ya, that's what I heard, when I was walking out of HFT a guy told me he loves that welder, he's had it for a year, it still works, he did say I'd have to get used to the splatter though, well anyway good vid man, subscribed :)
For small home jobs i use the 90 amp FCAW and I'm happy with it. For anything that needs strength I'll use my Lincoln arc welder. Anyway, clean your work and ground first, you'll have better results. Thanks.
I've been welding recreationally for a few years so I'm no expert. He does a great job in explaining and showing how to properly weld. The reference to melting a crayon is perfect. Great for anyone just getting into welding.
This was terrible instruction. He should have demonstrated with the =power off so his brother could understand exactly what he needed to do. Basically he said "Here you go, weld something", then "No, you're doing it wrong".
I have the 90 amp. When it was plugged into my 15 amp home circuit the arc would spit sputter snap crackle and pop. I plugged into a 20 amp circuit and it made a big difference. Smoooth....
They should really use a 5-20P plug on machines like this to let people know that it's not okay to plug a 20A load into a 13-15A extension cord. This is how you use a welder to weld a plug into an outlet.
Awesome.....thanks for letting your little brother weld. I’m sure many people like myself are learning to weld for the first time and it was cool to see someone who has never welded actually do it. I haven’t welded yet, but that gives me courage to do it.
This video bring back Good memories!!! my Dad's a retired Union welder from way back ( worked on the Alaskan pipeline in the 70's) Nice Video boys !!! short and to the point good job Daniel , my older brother taught me how to weld also, I like the instructional coaching ,, mix that melting crayon,, keep making cursive small e's , I kept air welding as i listened
Years ago when I worked at the mine I used to do some decent welding, so a year ago I bought a 250a arc welder. It is really good welder but all I have been able to do with it is welding that looks like what my boss used to call chiken shit. I have gotten lucky and fixed a few things but more often than not my welds suck. This demonstration makes me inclined to think I should sell that bigger welder and get one of these. Thank you for the demonstration. I learned a lot!!
To the uninitiated- it's tougher than it looks. I tried it once a few years ago and made a heckuva mess. This young man did much better than I for his first time trying. Now at the ripe old age of 58 I'm wanting to get my own machine and learn to do it right, which is why I'm now watching videos on affordable, decent welders. Thanks for the video, I'll stop by my local HF and give this one a look over.
Invincible Extremes Muscle Cars Garage Thanks for the reply, I've been watching videos and the green Titanium one looks like a winner. It may find its way under my Christmas tree this year... 😎
I have the 200 amp green one and its amazing. Also, I did a review of a different brand INVERTER welder just like like green ones and it shows the difference between two 90 amp welders, this one you just watched, and the smallest green one they sell.
I bought the $200 Chicago electric 220v mig welder from harbor freight. It's on the bottle. I've used it for years with no hangups at all. Welds a ton cleaner than my Lincoln. The only hangup was the weak ground clamp. I switched that to a magnet ground and loved it ever since. Just my 2 cents.
Invincible Extremes Muscle Cars Garage I use straight Argon and it welds really clean, my regulator is really old, I got it from my dad about 20 years ago but I'll look when I get home
few tips for HF wire welder. remove your welding wire spool and put some wheel bearing grease on all the moving parts that touch and rotate. keep your 4 1/2 hand grinder nearby and grind off the rust in a spot for a good ground. grind the rust off where your weld is going on both parts.i bought one of the 90 amp ones at a garage sale that was used maybe for one weld if that. when i got it home the wire would come out in little spurts. i removed the plastic wire spool and greased the parts and my son has a wire welder he has used for all kinds of stuff. remember lubricate the spool assembly but be careful not get grease on your wire. quit using the E71T-GS wire and start using E71T-11wire. once you switch wire you get much better welds.
appreciate your time and talent in making this video. not judging because I do the same thing, but. please remember to be nice to your helper. if that's your son, words of affirmation would probably make a bigger difference in his life than knowing how to weld. thanks again for the video!
lee norris it's my kid brother, and yes, he heard about results. I think he did a great job all things considered. Just didn't have enough video time to go into depth on what I did wrong, and then himself. And what we both did right.
I bought one f these, and for what I do it works great. I don’t use this daily or even weekly repairs, but the few times I have, it’s saved my ass. I likes the fact I could change wire speed.
They do work. I used my old one for 7 years before throwing it away finally. The century fc90 i have now for cheap portable welding is much better. You can change the wire speed AND the amperage. Its actually good for body work. Not as good as a a gas shielded mig of course, but much better than this. But you are right, for odds and ends its decent.
That's a nice intro for a beginner as myself. You mentioned it could run off of 120v and even a 3500 watt generator, both of which I wanted to know. Nicely done.
You know what man. I'm gonna teach myself how to weld and was considering this welder. Your vid was the first to pop so I watched it. Really cool to see it was a Mountain brother's video i was watching. 215FAR 97-01. Thanks for the video.
Awesome! Hope you're doing well. 2-14 charlie 2010 to 2014, deployed twice with them. I was in the 82nd as well but wasn't impressed. Btw, you should watch all of my welding videos to get a feel for whats decent out there on a budget. I myself prefer the century fc90 for flux core, and the 170 amp 240v welder hooked up to gas for much cleaner welds... the 99 dollar welder works but is far fron ideal.
+Goomer yeah, stay away from the 90 amp. The 170 amp is great too. Just a but heavier, but can take a 10 lb wire spool and can weld much cleaner if using solid wire and gas...
but with flux core... you can use the same gas as mig.... it is called dual shielded welding and this technique is for .035 flux core (but .030 can be used) to penetrate very thick metal with minimal inclusions in your welds... flux core wire works the best outside under windy conditions (much like a stick metal arc welding...smaw) and the extra gas shielding prevents any additional oxidation to a weld as it cools. mig (metal inert gas: mig) is for inside use or no wind conditions... so if you are a farmer get an arc (stick metal arc welders...smaw, or a flux core wire : flux core metal arc welder... fcmaw) ... tig works the best inside a building on any weldable metal, not so much outside.. again the gas blows away in the wind.
