I stick welded a loading dock back together in 120 volt mode powered off a generator. They can't do every job, but they can do a lot of jobs. I'd also say if all someone has access to is 120v outlets, get an inverter welder over an old school transformer welder. I've never once popped a circuit on my inverter welder, even welding off a 15amp circuit. I've popped a a lot of circuits with a transformer welder though, and overloaded a generator with 20amp outlets.
Thanks for the advice. Was about to buy an old 110 welder for a great price. Then noticed it was a transformer welder. Definitely would prefer an inverter!
How is that possible? I keep popping my 20amp breaker on using arc200 stick welder from amazon and im not evening using at highest settings. Literally at 80-100amps it trips breaker in less than a minute, please advise on how to fix this. I run thick heavy duty extension cord, but i doubt it is the main cause...? Any suggestions?
@@ia6980 what else is plugged into the circuit? Also yes adding the extension cord will add load to the circuit. Think about it kind of like a water hose. The longer the hose, the more effort it takes for the water/electricity to travel through it. Larger Guage cords do help to some extent, but will still add resistance to the circuit. There could be a short in your circuit as well, or it's possible you have a faulty breaker. In that case finding the short or simply swapping the breaker should fix the issue.
As long as you recognize the limitations of a 110 Volt machine they are fine. One thing is you can't skimp on the prep of your materials. I needed some work done on my wheelchair ramp. I almost did it with my 110 volt rig but I got a chance to have an old school pro weld it up with his 220 Volt Miller. I took the parts to his shop and offered to grind the rust and mill scale off before he welded. With my welder I would have had to have done that to have any chance of it holding. He looked at me like I was talking nonsense and proceeded to blast through all that crud with his Miller. Those welds are still holding, long after Jim the gentleman who did the welding went on to his eternal reward. Nice thing about welding is if you do it right the things you build or repair have a good chance of outlasting you.
I’m a welding school student atm I bought my first welder for I think $200 bucks which is really good. It’s a 120machine and it welds great for me. It welds whatever I need and it’s reliable. The way I put it, you either have a welder machine or you don’t. Yes getting those 220v machines is a goal but those didn’t fit my price range. So if you are just starting out yes these 120v’s are good and reliable for you. If it’s for a real job, probably not. So yes, fully agreed to this video great info!!
I have a Hobart Mig120 from the 1990's with .023 wire. It is my go-to machine, for any of my little welding projects. I do have 3 other 240V welders, but I have always liked the 120.
I bought one years ago and a cousin gave me one. I do have big welders also. I actually welded two Toyota truck frames after they rusted back together lol. I mainly used the little 110 for rebuilding floors in old cars. They are handy.
@@emmanuelalva6597welded the winch plate to my F250HD frame, with a 110 HF Titanium Mig. Then proceeded to yank a 26 thousand pound freightliner tractor out of a mud hole with it. 5 inch single pass weld on each side. No problem.
The bad thing about cheap 110V mig welders is when the cable liner wears out you best throw it away because: 1. No replacement parts exist. 2. They were never designed to be changed.
Old Lincoln and Hobart 120v machines have been staples of auto body shops. The GOOD shops either gas convert the FCAW versions (cheap, do NOT buy the expensive official kits!) to use shielding gas or buy ones so fitted. I install a quality brass Milton pneumatic chuck on a ten-foot length of green gas hose securing the hose barbs with clamps (NOT ferrules) so I can repair it in the field. For 120V MIGs .023" wire is by far the best choice. Guns are cheap and so are used welders when the previous owner kinks the gun liner or fails to practice and gives up. (If you're a noob, practice on clean steel or cleaned scrap and never on your workpiece.) For thick stock, preheat with a torch. You'll thank me later. Also spend time on welding forums, not just UA-cam because text permits more precise detailed communication while video is for visuals. Use both. It's free.
My little Hobart handler 140 has never let me down on are 45 acare farm. I am looking at a stick welder so I can weld thick pipeing. With that said the hobert has welded and connected everything I wanted it to no probs.
What stick welder did you decide on for your pipe fencing ? Our son is building pipe fencing/stalls in Oklahoma and my husband is learning how to weld to help him save money so he’s looking for a stick welder.
I like the video thank you for posting it. I've never welded before but now that I'm out on the Homestead I am in the market for a welder And definitely on a budget and don't have Power ran to the shop yet so I'm working out of an extension cord so it's good to see all the projects you can do with the 110 V welder
I run a small repair shop out of my garage and I offer exhaust work and some custom work I use a cheap Campbell hausfield mig welder bought it 6 years ago still works great
Im just a handyman and im expanding my services with some welding. 110 is perfect bc i can do it anywhere. (broken gates, fences, security windows, etc)
My HF Titanium 125 flux core has been solid so far. I’ve welded all the way up to close to 1/4” metal with zero issues. Im definitely not a welder, not even a novice as i work in healthcare and have zero welding experience. Would i trust the 110v flux core for welding a bridge to drive my truck over? No way. But for basic farm-type welding, it’s great
I have a high end 120/240 multiprocess welder and sometimes I use it in 120 mode, works almost as good as when is in 240 volts. You have to know your machine limitations.
