Blue Demon flux core wire?

[California]

Several 2-lb rolls of flux core wire came with a used HF-180 welder. In the middle of a project I finished a roll of Hobart .035 and put in a new roll of Blue Demon .035 flux core. It wouldn't weld smoothly like the Hobart had. I thought the wire quality was uneven with it flaming out. But I think instead, it was feeding unevenly. ( I was careful installing it, it hadn't rat-nested).

Looking at Amazon reviews of this wire I saw occasional one-star reviews saying the wire came wrapped too tight and bound up. There is one photo of wire simply braided on the spool. No wonder it wouldn't feed.

Is this a common problem? Any solution? I'm thinking I will put some duct tape on a 9/16 drill to fit the 5/8 hole in a discarded spool, and spool a few yards of wire off the new Blue Demon spool onto this old one. Then try welding with the wire I spooled off. Finally, hoping I had reached good non-snarled wire, put the Blue Demon wire back in the welder.

Anybody have experience with this? Is there a more practical way to re-spool the wire?

 

[ning]

May be a combination of wire quality and feed.
Is it e71t-gs or -11?

 

[California]

May be a combination of wire quality and feed.
Is it e71t-gs or -11?

This Blue Demon is E71T-GS, flux core.

I was pleased with the Hobart E71T-11 I had before and will buy more eventually.

For now I want to use up the last of the supplies that came with the used welder so I put in this Blue Demon to keep going on my project. It was an unopened roll with the shrinkwrap intact.

I'm surprised it won't feed smoothly like the Hobart wire did with tension set the same. Quite light, just short of unspooling. I started with the drive roller set to the same tension as with the previous .035 wire. Then I tried lighter, tighter, returned to same, no change. I really think it feels like uneven resistance coming off the roll, that's why I'm thinking about winding off some of the wire to see if it runs better from a different spool.

 

[5030]

Take a filter cigarette (not smoked) and take off the filter and put it over the wire in front off the feed rolls and feed the wire through the filter. Takes the oil and crap off the wire before it feeds. Works like a charm.

 

[ning]

There's very few specs for E71T-GS like there is for -11. In fact, "GS wire meets the standards ‘as agreed between supplier and purchaser’", and good luck finding which standard you've agreed to.

If you find a GS you like, that's not a problem, but you won't necessarily be able to switch brands.

The E71T-11 on the other hand is pretty well defined as a spec and should be pretty similar brand to brand, and it also supports multi-pass.

 

[California]

Take a filter cigarette (not smoked) and take off the filter and put it over the wire in front off the feed rolls and feed the wire through the filter. Takes the oil and crap off the wire before it feeds. Works like a charm.

Thanks!

I had forgotten - somewhere in the bottom of my welding box there's a Lube-Matic kit I bought years ago for a previous welder. I used the kit once then set it aside. I should install the cleaning pad from that, as you suggested.

There's very few specs for E71T-GS like there is for -11. In fact, "GS wire meets the standards ‘as agreed between supplier and purchaser’", and good luck finding which standard you've agreed to.

If you find a GS you like, that's not a problem, but you won't necessarily be able to switch brands.

The E71T-11 on the other hand is pretty well defined as a spec and should be pretty similar brand to brand, and it also supports multi-pass.

If the redhead says E71T-11 then that's what I need!

Agree, E71T-11 should be uniform from one brand to another. I'll go back to the good Hobart version of it that I've found satisfactory, after I finish the random stuff that came with this used welder.

 

[5030]

I stock INE wires in the shop now exclusively. Very consistent with good wet out and minima spatter.

 

[WranglerX]

Any wire that does not work for you should be abandon..... I got completely a way from fluxcore because dislike the mess it leaves behind..... Find a brand that you just put new roll in and go.... IF you have to futz with it its not for you, make it present for a neighbor you don't particular care for....

 

[5030]

Sometimes flux core is necessary like welding outside or where there is a lot of air movement. Myself, I prefer shielding gas (75-25) but I keep a roll of flux core for outside jobs. Gonna try the foam ear plug wiper method. Good idea.

 

[California]

Any wire that does not work for you should be abandon..... I got completely a way from fluxcore because dislike the mess it leaves behind..... Find a brand that you just put new roll in and go.... IF you have to futz with it its not for you, make it present for a neighbor you don't particular care for....

Prior owner of this welder apparently 'gifted' me all his failed experiments. Various brands of flux core wire. . He was clearly a hobbyist experimenter, rather than someone who needed things welded. I liked the Hobart -11 best of all.

I think this Blue Demon wire stalls because it really is snarled up on the spool, as I saw in some Amazon reviews. That's why I'm thinking about spooling some wire off to see if it will feed better from the other spool.

 

[California]

I doubt I'll ever go to gas. Where I can, I like to keep things simple. Gas would add cost, transport, storage space. Welds would be prettier but not likely stronger, which is my only objective.

