding table and the welds look not too bad. I'll definitely improve over time but I'm more of a function over fashion guy so as long as it holds and doesn't come apart I'm too concerned about how ugly the bead is 🤪
These are great little side welders. I've had my Titanium for 3 years now and it still runs like new.
The one problem with the exposed tip is that it’s live. Touch to the work when welding, and it will weld to your work. But I bought this little guy for some work where I can’t get my other welders to that aren’t critical, and it works just fine. If you don’t know how to weld, the welds won’t be good. It’s harder to flux weld than MiG weld. But if you do know how to weld, you can get some pretty good welds.
I've been laying down welds with mine that I've been told they look like I used mig not flux core.
Got mine for $169.00 a few months ago and i'm just learning to weld. Found out right off the bat i had to replace the factory wire with lincoln innershield it less spatter and cleaner welds. Love the little machine learning alot with it
Yes i'd replace the wire. Surprisingly the Vulcan stuff HF sales ain't too bad.
Picked mine up when it was $169, wasn't the cheapest its been but no complaints.
Even thought it's gone for $149 i'd still pay $169 for another today!
I'm in my early 40s and have been interested in learning more about welding, but never tried it before. Harbor Freight just had the Titanium 125 Flux on sale for $129.99, so I ordered it and some gear (helmet, gloves, better ground clamp, etc.) and am excited to try it out when it arrives in the mail. Do you have any recommendations on where to find scrap metal to learn with?
Junkyards.
I own the chicago electric 125 and it's a reliable machine I've done pro work with it.
It can throw out some dissent welds. Have you had success or done any sheet metal work?
I want to see a video of this pro work
@@-DIYPRO- I've done 16 gauge no issue lower the wire speed and switch to min.
Dang my old Lincoln and Miller's were boat anchors. Bought a Tooliom 200 for 300$ on Amazon , dual voltage, MIG, flux, rod and lift TIG , great machine 10 ft leads. And yes the nozzle matters as you use it as a pivot /drag set. Anybody who welds difficult has a nozzle MIG or flux.
Given that fluxcore by nature doesn't produce the cleanest welds, it's most practical use is for field work in windy conditions where using gas isn't the best option. Understandably and also innately, fluxcore is the homeowner's choice because of price and least amount of setup. 15 lbs is pretty lightweight I'd say and along with being the lowest pricepoint option, it would make sense buyer's wouldn't buy a cart for it. A strap seems to make the most sense to me so the user, whether a homeowner or pro working onsite hired for small repair gigs, can just strap it over their shoulder and fix things around the house or on site.
Good insight!
my titanium 125 popped today. bad PCB layout shorted some resistors under one of the relays
Thanks for the great comparison video, I've been on the fence and will get the titanium now.
Good choice!
It works great, and the price point on sale was fantastic
Especially this week since they are both on sale with the parking lot sale!
I know this is crazy, I have both but of the 2, I prefer the Chicago over the titanium lol!
Out of curiosity why the Chicago over the Titanium. I'll go out on a limb and say you got the Chicago first, am I right?
@@-DIYPRO- actually I got them both at the same time, and for some reason on the lowest setting the titanium seems to be incredibly hotter. Where it’s almost to hot. The Chicago don’t burn through half as bad. By no means do I want anyone to take my part of this conversation as advice! Bc I’m not professional by any means. Just shade tree messing with hobby’s for several years.
I upgraded my ground clamp. It was like $7 for a better one. Totally worth it
Great little upgrade.
Was deciding on this welder or the Forney 125 ! From the looks of it the Titanium 125 seems to be the better deal ! The Forney can take a 10 lb. spool, but has limited settings, and only a 6 month warranty. The power cord comes out the front on the Forney, and comes with a mig tip.
Plus !! Black Friday price on the Titanium will be $149.99 !! 👀😱👀😱👀😱👀😱👀👍👍😁
The only thing I dislike about my titanium 125 is it doesn't take a 10# spool of wire. The 2# just don't last long.
A longer lead would be nice too, but it is light weight when you have to move it. Just a bit of a pain.
Just got mine for$129.99 love it
Love my Titanium Flux 125. Light weight, decent build quality, powerful enough for most home or ranch projects, and welds nicely.
Right on
I picked mine up Tuesday I love it
On the thin sheet metal i had to run the T-125 on A-4. Welded great and had no burn threw. Love my T-125. I still had the 90 for shelf art. It keeped tripping my breakers.
So you did end up picking one up. Couldn't remember if you were the one on the fence!
@@-DIYPRO- yes . im using it to build gokarts for my Channel. Gokarts and Motorcycles ETC.
@@mcpeake78 Sweet, i'll come take a look!
