Welding 1/8" 304 SS to 1/8" Mild.

[The_Beave]

ok, something is wrong with the welder.

I switched back to .023"mild steel wire, and it'sdoing the same thing! I shouldn't haveto jack the welder up to the highest amperage setting to weld a 1/4" thick exhuast flange to 16g tubing. =( There was very little penetration. I should have been blowing holes in the tubng.

The wire feeds fine, but assoon as I start welding, the maching "surges" and won't feed consitently. The lineris almost new. The tip is almost new. I have a newly exchanged tank filled with C25.

Could this be caused by having the tension adjuster set too tight or too loose?

I just thought that the times this has occured I have been using an extension cord. Tomorow I will try hooking the machine up directly to the outlet and running a few beads.

[The_Beave]

Oh, I think you are right, JohnV. I don't think 309L is the fluxcore wire they are refering to. Thanks for catching that.

[JohnV]

The_Beave...isnt 309L supposed to be used with a tri-mix? I dont think this wire is the wire that everyone was reffering to earlier in this post(gas shielded flux core)?

[The_Beave]

Franz-
This is the only welder I have available. I'll just have to make do. The welds seem pretty solid, just not pretty at all. Staten Island got 13" or so.

Roger-
How does one backshield a weld? Can one run a T in the hose from the bottle? I have searched around a bit, and haven't come up with the info on how to do this. (Granted, I haven't looked TOO hard.) When I weld up a SS exhuast for a freind, I will try the aluminum foil. That sounds rather spiffy.

Pturner-
The local welding supply company had 309L in a 2lbs spool for approximately $30+bloodmoney for the government. They don't move much of it. heh My boss purchased thier last roll before they reorder the stuff.

[pturner]

Did you find the fluxcore wire in 2 or 10 lb spools? For the cost of a 28/30 lb spool, I could pay someone else to do it, but of course I won't.

You needed to back shield weld to get better looking back side. If it was butt weld aluminum foil on back side to contain shielding gas might have been enough.

[Franz]

Beave, I think you hit the nail on the head when you said the welder is too small for the job.
If you have a stick machine available, you might try that with SS rod, and a copper or aluminum backer plate behind the light metal.
How much snow have you got down on the island, the talking heads on TV say there is 18" in Queens.

[The_Beave]

The welds held. That's about all I can say for them. They look like crap, and I don't think I'm using the right settings at all.

I was maxing out the machine (setting at D on the lincoln Weldpak 100) and had the wire feed set to about 5.5. That was the only setting that would produce decent, consistent penetration. however, the menetration was a bit too much, as the back of the weld "bubbled up."

Just to make it clear, I am using the Lincon Weldpak 100 (110V) with .030" 309L wire and C25 mix. I had to keep a VERY short stickout to get a consisten pool.

I don't realy expect much help, because most people here have better welders than I do. heh I have more work to do on the chute of the spreader, so I will keep posting as I try different things.

[The_Beave]

Ok, I'll take everyone's advice and get a refill of C25. I'll let you know how I do with it, because it wil be a DFO error not the gas' fault. =)

Here is .stainless steel .045 fluxcore wire made to weld from 18ga. to 1/4"

http://www.kobelcowelding.com/PDF/DWGbrochure.pdf

Hard to believe but setting chart looks like HH135 or HH175 could use this wire but it is on 28 pound rolls.

[DrIQ]

With solid wire in SS or mild steel you will get a very high crown on your weld with argon as the shielding gas as well as undercut on the toe lines of the weld, C25 would be a better choice.

I have welded with the flux cored SS wires on materials 3/16" and thicker with excellant results. I know that Mckay and Stoody make both gas shielded and self shielded stainless flux cored wires but I have not seen it in spools smaller than the 12" 25# package.

The .045 309L flux cored wire will run with CO2 or C25 but requires at least a 200 amp power supply the recommended current range is 24-26 volts at 180-220 amps. If you can find it in .035 dia it will still require 110-180 amps at 23-25 volts.

[JohnV]

Has anyone found this wire in a smaller spool size? Please post the retailer you bought it from.

Thanks!
John

Gas shielded flux core, metal core, and hard surfaceing tubular wire uses DC+ just like MIG.

[Mike Sherman]

Gas shielded vs self shielded. Both are a tubular wire, hence the "T" in the designation. One uses an external gas for shielding, one does not. I am trying to keep it simple here. I am not aware of any self shielded stainless flux core.

[Gary Patton]

Originally posted by morpheus
What is the difference between gas shielded flux cored wire and just flux cored wire or are they one and the same ?

The gas shielded flux core wire has powdered steel inside of a stainless steel outer wire. It will melt and lay down much better than a solid wire. The selling pitch for this type of wire is usually that it has a faster deposition rate (you can lay down more inches of weld in less time). It makes a pretty weld as well.
PS: someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think they make a self shielded stailness flux-core wire.