Lincoln 215 MPi. Also, I have access to a small Hitbox dual voltage stick welder, $89.00. That one I use it when I need to do any small job away from the house, weight only 3 pounds.@@JoelMorth
I picked up a new YesWeld MTS-160 machine on sale for under $200 in 2023. I had first looked at almost every machine in this size and category before settling on it. It can only do up to 1/8" at 120A (with 110/120v AC), and is maybe more suitable for 14 gauge, or if the metal is already good and hot. And it will do 3/16" at up to 160A (but using the 220v feature which is why I got it). I don't know that I'd only want a 110/120v machine because of it's limits to 1/8" and thinner. They are pretty limiting if you regularly do 1/8", especially in colder months where you often need the headroom of extra amps, say ~130. I run .030 wire in it almost exclusively though and admittedly weld 14g to 1/8" about 90% the time but that other 10% is always important. And for that I have an Everlast MTS 275 which is my big dog. What a lot of people quickly find out with small box machines is when doing joints and layers, even when both sides are 1/8" you'll find you need some extra amps for increased penetration. So for me that's why I found a 110v small box that can still bring the heat when needed with some 220v.
I am 67 years old my dad taught me how to stick weld and when I got older I got my own welder I worked at Manchester tank I got a whole Bart Handler 190 welder very good welder I got tired of switching it over from solid wire to flex core so I want Harbor Freight and bought me a titanium 125 Flex core welder I absolutely love it for a beginner it would be absolutely wonderful program learn how to start welding titanium 125 welder from Harbor Freight is very good and you can also get the extended warranty on it👍👍👍👍
Thank you for the video. I’m just starting to look for a welder because my mower deck needs a re-weld.. So, I’m trying to make sense of all the options.
A BIG BLACK EYE FOR HARBOR FREIGHT I have a Harbor freight TITANIUM FLUX 125 WELDER purchased from Harbor Freight a couple years ago. I am a retired plumbing contractor and backyard hobbyist. I love to build things in my spare time and help friends and neighbors that need something repaired. When I retired and closed my business, I had a stick welding machine but had no convenient place to connect it at my home! It would require an upgrade to my electrical service not worth the trouble and expense! When I saw a couple reviews on UA-cam for this Titanium 125 welder, I thought that would be the way to go. I already had a 110 Volt 30 Amp circuit to my workshop! It took me a while to get adjusted to the flux wire welding. I built a minibike from scrap pipe I had left over from the plumbing shop. The welder allowed me to make other things and make repairs for others I wouldn’t be able to do without it. In the middle of my last project, I cut a couple pieces of metal and got ready to weld them and when I pushed the button on the welder, nothing happened! It was dead! The fan did not come on but the light on the ON/OFF indicated there was power to the welder. I checked the manual for a reset button or a fuse and found no mention of either. So, I called the Harbor Freight 800 number and was told there was no repair for this welder. Harbor Freight has no repair facility, and no support is available. I was told by two different tech reps there is no schematics or parts list available from the factory where this is manufactured. “It is not worth getting it repaired and cheaper to go purchase a new one!” If you purchase this welder or many other things from Harbor Freight You only have 3 Months Warranty. It is considered disposable after that! All the reviews and discussion I have read about HARBOR FREIGHT I have never seen anything about their total lack of support for their products! I didn’t even get an “I’m sorry” or any offer for a discount on a new welding machine! I am retired, was an electronics technician in the Navy, active Ham Radio operator and electronics hobbyist. I feel like the electronics in this welding machine is straight forward non computer controlled and any decent electronics tech should be able to repair this given reasonable support. I removed the circuit board from the welder and found where a small component burned of course not knowing the component value or purpose will make it difficult to replace. Providing a schematic and parts list is a very inexpensive form of support that should be a minimum requirement. Their claim to revenue of 7 Billion Dollars tells me they could afford it!
I agree. Something harbor freight could do way better is stop acting like everything is disposable (which a lot of their stuff is) and make sure they provide support and parts for everything so people can repair it. Wouldn’t be hard to do and they could make a little extra cash.
@@keithevans9785Is your machine rated for the 15A circuit you’re using? If yes, do you have a grounding issue? The low end boxes we all love from Harbor Freight require excellent grounding and that means preparing the weld area and the grounding area and in my experience making the ground pretty close to the weld.
Used my 120V harbor freight blue flux core welder for 3/8” just have to make multiple passes. Root pass then clean then additional passes to fill it in.
I built a motorcycle trailer with a 110 volt harbor freight inverter welder,but the electric from my apt would overload. Bought a Westinghouse 3600 watt generator and it works well. Until someone needed it more than I did.
I'm looking at a welder to replace the exhaust system on my car. Do you think a 110v welder can do that? I was looking that the Harbor Freight Titanium 140. Any thoughts on that?
You ever consider getting into the Hercules line? I see HF is releasing a new brushless Hercules high torque in the near future. Guess they’re replacing the earthquake line. Excited to see what the performance is
The Hercules line is almost as expensive as some major brands like Dewalt, Milwaukee, Ridgid, etc. If you are going to pay that extra $$, might as well pay for a tool that have the backup of a good warranty. Example, I have a Ridgid chop saw that cost about the same as the Hercules except one thing: the warranty. Hercules warranty: 90 days, maybe you can buy the extended warranty, that will bring the price of the tool to the same or more than the Ridgid. Ridgid: lifetime service agreement.
