Shop Floor Talk  

Go Back   Shop Floor Talk > Welding and Metalworking Forums > Welding

 
 
SFT Search:
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 06-23-2005, 12:42 AM
metalneck78
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default fluxcore vs solid wire

Why is it you can weld thicker metal with flux core than with solid mig wire? I have one of the portable Lincoln 170 amp mig welders & have to change from solid to fluxcore when I need to weld thick steel plate.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 06-23-2005, 01:29 AM
cutter's Avatar
cutter cutter is offline

12-29-1943 to 1-17-2020
Curmudgeon emeritus
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Lubbock,Texas
Posts: 33,097
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by metalneck78
Why is it you can weld thicker metal with flux core than with solid mig wire? I have one of the portable Lincoln 170 amp mig welders & have to change from solid to fluxcore when I need to weld thick steel plate.
Mostly because the shielding gas cools the metal at the same time the arc is trying to melt it.
__________________
cutter
Housekeeping Staff: the Gatekeeper
Director of Policy, Syntax and Grammar (by appointment)

"Dr. Chandran, will I dream?"

Just Keep Walking

"I am not a body, I am free.
For I am still as God created me."
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 06-23-2005, 01:36 AM
X-ray's Avatar
X-ray X-ray is offline
Elite Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Northern Nevada
Posts: 1,419
Default

Dont know if this will help or confuse, but it will give you something to read: http://www.weldreality.com/discussio...asp?PostID=241

Looking foward to what the welding hoodlums have to say about this solid vs. flux core topic

Oops, danga your fast Cutter
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 06-23-2005, 01:49 AM
Franz Franz is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 5,731
Default

Fluxcore and MIG are actually different processes done by the same machine.
Fluxcore is very similar to stick, with the difference being the flux is inside the electrode rather than on the outside of the electrode as it is in stick. The flux allows the wire to act differently than wire within a gas shield.
Also, there is definitely a lot less depositable metal in a foot of .035 fluxcore than there is in a foot of .035 solid wire. Less metal means the same amount of electrical power in the arc gives you more heat. More heat means you can deposit more metal, and dig deeper, even if it takes more feet of wire to do it.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 06-23-2005, 08:45 AM
DDA52's Avatar
DDA52 DDA52 is offline
Blood, Sweat & Concrete
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Bulverde, Tx.
Posts: 6,716
Send a message via MSN to DDA52
Default

Didn't I read somewhere, not sure where, that flux core was closer to spray transfer with solid wire than short circuit?? Or did I make the coffee too strong this morning?
__________________
Don



Grand High Poobah...(by appointment.)
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 06-23-2005, 09:21 AM
metalneck78
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Thanks for the help, think I sorta understand how it works now. Looks like I need a bigger machine, or keep switching out my wire. Makes sence to me now why I have to weld much slower when using fluxcore.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 06-23-2005, 09:36 AM
JTMcC. JTMcC. is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: N.W. Arizona
Posts: 589
Default

Current density (the ratio of current to the cross sectional area of the wire), the resistance heating of the relative (compared to solid wire) small/thin wire results in higher deposition rate. And the small cross section current path makes the arc stream assume a narrower shape, that results in more penetration.

JTMcC.
__________________
Some days you eat the bear. And some days the bear eats you.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 06-23-2005, 09:47 AM
fatfrank fatfrank is offline
Pit Boss
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Wichita Falls, TX
Posts: 1,211
Default

Kind of on the same topic. I have just been running flux core in my HH175 lately because I can make solid welds without grinding all the mill scale off my joints. If I do get a more powerful mig will I be able to burn through mill scale on new metal with solid wire? If I won't be able to, I probly won't upgrade, I'll just keep running fluxcore in my HH175
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 06-23-2005, 10:33 AM
Franz Franz is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 5,731
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by fatfrank
Kind of on the same topic. I have just been running flux core in my HH175 lately because I can make solid welds without grinding all the mill scale off my joints. If I do get a more powerful mig will I be able to burn through mill scale on new metal with solid wire? If I won't be able to, I probly won't upgrade, I'll just keep running fluxcore in my HH175
Frank, when you get a welder with higher capacity, you'll be amazed what you can burn thru. Of course, you'll need to modify your techniques, or learn to dial it back and fill holes.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 06-23-2005, 11:13 AM
fatfrank fatfrank is offline
Pit Boss
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Wichita Falls, TX
Posts: 1,211
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Franz
Of course, you'll need to modify your techniques, or learn to dial it back and fill holes.

Franz............you trying to say something about my fit-up techniques?
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Web Search:

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:55 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.