The Chicago Electric 90/125 needs a dedicated 20amp circuit, or a generator with a healthy surge ability. That has been my experience.
@@thefirewooddoctor i dont have all that just a standard house circuit. Thats why i went with the T-125.
I just bought the HF 125 bc $150 is all I had on me but after watching this I wish I had known about DC and AC power and I wish I had bought the titanium welder. Yea I can take it back and upgrade I just hate doing that.
You got fucked if you paid 150 its only 130 without the coupon. $ 89 with it
Today in Katy, TX: Titanium is $210. Chicago Electric is $150 - $30 off = $120. Almost half the price, so I went with CE. But still not sure. If they were both on sale, it would be easier to justify the difference.
CE is still a decent machine, did many many projects with my first one.
WATCHED IT MY FRIEND !! I LEFT YOU LIKE NUMBER ONE MY FRIEND !
Thanks Jay!
Good thing i keep all my receipts!
If have the receipt then yes like I mentioned I'd go get the titanium!
The mig nozzle is good for beginning welders....it keeps them from arcing the tip. Otherwise you dont need it
Good point!
I was going to upgrade the ground clamp but my brother showed me a trick. If you have an old battery cable or thick piece of stranded copper about a foot or so fold it in half then shove it down into the clamp. It will have good clamp tension and contact. I really don't care what it looks like, I'd rather save $.
I wish I watchthis video about a week ago before a purchased the chigago electric 125. It did the job just fine but titanium seems to be a better welded hands down.
If you still have your receipt, and it's within 90 days, take in the 125 pay the difference and get the titanium. I've done it a couple times.
I just picked this up today and it doesn’t cold feed into wood like the manual says without cycling off. Welding is extremely intermittent even after fixing the feed problem. Do you think it could be my ground or a faulty inverter?
I don't think the Titanium is available here in the U.K., we don't have Harbour Freight. We do have the other welder available in the genetic form under umpteen Chinese badges. The smaller one looks fantastic, especially for someone who wants to be mobile and probably working outdoors where flux has the upper hand. They would need to be near a power supply but I can see it being very popular with farmers. Or even someone who has a power source on the back of their pickup.
Another excellent video.
i have to disagree with your supposition,, for about 14 years i used almost daily one of the HF blue 110v welders, that i paid $72 on sale in 03, as my only welder and i used it for everything from doing intricate little welds building scrap metal art motorcycles to putting sides on my utility trailer and modifying motorcycle and bicycle frames and throughout that whole time that little never kickoff on thermal one time and if you switched to a decent flux wire like forney you didn't have near as much splatter as you did with HF wire. with that said i will concur that if you can afford it get the inverter welder because they are better but if you can't afford it then there's no problem using the cheaper welder for more then just one project regardless of what anyone else says...........
That's good to know it's lasted that long. I would say if you started out with an AC machine then good on you and stay with it.
Only difference in the two is weight the titanium lays a slightly better bead but not much if you need a welder the Chicago electric works great and last forever......and the titanium is 65 more dollars its now 220 thanks to inflation and the Chicago is 149
Great point!
titanium is on sale for $129 until aug 18 2024
I needed a small welding job done one a set of street bike pipes(cat delete), and I could pay $250 to have it done, or buy this welder and do it myself. I have four machines, but just bought a house and the garage doesn't have 240 power(yet). This will solve two problems at once, and save me over paying to have work done I can do myself.
I jjust bought the titanium, got ride of the 90. Night and day difference!!
Amen to that!
Black friday it's going on sale. Picking one up. I've never welded in my life before so I'm scared to do so but welding is so much fun.
It's a perfect welder for the first timer!
@@-DIYPRO- What helmet do you recommend for first-timer? Is CHICAGO ELECTRIC
Blue Design Auto Darkening Welding Helmet any good?
@@samadabdul1242 yep used that one for many years.
Nothing to be scared of, but definitely requires a level of respect. Biggest thing is fire safety protocol and even though it *probably* won’t kill you, don’t get any part of your body on the work piece between the ground clamp and the gun. Upstream of either is relatively safe, but going between them will almost certainly result in a shock in the right conditions. Like I said, probably won’t kill you but it isn’t pleasant either 😂
@@ihatekate08 thats funny cuz I use the ground clamp as a guide for my hand so I don't get too close to the piece . I don't use gloves and the rubber handles on the ground are long gone
You might have a video on this already, not sure as this is the first video of your's I believe I have watched. But what accessories do we need to buy after we get the welder? Everyone does a video on the welder but not so much the other stuff you need to get and what they do.
