For most applications here in the shop, I use a carbon steel copper-coated solid core wire for MIG welding. What type of wire do you typically like to run in your welder?
Share what MIG welding wire you like to use, when, and why.
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I like this thread and look forward to reading more from others. As the vast majority of the work we do is ornamental we run a .030 er70s6 which is a copper coated carbon steel solid wire. I like this wire as it is economical, available in most auto parts, hardware, and ranch/ farm supply stores the wire size deposits more material than a .023 but still burns in nicely when I am in the field using a 110v plug which generally speaking is the most available option in most cases.
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@Fireball_Jason you should do a welding wire comparison/test video.
I honestly haven’t put a whole lot of thought into my wire, I’ve just used whatever I could find when I needed it!
I’m interested in learning the pros & cons of different types though.
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Yes that would be a interesting video.
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.035" er70s6 for most carbon steel uses. If it’s heavier work (ex: 18" wide flange beam, 5/8" plate) .040" dual shield flux core wire with shielding gas. The sound when using this wire is amazing. Like meat and potatoes.
For jobs away from the shop where there is power, .035 flux core in the small portable mig welder with no shielding gas.
Jobs away from the shop without power call for the old Hobart AC/DC stick welder/generator.
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I run Lincoln Super Arc L-56 in .035 and .047, with 75/25. I’m still running an old Miller 250X thats over 20 years old. Keeps on ticking.
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I normally use a 0.035 solid mild steel copper coated wire on an older Miller MIG welder.
I have been looking into double shielded flux core after seeing some of JD’s videos
ER70S-6
Lincoln L-56 Super Arc in 045 with pulse MIG and 90/10 gas, whenever possible.
My work rig has a dual spool setup, .045 Esab 710X dual shield on one side, and .045 Esab Spoolarc 86 solid wire on the other. The dual shield gets the most use, the stuff I work on or build is usually .375 or thicker. Also, we run 100% Co2.
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Same here on the .030. does everything I need it to do in my shop, from the ornamental to repairs (as long as I clean then good)
INEFIL ER70S-6 .030-Inch on 10-Pound Spool Carbon Steel Mig Solid Welding Wire
I use this one because it ships fast off of amazon and hadn’t had any trouble with it.
Side question for the group I run a miller 252 has anyone had any experience running .045 wire on theirs? I recently acquired a pile of .045 wire on bigger spools than I think my machine can handle. I’m so tight i was considering building a little unspooler to transfer that .045 onto the empty .030 spools? I figure it might bird’s nest though.
I typically run 35 and 45 pound spools of 035 er70s-6 in the millermatic 252 at work. Never had a problem.
For every day welds
ER80S-D2, 0.030" Diameter
not much more $ than 70S, but I find it produces much stronger welds
when life or death
ER120S-1
Stainless
ER316LSi
Well I’m gonna give it a try. Never used any .045 before? Recon I can use it for every day 3/16 thickness welding or gonna be to hot? (Not around my machine to look at the book)
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I dont have experience with 045 solid wire but id imagine it would be fine for anything plate. Can’t be any worse than 035 on some of the tissue paper i have to patch. Ive used 045 t-8 a bit on some 3/8" and 1/2" plate and that should be hotter than solid core id imagine.
Ok well we have been doing some larger scale stuff for us anyway a set of stair stringers built from 8x8x5/8 square tube and I did pony up for some dual shield for this. I found it burns super nice and makes super nice welds. There are a few qualities of it I do not love though. One is it seems to have much more spatter which seems to be fairly common for any fluxcore wire, the fumes are profuse compared to solid wire. The one thing that stands out to me and I would be curious if this applies to eti’s er80 wire is that the tacks and it seems welds in general are much more brittle. with the er70s6 the welds have a certian amount of pliability where they can stretch and move a bit before breaking. Flux core much less and i would guess the higher the rating the more brittle. If anyone else has thoughs on this it would be interesting to here. Often weldments are able to be fixtured and dealt with and I have found the ability to adjust or tweak the pieces after they are tacked can be a great resource.
have not experience brittle failures on tacks with er80
I don’t use flux core, use C-25 shielding gas (25% CO2 / 75% Argon)
but I’m not beating tacked parts into submission, so there may be a point where the tack would fail.
in your case is the filler (wire) cracking, or does it break free from metal?
Never even heard of ER80, I thought gas shielded, solid core steel wire was only ER70. You just made this thread interesting.
Hi,
No it seems more the weld it’s self. My guess is it is a temp differential in the pieces causing it and possibly a preheating of the parent metals would assist
Higher psi generally does mean more brittle. Thats why you dont see weld rod like 11018 in common use. Higher psi filler also has a tendancy to pull pieces more as it cools. This can result in cold cracking being more common especially if welding things the are held nice and rigid.