Flux for welder

[fowlwishes]

Need some opinions on flux core welders. I already have an Eastwood 175 mig for heavier work. I know the Eastwood stuff isn't the greatest equipment in the world. It does what I need it to do for the money I was willing to invest. Now I have decided I need to add a small flux core welder due to a lot of small work in the wind.

And I know I could run flux core in my larger welder. I do not want to change the wire between small jobs. So a separate welder seems like a good idea. I see That east wood and many others have 90 amp or so flux core welders. Are there any opinions on these welders?

I don't want to drop $300-400 on a dedicated flux core welder. Any help appreciated.

 

[PCustoms]

**** it up and spend the 5 minutes changing your existing welder.

How often are you switching anyways?

 

[nimrag]

**** it up and spend the 5 minutes changing your existing welder.

How often are you switching anyways?

Does the five minutes involve a 4 minute break

 

[kazlx]

Or just use the mig and windscreen, or park your car where it blocks the wind...

Otherwise, any of the cheap Lincolns should be good enough for what you want.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000QFNZ74/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[fowlwishes]

**** it up and spend the 5 minutes changing your existing welder.

How often are you switching anyways?

If I wanted to change the wire out I wouldn't have bothered making this thread.


Let me elaborate to stop the obvious answers to questions I didn't really ask.


I am running .035 wire in my present mig machine. This is a little large for smaller projects.The 175 is also a larger machine to be loading in and out of my service truck all the time. I do not have a place on my truck to keep the 175 mig. I could make room for a smaller welder in a storage compartment. At times I need the passenger seat to hold a passenger instead of my welder. Not to mention the bottle that goes with it.

A smaller flux machine running .030 wire would be much easier for me to transport in my truck as well as carry up and down cotton pickers and combines. I don't need to lay a beautiful weld or penetrate heavy material.

The convenience of 110 volt power source would be convenient as well.

 

[kazlx]

In all honesty, you are picking a cheap welder. You said you didn't want to spend $3-400, which is where a decent mig would start. Anything under that is pretty much going to be the same budget welder with a different paint job. Pick the pretty color you like the best, they are all the same...

 

[fowlwishes]

In all honesty, you are picking a cheap welder. You said you didn't want to spend $3-400, which is where a decent mig would start. Anything under that is pretty much going to be the same budget welder with a different paint job. Pick the pretty color you like the best, they are all the same...

I see exactly what you are saying. They all even look the same. Stepping up to a 130-140 amp machine for a little more money may be worth it. I was just putting feelers out there for experience with the cheapo welders.

 

[BD1]

I agree on not wanting to switch wire. I bought a Miller 140 just for having the .024 wire in it. Saves me time and ready NOW !

As for the flux core machine, if doing farm equipment repair I think your gonna need some more horse power then a small mig. I would say 140 might be kinda small. As a reminder many machines do not come with flux core wire drive rolls.

 

[jimgood]

I would look for a machine that has separate amp and speed adjustments. The Hobart in your price range, the 125, doesn't.

 

[fowlwishes]

I agree on not wanting to switch wire. I bought a Miller 140 just for having the .024 wire in it. Saves me time and ready NOW !

As for the flux core machine, if doing farm equipment repair I think your gonna need some more horse power then a small mig. I would say 140 might be kinda small. As a reminder many machines do not come with flux core wire drive rolls.

I am an ag tech so it will see farm repair use. However it will not be for structural repair. I have a Miller Bobcat for any heavy work like that. All I need is something to make tools and fixtures as well as welding sheet metal and exhaust as needed.

 

[JKady]

The 100 dollar Horrible Fright 90 amp job can be modified for relatively little money to be a decent welder, there's a few different series of videos on YouTube about it. Basically just involves a rectifier and a large capacitor and then some tuning and tweaking. I wouldn't buy one brand new and do it but if you could get one for 40-50 bucks or less it's a viable option.

 

[LumpyMusic]

I too agree on NOT wanting to switch wire. If I was doing a modest amount of flux core I would buy a dedicated machine just for that in a heartbeat. I'd be even quicker to buy a dedicated machine for 024 wire if my main machine wore 030. Even if you COULD change it in 5 minutes (********, you can't) that's 10 minutes total out of a job.

Switching spools is sort of like having just a single 11 in 1 screwdriver in your box. It takes seconds to switch that driver bit. Yet I'll bet every one of us has more than just than that one multi-driver.


Sgt Lumpy

 

[spooler41]

fowlwishes, I've used my 20+ year old Hobart 120 with a gas shield and without gas
shield by changing to flux core wire. You can also run gas and flux core together,
sometimes also known as dual shield process. For lighter work use .030 or .024 F/C
wire and turn the amps and speed down to suite the job and material. Try it you may
like it.