See if these help you out. Let me know if you have any questions after that.
th-cam.com/video/36eOiqFM0ls/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/FWY6K2rwsTU/w-d-xo.html
Ok that goes to show how much I pay attention, I've been subscribed to you for a little bit now haha
Is the titanium electrode negative or positive?
DCEN, electrode negative. I'm just assuming it is since its a flux core only machine.
Will running this on a 30 amp circuit ruin the welder?
Yes, I run them on a 20 amp.
WRONG! The HF 90amp can do a lot of projects, not just one and by the time you upgrade to the titanium you’ll be almost an expert in welding thin metals. Due to lack of HF90 settings, you know exactly what you’re doing when you can control the machine😅😅😅
Agree
Yeah I have mastered the HF 125 flux core Chicago Electric black brand welder. That thing is great as long as the hands behind it are. Upgrade the ground. Run it off a dedicated 20amp circuit. Prep your mating surfaces. I've gotten paintable welds off that machine. Best 90 bucks I've ever spent. I also have other welders but I wont knock that HF welder specially at that price.
100% right love my 125 and love the fact I can put a 10lb spool in it.
Thankyou for showing these my friend good information
Thanks
There's one big reason you missed, why to get the Chicago 125 welder.... if you want to run big 10 lb wire spools. The Titanium only takes the small 2lb spools, no room for the 10lb'ers to fit. You can get 10 lb spools on Amazon for $35. The 2 lb spools are $15-20. Its less than half the price so you'll save big time running 10 lb spools. $10 per lb vs $3.50 per lb. Way cheaper.
Thats what you don't buy that kind of shit online. Home depot has 2# Lincoln wire for 10.99 10#is $25
Pissed I bought the $100 welder last summer. I just bought the Titanium 125 and its so much better. I had looked into doing the DC conversion on the cheaper welder and its just not worth the money or effort.
Can you let me know if either of these will run off a 15amp breaker? If not, what is the minimum? Thanks!
They will both run on 15 amp breaker up to the max setting then it will trip the breaker. 20amp in my garage hasn't tripped yet on the max settings.
@@-DIYPRO- Thank you sir. Guess I will be picking one of these up. :)
is the titanium welder strong enough to weld tabs to a motorcycle frame? I am trying to weld few metal tabs to the frame where the seat would fit so that the seat feels secure enough?
any replies would be much appreciated.
Assuming your tabs are 3/16in. Or thinner than yes it would do just fine. If you haven't welded much I'd highly suggest practicing a bunch to make sure you are getting a full pen weld, that is if that is if your safety is dependent on the weld.
@@-DIYPRO- thanks for you reply. any idea if the welder would work with a outlet of 15amp as that is only available outlet i have at my apartment and unfortunately no garage. I'll try to practice as much as I could before welding the frame, the only reason I am welding it by myself is because all the local welders in dallas are charging me more than 100$ for simple job and so I thought why not I weld the frame myself.
And explain why if the bigger welder welds once and it won’t weld again ?
It was more that if are getting a welder to weld a bunch then you'll want to spend the extra and get the titanium. If you just have that one project to do and then it's going to sit in the garage for 10 years then the Chicago electric will do just fine. It will weld more than just once.
if you buy it to save money on a car repair by doing it yourself and not planning on using it again for awhile get the ce. but if you are going to get into more stuff get the
tie
I got my flux 90 for 15$ when we switched from the "flux 90" to the "flux 125" (they are the same welder, the 90 was a 125).
Then I did a trade up at full price a couple years later , when the titanium 125 went on sale and I think the difference was like 20$.
Basically I got the titanium 125 for 35$ brand new
Not the same welder, the 90 amp the wire feed motor runs on ac while the 125 runs on dc also the 125 runs a lot smoother both circuit boards are different
if anything, the weight factor should be enough! hey I'm a ole guy....
i was going to buy the titanium 125 but i got a deal on the older one for 40 bucks that i could not pass up.
Make a video on Vulcan commander 225 arc welder?
Good luck getting a titanium right now. None of the stores have them in stock at all due to Covid 19 :(
I ordered mine online because NONE of the stores had em. That's another downside of the COVID stimulus: everyone is buying the toys I want with their expendable income!😂
@@trentjensen96 That is what I did. I takes about a month to ship.
I was actually thinking about getting the green one.
I think you'll like it.
@@-DIYPRO- going to return the 90/125 amp black one. I hate that theres only a min and max setting. Awkward weight as well.
@@-DIYPRO- biggest spool.of wire? Will it use. 035 as well?
@@-DIYPRO- accept .035 wire?
C. M. Yes it will
I need to fabricate a engine mount for a go kart and dont really know how to weld but it's time I learned! You guys think this Titanium will do the job? The engine is a cr125 2stroke going on a shifter kart doing 80mph+
Chris Torres, Its capable if you're capable.