Great review! Thanks for posting. -One of the first things I did with my last $99 Harbor Freight welder was cut the cheap tin ground clamp off & add a nice heavy solid brass one with a much stronger spring. Think the new clamp was around $14 on Amazon. Made a day & night difference!
I added a bridge rectifier and capacitor as well as a better clamp and changed mine to dcen...it works so much better and has decent penetration and way less splatter now!!
Thanks. Make sure and watch my comparison of this welder to the century fc90... because that welder is SO much better and you won't get rid of it once you get better... unlike this one.
Excellent instructions I'm not a welder but I may actually give it a shot painting and welding have never been my thing but now 58 I'm more patient thanks for the video man it is appreciated
This isn't the best welder. But it does work. A much better welder for only $165 with a coupon is the 170 amp machine. Or the century fc90 they sell at home depot. The current on them is DC so they make a much better weld.
Dennis Madigan it's garbage, but it's cheap garbage, and it does work. Just makes a mess because it's A.C.. but, the welder I do love for random field work is the little century fc90. Is an inverter welder and is 15 lbs
Invincible Extremes Muscle Cars Garage I have 2 220 ac stick welders at home. Was just looking for something small, cheap and fast to do some small stuff once in awhile. If you do some prep work it will probably get you decent results. Thanks for the reply
Do keep in mind the 170 amp welder for $165 or the century fc90 sold by home depot for $199 are MUCH better welders. I've done reviews on both of them, go take a look and see what you think before spending any money on anything.
From a newbie perspective, I understand Min. and Max. and 1/2 inch and cursive letter "e". Thanks, great video. I know that real welders won't need this video, but for $100 it's obviously good enough.
Frank Tiffney it's not the greatest, but I used my old one for 5 years before I threw it away. It's just really messy, so that's why I like the century fc90 better and it's only 169 bucks...
Thanks for this video. I just bought this unit and was wondering if I wasted my money. My dad welded for a living, but I know very little of the craft. I am now confident that it will do the little jobs I have to do here. Thanks again.
Itll work for random fixes. I've used one for years. Once I got good I never wanted to use it ever again though. But the 170 amp machine or the 125 amp INVERTER welders are amazing for the money... just so you know.
Invincible Extremes Muscle Cars Garage thanks again man,you got a new subscriber,I'm not gonna become a welder but I'll give welding a try, I'm a wood and leather worker but I think steel is a great texture to add to stuff a may build in the future, thanks again,I like your approach,
TheMrShinagami my brother has never touched a welder or even watched me weld. But it's that simple. Hope my crayon analogy helps you out if you ever decide to weld
Yes it made it very clear. My dad did body work and paint so I've seen welding and know about welding in small sections to avoid panel distortion but what you said makes so much sense it's made the other bits I've been told fall into place :-)
Yeah man i must agree, i am tired of paying shops to do small little welds on my work truck. Time to go pick this up. Its even on sale right now for 84 bucks! Cant beat that
When you make $2,000 trolling the world with an unedited video of what has to be the worlds shittiest welder on the shittiest prepped metal... priceless.
I have been looking for an entry level welder for doing a few things around the house. My dad taught me how to weld with his monster stick welder...50 years ago. Haven't tried it since, but I think I will look into the Harbor Freight 125. Thanks for the demo and your advice.
I'm on my 3rd HF welder. 1st was 90 amp...lasted for about 1 1/2 years of weekend work, maybe 20 lbs though it before the it lost power. 2nd was a 125 that lasted for a year and 10 lbs before the wheels stripped and the stinger switch got wonky. 3rd is a 125 on spool #7 that feeds erratic sometimes, but works well. Sheetmetal can be tricky. They seem to work better on thicker material... I have no problem with 1/4", and have even done 5/16". Can't beat the price.
I agree with others, this is a nice video. It would be difficult to arrange a better cast when regarding authenticity. You two guys are the real deal and I must say I'm buying that 125 and selling my old AC stick welder as you've done an excellent job convincing me that it's a good homeowner's welder.
Jeremy Hutchins they are junk, but they do work. Especially the 170 amp model. It's DC output and is a lot cleaner. That's why I love my century fc90 inverter welder so much. It's a tiny 15 lbs DC output wire feed and was only 169 bucks. I have done a lot of in call rust repair with it, and use it on my own projects as well. A miller is a great machine, but it can also be a giant waste of money for someone not needing a welder full time. Not to mention a huge liability and heavy and unmanageable in my situation.
I'm pretty shitty like that too. When you've known something for a long time seems like everybody else should too. No excuse, just saying I've done it too.
Can't beet the price. 120 volt you can put a big spool on there as well you got to cut away the frame though. Good to see someone who's not inpatient and can actually use the little welder. Good to have. 100' extension cord and you can go anywhere. Preheat the heavy stuff and it just might stick. All good thanks for sharing your time experiences and videos with us looking forward to seeing more.
Good job, thank you for sharing this. HF should give you the next model up for free for you giving them this “Free Advertisement.” It helped make up my mind about this welder so I will buy it for that price because I just tinker around in the back yard and now believe it’s all I need. Thanks again.
Buy a 240 volt welding machine next time! In The United States and Canada, the electrical power supplied to most homes enters your home at about 240 volts, that voltage is split at the main circuit breaker panel into two 120 volt halves. Those 120 volt halves are routed through the home to outlets and lighting. 240 volt is used for kitchen stove, water heater, washing machines, dryers, AC and welding machine ! Install a 240 volts outlet in the garage!