I bought a Lincloin 110v (120v) years ago now it was the first ones sold at Home Depot and it was great I welded up to 5/8"no trouble. Yestereday, I was trying to help a guy out and he had a 110V Cheap Chicago Tools Harbor Freight machine and I could not get it to even weld at all and it was barely melting the wire and this is the second time I tried one of these machines and it did the same thing to me and the guy really needed it welded so I tried to get it to weld and it came out bad and I was a welder for years, also his helmet only blacked out on one side so I taped the one side and I tried to get it to weld and it came out bad and I looked bad even though I am actually a very good welder. I just made the mistake of trying too hard and should have said this is not working right and I would wait. But I did try to help the guy out and I told him the machine was not working well. and even though I was working for free He turned to an attitude of a paying customer and no good deed goes unpunished. This thing was junk and I should have declined working with shotty equiptment. You are right though if you buy a good quality machine they are fine for small projects. The other thing you can do is preheat the metal as I should have done because I was not getting the heat I needed to penetrate I got a cold adheasion but a after one pass the metal has wormed up but the first pass is not good so you think you are getting it after it worms up but no.
i own a 80's model craftsman 240v stick welder. got it for 125 bucks from a guy with a box of tools and rods. Only issue i have is if i want a wire long enough to reach from my stove to outside then it is very expensive for 8 gauge SJ cord. And its heavy, and it cant plug into a 120v. Its a medium sized thing, almost like a tombstone, 100 lb box. plus it has a small cart with wheels. Havent bought the wire yet. Cord it comes with is 3 feet and the 12 gauge extension cord is eh maybe 15 ft.
I have built a lot of foldable mortar stands that can hold a boat load of brick and mortar with my little 110 volt welder. I have a piece of railroad rail and ran some beads on and you cannot beat it off with a 16# sledge !!! It will not even dent !
I just used my 110v 80 amp small welder. There are obviously jobs too big for it, but it handles small jobs perfectly. I had to weld a spring for a lawnmower which saved me $58. It paid for the welder right there but be careful you are fooled by welds for bigger items. You don’t want to think it’s welded but actually it just hid the crack.
I’m in school to become a pro welder but I could really use a nice little portable 110 machine so I can practice my welding, and so I can make some cool things and maybe even get some money on the side with it.
I really just want to weld mufflers every couple months when I get bored of one. I have experience with mig welding a new box on our woodchip truck box so I know I can hold a pretty stable bead. Just never used a gasless one and wondering if those are crap or not
Rather have a 120v welder than no welder. I've done a bunch of trail repairs with my titanium 125. That said, if you can afford it, I'd much prefer a dual voltage machine
flux core is the way to go for simple stuff on a budget. i just upgraded to a bigger stick welder mainly so i could run e4043 sticks on project and have that ability in the future. that's the only reason.. tried a 120v stick model which on paper should have been able but it just wasn't enough to keep it going. this new one on 120v, 240v capable, will run it. still haven't got the wiring in place but oh man will it weld with the adapter. btw it was the cheapest way to get into aluminum welding. it's not pretty, runs fast and while i can get an ok bead on steel, it's ugly on aluminum. cool thing is i can run either on a 120v cord anywhere around the house with some limits on the big welder. if you are in the market, dude ain't wrong, if not for the aluminum situation, i wouldn't have bothered. that little fc-90 flux core welder is a beast.
4:19 what size pipe did you use? I asked other about using a 110v flux welder for the 2 7/8ths drill pipe and they say it can't be done. Just wanting to know if I can buy pipe that I can use for an entrance as well.
It was not drill pipe. I got that from a green house “grow pipe” system that was being thrown out. It’s a little over an 1/8” thick. Let me ask you this, what are you trying to weld the drill pipe for?
@@DereksWorkshopAndProjects just as an entry way. Same as you did. It wont even be used to hold in any animals. Just for cosmetics. Oh and I will need to get a gate on it. Maybe one 16ft gate or maybe two 10ft gates.
I used a Lincoln 140 with flux core. For some little repairs on the corrals. 2-7/8 x .200 wall, ran maxed it out. Wouldn't want to build a fence with it. I'd be constantly waiting for it to cool off. If you have a little time ,you could . You could also use stick with 3/32 and add another weld pass.
I got myself to harbor freight and picked up a titanium 125 flux core welder, a roll of wire, gloves, visor, tool, brush, square magnets, and a fiberglass cloth, amongst other minor things. $350 out the door, and ready to stick sh!t together with hot glue. I've burned through the Vulcan roll fking things up and got a Forney one which is way better, and I can actually make it look good. If it wasn't for that low entry price I would've never touched welding.
wow I just thought 110v just meant Americans had slow sandwich toasters and electric kettles, this is an eye opener. Our standard wall outlet in the house is 240v 16A outlet it's on a 20A breaker. I run my welder on a 30m (65f) 1.5mm (18guage) extension cord out to my shed, it seems fine, runs the power tools and lights.
Don’t remember brand but I killed three in 3 weeks but was welding 1/4 galvanized steal min breaks for 12 hours, I think if u give it a break and not work it hard it might last?
My lincoln 140 pulls 30A with 36A peaks when maxed out. Most of the cheaper ones and old one like my old transformer 140 pull a lot of power. You're gonna need a bigger breaker, you might run a minute before the breaker trips on a 20A when you run maxed out.
Really needing to weld in some 2x6 rockers on my Jeep, likely 0.125" thickness, I know you said 3/8" is as thick as you can really go, but do you think I'll be good with a Titanium dual voltage 140 ran off 110v (120)? HF has a coupon right now and I'm itching to get this project started lol.
I have Mastercraft 125i flux core welder. Which is 115v and I cannot use it plugged on my garage outlet which is 15amp. When i touch to weld. Breaker pop before I see arc. Can it be because of 50' long 16 gauge extension cord? Do you have any idea what can be the issue? Thank you!
Yes. It will give you it's full power. Dont go any higher and you'll be fine. Most 110 welders need around 30 amps to reach full power due to amp draw at higher settings.
3/32 is the rod that runs at 90 and under. 6010 runs a little lower current and you could use a 1/8 rod, but a lot of welders won't run it. If you have something like the titanium 225 it would suck, because it can only do 75A.
