WHy the shade on flux core?

[BufordBoone]

I have the impression that many cast shade on welding with flux core wire with no gas. Perhaps it is just me but that process seems to get no love.

I've enjoyed welding with flux core wire and find that cleaning the weld with a wire brush on an angle grinder can result in a pretty good looking weld.

I've tried some "Bubba" tests on the welds and found them to be plenty strong enough for many applications.

I enjoy stick welding, particularly if the weld looks good. I get that stick welding is best for metal that is not clean.

However, the flux core has a lot of appeal to me with its simplicity.

I'll probably acquire a bottle of gas one day and do some true MIG welding but, I still like the convenience of the flux core process.

Why the shade on flux core or am I imagining things?

 

[Roadworthy]

I think the flux core wire got a bad rap due to early wire, early welders, or a combination. Current systems do a very acceptable job. If there is any breeze blowing the results can even be superior to a gas covered weld. In a calm, breeze free environment though the cover gas still holds a slight edge. For simplicity though I don't think you can beat flux core wire.

 

[5030]

Hinges entirely on where the welding is for me. I prefer gas shielded in a still enviroment but if it's breezy or outside, FC is the only way to weld. That or SMAW, have them all, TIG included. Too bad you cannot run FC with pulsed MIG.

 

[chim]

My guess is two contributing factors are choice of machine and polarity issues. Harry Homeowner wants to get into welding on the cheap, so he buys a 110V machine and asks it to do projects beyond that machine's capabilities.

No doubt some others have a MIG that they want to use outdoors (or don't want to buy gas). They swap from solid wire to a spool of FC and don't change polarity.

My Millermatic 175 will glue stuff together surprisingly well, and nearly all of the time I use FC. In another thread I discussed how one of the welded connections and the bale spear it held was stressed terribly and came through unscathed. Although that welder has worked very well for the last 10 or 12 years, I just didn't feel "adequate" without a stick welder. Mark fixed me right up with a 200A Everlast Inverter to address that.

 

[yomax4]

I have the impression that many cast shade on welding with flux core wire with no gas. Perhaps it is just me but that process seems to get no love.

I've enjoyed welding with flux core wire and find that cleaning the weld with a wire brush on an angle grinder can result in a pretty good looking weld.

I've tried some "Bubba" tests on the welds and found them to be plenty strong enough for many applications.

I enjoy stick welding, particularly if the weld looks good. I get that stick welding is best for metal that is not clean.

However, the flux core has a lot of appeal to me with its simplicity.

I'll probably acquire a bottle of gas one day and do some true MIG welding but, I still like the convenience of the flux core process.

Why the shade on flux core or am I imagining things?

Flux Core is just easy to pick on due to it's inherent smoke and spatter. Fact is it's there for a reason and works for that reason. It's not all created equal either. There is a big difference between 71TGS and 71T-11 I plan to mess with it a little more vs stick outdoors.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Flux core is fine, but not for light gauge or thin materials.

Flux-Core really offers nothing for those people that want to buy a flux-core only welder. Never intentionally buy a flux core only welder.

You spend more for a small roll of wire per pound, and I've seen a 2 pound roll of flux core wire, nearly as expensive as a 10 lb roll of Hard wire.

People think they are saving money by buying flux core wire instead of hard wire and gas. No you aren't. When you compare flux core wire next to hard wire and gas, and the time and labor it takes on clean up, hard wire is more economical, even with the gas added in as a factor.

The flux for many untrained people wanting to slip into welding can fool people and that is the reason you end up with such terrible welds with flux core welders. The slag gets strapped, and you end up with a mess. Plus who wants that spatter flying all over their shop?

Yes it gets a bad wrap, mostly for legitimate reasons, mainly because it is being used in the wrong applications and marketed to exactly the wrong segment that finds it so appealing. If you are going to weld heavy plate and don't mind the smoke and mess it presents, then this is a good process.

But then again, don't forget that spatter represents a loss of transfer efficiency, so not only to you get less metal in a roll of expensive wire, you get less transfer efficiency as well. Lower transfer efficiency means wasted money on metal that never makes it to the weld.

 

[Diggin It]

I have one of the cheap HF sparky units. Works fine for the little bit I do. Ugly, knobby mess usually, but I'm not concerned with appearance. I'm still on the original roll that came with it a few years ago, which makes it obvious I wouldn't get much value out of a higher dollar unit.

 

[WranglerX]

I personally like solid wire and shield gas (GMAW) over fluxcore (FCAW).... Because I got really tired of flux scale and spatter..... However.... GMAW requires a bit cleaner joint perpetration over FCAW which can work on somewhat dirty surfaces.... Then there is issue of shield gas being blown away on breezy conditions where not so with FCAW.... Also documentation states FCAW has better penetration than GMAW... I am still undecided on that as I abandoned FCAW for GMAW and never looked back.... OH I still have roll of FCAW wire just in case ... Biggest thing I see is actually what I do before actually running bead, clean joint surfaces with flap disk and get proper bevels and using jigs and clamps and what knots to setup pieces before actual weld.... And know the LIMITATIONS of my Hobart Handler 140 (120 VAC ) welder....

Dale

 

[rangerfredbob]

I use MIG at work with a big old Lincoln 3 phase stick welder and a wire feed box on top, once you figure out the settings that welder will spoil you... At home I haven't bought a bottle yet but will once I get my shop built. In the mean time I've been using flux core and stick welders. I started with the 100A flux core unit from HFT, which made respectable welds once you used .035" wire in it and figured out how to adjust the heat with wire speed (bad habits are made here...), I welded some mud flap brackets with 1/8" wall 1" square tubing for my Ranger that held up the rear suspension while offroad when my leaf spring shackle mount broke...

I since upgraded to the Titanium Unlimited 200 and Titanium MIG 175, paid full coupon price for the 200, and $125 for the 175 which is why I have both... I've been putting the 175 through it's paces, put a big spool of Lincoln .035" flux core in which was half the cost of a bottle...

It all depends on the application and the user. Some people have to have the best and the prettiest welds which is fine. For the occasional welder having a flux core welder for small projects takes up less room and less to keep track of. Sure there's more clean up if you are doing something you want to be presentable, but there's a slight advantage in penetration and I find it a little more forgivable in prep.

I respect all processes, flux core does have it's place, I go offroading and camping a few times a year, I try to take the MIG 175 with me with the 110V plug as other people I go with have a generator, there was one trip where it was used on 4 or 5 different rigs...

 

[joeu235]

I welded verticals on two entryways for 4 days using flux core, more than 200 pieces. (actual gate was done in inside) I ran a Hobart 210 off my Miller Bobcat. I would hate to have stick welded that much 14g to schedule 40 pipe.