Possibly the best phrase for teaching a new welder I have ever heard "cursive letter e" thanks for the video i have personally been welding for years but just yesterday got my own 125amp. Good video though
go to weldingtipsandtricks, and weld.com.... chucke2009 does ok but..... actually go to really good welding videos... clean all of the rust and mill scale off of your projects and get a good clean ground and you will have WAY better success... a decent cheap welder but not a welder that can be used in a commercial way.
these guys will make you a professional welder with all of the how to's so you can take a test in any position even upside down ( they dont cover how to weld underwater, but who wants to deal with delta-p) and get your welds so even an x-ray can prove your success. there is money to be made in welding if you dont mind catching yourself on fire every day.
margaret gardner it's good for that kind of thing. The century fc90 they sell in home depot for $169 is a way better welder though. If you can afford it, I would get that.
Thanks for the advice. I will try to get the better one for $169 but we don't have a Home Depot here in Presidio Texas. This is a very rural area. We have True Value but their stock is very limited here and what they have is usually much higher than Home Depot. People here often make trips out of town out of sheer borden and necessity. Hopefully I'll get a good price on it in Alpine Texas or El Paso or even better Ebay. Thank You.
margaret gardner eBay might have it. I did a side by side compare of the two welders, have a video up. Look up fc90, I'm the only one who's shown a review on it
Thank You. I'm about to check out the fc90 video. I'm waiting in line to have a new fuel pump installed then I hope to repair the exhaust pipe myself. Your kindness is much appreciated.
I bought mine for 85 bucks about 12 years ago. The ground clamp is a weak link on mine thus i use the brass clamp hf sells. About 15 to 20 years ago the model had diodes so the output is dc ie direct current. Hf dropped the diodes so the units are less than 100 bucks. Adding some diodes will make a slightly better weld. The 240 volt hf wire welders have dc ie diodes. The 240 volt models have 4 ranges for current. The 120 models have 2 ranges. Eons ago the hf 240volt wire welders often had way lower max amps. I have a 240v hf wire welders that is 115 amps.
Jesse Delch thanks! It's not the best video. Also, if you're looking for a good cheap first welder, the century fc90 can't be beat. It's WAY easier to learn on and is much better for sheetmetal rust repair and that kind of thing
I have one of these. It does good for a little arc welder on thin steel. Its not going to measure up to mig of course. The use of gas and 240 just makes it so much hotter and smoother.
nice. i just went to HF to buy the 90 amp on sale for $80. they were all sold but this model in the video was on the as is table for $35. i guess i got a deal assuming it works. i've never welded before but feel pretty confident after watching Daniel. LOL
The second time you welded on low likely went a little better because the metal was already preheated by the other welding you did on it. It COULD have been the clamp, but most likely it was the extra heat that made the lower setting work better the second time around. Nice video.
HF's cheap welders aren't bad. I bought my blue Chicago Electric $100 Harbor Freight welder 7.5 years ago as of this comment, (my first ever) yet I've been welding together another grill (out of an old gas water heater tank) off and on the past two weeks. To be fair, the rubber around the connection at the hose to welder joint is tearing and starting to come apart from wear, and I seem to go through copper tips faster than when it was new. Interestingly, I have OFTEN run the machine to the point of auto shut off lol. When running it long periods, do often keep a large high power fan pointed at it, which keeps it's temp down and buys me a lot more weld time, but I honestly, I can hardly believe it still works all this time later considering the abuse my amateur efforts have put it through over the years. 10/10 would buy it again ...... if I didn't want gas on my next one. It is not gas capable, pure flux core only.
The 170 amp machines they have are head and shoulders better, and can run gas if needed. But the little hundred dollar ones do last a while. Its the wire feed that gives up after a while.
I have a 90amp model and it works just fine, does the job. Its not for commercial welding by any means but a small repair here and there it does a great job.
Awesome for beginners although I used mine for about a year welding on shipping containers... I made thousands with it!!! Until it took a crap.... Over heated... Well worth the cash for me lol...
gijoe2308 yup. Great for that kind of junkyard odds and ends welding. I took it on the road with me in that v8 datsun. Grabbed a small generator and I'm good to go.
@@privatebubba8876 yeah the arc will bust the rust off but you still prolly want to clean off where you ground at so you get good current going to your weld. sandpaper would do if you had nothing else, I like my little Li-on dremel. Bout to get a Li-on angle grinder.
I have a small 110 wire feed welder. Bought last year. Havnt touched it. Now I bought a small trailer needs work. Well time to learn to weld. Haven't welded since highschool
@@InvincibleExtremes hope so. Do NOT want to have to pay for all the work. Though some things I may have to. Since I don't think it will handle very thick MATERIAL
Nice job. The toughest part for me would be welding off the ground. I'd just roll over frontwards and brand the top of my head on the work. Maybe 50 years ago, not now.
Joe West yeah, a welding table of some kind would be nice, but I don't live here, just visiting my dad and was hanging out with my younger brother. Cheers!
frogmanvc I full intend to use it to do sheet metal repairs. Being too hot isn't a big deal for me, can't run a full bead in 18ga anyway without warping. So yes you'll be fine. Little 1/2 inch long or shorter beads all along the seam and it'll do ok.
I'm thinking about buying an everlast pulse mig welder specifically for what it can do with sheet metal. Any links to videos showing pulse mig in action would be appreciated.
Invincible Extremes Muscle Cars Garage I know how that is being dirt poor I still manage to post videos of automotive repair once in awhile got to educate the younger folks
ua-cam.com/video/uk94lD-G_vU/v-deo.html new comparison of this welder with a century fc 90 DC flux core welder.