Hey helpful video man thanks I'm trying to custom my Razor frame that I modded the electronics but need to do some framework I'm a carpenter so good with wood about to be with metal lol I think 110 will do to start 🤷♂️ let me know if you have any input Thanks for the video
Some of them are kinda gimmicky because they want you to run it on a 110v 40/50 amp breaker to get full amperage. Almost nobody already has 110v on more than a 20 amp breaker. If you're putting in a 110v 40/50 amp breaker, you might as well put in a 220v 50amp breaker. If you install a new outlet right next to your breaker box it will be cheap.
Most of these newer inverter machines will run on either 120 or 240. I don’t see the point on getting a 120 volt model for the rare occasion you might have to run it on 120 volts. If you don’t have 240 volt power get yourself a engine driven unit. I know mine has a terrible duty cycle on 120 volts. My inverter welder will run 150 amps at 100 percent duty cycle on 240 volts but is only 20 percent duty cycle at 125 amps on 120 volts and draws 40 amps! On a 20 amp circuit you can’t get more then about 90 amps out of it before you trip the breaker. Combine that with about a 40 percent duty cycle and you can see how useless it is. I must add you can weld anything at 90 amps including 1 in steel plate! You just have to bevel it and run a multi pass weld. Open root multi pass welds are just as good if not better then single pass welds. But it’s that terrible duty cycle that sucks. I couldn’t tolerate a machine that could only weld for 2 or 3 minutes at a time before needing to cool off for 7 or 8 minutes!
Someone just needs to show me a 110v gas mig two dial machine. Not everyone wants multi-process, dual voltage or high end. Welding 18 gauge sheet metal doesn't take all the things.
I showed up to a job with a 110 welder and one of my coworkers grabbed me by my neck and threw me to the ground, I asked wtf was that for as my eyes started to water but before I knew it my other coworkers starting kicking me while repeatedly shouting “you’re going to learn today boy”. One of them took a shit on my 110 welder while another one grabbed my credit card and charged a 5,000 dollar welder and said don’t ever come to the worksite with a purse and don’t show up without the welder you just bought yourself
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I stick welded a loading dock back together in 120 volt mode powered off a generator. They can't do every job, but they can do a lot of jobs. I'd also say if all someone has access to is 120v outlets, get an inverter welder over an old school transformer welder. I've never once popped a circuit on my inverter welder, even welding off a 15amp circuit. I've popped a a lot of circuits with a transformer welder though, and overloaded a generator with 20amp outlets.
Definitely my experience except I’ve popped breakers with them a lot because I run them off extension cords cause I don’t really have another choice.
Tell me more. That's just what I'm looking for. I live in a three family apartment building and I want to be as safe as possible. Off grid.
Thanks for the advice. Was about to buy an old 110 welder for a great price. Then noticed it was a transformer welder. Definitely would prefer an inverter!
How is that possible? I keep popping my 20amp breaker on using arc200 stick welder from amazon and im not evening using at highest settings. Literally at 80-100amps it trips breaker in less than a minute, please advise on how to fix this. I run thick heavy duty extension cord, but i doubt it is the main cause...? Any suggestions?
@@ia6980 what else is plugged into the circuit? Also yes adding the extension cord will add load to the circuit. Think about it kind of like a water hose. The longer the hose, the more effort it takes for the water/electricity to travel through it. Larger Guage cords do help to some extent, but will still add resistance to the circuit.
There could be a short in your circuit as well, or it's possible you have a faulty breaker. In that case finding the short or simply swapping the breaker should fix the issue.
I welded a 16 foot gate with a 110 welder. That was over 25 years ago and it is still together
What brand and model is it. Do tell?
As long as you recognize the limitations of a 110 Volt machine they are fine.
One thing is you can't skimp on the prep of your materials.
I needed some work done on my wheelchair ramp.
I almost did it with my 110 volt rig but I got a chance to have an old school pro weld it up with his 220 Volt Miller.
I took the parts to his shop and offered to grind the rust and mill scale off before he welded. With my welder I would have had to have done that to have any chance of it holding.
He looked at me like I was talking nonsense and proceeded to blast through all that crud with his Miller.
Those welds are still holding, long after Jim the gentleman who did the welding went on to his eternal reward.
Nice thing about welding is if you do it right the things you build or repair have a good chance of outlasting you.
So true.
I’m a welding school student atm I bought my first welder for I think $200 bucks which is really good.
It’s a 120machine and it welds great for me. It welds whatever I need and it’s reliable. The way I put it, you either have a welder machine or you don’t. Yes getting those 220v machines is a goal but those didn’t fit my price range. So if you are just starting out yes these 120v’s are good and reliable for you. If it’s for a real job, probably not.
So yes, fully agreed to this video great info!!
get you a gas powered miller bobcat
@@jessihawkins9116 I think 7 grand is going be out of most diy'ers budget
@@billwhite5853 doesn’t have to be new.
I need a little welder to fix a trailer, it's good to hear you did the same thing I need to do.
You seem like a genuine and good dude wish you the very best in life.
Thanks man, I appreciate comments like these.
I have a Hobart Mig120 from the 1990's with .023 wire. It is my go-to machine, for any of my little welding projects. I do have 3 other 240V welders, but I have always liked the 120.
I bought one years ago and a cousin gave me one. I do have big welders also. I actually welded two Toyota truck frames after they rusted back together lol. I mainly used the little 110 for rebuilding floors in old cars. They are handy.
This was exactly the comment i was hoping for. Need mine for sheet metal on my car
Could the 110 weld a frame? I have some rot holes on my frame and wanted to patch it up.
@@emmanuelalva6597 as long as you clean it good .
