Which MIG wire is the best.

   / Which MIG wire is the best. #1  

dex3361

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All right guys. I have stick welded for years but just recently bought a Longevity Arcmate 205P. I was using Radnor .o35 wire ER706-6, and it seemed to pop and spater a lot. I was welding on clean metal that had been ground brite. Is there a premium MIG wire that I should be using? Also I tried some .025 wire and made a few birds nests inside the spool cabinet. I need to do some 18 gauge sheet metal welding and want the advice of the TBN Brain Trust. Thanks Guys
 
   / Which MIG wire is the best. #2  
Turning the volts up or the wire speed down may help. What gas are you using? Straight CO2 spatters worse than CO2/Argon mix.

Kim
 
   / Which MIG wire is the best.
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Turning the volts up or the wire speed down may help. What gas are you using? Straight CO2 spatters worse than CO2/Argon mix.

Kim
I am using 90/10, Argon/ CO2 mix. I made adjustments voltage and wire speed wise and I could find the sweet spot of the weld but it never did settle down on the spatter and popping. The arc spatter was worse that 6010 welding rod to give you qn idea. I went high enough on the voltage and slow enough on the wire speed till the wire was retreating into the nozzle and the sped up the wire a little. I used set up charts to get me into the ball park. Thanks Kim
 
   / Which MIG wire is the best.
  • Thread Starter
#5  
   / Which MIG wire is the best. #6  
Do you have the polarity set for mig mode (i.e welding with gas)? Or do you have it set for fluxcore (i.e. welding without gas)? If you have it opposite from what it needs to be they will spit, spatter, and pop. Insufficient shielding gas flow can cause issues too.

As for brands of wire: I would think you should be fine with any of the primary name brands like Lincoln, Hobart, ESAB, US Forge (made by Messer), etc. Whatever you do: do not use HF wire as it plugs liners. What little savings you gain on wire is quickly lost in replacing liners prematurely. Frankly, I am not a fan of anything Radnor brand either - although I have never used it myself, I have heard way too much negative feedback on that brand for me to even consider trying it.

Do a search on this site (or Youtube): ChuckE2009 just did a mig wire shootout. If you watch the video all the big names performed pretty much the same. There was even a bargain priced wire from HTP that did well too.
 
   / Which MIG wire is the best. #7  
Why are you using C10 gas? That's a fairly hot mix. I think you'd be better off with C25.
I have used C10 for spray arc welding.
 
   / Which MIG wire is the best.
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Do you have the polarity set for mig mode (i.e welding with gas)? Or do you have it set for fluxcore (i.e. welding without gas)? If you have it opposite from what it needs to be they will spit, spatter, and pop. Insufficient shielding gas flow can cause issues too.

As for brands of wire: I would think you should be fine with any of the primary name brands like Lincoln, Hobart, ESAB, US Forge (made by Messer), etc. Whatever you do: do not use HF wire as it plugs liners. What little savings you gain on wire is quickly lost in replacing liners prematurely. Frankly, I am not a fan of anything Radnor brand either - although I have never used it myself, I have heard way too much negative feedback on that brand for me to even consider trying it.

Do a search on this site (or Youtube): ChuckE2009 just did a mig wire shootout. If you watch the video all the big names performed pretty much the same. There was even a bargain priced wire from HTP that did well too.

I was welding electrode positive and the welds with the gas flow at 20 - 25CFM for the hotter welds and down around 15CFM for the lower settings. Thanks.
 
   / Which MIG wire is the best.
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Why are you using C10 gas? That's a fairly hot mix. I think you'd be better off with C25.
I have used C10 for spray arc welding.

I need to check the bottle I gave that answer and it may likely not be the mix I am using. I will make sure of the mix though. Thanks
 
   / Which MIG wire is the best.
  • Thread Starter
#10  
I am gong to be welding in some replacement floor pans on a jeep YJ that has the normal rust issues of an 18 year old Jeep. So I need to up on welding sheet metal about 18 gauge. The MIG did not feed the .025 wire real well so I will likely try to use .030 wire.
 
 
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