.............................. Jack

 

[Fender1325]

Stay away from HF 90 amp flux core welders....the wire feed on mine broke in 3 days. Waste of time.

What kind of repairs do you expect to do with that size machine? Flux core burns pretty hot for smaller material, and I believe you dont want to run one off an extension cable....hopefully you have a generator for field work.

I think youre going to find that ultimately whatever machine is worth owning is going to cost more than you want to spend, and changing polarity and wire in your current machine will seem better.

If you want to roll the dice, go with a used lincoln or hobart atleast.

 

[sberry]

A Maxstar or clone would be a much better field machine. By some very reliable accounts the Hobart EZ is pretty good.

I would look for a machine that has separate amp and speed adjustments. The Hobart in your price range, the 125, doesn't

On a wire feed the speed is the amps.

 

[gungatim]

I do the same, I have a small 110 amp job for the flux and my Hobart 180 for the big stuff with gas...so I get ya...

the HF will work, but the weak link in the feed is the torch. At least on the older blue ones, not sure about the newer black ones. last one I worked on, birds nest all day long. the feed is plastic and clamps on nylon tube for the wire, very flimsy and not very robust. buy a good replacement liner with the steel wrap and/or replace the entire torch setup from one on ebay. other than that, for light duty flux they are a decent deal for $100 on sale...and they will run gas, but does not use a solenoid, just a mechanical pushbutton in the torch head so again not very robust.

 

[ilovevocs]

Not a direct answer to your question but have you considered a cheap buzz box in lieu of a feeder? Seems like with your desire to spend very little and space constraints it may be a better decision. For rough fixes in the field I don't think you can beat it. I am also a believer that feeders are not machines that can handle a ton of abuse and transportation. The buzz box is simpler by design; less moving parts.

 

[robert_dean]

As YOU stated, YOU WANT TO .02x size wire, that you have a few other machines for heavier jobs, so why keep trying to change your mind?!?!...... I've used both the 100 and 125 amp Lincoln with flux core and I've found that using a high quality wire with the bigger machine yields the best results. I personally love Crown Alloy wire. Lincoln and Esab are also very good. I other benefit to having a secondary machine in that size, switching to stainless or even aluminum wire. Running a flux core stainless with WITH a gas shield produces very high quality welds.

In your profession you don't want to be dealing with issues stemming from a poor quality machine, you need to light up and run. I haven't used a small Miller welder though I doubt the quality is any less.

I assume you'll be powering it from generator of some sort? You will benefit from having a heavy gauge power supply cord. Also store your flux in a dry place as the flux in the wire, like any coated electrode absorbs moisture. If you want to keep the rig store in your truck, get a small plastic tool box to store your spools in and keep some desiccant bags in there. "wet" wire really ***** to run.

 

[Warrenator]

I agree with ilovevocs, a cheap stick welder can be had for under a hundred bucks, get one that does DC and AC and you can do a lot of different repairs, and basically no moving parts. I have an old harbor freight stick/tig unit that has an anti-stick feature (makes it so striking the arc you are less likely to stick the rod) and it works great, size of a breadbox. Stick welding is rough and tough field welding, but can also do sheet metal, pipe, cast iron. Heck they build ships with it.

 

[Zeke]

Does the five minutes involve a 4 minute break

He might have to change the liner depending on what he usually runs in the 175. Takes me awhile to do the change over so I see his point. No advice on what to buy but I have a Lincoln 100 and it works great. They are super cheap when you find them. Runs .035 wire very easily.

 

[trackwelder]

My favorite portable welder is a maxstar 150s. It burns 3/32 7018 beautifully powered by a Honda 6500 watt generator. A used Lincoln sp 125 or equivalent can be had for cheap on Craigslist.

I have been wanting a compact 220 volt machine for the same purpose for a while. I'm really interested in the new inverter Miller 211. I can't wait to get my hands on one to try out.

 

[Zeke]

My favorite portable welder is a maxstar 150s. It burns 3/32 7018 beautifully powered by a Honda 6500 watt generator. A used Lincoln sp 125 or equivalent can be had for cheap on Craigslist.

I have been wanting a compact 220 volt machine for the same purpose for a while. I'm really interested in the new inverter Miller 211. I can't wait to get my hands on one to try out.

I've used the Miller 211. It's good but it won't blow you away.But, where I was I had no 240v to use. Nice machine for those that don't have all the answers. Might be much better on 240.

 

[trackwelder]

I've used the Miller 211. It's good but it won't blow you away.But, where I was I had no 240v to use. Nice machine for those that don't have all the answers. Might be much better on 240.[/QUOTE

I'm interested in the new inverter 211 which is close to half the weight of the transformer unit. Have you used the newer model?

 

[erty67]

Lincoln weld paks can be found for cheap on craigslist. Much better than a 90a welder.

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