@@emmanuelalva6597welded the winch plate to my F250HD frame, with a 110 HF Titanium Mig. Then proceeded to yank a 26 thousand pound freightliner tractor out of a mud hole with it. 5 inch single pass weld on each side. No problem.
The bad thing about cheap 110V mig welders is when the cable liner wears out you best throw it away because: 1. No replacement parts exist. 2. They were never designed to be changed.
I have a Hobart 130, Hobart 140,
and a Miller 252,
all 3 of these are very good.
Old Lincoln and Hobart 120v machines have been staples of auto body shops. The GOOD shops either gas convert the FCAW versions (cheap, do NOT buy the expensive official kits!) to use shielding gas or buy ones so fitted. I install a quality brass Milton pneumatic chuck on a ten-foot length of green gas hose securing the hose barbs with clamps (NOT ferrules) so I can repair it in the field. For 120V MIGs .023" wire is by far the best choice. Guns are cheap and so are used welders when the previous owner kinks the gun liner or fails to practice and gives up. (If you're a noob, practice on clean steel or cleaned scrap and never on your workpiece.)
For thick stock, preheat with a torch. You'll thank me later. Also spend time on welding forums, not just UA-cam because text permits more precise detailed communication while video is for visuals. Use both. It's free.
My little Hobart handler 140 has never let me down on are 45 acare farm. I am looking at a stick welder so I can weld thick pipeing. With that said the hobert has welded and connected everything I wanted it to no probs.
What stick welder did you decide on for your pipe fencing ? Our son is building pipe fencing/stalls in Oklahoma and my husband is learning how to weld to help him save money so he’s looking for a stick welder.
@@anitamarshall7528 the Hobart 160i stick and Mate. Haven’t used it very much but it is a good welder.
@@locustvalleyfarms7241 Thank you so much ! I’ll let him know.👍🏻
Great upload! I've done some flux core plate work running off an old 110 generator, quick fix work for a scrapyard 👨🏾🏭🤙🏿💰
Ya they do the job fairly often! Thanks for watching!
I like the video thank you for posting it. I've never welded before but now that I'm out on the Homestead I am in the market for a welder And definitely on a budget and don't have Power ran to the shop yet so I'm working out of an extension cord so it's good to see all the projects you can do with the 110 V welder
I run a small repair shop out of my garage and I offer exhaust work and some custom work I use a cheap Campbell hausfield mig welder bought it 6 years ago still works great
Im just a handyman and im expanding my services with some welding. 110 is perfect bc i can do it anywhere. (broken gates, fences, security windows, etc)
Just bought a lincoln mig 120 volt. Work perfectly as long as you keep it within machine capability.
My HF Titanium 125 flux core has been solid so far. I’ve welded all the way up to close to 1/4” metal with zero issues. Im definitely not a welder, not even a novice as i work in healthcare and have zero welding experience. Would i trust the 110v flux core for welding a bridge to drive my truck over? No way. But for basic farm-type welding, it’s great
my 125 wont arc after plugging into 110. WHY ????
@@keithevans9785poor power supply, not enough to arc
I have a high end 120/240 multiprocess welder and sometimes I use it in 120 mode, works almost as good as when is in 240 volts. You have to know your machine limitations.
What welder do you have if you dont mind me asking?
Lincoln 215 MPi. Also, I have access to a small Hitbox dual voltage stick welder, $89.00. That one I use it when I need to do any small job away from the house, weight only 3 pounds.@@JoelMorth
I picked up a new YesWeld MTS-160 machine on sale for under $200 in 2023. I had first looked at almost every machine in this size and category before settling on it. It can only do up to 1/8" at 120A (with 110/120v AC), and is maybe more suitable for 14 gauge, or if the metal is already good and hot. And it will do 3/16" at up to 160A (but using the 220v feature which is why I got it). I don't know that I'd only want a 110/120v machine because of it's limits to 1/8" and thinner. They are pretty limiting if you regularly do 1/8", especially in colder months where you often need the headroom of extra amps, say ~130. I run .030 wire in it almost exclusively though and admittedly weld 14g to 1/8" about 90% the time but that other 10% is always important. And for that I have an Everlast MTS 275 which is my big dog. What a lot of people quickly find out with small box machines is when doing joints and layers, even when both sides are 1/8" you'll find you need some extra amps for increased penetration. So for me that's why I found a 110v small box that can still bring the heat when needed with some 220v.
I am 67 years old my dad taught me how to stick weld and when I got older I got my own welder I worked at Manchester tank I got a whole Bart Handler 190 welder very good welder I got tired of switching it over from solid wire to flex core so I want Harbor Freight and bought me a titanium 125 Flex core welder I absolutely love it for a beginner it would be absolutely wonderful program learn how to start welding titanium 125 welder from Harbor Freight is very good and you can also get the extended warranty on it👍👍👍👍
Thank you for the video. I’m just starting to look for a welder because my mower deck needs a re-weld.. So, I’m trying to make sense of all the options.
Yes it is. I have one and use it for flux core only. Works great
A BIG BLACK EYE FOR HARBOR FREIGHT
I have a Harbor freight TITANIUM FLUX 125 WELDER purchased from Harbor Freight a couple years ago. I am a retired plumbing contractor and backyard hobbyist. I love to build things in my spare time and help friends and neighbors that need something repaired. When I retired and closed my business, I had a stick welding machine but had no convenient place to connect it at my home! It would require an upgrade to my electrical service not worth the trouble and expense! When I saw a couple reviews on UA-cam for this Titanium 125 welder, I thought that would be the way to go. I already had a 110 Volt 30 Amp circuit to my workshop!
