| Flux Cored Welding is not a "new" process, being | | | | "MIG pliers". They are great for helping you keep |
| dated back to the 1920's. Instead of having the | | | | your equipment clean & to be able to easily convert |
| protective/stabilizing flux on the outside of the wire, | | | | to other wire sizes. |
| as in "stick" rods, it is at the core of the wire. This | | | | * When you install your 1st wire spool, don't mess |
| flux does the same job as do the gases used Gas | | | | with bending it around much, or it may break. |
| MIG Welding. | | | | Re-threading & pulling out any that's already in the |
| At Weyerhaeuser Timber Company, we periodically | | | | guide tube can be a pain. |
| built rail-car "car sills". These are the heavy metal | | | | * Again, use recommended settings, then make |
| frames upon which the railroad boxcar sits. We would | | | | adjustments as needed. Some machines are really |
| use a "pantograph" machine for semi-automatically | | | | limited for adjustments, so you may have to |
| cutting out parts for the sill. Then we'd weld many of | | | | experiment with your gun positioning & arc length. |
| the parts with "jet rod" (7024 type), which is super | | | | * I'd bet that there are as many variations for |
| easy to run on flat welds. The welds looked VERY | | | | adjustments as there are different manufacturers & |
| nice. | | | | models. Be patient & keep trying. |
| For most other welding, we used heavy duty MIG | | | | Machine Selection: |
| welders. We'd fiddle with "gas" settings & wire | | | | * This is primarily dependent on your budget, then on |
| speeds till it was just right. Then we'd just go & go | | | | exactly what type of welding you'll be doing. If you |
| till we got to the end of the pieces. We never had | | | | feel that you might go beyond just doing your own |
| to worry about "duty cycle", we just kept going. We | | | | thing, then get the best you can afford. |
| could get a LOT done with those MIGS. If you are | | | | * The cheaper units are all pretty much the same: |
| going to do a LOT of welding, you may want to | | | | for light duty at home projects. The mid-priced ones |
| start with a wire feed welder. | | | | can get you started in your business, but you'll likely |
| I prefer a flux cored welder because there's no "gas" | | | | be up-grading as soon as you can afford to. |
| bottles nor pressure adjusting, nor are there issues | | | | Flux Cored Troubleshooting: |
| with welding outside in the wind. It's a personal | | | | * Don't let go of the wire end when you're loading a |
| decision; gas or flux cored. I would use the | | | | new spool! It may not feed right even if you can get |
| recommended setting ranges, running on the "hotter" | | | | it all un-raveled & fed through. |
| side just to get the feel and coordination of running | | | | * If you feel the wire pushing against the bottom of |
| beads. An in-expensive, occasional use flux cored | | | | the puddle, turn the speed down or the heat up (or |
| machine for the little jobs is fine. For my bigger jobs I | | | | both). |
| go to my stick welder. | | | | * Try not to keep the nozzle end too close to the |
| More tips and ideas for flux cored welding: | | | | puddle. That can make more splatter get into the tip |
| * If you go through eBay to but one, you may want | | | | piece. |
| to first go to welding supply shops & see them in | | | | * When you first start the weld, stay put |
| person. | | | | momentarily to allow the puddle to form & fill the |
| * Flux cored welders are mainly for the thinner | | | | initial crater. |
| materials. If you're going to work on cars & the like, | | | | * Uneven feeding? Make sure the wire guide isn't |
| you would probably prefer wire feed over stick. | | | | twisted or kinked. |
| * I've done a lot of sheet-metal work with stick | | | | * Can't see an actual puddle? Clean you helmet lens |
| rods, but I needed to use really small rods, plus do a | | | | & get closer. If all you're seeing is a bunch of sparks, |
| lot of "touch & go" welding, rather then continuous | | | | you're not really seeing what's going on. And again, |
| welds. | | | | you need to go at a speed that gives enough time |
| * One of your first accessories should be a pair of | | | | for a puddle to form. |