Harbor Freight FCAW welder

[Gary Fowler]

Harbor Freight had their Titanium 125 FCAW DC inverter welder on sale for $159 so I decided to buy it. I dont need to weld thick stuff, I have stick rod for that, so the 125 works well for me. I just got thru welding up some shelf brackets I fabbed out of 3/32" thick sheet metal. The little machine worked great. So far it hasn't kicked out on overheating. I think I am going to like it but it does throw off a lot of buckshot.

I have had an Airco MIG 100 for 30 years that was given to me by a LWS and I never used it due mainly to not wanting to buy another gas bottle. I may invest some more money in a 75/25 bottle and try it out later and try it out since I think if would weld smoother than the FCAW. I never really thought about what I could use it for since I have the 250 amp AC/DC Miller stick machine

 

[dragoneggs]

If you go gas you won't want to go back to flux core.

 

[BukitCase]

Amen - no cleanup on these at all -
C25 gas, .035 Lincoln L56 wire... Steve

 

[Big Barn]

Amen - no cleanup on these at all -
View attachment 645868

Except for the permanent marker. NICE!

 

[WranglerX]

If you go gas you won't want to go back to flux core.

Yes... GMAW forever.... Nothing wrong with FCAW, but GMAW is so much cleaner....

Dale

 

[Gary Fowler]

Yes... GMAW forever.... Nothing wrong with FCAW, but GMAW is so much cleaner....

Dale

All true, but I would never use MIG for heavy steel, hence my purchase of tiny 125 amp machine. I like my stick electrode for that. If I were going to use wire feed as my primary welding equipment, I would have went with a 220V machine with at least 200 Amp rating @60% duty cycle or higher.

 

[WranglerX]

All true, but I would never use MIG for heavy steel, hence my purchase of tiny 125 amp machine. I like my stick electrode for that. If I were going to use wire feed as my primary welding equipment, I would have went with a 220V machine with at least 200 Amp rating @60% duty cycle or higher.

Sold my 180 amp stick machine many years ago.... About 7 years ago I bought Hobart Handler 140 and it has done admirably all my welding needs, seldom do work over 1/4 to 3/8 inch so stick is non relevant to me....

JUst can't see a 125 amp fluxcore only machine, as it seem bottom end of chinseasiun dung pile... Go with top end 120V machine or 240V machine if the 120V top end machine is to small....

Don't think I would ever go back to stick....

Dale

 

[duramaxsky]

Gas is the only way to go. Flux core blows more crap than stick. And you can do aluminum. I have 2 gas bottles one for steel and one for Aluminum. I may get another welder for steel. It's a pain to keep changing the liner and bottle. I will go bigger for a steel only machine. And maybe Miller instead of Lincoln.

 

[rangerfredbob]

I've been very impressed with what my old transformer 100A flux core welder will do, that new Titanium unit is tiny... I do have a Titanium 175 and 200 (paid $650 for the 200 and $125 for the 175... I abuse the 175) and haven't gotten a bottle yet but they both weld great on flux. I have an AC/DC stick welder at home too to do heavy stuff. I'm used to MIG though, I occasionally use the giant MIG at work, it's an old Lincoln Sinchrowave with a wire feed box on top, that welder is a beast... I am going to get a bottle for the Unlimited welders but I have no regrets right now.

 

[Mark_D]

If you go gas you won't want to go back to flux core.

I disagree. I use both. When FC is dialed in just right the spatter isn't bad. I use FC for most of my dirty repairs and outside welding. I use gas when I'm dabbing fresh steel in the shop. I actually probably use FC about 60% of the time. Here are some pics from a recent project where I added a weight to my box blade. Flux core wire was Lincoln NR-212 .045.