It took me a while to get adjusted to the flux wire welding. I built a minibike from scrap pipe I had left over from the plumbing shop. The welder allowed me to make other things and make repairs for others I wouldn’t be able to do without it.
In the middle of my last project, I cut a couple pieces of metal and got ready to weld them and when I pushed the button on the welder, nothing happened! It was dead! The fan did not come on but the light on the ON/OFF indicated there was power to the welder. I checked the manual for a reset button or a fuse and found no mention of either.
So, I called the Harbor Freight 800 number and was told there was no repair for this welder. Harbor Freight has no repair facility, and no support is available. I was told by two different tech reps there is no schematics or parts list available from the factory where this is manufactured. “It is not worth getting it repaired and cheaper to go purchase a new one!” If you purchase this welder or many other things from Harbor Freight You only have 3 Months Warranty. It is considered disposable after that!
All the reviews and discussion I have read about HARBOR FREIGHT I have never seen anything about their total lack of support for their products! I didn’t even get an “I’m sorry” or any offer for a discount on a new welding machine!
I am retired, was an electronics technician in the Navy, active Ham Radio operator and electronics hobbyist. I feel like the electronics in this welding machine is straight forward non computer controlled and any decent electronics tech should be able to repair this given reasonable support. I removed the circuit board from the welder and found where a small component burned of course not knowing the component value or purpose will make it difficult to replace. Providing a schematic and parts list is a very inexpensive form of support that should be a minimum requirement. Their claim to revenue of 7 Billion Dollars tells me they could afford it!
I agree. Something harbor freight could do way better is stop acting like everything is disposable (which a lot of their stuff is) and make sure they provide support and parts for everything so people can repair it. Wouldn’t be hard to do and they could make a little extra cash.
Keep making these great videos and you'll be a pro before you know it.
That was a good, fair, and reasonable explanation.
College educated welder here, have many rigs from gas to engine driven, bought a century 120v welder, prefer it over it all
What kind of work do you do on a regular basis?
my HF 125 flux welder wont arc after plugging it into a 110 recept. WHY ?????
@@keithevans9785Is your machine rated for the 15A circuit you’re using? If yes, do you have a grounding issue? The low end boxes we all love from Harbor Freight require excellent grounding and that means preparing the weld area and the grounding area and in my experience making the ground pretty close to the weld.
Man for sure, 120v inverter welders totally capable. Especially stick or flux core, you get plenty of penetration on 120v.
For most “around the property” jobs, yes. No doubt!
Not enough for the bigger jobs.
@@tileman454 True, for both penetration and duty cycle.
Used my 120V harbor freight blue flux core welder for 3/8” just have to make multiple passes. Root pass then clean then additional passes to fill it in.
I built a motorcycle trailer with a 110 volt harbor freight inverter welder,but the electric from my apt would overload. Bought a Westinghouse 3600 watt generator and it works well. Until someone needed it more than I did.
I'm looking at a welder to replace the exhaust system on my car. Do you think a 110v welder can do that? I was looking that the Harbor Freight Titanium 140. Any thoughts on that?
My opinion is that a 110v welder is the perfect machine to do exhaust work.
I needed my gate fixed. I got a few quotes and used my HF 110 titanium to do it myself. Just paid for itself twice over.
You ever consider getting into the Hercules line? I see HF is releasing a new brushless Hercules high torque in the near future. Guess they’re replacing the earthquake line. Excited to see what the performance is
I’d love to get into the Hercules line, I just don’t want to spend my own money on it at this point lol.
The Hercules line is almost as expensive as some major brands like Dewalt, Milwaukee, Ridgid, etc. If you are going to pay that extra $$, might as well pay for a tool that have the backup of a good warranty. Example, I have a Ridgid chop saw that cost about the same as the Hercules except one thing: the warranty. Hercules warranty: 90 days, maybe you can buy the extended warranty, that will bring the price of the tool to the same or more than the Ridgid. Ridgid: lifetime service agreement.
I bought a Lincloin 110v (120v) years ago now it was the first ones sold at Home Depot and it was great I welded up to 5/8"no trouble. Yestereday, I was trying to help a guy out and he had a 110V Cheap Chicago Tools Harbor Freight machine and I could not get it to even weld at all and it was barely melting the wire and this is the second time I tried one of these machines and it did the same thing to me and the guy really needed it welded so I tried to get it to weld and it came out bad and I was a welder for years, also his helmet only blacked out on one side so I taped the one side and I tried to get it to weld and it came out bad and I looked bad even though I am actually a very good welder. I just made the mistake of trying too hard and should have said this is not working right and I would wait. But I did try to help the guy out and I told him the machine was not working well. and even though I was working for free He turned to an attitude of a paying customer and no good deed goes unpunished. This thing was junk and I should have declined working with shotty equiptment. You are right though if you buy a good quality machine they are fine for small projects. The other thing you can do is preheat the metal as I should have done because I was not getting the heat I needed to penetrate I got a cold adheasion but a after one pass the metal has wormed up but the first pass is not good so you think you are getting it after it worms up but no.
Good information, Derek, Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
i own a 80's model craftsman 240v stick welder. got it for 125 bucks from a guy with a box of tools and rods. Only issue i have is if i want a wire long enough to reach from my stove to outside then it is very expensive for 8 gauge SJ cord. And its heavy, and it cant plug into a 120v. Its a medium sized thing, almost like a tombstone, 100 lb box. plus it has a small cart with wheels. Havent bought the wire yet. Cord it comes with is 3 feet and the 12 gauge extension cord is eh maybe 15 ft.
