Another looking for a flux core MIG welder suggestion thread

[etpm]

I have some farm welding to do to make an adapter for front bucket to use on other machines. I’ll be using 1/2” steel plate. Have Millermatic 211. Have heard that using flux core wire with shielding gas will make deeper welds. Any thoughts on this? I know I can’t do a one pass weld, will need to build up. If gas + flux core wire is better I might try using. Thanks.

There is a welding process called dual shield that uses a flux cored wire along with shielding gas. It is used for putting down lots of metal fast. For regular flux core wire adding shielding gas won't help at all. To get better penetration just pre-heat the work. Get yourself a propane weed burner and heat up the plate. Even heated to 400 degrees will help a lot. Been there, done that. More than once. I learned this technique from an excellent teacher in a wire feed welding class.
Eric

 

[ning]

I'm in the few-times-a-year category; I'm mostly working on 11-18ga stuff with very occasional 3/16-ish stuff.
I have a very old Miller 130 mig and it manages surprisingly well. Obviously you can't pull a very long bead on the hottest setting, but you'll eventually get the job done.

From the requirements that the op gave, I think a small mig unit sounds ideal. He's not looking for a high duty rate unit; he needs to occasionally weld something.

One thing I've found really useful with the little mig is that you can actually pull a 1" bead with it hooked into a 100' extension cord (watch for slag catching grass on fire lol). I had previously run it on a 3k generator as well.

Every few years I have a project where I wish I had a 220v mig, and will eventually upgrade. If I was buying a unit now, I'd definitely get a bigger one, but I wouldn't have 60% duty cycle in mind still, especially given that I work mostly outside in a cloud of flux smoke, but mostly because I'm not laying down yards of weld, just mostly an inch here half an inch there.

 

[Dunno]

Eric,
Thanks for the tips. I will get a weed burner to pre-heat. So it sounds like dual shield wire is flux cored that is intended to be used with a shielding gas, whereas regular flux cored wire is not meant to be used with gas? Do I have that correct? I’ve put off the heavy projects for fear of not doing a strong enough weld. Was suggested I get a tombstone arc welder for the heavy stuff, but prefer not to go that route yet. Thanks again.
John

 

[5030]

According to the Hobart website, the Handler 210 MVP weighs in at 79 lbs and is a transformer machine. Their closest equivalent IGBT machine weights in at 38 lbs.

I'd be very surprised if the new MVP machines are transformer based in as much as much as all Hobart machines are now made in China and none of the Chinese machines (no matter what brand) are transformer base. All are IGBT based.

 

[etpm]

Eric,
Thanks for the tips. I will get a weed burner to pre-heat. So it sounds like dual shield wire is flux cored that is intended to be used with a shielding gas, whereas regular flux cored wire is not meant to be used with gas? Do I have that correct? I’ve put off the heavy projects for fear of not doing a strong enough weld. Was suggested I get a tombstone arc welder for the heavy stuff, but prefer not to go that route yet. Thanks again.
John

Yeah, you have it right about dual shield. I use it sometimes but only when I need to really lay down a lot of metal. And I wouldn't even use it if I hadn't been given a brand new 30 pound spool. I think it's 30 pounds, it's huge and heavy. I use it in my big Miller, which is a 300 amp beast. Anyway, you posted that you have a Miller 211. They are good for welding 3/8 material in one pass. So If you pre-heat you should have no problem getting proper penetration. After you have run a bead or two the metal will be plenty hot. I suggest, for your own peace of mind, that you take a couple pieces of 1/2 material, weld them in a similar manner to what you plan to do for your project, and then put the pieces in a vise and beat the crap out of them until the weld breaks away from the parent metal or your arm gets too tired from whacking away at a weld that's not gonna fail. Then you will know if your welds are adequate. I would not hesitate to weld 1/2 steel with a Miller 211, I would just pre-heat to make sure the penetration is proper.
Eric

 

[logcabin]

Think you need to really consider dual purpose machine (GMAW/FCAW) as both have their uses in different ways..... And cost wise, not that much difference.... I been welding with GMAW for about 8 years now and I still have about half of the demo roll of FCAW wire in drawer... If you do get dual application machine it does not mean you have to get solid wire and shield gas immediately but just having the capabilities is a step up....

Hobart makes a really nice dual voltage machine, the HANDLER 210MVP for about $1,150 (SRP) ... Shopping prices vary...

Handler® 210 MVP™ | HobartWelders

120V/240V MIG welder. Welds 24 ga. to 3/8 in. steel

www.hobartwelders.com

I have that exact welder, love it!!

