Welding: What type of wire?

What type of wire?

  • MIG

    Votes: 7 70.0%
  • FCAW-G

    Votes: 2 20.0%
  • FCAW-S

    Votes: 1 10.0%

  • Total voters
    10
I'm working on metal between 16ga and 1/4 with a 220 unit. I picked up a roll of .030 when I bought the welder since it seemed like a good middle ground. Maybe I'll pick up a small roll of .035 to see if I can feel any difference.

It can be faster too since you're putting down more metal.
 
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That's about the biggest difference until you get to larger steel. 1/2" is pushing .035, we only weld 1/2" with it when the other member is 3/8" or below. After that we step up to .045 or .063 (or SMAW). Deposition rate is critical when you start talking large welds and thick steel.

For homeowner/hobby use, I would vote for .035. Seldom you will see a need to weld 1/2", and with good adjustment and a good hand you can weld 20 ga with it.
 
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The more I look into this, the less FCAW-G seems like an economical starting option. I’m leaning towards starting with FCAW-S, but eventually just converting to solid wire and gas, or maybe FCAW-G. The biggest advantage of FCAW-G is ease of use and ease of creating high quality welds. But it is also the most expensive. Self-shield is far cheaper.
 
The more I look into this, the less FCAW-G seems like an economical starting option. I’m leaning towards starting with FCAW-S, but eventually just converting to solid wire and gas, or maybe FCAW-G. The biggest advantage of FCAW-G is ease of use and ease of creating high quality welds. But it is also the most expensive. Self-shield is far cheaper.
sometimes you need both... wire is typically cheap, I found that oreillys had the best deal on 30# spools of good wire, not chinesium.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...0s-14-mig-wire/fir0/14400222?q=mig+wire&pos=4
 
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Thanks. One of the advantages of solid wire is that it is relatively easy to come by.

When you use flux core, I’m guessing you primarily use self-shielded?
Both types of wire are easy to get, if I had my choice I would have both .023 and .035 in solid core and shielded wire but I also have a machine that can run it I just have not had taken the time to get .023 wire and tips.
 
Both types of wire are easy to get, if I had my choice I would have both .023 and .035 in solid core and shielded wire but I also have a machine that can run it I just have not had taken the time to get .023 wire and tips.
don't know that ive ever seen a spool of .023, sounds like that'd be about perfect for body panel work on a 110v.
 
Well...

Finally had to buy a welder and wire today. Old man rust has provided some extra ventilation on my F150's frame, much to the State's chagrin.

Ordered a Hobart Multi-Handler 200 and a spool of 0.035 E71T-11 flux cored (self-shielded) wire. No access to a garage that can fit that car, so gas-shielded flux-cored, metal cored, and MIG aren't options there.

I'll pretty much exclusively run it on 240, even though it can also do some 120V welding. It will run 200 amps at a low duty cycle on 240, which should be acceptable for basic use up to 1/4".

Might pick up some dual shield (or maybe solid wire) and a gas bottle for jeep work at some point, but for now it is all self-shielded. Might even try and mess with metal-cored for the heck of it. DC TIG is probably a ways off at this point.
 
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Ordered a Hobart Multi-Handler 200 and a spool of 0.035 E71T-11 flux cored (self-shielded) wire. No access to a garage that can fit that car, so gas-shielded flux-cored, metal cored, and MIG aren't options there.
Not sure where you came up with that. I run exclusively Mig with either .030 or .035 solid wire and 75/25 mix on the gas all outside, only indoor welding I do is only because I have a small production table set up. If I had to move it outside, would not bother me in the least.
 
Not sure where you came up with that. I run exclusively Mig with either .030 or .035 solid wire and 75/25 mix on the gas all outside, only indoor welding I do is only because I have a small production table set up. If I had to move it outside, would not bother me in the least.
Unfortunately I also will probably be welding it while laying in the snow, given the time of year. I'm going to try and shield the wind as much as possible, but there's only so much cardboard I can use. The only parking area within any reasonable distance of my dryer outlet is quite exposed to wind and snow.

Though that is interesting. If I could block the wind enough perhaps I could run shield gas. Fortunately, these repairs are minor and only marginally structural.
 
