Flux core vs solid

[DavidR8]

I have a spool of Lincoln .035 wire.
Problem is most of the label is gone and I can't remember if it's flux core or solid.
Is there a way to tell if it's flux or solid or should I just mount it up and see what happens?

 

[RustyJunk]

Solid steel wire has a copper coating and flux core is black or grey

 

[DavidR8]

Solid steel wire has a copper coating and flux core is black or grey

Super, thanks @RustyJunk!

 

[jeff lary]

My flux looks like stainless but when you bend it back and forth it wont take , it snaps easily.

 

[bigguns69]

As Jeff said, flux core is brittle and worthless in my opinion.

 

[bdbecker]

As Jeff said, flux core is brittle and worthless in my opinion.

Flux core is not worthless, it just has a bad reputation from all the people who got frustrated trying to teach themselves how to weld using the cheapest MIG welder they could find and the spool of chinesium flux core wire that came with it. That is not a commentary on your abilities as a welder, more of a summary of my (and I'm sure others) experience with it.

 

[rlitman]

As Jeff said, flux core is brittle and worthless in my opinion.

He didn't say it's brittle. Flux core WIRE will snap when bent, but that's because it's not a solid wire to begin with.

 

[MoonRise]

note: not all solid MIG wire is copper plated/coated.

But the common Lincoln SuperArc L-56 is copper coated.

Lincoln's small machine FCAW-S wire is Innershield NR-211-MP, often in 0.035 inch diameter, and pretty available in 1 lb (4 inch diameter) and 10 lb (8 inch diameter) plastic spools for 'small' machines. (also is available in other wire diameters and other spool type/sizes/weights).

 

[Willie Makeit]

As Jeff said, flux core is brittle and worthless in my opinion.

NASA disagrees. The GSE (Ground Support Equipment) that is used to move the new SLS rocket around on the ground is almost exclusively welded using a flux-core process.

But please, tell us more on how useless this technology is.

 

[InsanePyro]

As Jeff said, flux core is brittle and worthless in my opinion.

Well, it certainly is your right to be wrong

 

[pamike]

Don't forget there is a difference between flux core and dual shield. I run .045 dual shield. It uses gas and has flux in the core. Its an awesome "farm wire" for welding with rust,dirt,paint etc.

 

[DavidR8]

Well folks, I stopped at my local welding supply store and picked up some solid core .030 wire and some new .030 tips.

I flipped the drive roller and discovered that it is for .030-.035 wire. This is me embarrassed.

I slacked the roller tension to the point where the roller slipped if I blocked the tip with a piece of wood.

Lo and behold it was like a different machine. No more birds nest!

I still can't weld for **** (though I am getting better) but at least I'm not dealing with the wire getting all balled up every 60 seconds.