There are actually two different types of flux cored wire that are recognized by the aws as (fcaw). Fcaw-s is self shielded and requires no shielding gas. Fcaw-g ( dual shield) requires shielding gas. Look up the wire that your instructor let you run. Im wondering if perhaps it's a metal - cored wire (example Lincoln mc710) that was was called fcaw back in the day but is now classified as composite gmaw these days. It leaves no slag.i've heard many times that FCAW works best with shielding gas. the other day at school, the instructor let me try an FCAW setup, i tried welding with no shielding gas and there was a ton of porosity and there was no slag to chip either. i thought the main point of flux core is portability because you don't need shielding gas, and its basically the wire feed equivalent of stick, but if you still need external shielding gas to work properly, then why not just use standard GMAW instead?
Good info,did not know that. had never heard of the stuff.There are actually two different types of flux cored wire that are recognized by the aws as (fcaw). Fcaw-s is self shielded and requires no shielding gas. Fcaw-g ( dual shield) requires shielding gas. Look up the wire that your instructor let you run. Im wondering if perhaps it's a metal - cored wire (example Lincoln mc710) that was was called fcaw back in the day but is now classified as composite gmaw these days. It leaves no slag.
What I would call terrrible porosity. Little sap tack and you can see three or four holes in the tack. If I get to 1/8 plate and can run a full bead, it looks better, but mostly on top of the metal. It glows OK so I know it is welded, but its really up on top.Recommended flow for sheet with either 75/25 or 100% CO2 is around 15 CFM/HR. 100% CO2 might work ok for thicker stuff but it makes for very hard welds when doing sheet. 75/25 suits much better for automotive sheetmetal welding, or if you have a welder capable of spray transfer you need to go minimum 80/20 argon/co2. This is assuming you are using solid wire of course. Flux cored I know almost nothing about, other than I don't want to use it. Heavy stuff outdoors conventional stick welding works pretty good for me.
What are the issues you are having?
The hose does not empty every push of the trigger. It stays full of gas. The key is to purge the hose before you start welding. Once you start it works fine. Some welders have a purge setting that disables the wire feed while you purge the hose.What I would call terrrible porosity. Little sap tack and you can see three or four holes in the tack. If I get to 1/8 plate and can run a full bead, it looks better, but mostly on top of the metal. It glows OK so I know it is welded, but its really up on top.
I got the lincoln fabricator at a pretty good deal, a 140 amp machine I figured I would keep for the thin stuff where I go to .250 with the Hobart machine The I beam I got for my frame table was .375 on the thick side of the taper and the Hobart all the way up just does beautiful almost stick weld looking joints with the flux core. Tried to do the gas and I see very little glow on .125, mostly spotty. Tried everything of cleaning better, wire brushing everything, different size nozzles, I just cannot see how the gas gets to the nozzle from a 15 foot cable with the zap zap welds.
Good info,did not know that. had never heard of the stuff.
As an aside, one of the last I-CAR classes I took covered welding the various high strength steels that are now so common in vehicles. Several manufacturers specify a specific type of MIG wire that has to be used when plug welding. Honda is one of them. Checkout the cost of the wire that is approved by Honda.
Eagle-Arc 980X ER120S-G .030 MIG Welding Wire - 11# Spool
Washington Alloy® Eagle-Arc 980X ER120S-G .030 MIG Welding Wire - 11# Spool TCEAGLE-ARC980X0511 lb. Spool - Eagle-Arc 980X ER120S-G .030 diameter MIG Welding Wire is a high strength alloy steel commonly used for automotive repair. It is a German-made wire that is a direct replacement for Bosch...store.cyberweld.com
9-10X the cost of regular ER70S6! Really it's at the point that you have to have a very expensive ($25K or more) modern resistance spot welder like the models Pro-Spot has, in order to safely repair a late model. Plug welding in any panels is almost a no-n
Good info,did not know that. had never heard of the stuff.
As an aside, one of the last I-CAR classes I took covered welding the various high strength steels that are now so common in vehicles. Several manufacturers specify a specific type of MIG wire that has to be used when plug welding. Honda is one of them. Checkout the cost of the wire that is approved by Honda.
Eagle-Arc 980X ER120S-G .030 MIG Welding Wire - 11# Spool
Washington Alloy® Eagle-Arc 980X ER120S-G .030 MIG Welding Wire - 11# Spool TCEAGLE-ARC980X0511 lb. Spool - Eagle-Arc 980X ER120S-G .030 diameter MIG Welding Wire is a high strength alloy steel commonly used for automotive repair. It is a German-made wire that is a direct replacement for Bosch...store.cyberweld.com
9-10X the cost of regular ER70S6! Really it's at the point that you have to have a very expensive ($25K or more) modern resistance spot welder like the models Pro-Spot has, in order to safely repair a late model. Plug welding in any panels is almost a no-no n
Good info,did not know that. had never heard of the stuff.
As an aside, one of the last I-CAR classes I took covered welding the various high strength steels that are now so common in vehicles. Several manufacturers specify a specific type of MIG wire that has to be used when plug welding. Honda is one of them. Checkout the cost of the wire that is approved by Honda.
Eagle-Arc 980X ER120S-G .030 MIG Welding Wire - 11# Spool
Washington Alloy® Eagle-Arc 980X ER120S-G .030 MIG Welding Wire - 11# Spool TCEAGLE-ARC980X0511 lb. Spool - Eagle-Arc 980X ER120S-G .030 diameter MIG Welding Wire is a high strength alloy steel commonly used for automotive repair. It is a German-made wire that is a direct replacement for Bosch...store.cyberweld.com
9-10X the cost of regular ER70S6! Really it's at the point that you have to have a very expensive ($25K or more) modern resistance spot welder like the models Pro-Spot has, in order to safely repair a late model. Plug welding in any panels is almost a no-n
Er120!!!! Holy moly, what grade of steel is honda using?Good info,did not know that. had never heard of the stuff.
As an aside, one of the last I-CAR classes I took covered welding the various high strength steels that are now so common in vehicles. Several manufacturers specify a specific type of MIG wire that has to be used when plug welding. Honda is one of them. Checkout the cost of the wire that is approved by Honda.
Eagle-Arc 980X ER120S-G .030 MIG Welding Wire - 11# Spool
Washington Alloy® Eagle-Arc 980X ER120S-G .030 MIG Welding Wire - 11# Spool TCEAGLE-ARC980X0511 lb. Spool - Eagle-Arc 980X ER120S-G .030 diameter MIG Welding Wire is a high strength alloy steel commonly used for automotive repair. It is a German-made wire that is a direct replacement for Bosch...store.cyberweld.com
9-10X the cost of regular ER70S6! Really it's at the point that you have to have a very expensive ($25K or more) modern resistance spot welder like the models Pro-Spot has, in order to safely repair a late model. Plug welding in any panels is almost a no-no now.
Thank you, this is definitely something I did not try. I will give it another shot. Just how my brain works sometimes. If there were a mini gas solenoid up at the gun that would open for gas I think I could buy into it more. It is the first time I got the purge direction, or suggestion.The hose does not empty every push of the trigger. It stays full of gas. The key is to purge the hose before you start welding. Once you start it works fine. Some welders have a purge setting that disables the wire feed while you purge the hose.
Don