I have the same exact welder, except they just had a huge tent sale, so I got it for $84, and that helmet I got for $30 :)
conner baldwin nice! Ain't the best, but it'll work great, you won't regret it.
ya, that's what I heard, when I was walking out of HFT a guy told me he loves that welder, he's had it for a year, it still works, he did say I'd have to get used to the splatter though, well anyway good vid man, subscribed :)
conner baldwin yeah... I've had one for 5 years one time. Not too sure why I threw it away. Still worked though after dozens of rolls of wire.
For small home jobs i use the 90 amp FCAW and I'm happy with it. For anything that needs strength I'll use my Lincoln arc welder. Anyway, clean your work and ground first, you'll have better results. Thanks.
This video turned in to my dad teaching me to drive standard his vw bug
Sounds like fun.
Grinder & paint makes me the welder I ain't.
Until it's needed for strength anyway... then you gotta make sure it's at least ok.
😂😅
When in doubt grind it out
Don't forget to engage your safety squints when grinding!
@@t-bonedoggydog2987 thats a must I always make sure to squint when i use the grinder safety first
you should weld 2 of your 3 stack of microwaves together
I know right?
Lmao!
I've been welding recreationally for a few years so I'm no expert. He does a great job in explaining and showing how to properly weld. The reference to melting a crayon is perfect. Great for anyone just getting into welding.
testticklehead Thanks! Just doing what came to mind.
This was terrible instruction. He should have demonstrated with the =power off so his brother could understand exactly what he needed to do. Basically he said "Here you go, weld something", then "No, you're doing it wrong".
Back when I was an apprentice Boilermaker, I remember my journeymen telling me a 'I fucked up' is better than a 'I didn't do anything'... Lol
Yup
You can't run ANY welder on an extension cord that's barely good enough for xmas lights.
Doug Alan that's very true.
Doug Alan lmao
Sure you can, for a minute..🤔
I have the 90 amp. When it was plugged into my 15 amp home circuit the arc would spit sputter snap crackle and pop. I plugged into a 20 amp circuit and it made a big difference. Smoooth....
They should really use a 5-20P plug on machines like this to let people know that it's not okay to plug a 20A load into a 13-15A extension cord. This is how you use a welder to weld a plug into an outlet.
Awesome.....thanks for letting your little brother weld. I’m sure many people like myself are learning to weld for the first time and it was cool to see someone who has never welded actually do it. I haven’t welded yet, but that gives me courage to do it.
My wife used a better welder in a newer video. Also never welded before. Go check it out and see for yourself.
This video bring back Good memories!!! my Dad's a retired Union welder from way back ( worked on the Alaskan pipeline in the 70's) Nice Video boys !!! short and to the point good job Daniel , my older brother taught me how to weld also, I like the instructional coaching ,, mix that melting crayon,, keep making cursive small e's , I kept air welding as i listened
Thanks!
I appreciate you having your newbie brother do a weld. Because I am a newbie, too.
Thanks! Yeah, it shows just how it performs with a completely untrained person. Not that I'm the greatest myself
Years ago when I worked at the mine I used to do some decent welding, so a year ago I bought a 250a arc welder. It is really good welder but all I have been able to do with it is welding that looks like what my boss used to call chiken shit. I have gotten lucky and fixed a few things but more often than not my welds suck.
This demonstration makes me inclined to think I should sell that bigger welder and get one of these.
Thank you for the demonstration. I learned a lot!!
Wire feed is idiot proof. My little brother got the hang of it very quickly after this video
To the uninitiated- it's tougher than it looks. I tried it once a few years ago and made a heckuva mess. This young man did much better than I for his first time trying. Now at the ripe old age of 58 I'm wanting to get my own machine and learn to do it right, which is why I'm now watching videos on affordable, decent welders. Thanks for the video, I'll stop by my local HF and give this one a look over.
The 170 amp model is the best one under 200 dollars. Also, the 90 amp green one is also much better than this
Invincible Extremes Muscle Cars Garage Thanks for the reply, I've been watching videos and the green Titanium one looks like a winner. It may find its way under my Christmas tree this year... 😎
I have the 200 amp green one and its amazing. Also, I did a review of a different brand INVERTER welder just like like green ones and it shows the difference between two 90 amp welders, this one you just watched, and the smallest green one they sell.
I bought the $200 Chicago electric 220v mig welder from harbor freight. It's on the bottle. I've used it for years with no hangups at all. Welds a ton cleaner than my Lincoln. The only hangup was the weak ground clamp. I switched that to a magnet ground and loved it ever since. Just my 2 cents.
thatkyleguy 1 I have that one, uses 240v, just need to hook the Bootle up. What regulator and bottle did you go with?
Invincible Extremes Muscle Cars Garage I use straight Argon and it welds really clean, my regulator is really old, I got it from my dad about 20 years ago but I'll look when I get home
few tips for HF wire welder. remove your welding wire spool and put some wheel bearing grease on all the moving parts that touch and rotate. keep your 4 1/2 hand grinder nearby and grind off the rust in a spot for a good ground. grind the rust off where your weld is going on both parts.i bought one of the 90 amp ones at a garage sale that was used maybe for one weld if that. when i got it home the wire would come out in little spurts. i removed the plastic wire spool and greased the parts and my son has a wire welder he has used for all kinds of stuff. remember lubricate the spool assembly but be careful not get grease on your wire. quit using the E71T-GS wire and start using E71T-11wire. once you switch wire you get much better welds.
+J D yup. I had a 90 amp one, guess I could've saved it. Chucked it though
J D also, if you replace the wimpy jumper cable ground clamp with a good quality welding ground clamp, it makes a BIG difference.
dave1135 yes it does.