My shop is open-air so gas might not be much of an improvement.

Cleanup of flux splatter with wire wheel or flap disc, maybe even grinding, is sufficient for what I do. My present project is modify an old back blade so the q-hitch can pick it up. Nobody will care about evidence showing that that splatter was removed.

 

[5030]

My shop is open-air so gas might not be much of an improvement.

It won't be. in fact it might be detrimental unless you really crank up the pressure and then all you do is waste shielding gas.

 

[cqaigy2]

I doubt I'll ever go to gas. Where I can, I like to keep things simple. Gas would add cost, transport, storage space. Welds would be prettier but not likely stronger, which is my only objective.

My shop is open-air so gas might not be much of an improvement.

Cleanup of flux splatter with wire wheel or flap disc, maybe even grinding, is sufficient for what I do. My present project is modify an old back blade so the q-hitch can pick it up. Nobody will care about evidence showing that that splatter was removed.

View attachment 693647

I'm kinda in the same spot, open air welding just outside the shop. Plus most of my past welding was stick so flux cleaning is second nature, and now i weld so rarely, not really economical for me to add gas to the mix. Not saying i wouldn't use gas if i had it, but not going to setup for it.

 

[ning]

I'm kinda in the same spot, open air welding just outside the shop. Plus most of my past welding was stick so flux cleaning is second nature, and now i weld so rarely, not really economical for me to add gas to the mix. Not saying i wouldn't use gas if i had it, but not going to setup for it.

same here; my results are better than I'd expect already being an untrained occasional welder, work mostly outside, so... why change haha

 

[yomax4]

TGS wire is the worst of the worst. If FC is what you need for your project it's always better to spend an extra dollar for -11. No-one wants to be wasteful but I suggest throwing all of the TGS in the garbage.

 

[California]

I think this Blue Demon wire stalls because it really is snarled up on the spool, as I saw in some Amazon reviews. That's why I'm thinking about spooling some wire off to see if it will feed better from the other spool.

... And that really was the problem. The Amazon reviews said some spools of Blue Demon won't feed smoothly. This is what I experienced. I had heard the feed motor slow and stall, frequently, where I had to pull the wire out of the tip with pliers.

I cut the wire near the spool, mounted an empty spool on my drill, and tried to pull wire onto the external spool. There were several moments with so much resistance that I nearly dropped the drill. I could see 'elbows' in the wire as it fed toward the second spool, and saw one crushed spot that never would have gone through the welder tip.

I'm pretty sure I never let the wire 'rats nest' mounting it originally or during this spooling.

At 5030's suggestion I replaced the Blue Demon flux wire with INE. Problem solved. The wire feed motor now runs at a smooth hum in contrast to the uneven speed before. And the weld bead is continuous. Problem solved.

 

[5030]

I really like INE, buy it in multiple spools. I could be mistaken but (I think), not 100% sure, that the HF wire is also INE. Spools look identical labelling is not. I'll let that lay until someone confirms it.

 

[Ddh1961]

I really like INE, buy it in multiple spools. I could be mistaken but (I think), not 100% sure, that the HF wire is also INE. Spools look identical labelling is not. I'll let that lay until someone confirms it.

Both the INE and Vulcan (HF) wires are made in Italy so they could be from the same manufacturer, but I cannot confirm this. I’ve used both and prefer the INE as it seems to have a little less spatter, but that’s just on my machine. I use INE exclusively and keep a roll of the Vulcan wire in reserve in case I run out in the middle of a project.

 

[JPinnell]

AMZ has the Hobart E71T-11 .035 for $60/10lb spool which is about as cheap as anywhere. I've tried the BlueDemon, other off brands, and even the HTP (which is supposed to be USA Made) and they all have issues at times, just not consistent. I used LOTS of the HTP with no issues, then fought 4 spools of crap. I even upgraded my 8+yr old HH210 for feed issues (think the feed motor is worn, multiple liners) to an IronMan 230 I was so frustrated. The IM230 is nicer, much more robust feed rollers, but it hates cheap wire too. Now the HH210 is a portable spare and I'm only running the Hobart E71T-11 or maybe good Italian wire. $25 difference on cheap vs quality 10lb spool, not worth the hassle and frustration.

I will also say the FluxCore wire will not feed as nicely as solid wire, just the nature of the beast. Too much roll pressure will flatten the wire and make things worse. There is definitely a sweet spot.

 

[yomax4]

As stated above. There is a night and day difference in gasless cored wires. Please check to see what you are buying. 70TGS is the worst of the worst in welding wire no matter the brand and it's a single pass dirty wire.. For a buck more you can get the gasless 70T-11. It is the best of the worst and it's designed for multi-pass welding. Once compared on your table anyone would agree that the extra buck is well spent. So if anyone has to go gasless, Consider T-11 and don't look back.