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

I'd be very surprised if the new MVP machines are transformer based in as much as much as all Hobart machines are now made in China and none of the Chinese machines (no matter what brand) are transformer base. All are IGBT based.

These MVP are left over from the old Miller line. ITW is squeezing as much as they can from these units.

 

[5030]

These MVP are left over from the old Miller line. ITW is squeezing as much as they can from these units.

Being in the industry and not on the consumer side, I suspect you know. I do know (because I looked at them) that the current machines for the most part as well as ALL their accessories are made in China and that includes all their self darkening hoods.

Again, your TIG cooler works excellently though I did purchase anti-freeze non conductive coolant from Weldfabulous. The fan is a tad bit loud but I keep the machine and the cooler in an adjacent room from the welding table anyway. I suspect the noisy fan is attributable to the amount of air it moves and the more air flowing through the heat exchanger, the better the heat transfer is. I do know that even when running high amperage when welding aluminum, my CK Series 20 flex head torch never even gets warm enough to be uncomfortable to hold and that is with 20 feet of welding and cooling leads. Excellent cooler at an excellent price point. Again, thanks for the product.

 

[Bmantel]

Here's my $0.02....

If you are ok with buying Bullets for China ( and a lot of US machinery is now rebranded Chineseium ) then take a look at the YesWelder brand.

Firstess DP200 Multi-Process DualPulse™ MIG Welder

Your destination for quality welding equipment. High-performance, high-value products for your welding solutions. Customer focused. Browse our full line of Welders, Cutters, Welding Helmets, Replacement MIG Guns and Consumable. Developed FIRSTESS™ MP200, the Most Versatile 5-in-1 Welder & Cutter.

yeswelder.com

I have the older version of this model, I really recommend that you run it with 240v vs 120v as I kept popping breakers to get enough heat with 120v. But it is possible.

I looked at a lot of name brands and not so name brands and I couldn't beat this machines price vs. performance ratio. Right now about $550. No way does HF even come close, either.

Get the 20' welding gun/cable with the standard consumables - it's extra but so worth it.

I run gas when I can - but did a F350 dump body with brand new steel with flux core for a friend. Just remember to flip polarity when moving between normal wire/gas and flux core.... I was stupid at first and couldn't understand why the thing was laying down streams of fluxcore BBs.... Oops!

I'm also running their 65 amp plasma cutter - works nicely for little $$$.

Good luck, Blake

 

[5030]

Here's my $0.02....

If you are ok with buying Bullets for China ( and a lot of US machinery is now rebranded Chineseium ) then take a look at the YesWelder brand.

Firstess DP200 Multi-Process DualPulse™ MIG Welder

Your destination for quality welding equipment. High-performance, high-value products for your welding solutions. Customer focused. Browse our full line of Welders, Cutters, Welding Helmets, Replacement MIG Guns and Consumable. Developed FIRSTESS™ MP200, the Most Versatile 5-in-1 Welder & Cutter.

yeswelder.com

I have the older version of this model, I really recommend that you run it with 240v vs 120v as I kept popping breakers to get enough heat with 120v. But it is possible.

I looked at a lot of name brands and not so name brands and I couldn't beat this machines price vs. performance ratio. Right now about $550. No way does HF even come close, either.

WRONG in so many ways...

Get the 20' welding gun/cable with the standard consumables - it's extra but so worth it.

I run gas when I can - but did a F350 dump body with brand new steel with flux core for a friend. Just remember to flip polarity when moving between normal wire/gas and flux core.... I was stupid at first and couldn't understand why the thing was laying down streams of fluxcore BBs.... Oops!

I'm also running their 65 amp plasma cutter - works nicely for little $$$.

Good luck, Blake

WRONG, actually wrong 4 times...

$199.00 everyday

$499.99 Everyday....

$149.99 everyday

Far as bullets go, I wasn't aware they were made in China. Been reloading for over 15 years and never seen ANY bullets or loaded ammo made in China. Hornady, Grand Island, Nebraska, Federal, same, Berger, Michigan and California, Sierra, St. Joe, Missouri etc. None are Chinese and propellants come from here as well as Australian (no Chineseum)..

I believe you are smoking something or just naive or possibly both

The HF welders are available in your local HF store, they all have a 100% money back guarantee for a year, extendable to 4 years, all come with leads and ground clamp and for just a tad more you can purchase a true multi process welder and they are all IGBT machines.

$599.99 everyday....