Unfortunately I also will probably be welding it while laying in the snow, given the time of year. I'm going to try and shield the wind as much as possible, but there's only so much cardboard I can use. The only parking area within any reasonable distance of my dryer outlet is quite exposed to wind and snow.

Though that is interesting. If I could block the wind enough perhaps I could run shield gas. Fortunately, these repairs are minor and only marginally structural.
These may prove useful either way, harbor freight has some decent welding blankets , I've been meaning to grab a couple for myself.
 
that self shielded wire is ok for thicker metals but can be a real bitch on thin material, solid wire and gas works on it all

get yourself a few cardboard boxes or tarp and block off the windy side. you can turn the gas up a tad to help but for the most part that other hand with a glove will work to shield your work area. most of my home welding is done in the driveway.

i've heard Hobart makes a decent machine and they can be had for 1/2 the cost of a miller or lincoln.
 
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I was strongly considering the Hobart 210 MVP. But Hobart recently released the Multi-Handler 200, which has a LOT more features. It's basically a cheaper copy of the Miller Multimatic 215. Inverter powered, fine tuned settings, also capable of stick and DC TIG welding.

Both the Hobart 210 MVP and the Hobart Multi-Handler 200 are capable of running on 120 or 240V, just the power and duty cycle is strongly limited on 120V.
 
I was strongly considering the Hobart 210 MVP. But Hobart recently released the Multi-Handler 200, which has a LOT more features. It's basically a cheaper copy of the Miller Multimatic 215. Inverter powered, fine tuned settings, also capable of stick and DC TIG welding.

Both the Hobart 210 MVP and the Hobart Multi-Handler 200 are capable of running on 120 or 240V, just the power and duty cycle is strongly limited on 120V.
there's a 190 sittin close i been keepin an eye on to see if they come off the cost some. and a 210 that i'd rather have but it's a haul to fetch. i'd love to stumble onto a gently used ironman at a discount.

don't get me wrong i'd snatch a miller or lincoln in a heartbeat but most think they are gold and worth their weight in it and are often overpriced even for older used equipment.

any machine can throw voltage, i currently use a HF 220V and it welds just fine. a good smooth wire feed mechanism and long cables with a quality gun is what you desire and are often the difference between cheap and expensive.
 
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don't get me wrong i'd snatch a miller or lincoln in a heartbeat but most think they are gold and worth their weight in it and are often overpriced even for older used equipment.
It's crazy, but the MSRP has gone up on them, so crazy enough I could sell mine for more than it cost me.
 
It's crazy, but the MSRP has gone up on them, so crazy enough I could sell mine for more than it cost me.
I was strongly looking at the Miller Multimatic 215 and Lincoln 210MP, but the price has gone up so far in the past couple years I no longer should consider them. (Plus I just dropped some cash on a 3D printer, mostly for car projects, so I'm a bit leery of spending a lot right now.)

Realistically I only need home or hobbyist grade for a lot of things, though it would certainly would be nice to have better.
 
I was strongly looking at the Miller Multimatic 215 and Lincoln 210MP, but the price has gone up so far in the past couple years I no longer should consider them. (Plus I just dropped some cash on a 3D printer, mostly for car projects, so I'm a bit leery of spending a lot right now.)

Realistically I only need home or hobbyist grade for a lot of things, though it would certainly would be nice to have better.
Yeah. A buddy just got a yeswelder for under $500 - it would have likely been more than sufficient for me. I get caught up sometimes in future proofing too much.
 
I was strongly looking at the Miller Multimatic 215 and Lincoln 210MP, but the price has gone up so far in the past couple years I no longer should consider them. (Plus I just dropped some cash on a 3D printer, mostly for car projects, so I'm a bit leery of spending a lot right now.)

Realistically I only need home or hobbyist grade for a lot of things, though it would certainly would be nice to have better.
man i know some of yall love these "matics" but we have a few at the shop and i don't care for them.
they overcompensate for the inexperienced user. the settings for materials are often overboard. to high a voltage slingin to much wire
people are forced (< change this to enticed) to adapt to the welder, instead of learning how to control the welder.

it's your tool......... your not it's tool.