MIG vs. flux cored

Hybrid · 09-26-2007, 11:36 AM

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!

http://www.lincolnelectric.com/knowl...sfluxcored.asp

94Dodge Truggy · 09-26-2007, 12:03 PM

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

eighty3bronco · 09-26-2007, 12:28 PM

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 (

) it is just matter of preference and job specifics.

RuffedUpXJ · 09-27-2007, 01:08 AM

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 · 09-27-2007, 03:02 AM

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 · 09-27-2007, 08:50 AM

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.

09-26-2007, 11:36 AM	#1
Hybrid Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Fairfield, OH Posts: 134	MIG vs. flux cored 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! http://www.lincolnelectric.com/knowl...sfluxcored.asp __________________ '84 Cherokee body welded to an '86 Blazer frame , fuel injected 350, 700r4 trans, np208 t-case, 44 front and a welded 14 bolt in the rear on 35" boggers, radiator in the rear, and a full cage

09-26-2007, 12:28 PM	#3
eighty3bronco anywhere but there Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Blanchester, Oh Posts: 174	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 ( ) it is just matter of preference and job specifics. __________________ Last edited by eighty3bronco; 09-26-2007 at 12:46 PM. Reason: I thought that it said Tig

09-27-2007, 01:08 AM	#4
RuffedUpXJ On XJ 2 Now Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield Twp. Posts: 314	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 __________________ 88 XJ - 5" lift - 35" BFG's - Bumpers - Rock Rails - Homebrewed OBA - Roof Rack - Tube Doors - Trimmed - Dented 87 XJ - D44 - Disco D30 - 235's - 231TC - Stock for now

09-27-2007, 03:02 AM	#5
eighty3bronco anywhere but there Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Blanchester, Oh Posts: 174	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. __________________

09-27-2007, 08:50 AM	#6
RuffedUpXJ On XJ 2 Now Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield Twp. Posts: 314	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. __________________ 88 XJ - 5" lift - 35" BFG's - Bumpers - Rock Rails - Homebrewed OBA - Roof Rack - Tube Doors - Trimmed - Dented 87 XJ - D44 - Disco D30 - 235's - 231TC - Stock for now

09-26-2007, 12:03 PM	#2
94Dodge Truggy EX-Vice President Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fairfield, Ohio Posts: 3,048	Job specific. Good idea to research it before tackling it.