I have built a lot of foldable mortar stands that can hold a boat load of brick and mortar with my little 110 volt welder. I have a piece of railroad rail and ran some beads on and you cannot beat it off with a 16# sledge !!! It will not even dent !
I just used my 110v 80 amp small welder. There are obviously jobs too big for it, but it handles small jobs perfectly. I had to weld a spring for a lawnmower which saved me $58. It paid for the welder right there but be careful you are fooled by welds for bigger items. You don’t want to think it’s welded but actually it just hid the crack.
Great video that is very helpful and well thought out. Thank you.
absolutely what I needed to know. Job Well Done. Thank you
I’m in school to become a pro welder but I could really use a nice little portable 110 machine so I can practice my welding, and so I can make some cool things and maybe even get some money on the side with it.
Good luck!
I really just want to weld mufflers every couple months when I get bored of one. I have experience with mig welding a new box on our woodchip truck box so I know I can hold a pretty stable bead. Just never used a gasless one and wondering if those are crap or not
Rather have a 120v welder than no welder. I've done a bunch of trail repairs with my titanium 125. That said, if you can afford it, I'd much prefer a dual voltage machine
So i am not quite sure but is this video about all 110v stick and mig etc and is there a difference in the stick and mig in ithe 110 v category.
flux core is the way to go for simple stuff on a budget. i just upgraded to a bigger stick welder mainly so i could run e4043 sticks on project and have that ability in the future. that's the only reason.. tried a 120v stick model which on paper should have been able but it just wasn't enough to keep it going. this new one on 120v, 240v capable, will run it. still haven't got the wiring in place but oh man will it weld with the adapter. btw it was the cheapest way to get into aluminum welding. it's not pretty, runs fast and while i can get an ok bead on steel, it's ugly on aluminum. cool thing is i can run either on a 120v cord anywhere around the house with some limits on the big welder. if you are in the market, dude ain't wrong, if not for the aluminum situation, i wouldn't have bothered. that little fc-90 flux core welder is a beast.
Depends on the job you are trying to do.
4:19 what size pipe did you use? I asked other about using a 110v flux welder for the 2 7/8ths drill pipe and they say it can't be done. Just wanting to know if I can buy pipe that I can use for an entrance as well.
It was not drill pipe. I got that from a green house “grow pipe” system that was being thrown out. It’s a little over an 1/8” thick. Let me ask you this, what are you trying to weld the drill pipe for?
@@DereksWorkshopAndProjects just as an entry way. Same as you did. It wont even be used to hold in any animals. Just for cosmetics. Oh and I will need to get a gate on it. Maybe one 16ft gate or maybe two 10ft gates.
I used a Lincoln 140 with flux core. For some little repairs on the corrals. 2-7/8 x .200 wall, ran maxed it out. Wouldn't want to build a fence with it. I'd be constantly waiting for it to cool off. If you have a little time ,you could . You could also use stick with 3/32 and add another weld pass.
@@tsl7881 Thanks! Was hoping to do it with the welder I have. May have to just get a stick welder
I got myself to harbor freight and picked up a titanium 125 flux core welder, a roll of wire, gloves, visor, tool, brush, square magnets, and a fiberglass cloth, amongst other minor things.
$350 out the door, and ready to stick sh!t together with hot glue.
I've burned through the Vulcan roll fking things up and got a Forney one which is way better, and I can actually make it look good.
If it wasn't for that low entry price I would've never touched welding.
I just got a $53 stick welder. Not bad for Chinese junk. More useful than my 110 mig welder.
I live in a three family apartment building and I don't want to do any to hurt my neighbors. Can I use a 110 or 120 Volt welder with a generator ?
wow I just thought 110v just meant Americans had slow sandwich toasters and electric kettles, this is an eye opener.
Our standard wall outlet in the house is 240v 16A outlet it's on a 20A breaker. I run my welder on a 30m (65f) 1.5mm (18guage) extension cord out to my shed, it seems fine, runs the power tools and lights.
Must be nice lol I only have one 240v in the house and it’s for my clothes dryer the rest are 110v or 120v
I’m thinking about getting into metal art, I think I could get by with a 110v
120AC welder how much max Amps can draw and what is maximum Breaker in service panel you need to change for this 20A 120v plug/wiring?
Yes 20 amp breaker and 12 gauge wire should be sufficient. Run a separate outlet on conduit designated for your welder.
Don’t remember brand but I killed three in 3 weeks but was welding 1/4 galvanized steal min breaks for 12 hours, I think if u give it a break and not work it hard it might last?
what about lighter gauge thin metal body parts for car and trailers? I want to avoid burn through
I enjoyed your video I have two of these welders my problem is is it constantly pops Breakers in my house is it necessary to install a 20 amp outlet?
My lincoln 140 pulls 30A with 36A peaks when maxed out. Most of the cheaper ones and old one like my old transformer 140 pull a lot of power. You're gonna need a bigger breaker, you might run a minute before the breaker trips on a 20A when you run maxed out.
Excellent machines!
Yes they are!
You can make some nice looking weld with a 110 flux core. They wouldn’t hold FA though
Is a 110V machine is enough to fabricate a staircase handrail?
Thanks
Can they be used for automotive exhaust systems?
Welding Repair on 2005 Toyota Corolla Exhaust Manifold - How to Remove and Replace It
ua-cam.com/video/0cgbxsHf2cw/v-deo.html
Really needing to weld in some 2x6 rockers on my Jeep, likely 0.125" thickness, I know you said 3/8" is as thick as you can really go, but do you think I'll be good with a Titanium dual voltage 140 ran off 110v (120)? HF has a coupon right now and I'm itching to get this project started lol.