I just bought the Titanium as a present for myself for Christmas and for all the reasons you stated, plus it was on sale for $179. It's a great entry level welder, dc current which is better for flux and better voltage control. Plus I need to work out doors so Mig is not an option at the moment. I also plan on changing out the ground clamp for a better circuit and a better weld. Been watching many videos on the subject and have learned so much without even dropping a bead yet. I can't wait to try this baby out! 😁
Let us know how the first beads go!
Thanks ima go this weekend to pick one up
You'll like it! Hopefully the HF by you still have them.
Chicago is ac welder the titanio is DC, the welding is better in DC but , up grade the chicago with a rectifayer and thats it
I'm not smart enough to modify the chicago. I'll just have to stick with the titanium.
Thank you
Welcome!
I bought a nicer ground clamp to go with mine. Only $7.99 for a good upgrade!
Nice!
I disagree if you do a lot of welding you would constantly be changing wire with the titanium compared to the Chicago that holds a 10 pound reel both work just as good you just got to dial it in
Yea but if you are doing a lot of welding you'll most likely have a lot nicer welder!
For $80-100 the flux 90-125 is about where I'd stop spending cash on a flux only hobo freight unit . At $200 you may as well go another $100 and pick up a factory refurbished ez 130 hobart that has gas shielded capability that will be vastly superior for welding thin sheet with c25 vs self shielded
the warehouse is all out,they don't know when they will be getting them in.
Looks like they weren't anticipating this to be that big of a hit!
I ordered mine online and it took 2 months to receive it
Buy the original at Home Depot Century fc90 killer welder 👨🏻🏭
wire speed on 125 does not control amps or current.. it controls wire speed only.. even if u convert the 125 to dcen. 120vac into transformer 35ish vac out on hi and 25ish vac on low... about the same on converting with bridge. the wire speed is takes its power from the output of the transformer. to a bridge on the board to bring it down to its volts and current. not watch whole vid et. but comparing ac welder to a dcen isnt much of one.. its 2 diff animals..
This is from Miller website "Wire speed controls amperage as well as the amount of weld penetration." This is from welding.com " the faster the wire is feed into the joint, the better contact it has. The better contact, the more amperage gets through the wire and the higher the heat."
I'll let you think about it.
@@-DIYPRO- i can understand that. it came off as direct control inside with circuit. there saying yes it does. but not like a circuit board could do more control.... so ill give them 50% lol
The Titanium needs a real handle. Also a metal wire feeding system. I personally would be happy to pay a few extra $$$$ for that after coupon of course.
Maybe those will come out in the 2.0 version!
Would get the Titanium 125 if it wasn't for the fact that it can't hold the 10-pound spools of wire.
I plan on buying 10# spools and then filling my little 2# spools as needed . Respooling wire shouldn't be that difficult , several videos on TH-cam about it , yeah , some are commercial and some are just absolutely crazy , but the idea behind it is fairly simple . The Titanium came with a small spool , and I bought 2 - 2 pounders off Amazon , so with 3 spools , I should be able to make a decent effort to respool some wire . Will be a lot cheaper too .
@@dring219, would love to see someone respool the wire exactky like it is wound by the factory. Besides, the customer will be paying for the wire, not me, when I weld.
@@thefirewooddoctor I have also seen a welder / cart mod that had had a spool holder attached to a welding cart that held a 10# spool of wire and a hole was drilled in the back of the welder . That would only work if the welder was never bumped or moved out of position . An external spool holder with retainers would be quite a bit easier to make and also use . Only downside is debris collecting on the large spool if it wasn't properly covered and wire wipes would have to be in place .I am also not welding for others , just myself , so respooling is something my wife and I can do while we are sitting watching TV .
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thanks!
I like the chicago electric better
Thats cause you havent a clue... these are night and day difference. Chicago one will burn threw cause all you have is a high and a low so either not enough power or to much.
YOUR wrong I’ve had my harbor freight 125 for over 5 years and no problems my new titanium 200 is hard to adjust keeps burning through my stainless yet my hb 125 which is not supposed to do stainless does beautiful
Or get something good 🤷♂️
Thanks!
A more fair comparison between the two would be to convert the Chicago Electric to DC using the bridge rectifier. Re @bulvie603 below true but cost more than $40. Advantage of a transformer welder is far more durable components than the inverter welder. The Titanium welder has sensitive circuit boards / electronics that are sensitive to temp changes and shorter life expectancy. So the old school Chicago is really a tougher welder that the other and when converted has a steady electrode output.
True, it's not apples to apples.