Gasless wire

[Iain Westland]

would it save you much money?

iain

 

[GeorgeB]

Don't confuse gassless wire with high-end flux core wires. The high-end flux-core wires are used with a shielding gas. The flux helps keep the heat in and is much easier on positional.

I may be wrong but I thought I'd read that shielding gas was a sort of optional extra with flux cored wire. For example, on Wikipedia, they use the word 'sometimes':

"Flux-cored arc welding (FCAW or FCA) is a semi-automatic or automatic arc welding process. FCAW requires a continuously-fed consumable tubular electrode containing a flux and a constant-voltage or, less commonly, a constant-current welding power supply. An externally supplied shielding gas is sometimes used, but often the flux itself is relied upon to generate the necessary protection from the atmosphere. The process is widely used in construction because of its high welding speed and portability."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flux-cored_arc_welding

I'm keen to get hold of some industrial quality fluxed cored wire, to try it for myself.

 

[Bsmith]

would it save you much money?

iain

would just have to rent the argon bottle then not the argoshield 1 as well, buy a co2 bottle from somewhere for changing.

 

[Iain Westland]

Think I will stick with my W size argoshield light, much easier to move the welder to the otherside of the garage with the bottle on the back than turn the car around as I have two bottles instead of one.

iain

 

[Bsmith]

Fit the tig and argon bottle on the mig, wheel it around too. Now I must stop writing ideas that will never happen on this other fellas thread.

 

[Tino]

I may be wrong but I thought I'd read that shielding gas was a sort of optional extra with flux cored wire. For example, on Wikipedia, they use the word 'sometimes':

We have used several different cored wires, some could be used without gas, some had to be used with gas, usually co2 (we tried with an 80/20 mix and got worm tracks) but all gave the best quality welds with gas, so not really an optional extra in industry. The quality of the weld is more important than saving a relatively small amount on gas.

I have used gas less wire on normal polarity at home. It did the job, but I would not recommend it unless you've no option.

 

[KMpuggy]

Fit the tig and argon bottle on the mig, wheel it around too. Now I must stop writing ideas that will never happen on this other fellas thread.

Lols, ive been trying to keep up but you lost me ages ago, ive got a lot to learn.

 

[Tino]

worm track

I was thinking about my last post and that not everyone will know what a worm track is. So had a play with some FCW we have, to try to get one. It's caused by a gas bubble under the slag following the weld pool.

 

[backpurge]

I may be wrong but I thought I'd read that shielding gas was a sort of optional extra with flux cored wire. For example, on Wikipedia, they use the word 'sometimes':

"Flux-cored arc welding (FCAW or FCA) is a semi-automatic or automatic arc welding process. FCAW requires a continuously-fed consumable tubular electrode containing a flux and a constant-voltage or, less commonly, a constant-current welding power supply. An externally supplied shielding gas is sometimes used, but often the flux itself is relied upon to generate the necessary protection from the atmosphere. The process is widely used in construction because of its high welding speed and portability."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flux-cored_arc_welding

I'm keen to get hold of some industrial quality fluxed cored wire, to try it for myself.

To clarify things, some wire is designed to run with gas and some is designed to be self shielding. It is not a case you can run any FCW with or without