71M MIG Wire

[RNeumann]

Anyone tried the 71M wire for MIG? I do mostly tractor/farm type fab and repairs. This seems like a good fit.....on paper anyway. Just wondering if anyone has used it and could compare it to anything else. Maybe it’s more
Like XXX stick or it’s not worth it for a homeowner or it’s the greatest thing to come along in the last 10 years!?!?
I’d probably try a 10# spool of the .035.

 

[Big Barn]

I have limited experience with 71M but I do like it. I leave a feeder permanently set up with .045. Writing down the settings once you get it dialed in is a must for me though.

The pros will be able to better comment on worm tracks etc......

 

[RNeumann]

Did you find it was fairly easy to use once it was setup? Anything special?

 

[Big Barn]

I did struggle (that's just me though) with set up but it ran nice. Spray-like transfer.. Smooth. It almost made me look like I knew what I was doing.

Buy the smallest roll (prob 10#) and try it. You probably don't even have to buy a different shielding gas from what you have.

 

[yomax4]

No Pro here either but the 71M like all of it's competitors is just dual shield flux cored wire that is nearly a direct replacement for 7018 stick rod. I see a lot of it formulated to run on CO2 or 75/25 and most applications are on heavy plate like dozer parts, buckets and mine equipment. Multi pass capable, comes in large sizes and works ok on mill scale. I don't like the smoke or the slag that it produces though so I never use it. High deposition rates and larger size wires are a big draw. Some big shops like shipyards and mine manufacturers are starting to migrate back to hard wire now that Pulse is gaining in popularity.

 

[RNeumann]

I have an older Lincoln 175a MIG machine- (I also have a stick and TIG). I added a trailer receiver to my Box Blade the other day and that got me thinking about it. I ground the paint off etc so my prep was OK. It’s obviously no laboratory though. My MIG worked fine but I thought I’d give this a try- maybe bring a little new life to the old machine. Sounds like for the cost of a spool I should give it a try.

 

[Lelandwelds]

The Kobelco, Hobart, or ESAB version is much nicer to run. Slag is thin and an easy cleanup. Better values than E7018.

I am too cheap. I use .035 ER70S-6 with 75/25 for all my welding. For 3/8" and thicker, I have used 98/2 for more penetration.

 

[dragoneggs]

This thread is a just another of many examples of why I subscribed to the Welding forum on TBN. Now I see all the new threads and can learn the 'why' for various welding applications. And from both a professional and layman's view.