MIG vs. flux cored

[Hybrid]

I was curious and did a little research and this is what i found.

Mig uses external gas shield (argon tank) which removes impurities form the surrounding air around the weld. The advantage is less slag minimizing clean up, but the thinkness of steel that can be welded in a single pass is limited with a 110v mig, if you need to weld 1/4" or greater you need to go to a 200+ volt welder.
Flux cored has an internal gas shield in the line, so a gas tank is not needed. This is ideal for outdoor welding in high wind which can blow away external gas. Also "thicker" metal can be welded while still using a 110v machine. The disadvantages of flux cored is it is less forgiving if you are new to welding. The machine settings must be precise, any slight change can make a significant difference in the arc. Gun position is much more critical as well, a consistant angle is needed to get a sufficient weld.

Most of you guys probably alread know all of this and much more! I thought is was really interesting and I am justing getting started with welding. What are your thoughts on these two set ups? Do you prefer one over the other, or is it job specific?

P.S. I found all this info at the Lincoln electric site, really cool stuff!:D
http://www.lincolnelectric.com/knowledge/articles/content/migvsfluxcored.asp

[94Dodge Truggy]

Job specific. Good idea to research it before tackling it.

[eighty3bronco]

Mig vs flux-core. I feel that Mig is better, but flux-core is a little easier. If you want to do the investment, get a machine that can run the gas since it can run both solid wire and flux-core wire. As you would improve with your welding skills you can step to using gas without having to buy a new machine. Just whan you are running flux-core wire don't run the gas. But if you forget and so run the gas, it really is not a big deal. The Lincoln that I have has in the manual that if I run the gas with the fluc-core wire, that I can weld a thicker piece of material in a single pass.
The upside to welding with gas is that you don't have the slag to chip away after you are done. The downfall with using gas is that you have problems when you are outside on a windy day, but in return you dont have as much cleanup.

So there is my two cents worth. I just hope I didn't confuse you.
But Scott is right (:eek: ) it is just matter of preference and job specifics. :D

[RuffedUpXJ]

Also when you go buy FluxCore wire it will be a more than solid wire, but when you use solid wire you have to have the argon/sheilding gas/CO2-Argon and that start up cost will get ya. I wonder how close it evens out over time, like if you welded with flux core and mig the same how the cost would be if it would be cheaper for flux core

[eighty3bronco]

My neighbor that has been a welder for many, many years, and still does, told me that you can just use CO2 for the sheilding gas. You can save some on the cost.

[RuffedUpXJ]

Yeah the gas all depends on how good of a weld and what you are welding. The CO2 will leave the weld a lil black if I remember and have to clean up a tad. But I think 75% Argon and 25% CO2 will give you the best weld for majority of the welds we are going to be doing.

[carwash]

argon co2 mix isnt much more than straight co2.

once you weld with gas, you will only weld with flux core when absolutely have no other choice.

[Hybrid]

Would it be ok to weld a cage with a 110v welder using external argon gas shield, or would you need a 220v machine to be safer?

[scarface]

it will be using .120 tube

[carwash]

i have welded .120 wall cages with my 110V lincoln 135 back when i first started welding. you ahve to take your time, and run it pretty hot, but it can be done.

[scarface]

sounds good, that is what I had planned on. Slow and steady wins the race. but In your opinion are we better off using gas and wire or flux wire for welding something that thick?

[superjeep]

You get a better weld with gas than you do with flux.Gas is to keep the oxegen and impurities out of the weld.

The thickness would only matter with how many passes you make and how much care you take in preping the welding area.Which one of the most important part of the whle process of welding is your preping of the weld area.

Shawn

[carwash]

flux weld sucks, in general, the spatter is untolerable, IMO. for something like that, your flux weld wont be any stronger, and it will look like ****.

[94Dodge Truggy]

You get a better weld with gas than you do with flux.Gas is to keep the oxegen and impurities out of the weld.

The thickness would only matter with how many passes you make and how much care you take in preping the welding area.Which one of the most important part of the whle process of welding is your preping of the weld area.

Shawn

This was previously covered

[carwash]

well go forbid someone mention it again...

Shawn you freaking idiot, can you please read every other thread before you post something that might have already been covered. Truggy doesnt have time to read thru all your repeating crap...

Thanks for the input, i agree, prep is the most important part of any weld, no matter what kind of wire and gas you are using.

[scarface]

Alrighty thanks guys, we should be pros after all the welding discussions over the past few days.

[94Dodge Truggy]

This was previously covered

Not meant as a negative comment. Just trying to minimize my typing. I apologize to all.

[carwash]

i know man, was just ribbin' ya!

[blazerbrad]

.120 tube is only 1/8", so I wouldn't consider that thick at all. You shouldn't have any problem at all welding it with a 110V machine.

[GPER]

I have burnt through tubing with my old 110 volt welder. Save your money and buy a good 220 volt welder, the solid wire with the co25 is great and the wire is about 1/2 price.