Ok
yes i just did that with chinesium ground clamp that is way better. the originals were basically battery charger clamps
That welder is great for small home repairs, and small automotive jobs. Can't beat the price.
Thx. I've done mud stick for years but a friend just gave me that same welder. Nice to see how well it works.
Thanks for taking the time to demonstrate... You have helped my understanding, greatly... I will purchase one...
Theyre not the best but they work. The home depot century fc90 is a whole lot better btw. I have a video on it as well.
appreciate your time and talent in making this video. not judging because I do the same thing, but. please remember to be nice to your helper. if that's your son, words of affirmation would probably make a bigger difference in his life than knowing how to weld. thanks again for the video!
lee norris it's my kid brother, and yes, he heard about results. I think he did a great job all things considered. Just didn't have enough video time to go into depth on what I did wrong, and then himself. And what we both did right.
I bought one f these, and for what I do it works great. I don’t use this daily or even weekly repairs, but the few times I have, it’s saved my ass. I likes the fact I could change wire speed.
They do work. I used my old one for 7 years before throwing it away finally. The century fc90 i have now for cheap portable welding is much better. You can change the wire speed AND the amperage. Its actually good for body work. Not as good as a a gas shielded mig of course, but much better than this. But you are right, for odds and ends its decent.
That's a nice intro for a beginner as myself. You mentioned it could run off of 120v and even a 3500 watt generator, both of which I wanted to know. Nicely done.
Shawn P I would recommend taking a look at the century fc90. It's lighter and smaller and is much better. Only 169 at home depot.
Have had one of those for about a year now and for what it is I can't complain
Jerry Briggs nice
I noticed the badges and medals on your jacket!!! THANKYOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!! From one soldier to another!!!
Joey R and thank YOU.
You know what man. I'm gonna teach myself how to weld and was considering this welder. Your vid was the first to pop so I watched it. Really cool to see it was a Mountain brother's video i was watching. 215FAR 97-01. Thanks for the video.
Awesome! Hope you're doing well. 2-14 charlie 2010 to 2014, deployed twice with them. I was in the 82nd as well but wasn't impressed. Btw, you should watch all of my welding videos to get a feel for whats decent out there on a budget. I myself prefer the century fc90 for flux core, and the 170 amp 240v welder hooked up to gas for much cleaner welds... the 99 dollar welder works but is far fron ideal.
Now that was a good realistic review. I've been wanting to get one, looks like the 125 amp is the way to go.
+Goomer yeah, stay away from the 90 amp. The 170 amp is great too. Just a but heavier, but can take a 10 lb wire spool and can weld much cleaner if using solid wire and gas...
but with flux core... you can use the same gas as mig.... it is called dual shielded welding and this technique is for .035 flux core (but .030 can be used) to penetrate very thick metal with minimal inclusions in your welds... flux core wire works the best outside under windy conditions (much like a stick metal arc welding...smaw) and the extra gas shielding prevents any additional oxidation to a weld as it cools. mig (metal inert gas: mig) is for inside use or no wind conditions... so if you are a farmer get an arc (stick metal arc welders...smaw, or a flux core wire : flux core metal arc welder... fcmaw) ... tig works the best inside a building on any weldable metal, not so much outside.. again the gas blows away in the wind.
Interesting, thanks
Congrats!! You are now a Harbor Freight class welder. Good luck!!
Edmund Squid I know right? It's a pile, but it's a great pile to take on your roadtrips.
Great hands-on instruction and review! Thank you so much.
Thanks
Great review! Thanks for posting. -One of the first things I did with my last $99 Harbor Freight welder was cut the cheap tin ground clamp off & add a nice heavy solid brass one with a much stronger spring. Think the new clamp was around $14 on Amazon. Made a day & night difference!
Dennis Tucker I bet it did, thanks for the tip!
Do you have a link? I need that mod.
I added a bridge rectifier and capacitor as well as a better clamp and changed mine to dcen...it works so much better and has decent penetration and way less splatter now!!
This is very informative and practical especially when you let your brother weld for the first time. Now I can do it too... Thanks for the review..
Thanks. Make sure and watch my comparison of this welder to the century fc90... because that welder is SO much better and you won't get rid of it once you get better... unlike this one.
Excellent instructions I'm not a welder but I may actually give it a shot painting and welding have never been my thing but now 58 I'm more patient thanks for the video man it is appreciated
This isn't the best welder. But it does work. A much better welder for only $165 with a coupon is the 170 amp machine. Or the century fc90 they sell at home depot. The current on them is DC so they make a much better weld.
I was a cert welder for a good 30 years. I liked this video. I think I will pick one of these up next time they go on sale. Thanks
Dennis Madigan it's garbage, but it's cheap garbage, and it does work. Just makes a mess because it's A.C.. but, the welder I do love for random field work is the little century fc90. Is an inverter welder and is 15 lbs
Invincible Extremes Muscle Cars Garage I have 2 220 ac stick welders at home. Was just looking for something small, cheap and fast to do some small stuff once in awhile. If you do some prep work it will probably get you decent results. Thanks for the reply
Dennis Madigan true, cheap never hurts. And in the end, 90 amps is 90 amps.
I needed exactly these recommendations! Thanks a lot man!
Do keep in mind the 170 amp welder for $165 or the century fc90 sold by home depot for $199 are MUCH better welders. I've done reviews on both of them, go take a look and see what you think before spending any money on anything.
From a newbie perspective, I understand Min. and Max. and 1/2 inch and cursive letter "e". Thanks, great video. I know that real welders won't need this video, but for $100 it's obviously good enough.
Frank Tiffney it's not the greatest, but I used my old one for 5 years before I threw it away. It's just really messy, so that's why I like the century fc90 better and it's only 169 bucks...
