Harbor Freight Welder (Chicago 125 Flux) Good For Go Kart Frame?

[SquidBonez]

Anybody ever build a frame with one of these HF flux welders? I recently picked up a Chicago 125 Flux harbor freight welder for $70 on OfferUp. Only 3 weeks old. It already had an upgraded ground clamp and new wire. Been welding on some scrap metal to practice, and also welded a crack on my kart's frame, but I'm just wondering if this welder would be good enough to weld together a whole frame with.

 

[Budget GoKart]

yes they do fine ive built a mower bumper with mine

 

[SquidBonez]

yes they do fine ive built a mower bumper with mine

Good to hear. Just need more practice. I'll be using 1/8" wall 1x1 square tubing which is well within the rating capability of this welder. Nailing the wire speed is the hard part for me. What do you reccomend?

 

[Budget GoKart]

5 or 6

 

[jamyers]

Best recommendation I can make it so head over to youtube, and pull up Weld.com's videos on flux core welding. Watch them, then practice, practice, practice...

Also, lots of people overlook the importance of getting the metal they're welding CLEAN. I say, it needs to be CLEAN!

 

[Dingocat]

Best recommendation I can make it so head over to youtube, and pull up Weld.com's videos on flux core welding. Watch them, then practice, practice, practice...

Also, lots of people overlook the importance of getting the metal they're welding CLEAN. I say, it needs to be CLEAN!

I think he forgot, you need to practice.

 

[Budget GoKart]

trust me the importance of cleaning is insane on flux on this weak little welder if there is a speck of dirt r rust your weld will be real bad and not stick

 

[jamesdow]

I'd recommend using the Hobart Handler 140. It's pretty cheap and easy to use. You can flux core. Here is a review and tutorial to weld flux core with this hobart welder:

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[EpsilonZero]

I used a similar Century flux core welder to make a battery platform for the back of my kart and it has held the 49lb battery with no problems even with extremely rough riding. I also made a gokart hitch to pull my kids in their bike trailer (slowly), fixed and strengthened the front assembly for an electric jeep, and built a strong trellis for a misfit rose bush that destroyed the previous store-bought trellis. I found that dialing the settings a bit lower than suggested worked best (6/6). I don't doubt the strength of the welds; they can just require a bit of cleanup with occasional spatter.

 

[machinist@large]

Done correctly, flux core welding is as strong as stick welding. It's basically stick welding in a spool. Go look up "Welding tips and tricks.com"; his breakdown on how to do it is way more in depth than I can try to explain using just word's here....

 

[sheilacorvin298]

Thank you for the information. I also found some good welders that work efficiently.

 

[madprofessor]

if there is a speck of dirt r rust your weld will be real bad and not stick

True on all types welding that prep is at least half of the job, but really extra important like Budget said for your new welder. That and practice.

 

[Jims83cj5]

I'd recommend using the Hobart Handler 140. It's pretty cheap and easy to use. You can flux core. Here is a review and tutorial to weld flux core with this hobart welder:

weldingrage.com - weldingrage Resources and Information.

weldingrage.com is your first and best source for all of the information you’re looking for. From general topics to more of what you would expect to find here, weldingrage.com has it all. We hope you find what you are searching for!

weldingrage.com

My first welder, loved it, it runs on a 20 amp 120, flux core or gas, good welder made by Miller now I think

 

[lug-nuts]

IF you go the HF route, then I recommend doing the rectifier mod. That machine is A/C output, the bridge rectifier makes it D/C output, and it welds way better. You can pick up 100 amp 1000volt 3 phase bridge rectifier on amazon for about 10 bucks. There are videos how to install it, but its basically undo a few wires inside and install this between them. Pretty easy and makes that cheapie unit run really good. Now the videos will tell you to add a GIANT capacitor to it, you dont need to. I did the capacitor, and it wasnt worth the time, money and effort. Welds were way better after the mod.

I got about 400 hours out of the HF unit before it died. I now have the Hobart handler, great machine. Whatever your budget is either will work, just know the HF wont last as long as a good name brand.

 

[lug-nuts]

I just realized this thread is 2 years old. Guess im a day late and a dollar short.

 

[Rat]

I just realized this thread is 2 years old. Guess im a day late and a dollar short.

As they talk trash on the little Chicago Electric welder, I've been abusing one for the last 4 years and it works just as well as the day it struck its first arc... it's a solid unit even without whatever mod you were spouting off about

 

[lug-nuts]

I didnt see anyone talk trash about the little mig welder that could. It will stick metal together right outta the box, but the penetration and the welds tend to be a bit lacking.

Based on my experience, it's one of china's finest welding machines for under 100.00 I put well over 400 hours on mine before it gave up the ghost.

As for as spouting off, I'm not sure what you mean by that. I've actually done the mods and wore one of those cheap mig welders out. That unit is ok at best. I'm not knocking it, im simply telling everyone what my experience was with it.

My post was for squidbonez, apparently you thought I wrote it for you. It's too bad you're not open minded enough to accept suggestions, which would otherwise make your life better. That little mig is a way better machine with the 10 dollar mod and 30 minutes of time invested.

Have a great day !

 

[mouthfulloflake]

I will look into that DC mod for my little cheap wirefeed welder, thanks Lug-Nuts!

I also have the little inverter TIG machine from harbor freight, and it works pretty well too