Harbor Freight mig wire?

[john11139]

I have a Miller welder and I have always used .035 wire and purchased it my local welding shop. I have never had a need for smaller wire. I have always got the large s pool. I have to do some sheet metal welding next week and I don't want to buy a full large spool that I would never use. I am thinking of just getting a small spool of .023 (I don't think it will fit on my spool post) make a loop and rewind it on top of my .035 wire and use what I need that way. I have see some at HF and wondered if it is any good?

 

[zkling]

What machine do you have? They make spool adapters. I assume you have a full size machine running 33lb spools?

I've made smaller spools from larger wire spools and the other way, but winding one wire on top of the other just sounds like a bad idea. Do you have any empty spools sitting around?

 

[brownbagg]

i have a miller 140 mig and bought some of the hf small wire, it burns great for sheet metal but it will bird nest about every two minute. is it the wire or the machine, don't know

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... I buy my filler wire at my weldin' supply house, for 'bout 1/2 what Harbor Fright charges for their wire, On Sale,....

 

[john11139]

I'll have to look. I might have a empty spool somewhere. I had 3 or 4 but cleaned out a bunch of junk. You know how it goes, throw it away and a week later you need it. Why wouldn't it work to just rewind in on top of the wire on my old spool? Its the big Miller 250 I think. I know years ago I had a spare spool and I would just mount it on a round pipe and lock it and rewind it on my brake lathe but I think I threw it away years ago. Just wondering if their wire is any good.

 

[Chris_Hamilton]

I'll have to look. I might have a empty spool somewhere. I had 3 or 4 but cleaned out a bunch of junk. You know how it goes, throw it away and a week later you need it. Why wouldn't it work to just rewind in on top of the wire on my old spool? Its the big Miller 250 I think. I know years ago I had a spare spool and I would just mount it on a round pipe and lock it and rewind it on my brake lathe but I think I threw it away years ago. Just wondering if their wire is any good.

In a word....no. Maybe you might get some that's decent or meets AWS specs but I highly doubt it. Spend a little extra and buy Lincoln branded wire at Lowes or check with your local welding supply. Not worth it to me especially if you are working on something important. My 2 cents.

 

[crewchief888]

all the HF and US forge wire i've bought from the big box stores is really ****.


homedepot sells lincoln wire too..

and around here it's cheaper than the LWS

 

[C96]

Don’t use the HF wire, its garbage. I tried it once and was extremely disappointed. That was a few years back though, maybe it’s changed now.
A friend of mine couldn’t figure out why his welds were coming out like **** and thought his welder was acting up. Come to find out he had just loaded up a spool of HF wire Lol. He replaced it with Lincoln wire and Lo and behold everything back to normal.

 

[gasaxeman]

I have tried HF wire in my Millermatic 200.
Both .023 and .030.
Absolute ****. I checked some known good stuff against it with a caliper.
The HF stuff was smaller and would not feed well at all.
Never again. Put it in my scrap barrel and only use name brand stuff.
That's my experience any ways.

 

[bigbubba]

all the HF and US forge wire i've bought from the big box stores is really ****.


homedepot sells lincoln wire too..

and around here it's cheaper than the LWS

Yeah i buy 1 lb spools at HD,Work great and it's not much money.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'd make the trip to TSC and grab a 2lb spool in .024 for about $14

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/hobart-solid-welding-wire-er70s-6-024-in-carbon-steel-2-lb

 

[driz]

Tractor Supply has Hobart wire and electrodes at good prices. As always it's better to hit the sales. I can't imagine a local welding supply selling either for less than Home Depot , Lowes or Tractor Supply. Possibly, but not even close where I live.

 

[zkling]

Why wouldn't it work to just rewind in on top of the wire on my old spool? Its the big Miller 250 I think. I know years ago I had a spare spool and I would just mount it on a round pipe and lock it and rewind it on my brake lathe but I think I threw it away years ago. Just wondering if their wire is any good.

I guess it could work if you had a way to solidly fix the end and then built up a layer, but I think the first couple passes will be tedious as the wire will want to track over the other, larger dia wires.

I'd look into a spool adapter or an empty spool before trying to fool with winding over another coil.

Just wondering if their wire is any good.

IMHO, no. Hobart and Lincoln at retail stores isn't much if any more expensive and a very good product.

 

[bmxr4life87]

I have a 10lb spool in my hobart handler 140 and its been fine for the last 5 years. Just recently did some 3/16 and 1/4 thick tubing with it. A few hours of heavy use and didnt have any problems with feed or weld quality.

 

[AnEv942]

Last few years all Ive used is H/F wire. The .023 & .030 2 lb spool mig wire for $6.99 (or less) works well in my lil 110v Lincoln 140. Welds nice. When ever Im there I usually pick up a few rolls. Only issue Ive had is when I forget to change to the smaller wire guide. On my machine, it & the drive roll need to be changed to push the .023-25 wire-lets you know pretty quick though.

For a one time project -I would think picking up a 10# spool of .023 for $28 at H/F would be easier than re-winding? Unless your post will run the 5/8" I.D. of the 2lb spool.

I havent used thier flux core-I only use when I run out of shielding gas to finish something & oddly though the made in Italy or India wire half price at H/F, thier flux core isnt so cheap and always seem to be out of .030. End buying whatever, usually Forney, at local hardware. I never looked at H/D or Lowes for welding supplies, might run over there tommorrow as Im out of flux core and need some tips.

 

[Riverside]

I've gone through several spools of HF .035" wire and haven't noticed any problems.

 

[FriendOfYours]

^^^

The .023 they have is way cheaper than the local welding supply chains and I go through a 2lb roll every couple days