Good job bro !
I really like yuo way to teach and explain it ..
thanks so much
Definitely would recommend the 170 amp welder over this... and that one is only 165 bucks. But this one will get the job done if needed.
Thanks for this video. I just bought this unit and was wondering if I wasted my money. My dad welded for a living, but I know very little of the craft. I am now confident that it will do the little jobs I have to do here. Thanks again.
Itll work for random fixes. I've used one for years. Once I got good I never wanted to use it ever again though. But the 170 amp machine or the 125 amp INVERTER welders are amazing for the money... just so you know.
Thanks man,I've been thinking about welding for a while and your video makes it seam doable
I would recommend the fc90 century or the harbor freight 170 amp model over this. But overall, welding is simple.
Invincible Extremes Muscle Cars Garage thanks again man,you got a new subscriber,I'm not gonna become a welder but I'll give welding a try, I'm a wood and leather worker but I think steel is a great texture to add to stuff a may build in the future, thanks again,I like your approach,
I love wood and leather. But yeah, doesn't hurt to be able to cheaply connect two metal brackets together every once in a while.
Great demo . . . appreciate the tutorial on Harbor Frieght's economy 110 volt welder !!!
It's not my favorite welder, i sold it. But it works. The 170 amp 240v welder and the century fc90 are much better welders.
Thank you (kid) for taking the abuse, you helped me learn too lol
My older brother yelled at me many years ago to learn how to drive a stick shift. It worked. You were much nicer and this is really helpful!
Thanks!
I see ya "Grunt" I'm subbing gotta support fellow Infantrymen 11B here good job teaching you lil bro brotha
Thanks
As sombody who has never welded I have to say this was a great video. Thank you.
TheMrShinagami my brother has never touched a welder or even watched me weld. But it's that simple. Hope my crayon analogy helps you out if you ever decide to weld
Yes it made it very clear. My dad did body work and paint so I've seen welding and know about welding in small sections to avoid panel distortion but what you said makes so much sense it's made the other bits I've been told fall into place :-)
Yeah man i must agree, i am tired of paying shops to do small little welds on my work truck. Time to go pick this up. Its even on sale right now for 84 bucks! Cant beat that
Thank you for giving the fabrication department such a good comedy skit of welding skills. Thanks Again!!
When you make $2,000 trolling the world with an unedited video of what has to be the worlds shittiest welder on the shittiest prepped metal... priceless.
great review bro! i was just at the store Friday for one thing and came out with a bunch of cool stuff lol. "get the job done!"
Retired Tony 1970 thanks.
I have been looking for an entry level welder for doing a few things around the house. My dad taught me how to weld with his monster stick welder...50 years ago. Haven't tried it since, but I think I will look into the Harbor Freight 125. Thanks for the demo and your advice.
I strongly advice using the little green welder instead. It's dc output and puts down a much nicer bead
Luv the window cut in the garage door lol
I'm on my 3rd HF welder. 1st was 90 amp...lasted for about 1 1/2 years of weekend work, maybe 20 lbs though it before the it lost power. 2nd was a 125 that lasted for a year and 10 lbs before the wheels stripped and the stinger switch got wonky. 3rd is a 125 on spool #7 that feeds erratic sometimes, but works well. Sheetmetal can be tricky. They seem to work better on thicker material... I have no problem with 1/4", and have even done 5/16".
Can't beat the price.
Nathan Christopher yup, they are absolute junk... But sometimes, it's all we can afford right?
I agree with others, this is a nice video. It would be difficult to arrange a better cast when regarding authenticity. You two guys are the real deal and I must say I'm buying that 125 and selling my old AC stick welder as you've done an excellent job convincing me that it's a good homeowner's welder.
Charles Tatakis I'm happy with it. Great for fixing sheetmetal and fences and other odds and ends
Thanks for the review and for your service brother.
Harry Treadway thank you!
Looks like it will get the job done. Nice vid!
+RamblinAround yup! Always good to hear from you guys
RamblinAround get u a Miller or an esab or a vaulcan don't buy a Chicago electric there junk I'm a professional welder
Jeremy Hutchins they are junk, but they do work. Especially the 170 amp model. It's DC output and is a lot cleaner. That's why I love my century fc90 inverter welder so much. It's a tiny 15 lbs DC output wire feed and was only 169 bucks. I have done a lot of in call rust repair with it, and use it on my own projects as well. A miller is a great machine, but it can also be a giant waste of money for someone not needing a welder full time. Not to mention a huge liability and heavy and unmanageable in my situation.
Surprisingly it's good welder for me I did my whole exhaust system from start to to finish and it did just fine
Yeah I've used it for exactly that with no issues. Messy but works ok
Yes it is messy, did the job
you just taught me what to do too I'm gonna by this and wanted to see it used. good job lil bro.
I would recommend buying the 170 amp model, or the titanium INVERTER welders... they are so much better
Wish I could learn to weld like you, thanks for the review
Im a hack like everyone else. But i try
that garage door window is epic
I know right?
You said Datsun!! There’s a word you don’t hear often. Good video.
Thanks. Yeah I have fun with that datsun
Way to go little bro - a rite of passage for sure. You are now a welder !
Yup. He actually spent some time practicing after the video and got the hang of it somewhat.
i like the garage door, window insert very creative.
Still there to this day
Dude you bicker too much. Give him specific instructions and then let him perfect it.
NO DOUBT!
They're brothers, thats what we do....🙄🤣
I'm pretty shitty like that too. When you've known something for a long time seems like everybody else should too. No excuse, just saying I've done it too.
@ sick rant, bro.
