Flux core wire
#1
Cpt. Slow
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Flux core wire
What's the best brand everyone's found? Pretty sure I started with non-flux core. That sucked. Really all it did was splatter, didn't even bind the two metals better than I could've done with a hot glue gun.
Now I just finished my roll of .030 Chicago Electric wire from Harbor Freight. What a huge difference! Less splatter, more penetration, easier to run a nice bead, etc etc.
New, it costs $20-20%=$16:
0.030" E71T-GS Flux Core Welding Wire, 2 Lbs.
Lincoln's is $25 shipped from amazon:
And Hobart is $34 shipped from Northern Tool:
Hobart Flux Welding Wire — .030 | Welding Sticks Wire| Northern Tool + Equipment
Then there's Campbell-Hausfeld for $36 + shipping:
Campbell-Hausfeld .030” Flux Core Wire | Buy Misc. Online
Anyone have experience with any of these wires? Benefits of the more expensive stuff? Or just stick with the name brand?
Now I just finished my roll of .030 Chicago Electric wire from Harbor Freight. What a huge difference! Less splatter, more penetration, easier to run a nice bead, etc etc.
New, it costs $20-20%=$16:
0.030" E71T-GS Flux Core Welding Wire, 2 Lbs.
Lincoln's is $25 shipped from amazon:
Lincoln Electric Innershield NR-211 Flux-Cored Welding Wire - 1-Lb. Spool, 0.030in. Dia., Model# ED031448 - Amazon.com
And Hobart is $34 shipped from Northern Tool:
Hobart Flux Welding Wire — .030 | Welding Sticks Wire| Northern Tool + Equipment
Then there's Campbell-Hausfeld for $36 + shipping:
Campbell-Hausfeld .030” Flux Core Wire | Buy Misc. Online
Anyone have experience with any of these wires? Benefits of the more expensive stuff? Or just stick with the name brand?
#4
SadFab CEO
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if you plan to do a lot of welding its more economical to get a 10lb roll... like i should have done.
#6
Do you have the polarity correct for flux core wire? I don't remember which is for what, but when I had the polarity the wrong way for the wire I was using the results were exactly as you described in the first post. Lincoln flux-core was the best I found until I switched to L-56 with C-25 shielding gas - no more spatter and MUCH better welds with gas. GL
Last edited by secretsquirrel; 02-06-2014 at 08:40 AM.
#7
Cpt. Slow
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Welder unfortunately has no option for gas, otherwise I'd buy/rent some tanks.
I made no changes other than the wire itself, and I've had amazing results in comparison to the original spool. It was just crap wire.
I made no changes other than the wire itself, and I've had amazing results in comparison to the original spool. It was just crap wire.
#9
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I have always used home depot wire because home depot.
I think you will find that FC splatters a lot too. gas shielded is much better, but if you use the wrong wire without the gas, what does it matter what happens?
I think you will find that FC splatters a lot too. gas shielded is much better, but if you use the wrong wire without the gas, what does it matter what happens?
#10
The amount of splatter also depends on the welder, feed, and the tips. My old harbor freight welder splattered like no other. Switching the tips out with some Lincoln ones helped a bit. Part of the issue was the plastic feed wheel never gave a consistent wire speed. This added to the problem a lot. You can make the fee a little more consistant by keeping the cables running from the gun as straight as possible.
In my current welder, a Miller 211, I still use the home depot flux core since my only tank is for aluminum. Notice how much the splatter goes down with a better welder.
In my current welder, a Miller 211, I still use the home depot flux core since my only tank is for aluminum. Notice how much the splatter goes down with a better welder.
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