Wire feed welders (MIG)

Limited-Time

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So do MIG welders that utlize flux core wire leave slag like a stick welder. Or is there an advantage to the solid wire with the inert gas shielding over flux core?
 

Tnstratofam

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Flux core leaves slag and smokes allot. Gas shielded is much cleaner in both the weld and less smoke.
 

fhhuber

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Flux core usually doesn't have the inert gas... its essentially like stick welding except the "stick" is extremely long and thin.
 

gm280

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So do MIG welders that utlize flux core wire leave slag like a stick welder. Or is there an advantage to the solid wire with the inert gas shielding over flux core?

LT, if you are getting info so you can make up your mind as to what to buy, go MIG. It is the easiest type welding you will ever do and there is zero slag after a weld. The shield gas (a mixture or Argon and CO2) will allow you to weld very nice joints without much practice. If I can weld with a MIG welder, anybody can. JMHO
 

MTboatguy

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My biggest problem with wire feeds is figuring out the darn feed speed of the wire!

:eek:
 

Limited-Time

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LT, if you are getting info so you can make up your mind as to what to buy, go MIG. It is the easiest type welding you will ever do and there is zero slag after a weld. The shield gas (a mixture or Argon and CO2) will allow you to weld very nice joints without much practice. If I can weld with a MIG welder, anybody can. JMHO

Yah gm that's what I'm looking at. Have had both an Oxy Acetylene and stick set up for years but am thinking it's time to move up.....or over to a MIG TIG set up. From what I've seen it's "relatively" reasonable price wise until you add TIG'n aluminum. Then it gets dang pricey.
 

gm280

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Yah gm that's what I'm looking at. Have had both an Oxy Acetylene and stick set up for years but am thinking it's time to move up.....or over to a MIG TIG set up. From what I've seen it's "relatively" reasonable price wise until you add TIG'n aluminum. Then it gets dang pricey.

I also have a an Oxygen Propane setup. The going trend around where I live is to go Propane instead of Acetylene for a cheaper operation. Yes, you do have to change the orifice in the torch for a larger opening for the propane and it doesn't get quite as hot, but pretty close, but since I use the MIG setup for everything anyways, I changed to propane. But I have to say, I've only used the Oxygen Propane setup only one time in the years I've had it. MIG is so easy to operate. I use it for everything. No, I don't weld Aluminum but would like to. However, I am not going to buy a TIG setup for the limited number of times I need to weld Aluminum. I can get it welded for those times. JMHO
 

Limited-Time

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I'm looking at getting the ability to go flux core or shielded gas so I'll be able to MIG aluminum. For now I'm not sure I'll ever "need" an Aluminum TIG, but one can dream.
 

oldjeep

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Just make sure that if you buy a small MIG that you check the polarity. The small ones mostly come setup from the factory for flux core welding, for MIG the polarity gets reversed - just a couple nuts and wire swaps on my Hobart. If the polarity is backwards for the MIG welding it makes them splatter like crazy
 

oldjeep

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I'm looking at getting the ability to go flux core or shielded gas so I'll be able to MIG aluminum. For now I'm not sure I'll ever "need" an Aluminum TIG, but one can dream.

If you want to MIG aluminum then make sure you buy a unit that can take an optional spool gun. You can't just slap a roll of aluminum wire into a MIG where the steel wire goes.
 

oldjeep

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So do MIG welders that utlize flux core wire leave slag like a stick welder. Or is there an advantage to the solid wire with the inert gas shielding over flux core?

The 2 advantages of flux core is
1) You can weld in the wind
2) It welds dirty metal better than MIG

Downsides are all the ash and smoke
 

mla2ofus

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Yah gm that's what I'm looking at. Have had both an Oxy Acetylene and stick set up for years but am thinking it's time to move up.....or over to a MIG TIG set up. From what I've seen it's "relatively" reasonable price wise until you add TIG'n aluminum. Then it gets dang pricey.


Go price tanks of C25 and pure argon before you dive in too far.
Mike
 

Limited-Time

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''Just make sure that if you buy a small MIG that you check the polarity. The small ones mostly come setup from the factory for flux core welding, for MIG the polarity gets reversed - just a couple nuts and wire swaps on my Hobart. If the polarity is backwards for the MIG welding it makes them splatter like crazy''

All the units I've looked at offer that option,

"If you want to MIG aluminum then make sure you buy a unit that can take an optional spool gun. You can't just slap a roll of aluminum wire into a MIG where the steel wire goes."

It looks like the spool gun is optional on most set up.

"Go price tanks of C25 and pure argon before you dive in too far.
Mike
"

I have, and the cost of the tank rental will be more than the gas I'd use in a year.
 

gm280

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LT I bought my gas tank straight out and then pay about $30 dollars to have it refilled whenever I need it. The tank cost me $75 dollars but it is mine and that cost was years ago now. You may come out a lot cheaper to do that as well. :noidea:
 

bruceb58

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The 2 advantages of flux core is
1) You can weld in the wind
2) It welds dirty metal better than MIG
3) You can weld thicker metal compared to the same welder using solid wire with a shielding gas.
 
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oldjeep

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LT I bought my gas tank straight out and then pay about $30 dollars to have it refilled whenever I need it. The tank cost me $75 dollars but it is mine and that cost was years ago now. You may come out a lot cheaper to do that as well. :noidea:

I did the same, but I have a big bottle and it is exchanged like a grill tank. For 8x times the gas you pay about 2x the refill price on the little tanks.
 

gm280

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I did the same, but I have a big bottle and it is exchanged like a grill tank. For 8x times the gas you pay about 2x the refill price on the little tanks.

I actually bought my tank from a welding supply firm (Air Gas) that went out of business. So I was wondering how I can get my tank refilled. And since they do swap the tanks out, I didn't know if they would take the other welder's tank. It actually had the old welder's name stamped in the top of the tank. However, the new welding supply store stated that with those tanks, every welder supply just swaps each others out without issue. So for $30 dollars, I got their tank now filled. It was really cheaper for me to buy the tank, then lease it. I wasn't doing that much welding to make leasing a tank worth the cost. JMHO
 

bruceb58

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I own my own tanks. I actually bought them off eBay. I have 100% Argon for my TIG andCO2 Argon for my MIG. I just do the exchange too. Best to get the largest tanks like Jeep said.
 
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