Can't beet the price. 120 volt you can put a big spool on there as well you got to cut away the frame though. Good to see someone who's not inpatient and can actually use the little welder. Good to have. 100' extension cord and you can go anywhere. Preheat the heavy stuff and it just might stick. All good thanks for sharing your time experiences and videos with us looking forward to seeing more.
spacystacy51 yeah, nobodies claiming this is the greatest thing ever. But for welding sheetmetal on an old pickup truck it'll do great.
Thanks for posting this .... it really takes the wondering/guessing about spending $100 for a welder that I can tinker with.
Just a heads up... the 170 amp model is 10 times better
Good job, thank you for sharing this. HF should give you the next model up for free for you giving them this “Free Advertisement.” It helped make up my mind about this welder so I will buy it for that price because I just tinker around in the back yard and now believe it’s all I need. Thanks again.
Just a heads up, the 170 model is a MUCH better welder. Have owed it for years with no issues
Nice I was always told to make c's and count 1 1,000 going to each end it helped me out alot
Darien Phillips yup, good method
I own the same unit. It works good enough for repairs on my lawn mower. Would recommend it if your on a budget and don't need to weld above 3/16
Yup. To be honest its worth spending the extra bucks on a century fc90. Tiny inverter unit that has dc output and is only 199.
Buy a 240 volt welding machine next time!
In The United States and Canada, the electrical power supplied to most homes enters your home at about 240 volts, that voltage is split at the main circuit breaker panel into two 120 volt halves. Those 120 volt halves are routed through the home to outlets and lighting. 240 volt is used for kitchen stove, water heater, washing machines, dryers, AC and welding machine ! Install a 240 volts outlet in the garage!
Yeah I own the 240v 170 welder they sell and it's amazing for the price
Possibly the best phrase for teaching a new welder I have ever heard "cursive letter e" thanks for the video i have personally been welding for years but just yesterday got my own 125amp. Good video though
Not the best but it works
iam buying this welder thank you for the video
It's cheap and it works decent.
go to weldingtipsandtricks, and weld.com.... chucke2009 does ok but..... actually go to really good welding videos... clean all of the rust and mill scale off of your projects and get a good clean ground and you will have WAY better success... a decent cheap welder but not a welder that can be used in a commercial way.
Wayne Hartneck yup, all very true.
these guys will make you a professional welder with all of the how to's so you can take a test in any position even upside down ( they dont cover how to weld underwater, but who wants to deal with delta-p) and get your welds so even an x-ray can prove your success. there is money to be made in welding if you dont mind catching yourself on fire every day.
Using a little heavy duty extension cord would help you more than anything
+M McKinley yup, very true
Thanks for the video. I believe I will buy this one for my first welder to do some patch work on our 1989 Ford Van muffler system. Thank You.
margaret gardner it's good for that kind of thing. The century fc90 they sell in home depot for $169 is a way better welder though. If you can afford it, I would get that.
Thanks for the advice. I will try to get the better one for $169 but we don't have a Home Depot here in Presidio Texas. This is a very rural area. We have True Value but their stock is very limited here and what they have is usually much higher than Home Depot. People here often make trips out of town out of sheer borden and necessity. Hopefully I'll get a good price on it in Alpine Texas or El Paso or even better Ebay. Thank You.
margaret gardner eBay might have it. I did a side by side compare of the two welders, have a video up. Look up fc90, I'm the only one who's shown a review on it
Thank You. I'm about to check out the fc90 video. I'm waiting in line to have a new fuel pump installed then I hope to repair the exhaust pipe myself. Your kindness is much appreciated.
Thank you!
GREAT VIDEO; Straight to the point!
Thanks
Just a suggestion:
Store your 2 lb spools of welding wire in zip lock sandwich bags. It helps keep the wire from rusting while stored.
Yeah, definately a help
@@InvincibleExtremes wouldn't that contain moisture in high humity communities?
yer a good brother... and a fine soldier... all the way! U.S. ARMY
Thanks!
If you went all the way, you would have been a Marine!
Thank you for the video. Not a bad welder for the price. I have some home projects that this thing would be more than sufficient for.
It is what it is. There are much better welders out there for only a little bit more. But none are $100
Great answer. Thanks for your help
How’s the family hope you guys r doing good love the videos
+Kive 75 family is waiting for me to join them in the v8 datsun. So far so good. I'll post an update once Luke is born.
I bought mine for 85 bucks about 12 years ago. The ground clamp is a weak link on mine thus i use the brass clamp hf sells. About 15 to 20 years ago the model had diodes so the output is dc ie direct current. Hf dropped the diodes so the units are less than 100 bucks. Adding some diodes will make a slightly better weld. The 240 volt hf wire welders have dc ie diodes. The 240 volt models have 4 ranges for current. The 120 models have 2 ranges. Eons ago the hf 240volt wire welders often had way lower max amps. I have a 240v hf wire welders that is 115 amps.
+3beltwesty wow, yeah I have the 170 amp model and it's nice, but not nice enough to bother dragging out the 240v cord
3beltwesty is this weld machine in this video dc out put ?
First welding video I seen. Very helpful
Jesse Delch thanks! It's not the best video. Also, if you're looking for a good cheap first welder, the century fc90 can't be beat. It's WAY easier to learn on and is much better for sheetmetal rust repair and that kind of thing
Invincible Extremes Muscle Cars Garage Thanks! I will check it out.
I have one of these. It does good for a little arc welder on thin steel. Its not going to measure up to mig of course. The use of gas and 240 just makes it so much hotter and smoother.
Oh yeah, 100% agree. Even for a flux core welder, DC makes a world of difference
It also would be a good idea to weld on cleaned metal and not rusted metal too!
Yup! Clean metal is best
I'll Give Your Brother Credit, At Least He Is Open To Learning. Remember The Journey Of A Thousand Miles Begins With The First Foot Step.
