What's you go to budget mig wire?
- Thread starter Cuda416
- Start date
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I use Harbor Frieght's. Welds good haven't had any issues
HankRearden
Well-Known Member
blue demon on amazon seems to run best for me. But the yes welder and forney run well also and are usually a little cheaper
Trying to buy a cheaper, most likely lower grade of MIG wire is not a place I would be trying to save a dollar.
Think about it for a while.
Tom
Think about it for a while.
Tom
harrisonm
Well-Known Member
I have used HF wire before. It worked fine. Then I went to Tractor Supply once, and Hobart wire was about the same price. I have been buying Hobart wire there ever since.
65TerrorCuda
Well-Known Member
The HF flux core is shockingly good if you're going that route. Way better than the name brand stuff I'd been using for years
As a professional welder for over 40 years- I’ve owned my welding and heavy equipment repair company for 30 on Jan 1st - you get what you pay for. Cheap in the welding world is not associated with quality.
You may find a cheap wire that welds good. But as a professional welder- I see things very differently than the guy bubble gumming two pieces of sheet metal together in his garage on the weekends.
I weld every weld as if I have to walk on it 10 stories up….. and no net.
You may find a cheap wire that welds good. But as a professional welder- I see things very differently than the guy bubble gumming two pieces of sheet metal together in his garage on the weekends.
I weld every weld as if I have to walk on it 10 stories up….. and no net.
What wire do you use, and recommend?
Well- I’m a Lincoln Excalibur or Esab guy first for stick wire. My favorite for all positions is 7018 Excalibur MR 1/8”
MiG wire: Harris, Lincoln or interweld.
Tig: Blue demon or Lincoln.
I have two MiG welding machines that both run .035” wire E-70s with 75/25 cover gas . One suitcase welder that runs 5/32” (1”or more thick steel flux core) and spool guns that typically run .045” straight Argon, 75/25 or tri mix.
If you don't do too much welding, buy the 2# spools.
Cuda416
Well-Known Member
Ok, just a quick followup.
My main use for this spool will be bodywork/sheetmetal so while I'm not walking on it 10 stories up, it's a car so that's important.
As far as getting what you pay for, absolutely, however knowing little to nothing about the differences in how and who manufactures MIG wire, I guess I was hoping someone who knew from experience what to stay away from for "reasons".
I'm very much an emulate what has been seen as successful before and learning from my mistakes along those paths.
I have a spool of blue demon for heavier things (0.35 if I recall correctly).
since the new one will be for sheetmetal, I'm going with 0.23 which I have had success with before.
I've used lincoln, hobart so far and to be honest I do so little welding ( I do it in waves for a while, then nothing for a while). I forgot which was better.
As always I appreciate the information and opinions of all of you. I'll probably bite the bullet and just get one of the big name spools. it will probably last me a few years lol.
My main use for this spool will be bodywork/sheetmetal so while I'm not walking on it 10 stories up, it's a car so that's important.
As far as getting what you pay for, absolutely, however knowing little to nothing about the differences in how and who manufactures MIG wire, I guess I was hoping someone who knew from experience what to stay away from for "reasons".
I'm very much an emulate what has been seen as successful before and learning from my mistakes along those paths.
I have a spool of blue demon for heavier things (0.35 if I recall correctly).
since the new one will be for sheetmetal, I'm going with 0.23 which I have had success with before.
I've used lincoln, hobart so far and to be honest I do so little welding ( I do it in waves for a while, then nothing for a while). I forgot which was better.
As always I appreciate the information and opinions of all of you. I'll probably bite the bullet and just get one of the big name spools. it will probably last me a few years lol.
Chuter
Well-Known Member
Check your junk/spam folder. Virtually everything I get from this site goes in there, and I haven't been able to stop it, especially after cleaning out trackers, which Outlook (and probably others) use to know who is okay.
Cuda416
Well-Known Member
Not a bad sugestion but I get every other notification, just like the one I got about this. I must of not checked the box when I made the post to receive them. Now that I've responded to my own thread, I am getting them.
100% my fault, thanks though.
Unless it gets rusty due to a moist environment… the smaller the roll the more it cost per pound.
Perfect thread-
For welding sheet metal, wheel tubs and other parts on the car- is smaller than a .030 best? I was gifted a welder a couple years ago and I have .030 and .035 wire with it.
For welding sheet metal, wheel tubs and other parts on the car- is smaller than a .030 best? I was gifted a welder a couple years ago and I have .030 and .035 wire with it.
Cuda416
Well-Known Member
For sheetmetal I use 0.23 or thereabouts. Keeps temp down
I believe my welder is just a flux core, no gas. I’ve found .024-.025 wide but that all says mig wire and mig requires gas right?
Cuda416
Well-Known Member
Yeah sorry I didn't realize it was flux. Not sure if that changes anything buys thinner wire always means less heat overall. You're going to need flux core though which I think means you're stuck with 0.30 min
mopowers
Well-Known Member
If your welder has the capability, it'd be well worth the investment in a gas cylinder/regulator from your local welding supply house. If you're welding sheet metal, you'll appreciate having the shielding gas and smaller wire.
i have 2 mig welders. One ive never used without gas and is a big 220v machine.
Over the summer I got a smaller older Hobart 6969A 110v machine that came loaded with a rusty spool of flux core, it does have capability for gas built in but that kinda takes away the portability. I have a welding teacher buddy, now retired and recently got a pacemaker (meaning he cant be around an active welder machine anymore) and the last 2 times I needed wire I only had to go as far as his garage. He recently moved and Im still getting calls about stuff he wants me to have that I have no space for..... I got my last 2 spools of 0.023 from his stash. Some may be quite old, as I believe much of it may be from his pre teacher days at CBI. (they build municipal water towers)
the 110v welder came by FB during my last camp trip to Ohio. Forget the town but near Mansfield area....
From the time I bought the big welder in 1997 (bought new) ive run 0.030-0.035" until this past summer working on my truck cab. With the right tips I believe this machine will handle up to 0.045".... if I remember right. I also recieved a spool gun that will work with the big machine (Xmas last year) plus a couple of 2 lb spools of alum wire so I can attempt a few small repairs instead of automatically sending aluminum jobs out....
Over the summer I got a smaller older Hobart 6969A 110v machine that came loaded with a rusty spool of flux core, it does have capability for gas built in but that kinda takes away the portability. I have a welding teacher buddy, now retired and recently got a pacemaker (meaning he cant be around an active welder machine anymore) and the last 2 times I needed wire I only had to go as far as his garage. He recently moved and Im still getting calls about stuff he wants me to have that I have no space for..... I got my last 2 spools of 0.023 from his stash. Some may be quite old, as I believe much of it may be from his pre teacher days at CBI. (they build municipal water towers)
the 110v welder came by FB during my last camp trip to Ohio. Forget the town but near Mansfield area....
From the time I bought the big welder in 1997 (bought new) ive run 0.030-0.035" until this past summer working on my truck cab. With the right tips I believe this machine will handle up to 0.045".... if I remember right. I also recieved a spool gun that will work with the big machine (Xmas last year) plus a couple of 2 lb spools of alum wire so I can attempt a few small repairs instead of automatically sending aluminum jobs out....
RustyRatRod
Caput villa stultus
So what are your recommendations?
RustyRatRod
Caput villa stultus
Nevermind. I just saw this. Thanks!
I think it's funny askin about budget mig wire. It's not like the best is really that bad. lol
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