You can grind at an angle and weld with multiple passes, that might work. Look up videos on this technique and it should give you some ideas.
@@DereksWorkshopAndProjects right on thanks! I'll check into that
I have a question rather than a comment. That is what breaker is required for this weilder
20amp minimum
You probably want to make sure that you have a heavy duty 20A outlet. NEMA 5-20
I just love garabge boys knowing more than fabricators.
Well, your comment aged like a fine milk. I bet you thought a million people would’ve liked your comment, you’re probably sad they didn’t, aren’t ya…
I have Mastercraft 125i flux core welder. Which is 115v and I cannot use it plugged on my garage outlet which is 15amp. When i touch to weld. Breaker pop before I see arc. Can it be because of 50' long 16 gauge extension cord? Do you have any idea what can be the issue? Thank you!
You'll need a 20 amp circuit, and don't use the extension cord, as this will sap power from your welder. Or get a thicker and shorter extension cord.
Are they good for welding horseshoes?
If a 110 welder can do up to 3/16 metal, I should be able to weld auto floorpans which are around 18 gauge, right?
Yes. Were you planning to use Mig? You could with fluxcore , but it is messy.
@ as I don’t have a welder yet, I’ll do some lighter work with panel bond.
Could I run a titanium flux 125 welder on a 30 amp circuit or will it damage the welder?
Yes. It will give you it's full power. Dont go any higher and you'll be fine. Most 110 welders need around 30 amps to reach full power due to amp draw at higher settings.
@@robertblackshear8963 thanks Rob. The only 30 amp I have in my house in for the dryer/washer.
The Flux 125 is a 110V only machine, did you burn it up?
Great video. What is your go to rod(s) you normally use? 6011, 6013, 7014 or 7018?
6010 or 6011 for most steel on 110
3/32 is the rod that runs at 90 and under. 6010 runs a little lower current and you could use a 1/8 rod, but a lot of welders won't run it. If you have something like the titanium 225 it would suck, because it can only do 75A.
Hey helpful video man thanks I'm trying to custom my Razor frame that I modded the electronics but need to do some framework I'm a carpenter so good with wood about to be with metal lol I think 110 will do to start 🤷♂️ let me know if you have any input Thanks for the video
I think a 110v would be fine. To me, 220v welders come into play when welding large machinery, equipment, and buildings.
@@DereksWorkshopAndProjects awesome thanks man appreciate the video
Some of them are kinda gimmicky because they want you to run it on a 110v 40/50 amp breaker to get full amperage. Almost nobody already has 110v on more than a 20 amp breaker. If you're putting in a 110v 40/50 amp breaker, you might as well put in a 220v 50amp breaker. If you install a new outlet right next to your breaker box it will be cheap.
Like to Add using 035 wire burns much hotter that 030 wire.
I'm not 1 of those guys with power in garage for 220. I'm off grid, using generator for power only when needed.
Thank you !
Most of these newer inverter machines will run on either 120 or 240. I don’t see the point on getting a 120 volt model for the rare occasion you might have to run it on 120 volts. If you don’t have 240 volt power get yourself a engine driven unit. I know mine has a terrible duty cycle on 120 volts. My inverter welder will run 150 amps at 100 percent duty cycle on 240 volts but is only 20 percent duty cycle at 125 amps on 120 volts and draws 40 amps! On a 20 amp circuit you can’t get more then about 90 amps out of it before you trip the breaker. Combine that with about a 40 percent duty cycle and you can see how useless it is. I must add you can weld anything at 90 amps including 1 in steel plate! You just have to bevel it and run a multi pass weld. Open root multi pass welds are just as good if not better then single pass welds. But it’s that terrible duty cycle that sucks. I couldn’t tolerate a machine that could only weld for 2 or 3 minutes at a time before needing to cool off for 7 or 8 minutes!
Not everyone can afford the things you suggest.
Can I weld a trailer jack into a trailer?
Yes. If you metal is under 3/16 for mig. If stick, just run another pass. If you have a 140 flux core machine it will get into 1/4".
Thank you
Man I’m just trying to teach myself to weld without spending $500+ on my first stick welder. I’d like to do 1/4”.
Most 110v machines I know of are going to struggle to fully penetrate 1/4”
Nice to be able to run it off a small generator.
thanks for your vidio,
I’m sold
Someone just needs to show me a 110v gas mig two dial machine. Not everyone wants multi-process, dual voltage or high end. Welding 18 gauge sheet metal doesn't take all the things.
A lot of people like Primeweld.
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
I dislike 110v welders, 220V hits harder for not much of a stretch on the supply front.
Makes sense. Nothing wrong with that.
The Amazon Blue welder is better than all these and harbor freight
I showed up to a job with a 110 welder and one of my coworkers grabbed me by my neck and threw me to the ground, I asked wtf was that for as my eyes started to water but before I knew it my other coworkers starting kicking me while repeatedly shouting “you’re going to learn today boy”. One of them took a shit on my 110 welder while another one grabbed my credit card and charged a 5,000 dollar welder and said don’t ever come to the worksite with a purse and don’t show up without the welder you just bought yourself
I’ll add this to the book of stories that never happened. But I get it. You don’t like them!
@@DereksWorkshopAndProjects I only use a 110 welder
That’s hilarious, not a true story but hilarious. 😂😂
@@CCP600tough crowd
220 is is only two 110 lines sharing the same ground.. not to hard to rig it up-- youtube university
Well out in the country you might get by with that as long as your not a burden for the volunteer fire department.
Hey,
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too much talk hands on the project would be better!!!🙁
Rambling on and on didn't tell or show any thing about the welder