Yeah. Later on we spent some time and he learned a good bit more. Not a welder by no means, but he could scab something together if he had to.
G
nice. i just went to HF to buy the 90 amp on sale for $80. they were all sold but this model in the video was on the as is table for $35. i guess i got a deal assuming it works. i've never welded before but feel pretty confident after watching Daniel. LOL
Papa Bear it's not hard. Daniel can do it, so can you. 35 bucks is a deal. Not the best welder but it does work, even if it's a bit messy
The second time you welded on low likely went a little better because the metal was already preheated by the other welding you did on it. It COULD have been the clamp, but most likely it was the extra heat that made the lower setting work better the second time around. Nice video.
Treasure Pirate that's a good point. Thanks
Agree these welders ARE fine! Good video.
Walt Anderson agreed, not the greatest, but very handy to have around for sure.
Came here for a welder review then noticed the datsun lil that's what I was going to buy the welder for was some sheet metal work
The little green inverter welders they sell are MUCH better btw.
HF's cheap welders aren't bad. I bought my blue Chicago Electric $100 Harbor Freight welder 7.5 years ago as of this comment, (my first ever) yet I've been welding together another grill (out of an old gas water heater tank) off and on the past two weeks. To be fair, the rubber around the connection at the hose to welder joint is tearing and starting to come apart from wear, and I seem to go through copper tips faster than when it was new. Interestingly, I have OFTEN run the machine to the point of auto shut off lol. When running it long periods, do often keep a large high power fan pointed at it, which keeps it's temp down and buys me a lot more weld time, but I honestly, I can hardly believe it still works all this time later considering the abuse my amateur efforts have put it through over the years. 10/10 would buy it again ...... if I didn't want gas on my next one. It is not gas capable, pure flux core only.
The 170 amp machines they have are head and shoulders better, and can run gas if needed. But the little hundred dollar ones do last a while. Its the wire feed that gives up after a while.
I have a 90amp model and it works just fine, does the job. Its not for commercial welding by any means but a small repair here and there it does a great job.
William Todd sure does. I ran about 50lbs of wire through my old 90 amp one before the feed got iffy so I chucked it.
This is the best trailer park boys scene I've seen yet...
Lol, thanks
Awesome for beginners although I used mine for about a year welding on shipping containers... I made thousands with it!!! Until it took a crap.... Over heated... Well worth the cash for me lol...
gijoe2308 yup. Great for that kind of junkyard odds and ends welding. I took it on the road with me in that v8 datsun. Grabbed a small generator and I'm good to go.
Invincible Extremes Muscle Cars Garage i run mine off a Preditor 4000 generator. It lugs but it wotks
Reminds me of a Blues Brother scene. "How often does the train go by, so often you won't even notice it".
Terrific video bro😀☝️I never welded myself and would love to learn. I am thinking of boces welding school
I have no idea if that school is any good, but welding is fun. You will love it if you learn.
I don't have 220v is this the next best thing for small steel armature rods for sculpture? (About 1/4" dia)
I would suggest the century fc90. Half this size and weight, very portable, and a cleaner weld because it's dc, and has less spatter
Welding on rusty metal never helps. Better buy a HF grinder.
Final Call Racing yup, very true.
Always clean the metal...
What about a file or whetstone?
The manual says it can weld rusty steel.
@@privatebubba8876 yeah the arc will bust the rust off but you still prolly want to clean off where you ground at so you get good current going to your weld. sandpaper would do if you had nothing else, I like my little Li-on dremel. Bout to get a Li-on angle grinder.
I'm sold thanks for the video 😎👍🏽
I have a small 110 wire feed welder. Bought last year. Havnt touched it. Now I bought a small trailer needs work. Well time to learn to weld. Haven't welded since highschool
It's easy. I'm sure you'll do great
@@InvincibleExtremes hope so. Do NOT want to have to pay for all the work. Though some things I may have to. Since I don't think it will handle very thick MATERIAL
Haha great review but gave me flash backs to beginning of my welding.
TheTheshid I bet. Thanks for watching! Happy holidays
Did hf put a gas tip on a welder that can only run flux core?
William Ela yes they did...
Welding lesson & tips... Thank you sir!!!
Nice job. The toughest part for me would be welding off the ground. I'd just roll over frontwards and brand the top of my head on the work. Maybe 50 years ago, not now.
Joe West yeah, a welding table of some kind would be nice, but I don't live here, just visiting my dad and was hanging out with my younger brother. Cheers!
Because of roadkill I've been wanting a Dotson myself to make a Chevy powered Rotson.
Allen McKinney I'm about to drop a big datsun revival video in a few days ;-)
frogmanvc I full intend to use it to do sheet metal repairs. Being too hot isn't a big deal for me, can't run a full bead in 18ga anyway without warping. So yes you'll be fine. Little 1/2 inch long or shorter beads all along the seam and it'll do ok.
I'm thinking about buying an everlast pulse mig welder specifically for what it can do with sheet metal. Any links to videos showing pulse mig in action would be appreciated.
Datsun*
Eyyyyyy we watch roadkill.
I love the old Datsun Is it a 240 or 260.I just got the same welder I havw had very good luck with it.
Thanks.
Hacksational review/instructional. Let me know when you get tired of welding on the craptastik datsun.
Lol.
Great video
Antonio Michael thanks
Invincible Extremes Muscle Cars Garage your very welcome
Thanks for the entertainment and the informative video keep up the great context and work
Antonio Michael just doing what I do, dirt poor but not letting it slow me down.
Invincible Extremes Muscle Cars Garage I know how that is being dirt poor I still manage to post videos of automotive repair once in awhile got to educate the younger folks
I want to weld a rim what should I use
maroboy 91 the 170 amp would be better for that.