Subject: Re: FAQ: Which MIG welder

From: [email-masked] (Dave Williams)
Date: 7 Jul 93 11:30:00 GMT

-> This April I went to the American Welding Society show in Houston.  I
-> had hoped to find a good "show" deal on a MIG or at least get the
-> chance to kick the tires on a few models.

 I'm looking too.  I don't need a whole lot of welder - if I do anything
thicker than 1/8" steel it'd be very rare - but I want to do sheet steel
body parts, aluminum, and maybe some thin section stainless parts.

 Looking through Sam's Discount and other places, I've found a lot of
plain old wire feed welders, but no MIG, though a couple of the boxes
mentioned retrofit kits were available.  Several of the welders claimed
to use "flux core wire" which was supposed to be "better than argon
gas".  I think they're full of horse puckey.  Looks like I'll be trying
the industrial supply places next.

---

From: [email-masked] (James W. Swonger)
Date: Thu, 8 Jul 1993 12:13:31 GMT

Any normal MIG can also use flux cored wire. Flux cored wire is used where
shielding gas can't be depended on to stay on the workpiece (like outside
in the wind) but automatic feed is desired. The new cheapo wire feed welders
are just taking advantage of the availability of flux cored wire and turning
a lack of features into a cost advantage and an add-on sales opportunity.

 The feeder mechanism inside mine has a little pinch wheel with different
sized grooves in it for .025", .030", .035" and maybe another larger size.
Flux cored wires are generally .035" as I recall; solid wire varies.

 For dirty work flux cored wire is OK; more workpiece heating, some residue,
not quite as nice an arc but no bottle required. For sheet metal I find it
unsatisfactory. The wire's thicker than automotive sheet metal and without
the gas to cool things down it's hard to work near the edge without burning
back. Plus you have to get rid of the flux which will get into any surface
irregularities. 

 It took me quite a while to find a used MIG but I'm not sorry I waited. 
If you can pick one up in a pawn shop or want ad it'll generally be a more
industrial type, more capacity and maybe features. OTOH the prices seem to be
dropping on hobby units, with all of the manufacturers in Asia getting into
it. I've seen a bunch of 100A-range MIGs for under $400 mail order, and 
even the local welding supply place will sell you a Hobart for about $450
($550 if you look like an engineer). I coughed up $300 for a 160A w/ spot and 
stitch.
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