Selfshielded vs Gas shielded flux core wire?

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oscaryu1

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I know that wire is different from selfshielded wire, but I tried selfshielded + C25 today just for kicks. Doesn't weld half bad. Almost no smoke :p

So the question: I know there's a difference, but what type of wire do I specifically need for a gas shielded FCAW?
 
devino246

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Whoopse, why do you want gas shielded flux-core? The only time you do that is with extremely thick metal.
 
redsox985

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If you're using shielding gas, there's no need for flux wire. The flux is designed to keep O2 out of the weld, but that's exactly what the gas does. The flux will only add to splatter too, as it's unneeded when welding with shielding gas. Devino, I didn't know that's how you welded very thick metal. I've done 1/2" for the heck of it using regular solid wire and shielding gas, so unless you're welding ship hulls, there's probably no need for shielding gas and flux wire, especially since flux wire is more expensive.
 
devino246

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redsox985 said:
If you're using shielding gas, there's no need for flux wire. The flux is designed to keep O2 out of the weld, but that's exactly what the gas does. The flux will only add to splatter too, as it's unneeded when welding with shielding gas. Devino, I didn't know that's how you welded very thick metal. I've done 1/2" for the heck of it using regular solid wire and shielding gas, so unless you're welding ship hulls, there's probably no need for shielding gas and flux wire, especially since flux wire is more expensive.
Click to expand...

:iagree:
 
r97

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not suggesting he buy that wire. just showing him why you would use fcaw wire with gas, and what kind of fcaw wire is to be used with gas. i suppose if you want me to i can go look for a more common size wire for sale, but it seems as though it is unnecessary.
 
r97

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devino246 said:
Note that almost all of those wires list shipbuilding as an application.
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yeah, i just spent about 3 weeks hanging around a ship, the thinnest metal i saw was 1/4" several parts must have been 1 1/4" plus! also at big buildings, like the airport, some huge pieces of steel!

shipbuilding and steel skyscrapers make that 1/4" i managed to weld look like some thin sheet metal!
 
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oscaryu1

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I need to rant.

So liek I went to HF a few months ago during summer and bought a 140a MIG welder. It came with some flux cored wire... worked fine. Then I bought a roll of solid MIG wire, got a regulator and C25. Hooked dat shiz up. Worked decently.

Now I'm looking back, and I just realized (take in mind, after I've welded up most of my chassis and an entire manifold twin turbo manifold that I built from scratch), that I've been GTAWing on DCEN.

**** ME. Sheesh. And it looked decent (yet odd, not like most GTAW beads I've seen) too, other than a few times where I would get random kickback and couldn't tune it out. **** me.
 
devino246

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oscaryu1 said:
I need to rant.

So liek I went to HF a few months ago during summer and bought a 140a MIG welder. It came with some flux cored wire... worked fine. Then I bought a roll of solid MIG wire, got a regulator and C25. Hooked dat shiz up. Worked decently.

Now I'm looking back, and I just realized (take in mind, after I've welded up most of my chassis and an entire manifold twin turbo manifold that I built from scratch), that I've been GTAWing on DCEN.

**** ME. Sheesh. And it looked decent (yet odd, not like most GTAW beads I've seen) too, other than a few times where I would get random kickback and couldn't tune it out. **** me.
Click to expand...

GTAW? Dont you mean GMAW? GTAW is TIG.
 
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