Why buy a Chineseum offshore welder that you have to wait for, for possibly a month and if it craps out, what recourse do you have, maybe sending it back at your expense and maybe getting a replacement, maybe, when all you have to do is return it to the LOCAL HF store for a refund or replacement.

You need to practice due diligence before posting something that is patently FALSE. My 2 cents worth, lol

 

[LouNY]

Nearest HF is 3 hrs round trip and $30 in tolls away, Tractor Supply(Hobart) is 25 min away, although they don't have the warranty coverage that HF does. But it all boils down to the fact that getting gas for any of the welding processes is a major pain in the @$$ and I was trying to avoid having to deal with that.

Check with your tractor supply store many of those do cylinder exchanges.

 

[5030]

I might add that I purchased a set of O/A regulators from Yeswelder through Amascon and they were junk (inaccurate) and they are still here in the junk box. Went and purchased a set from HF (Olsen) and they work fine but if they didn't, their moneyback guarantee applied. Some things I prefer domestic made but some things can be offshore made, so long as there is a reasonable guarantee involved, why I do the HF thing, simply because their guarantee is excellent and I can return it to ANY HF store anywhere, instantly.

 

[5030]

Check with your tractor supply store many of those do cylinder exchanges.

I believe they off them as well, not all stores however.

 

[Bmantel]

WRONG, actually wrong 3 times...

View attachment 3199333
$199.00 everyday

View attachment 3199334
$499.99 Everyday....

View attachment 3199335
$149.99 everyday

Far as bullets go, I wasn't aware they were made in China. Been reloading for over 15 years and never seen ANY bullets or loaded ammo made in China.

I believe you are smoking something or just naive or possibly both

The HF welders are available in your local HF store, they all have a 100% money back guarantee for a year, extendable to 4 years, all come with leads and ground clamp and for just a tad more you can purchase a true multi process welder and they are all IGBT machines.

View attachment 3199337
$599.99 everyday....

Why but a Chineseum offshore welder that you have to wait for, for possibly a month and if it craps out, what recourse do you have, maybe sending it back at your expense and maybe getting a replacement, maybe, when all you have to do is return it to the LOCAL HF store for a refund or replacement.

You need to practice due diligence before posting something that is patently FALSE.

Wow.... You must need a trip to the eye doctor as you can't seem to read.

Oh well you can't fix blind. Next time use your welding helmet instead of sunglasses.

Buying Bullets for China means you are supporting their military by purchasing that country's goods. Duh.

They have a decent warranty, go look. Yes, you can buy an extended warranty at HF but it ain't cheap. YesWelder is stocked in US so little waiting, was on porch in 3 days.

So you want to compare sizes.... mines bigger!!!

With 250 amps of current, don't see that. Just 170 for that HF...
I'm sure you can get it hot some other way.

And pulse modes...
Oh yah bring it on!

And lift tig/stick options too if you want... Interesting option, but I use real TIG machines when I want TIG.

So go and play with your Chinese Harbor Freight toy. I'll be burning .035" running at 225 amps as fast as I can till I run out of wire. While your waiting for your 160amp / 25% duty cycle to cool off.

Im sure that you can go back to HF and buy something else. That will make you happy....

How about go and buy a HF plasma cutter??? But don't even get me started on HF's plasma prices!

Enjoy!

 

[WranglerX]

Here's my $0.02....

If you are ok with buying Bullets for China ( and a lot of US machinery is now rebranded Chineseium ) then take a look at the YesWelder brand.

Firstess DP200 Multi-Process DualPulse™ MIG Welder

Your destination for quality welding equipment. High-performance, high-value products for your welding solutions. Customer focused. Browse our full line of Welders, Cutters, Welding Helmets, Replacement MIG Guns and Consumable. Developed FIRSTESS™ MP200, the Most Versatile 5-in-1 Welder & Cutter.

yeswelder.com

I have the older version of this model, I really recommend that you run it with 240v vs 120v as I kept popping breakers to get enough heat with 120v. But it is possible.

I looked at a lot of name brands and not so name brands and I couldn't beat this machines price vs. performance ratio. Right now about $550. No way does HF even come close, either.

Get the 20' welding gun/cable with the standard consumables - it's extra but so worth it.

I run gas when I can - but did a F350 dump body with brand new steel with flux core for a friend. Just remember to flip polarity when moving between normal wire/gas and flux core.... I was stupid at first and couldn't understand why the thing was laying down streams of fluxcore BBs.... Oops!

I'm also running their 65 amp plasma cutter - works nicely for little $$$.

Good luck, Blake

If popping breaker on 120V the problem is not the welder but supply amperage for 120V receptacle.... Upgrading to a 30 amp circuit solved the problem for me with my Hobart Handler 140....

 

[WinterDeere]

120v supply @ 30A can get you by, when there’s no other option, but the cords and connectors are all more expensive (AWG-10, or larger for long runs), and it certainly creates some uneven loading on the panel. Best to configure to run 240v, when at all practical.

 

[5030]

Wow.... You must need a trip to the eye doctor as you can't seem to read.

Oh well you can't fix blind. Next time use your welding helmet instead of sunglasses.

Buying Bullets for China means you are supporting their military by purchasing that country's goods. Duh.

They have a decent warranty, go look. Yes, you can buy an extended warranty at HF but it ain't cheap. YesWelder is stocked in US so little waiting, was on porch in 3 days.

So you want to compare sizes.... mines bigger!!!

With 250 amps of current, don't see that. Just 170 for that HF...
I'm sure you can get it hot some other way.

And pulse modes...
Oh yah bring it on!

And lift tig/stick options too if you want... Interesting option, but I use real TIG machines when I want TIG.

So go and play with your Chinese Harbor Freight toy. I'll be burning .035" running at 225 amps as fast as I can till I run out of wire. While your waiting for your 160amp / 25% duty cycle to cool off.

Im sure that you can go back to HF and buy something else. That will make you happy....

How about go and buy a HF plasma cutter??? But don't even get me started on HF's plasma prices!

Enjoy!

What a lame post on your part. I just so happen to own a fabrication and machine shop with 2 full time employees and for your information, I'm AWS certified in TIG in exotic metals.

I don't use a HF MIG anyway, though I do own a pair of HF plasma cutters, the 65 amp one is the power source for my Shop Saber CNC plasma table and the smaller one is for manual use in the shop. BTW I owned and sold a pair of Hyper Therm plasma cutters as well as a Lincoln Invertig and sold that as well.

Finally, the HF plasma consumables are 1/3 the cost of the HT consumables, the primary reason why I sold both HT's. I go through a lot of consumables with the Shop Saber fyi.

The HF plasma cutters get used almost daily and the HF 65 amp cutter comes with the CNC plasma table interface already installed so it's 100% plug and play on the Shop Saber.

You appear to not know poop from applebutter. They are both brown but one supposedly tastes better than the other. Maybe you should try both and report back...

 

[5030]

I might add that I own numerous welders, both TIG, MIG and SMAW, a Lincoln engine drive ac/dc stick welder with a Lincoln HF scratch start TIG box though I don't use it. How about 2 Hobart 210 MIGS (old style transformer machines), both running solid wire and 75-25 shielding gas plus a HF ProTig machine running a CK Series 20 flex head water cooled torch as well. Has an Everlast water cooler on it. I don't scratch start TIG ever because it causes weld inclusions. I'll list everything for your absorption...

2HF plasma cutters, 1 65 1 45
HF ProTig with water cooled torch with Everlast water cooler
2 Hobart wire MIGS with shielding gas
Victor O/A setup with bottles of course
2 vertical mills (Bridgeport, 1 versa Trak)
LeBlond servo shift toolroom lathe
South Bend floor lathe (restored)
Kent toolroom surface grinder
Dake hydraulic arbor press (25 ton)
Driese & Krump 30 ton hydraulic press
Shop Saber Sidekick 10 plasma table
..and of course all the associated tooling that goes with them. Both my employees are also certified AWS.

We do short run machining as well as light and heavy fabrication and I'm proud of what I own and been in business for over 20 years now.

I also hold patents on a number of motorcycle related accessories that we sell worldwide.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it...

 

[rangerfredbob]

Hf flux is 100% garbage

Have you even tried it? That one lot that was an issue was like 15 years ago now, I'm pretty sure that's all out of the stores... I've used Lincoln, Forney, two versions of HFT and assuming you have an idea of how the welders work you can work around it... one of the main issues is on the A/C cheapo fulx core welders they have too much voltage for .030" wire and weld like garbage with that, switch to .035" wire and use the settings wrong (change wire speed for temp, more wire colder which is backward) and you can deal with it...

I have no problem with flux core, I use it here and there, was my primary light welding setup for many years, gotta get my bottle swapped since it's almost empty...

 

[5030]

Speaking of welding, I keep getting an ad on my YT channels for a 59 buck welder that plugs into a household outlet. Anyone else see it? They make some wild claims I know are false but it is interesting anyway. Cannot be much for 59 bucks...lol