[Elevinpointsixtoone]

Hey I'm getting to know my new Hobart 210 MIG welder and am wondering if there is a wire diam. preference for welding up thicker materials. I'll be installing some .25" thick mild steel engine mounts, 2x4 box tube frame (.125") plus the typical M-II stuff, pivot tubes with support bracket, rack brackets etc. I think the M-II stuff is mostly 3/16". So I've practiced with some .030 solid wire welding up some .125 and .250 flat steel butt joints and the .125 looks pretty damn nice. 100% penetration. I'm still looking for the correct settings on the .25. Would moving up to the .035 solid wire create a better weld for like 3/16"s and up or is this really just up to the guy holding the gun? My thought is the bigger wire may produce a larger/fatter arc making a somewhat larger joint of fused material?
Any thoughts on which would be better if any?
I've welded a ton of sheet metal and thinner brackets with my Lincoln 115 volt unit. This is my first 230 unit.
Thanks,
Dave

[MARTINSR]

Go to the larger wire, think about it this way, the larger the wire the more amps it can carry thru it to the weld. Wire is cheap, get some and give it a go and you will see what I mean.

Brian

[OneMoreTime]

I think that will not make all that much difference from 0.30 to 0.35 of course i use 0.23 and 0.30 most of the time and am used to how it works for me..

Sam

[oldred]

As a "rule of thumb" (wonder where that old saying comes from? ) use the largest electrode or wire practical for the task at hand, notice I did not say the largest possible! There is a big difference between the largest wire possible for a weld and what works the best, so what works the best for a given size metal? That's kind of like asking "how long is a piece of rope"? Many factors determine what will be the best choice for a certain job but generally the largest wire or rod practical, that is the size that works comfortably and produces a sound weld, will be faster and cheaper with no loss of weld quality. The bottom line is if your welder can handle the AMPs and .035 does not burn through or otherwise damage the base metal then it may be a better choice-or not. Experiment and see how it works for you.

[67fordboy]

Me personally i would go with .035 wire course that also depends on your welding experience! I can weld in body panels or 1/2 inch thick stuff with .035, just a personal preference

[jonahb]

Originally Posted by 67fordboy

Me personally i would go with .035 wire course that also depends on your welding experience! I can weld in body panels or 1/2 inch thick stuff with .035, just a personal preference

I agree with 67fordboy, I use 0.030 exclusively at home (0.045 to 1/16 at

work). I believe that it has a large enough diameter to do heavy steel (5/16)

and small enough to do sheet metal.

Does your local supply have either 0.030/0.035 in your preferred brand? The

reason I ask is that there is a little price difference also, in my area the

0.030 seems to be a about 5 dollars cheaper for a 1kg spool. It may not

matter but now a days 5 dollars is still 5 dollars in my pocket. Also

my local praxair stopped selling the 0.030 wire I preferred (lincoln hardwire)

and for some reason it was back ordered for about months so I had to switch

to air-liquide hardwire and dualshield fluxcore.

[Elevinpointsixtoone]

I can find Lincoln and Harris 030 all day and have used both without issue. I checked Lowes for .035 solid wire but they don't carry it. I'll check with my welding supplier....I have a resale with them. I wonder if they put 030 on a 2 lb spool? Would rather not drop $50 on 10 lbs if I don't like it....

[NEW INTERIORS]

Just keep in mind,, The bigger the wire, The hotter you need to run the machine..The smaller the wire, The lower you can run the machine...

The smaller wire is good on panel work... You can keep the heat down and still get penetration..

You shouldn't need no more then 0.30...

I only use 0.23 and 0.30 ...The 0.23 can weld the thicker metal also... Like someone said... It has a lot to do with the guy holding the gun.... And for the thicker metal's,, Always bevel grind both sides... So you can get 100% weld..

[327NUT]

I use Lincoln L-56, you can get a 2lb. spool at Home Depot for about $12.

[deadbodyman]

You need both sizes... welding sheet metal with .023 works best but its a waste using it for the thick stuff, that is if you can get the heat and wire speed high enough for it to weld right.

[Old Fool]

.023 & .035

[Old Fool]

Originally Posted by oldred

As a "rule of thumb" (wonder where that old saying comes from? ) use the largest electrode or wire practical for the task at hand, notice I did not say the largest possible! There is a big difference between the largest wire possible for a weld and what works the best, so what works the best for a given size metal? That's kind of like asking "how long is a piece of rope"? Many factors determine what will be the best choice for a certain job but generally the largest wire or rod practical, that is the size that works comfortably and produces a sound weld, will be faster and cheaper with no loss of weld quality. The bottom line is if your welder can handle the AMPs and .035 does not burn through or otherwise damage the base metal then it may be a better choice-or not. Experiment and see how it works for you.

I was told by my grandfather that the rule of thumb was an approximate measurement of 1", and a "foot" was 12". (male adult). the thumb measurement is taken from the tip of the thumb to its first knuckle.

He told me that back in the days of wooden ship repairs at sea many times there was no ruler. Since most men had their thumbs and feet they could facilitate repairs with a common measuring tool! ie." Hey Frank - cut a foot and 3 thumbs off the end of that timber"

Whether or not that is the true origin, it sounds reasonable to me.

[35terraplane]

Originally Posted by Old Fool

I was told by my grandfather that the rule of thumb was an approximate measurement of 1", and a "foot" was 12". (male adult). the thumb measurement is taken from the tip of the thumb to its first knuckle.

He told me that back in the days of wooden ship repairs at sea many times there was no ruler. Since most men had their thumbs and feet they could facilitate repairs with a common measuring tool! ie." Hey Frank - cut a foot and 3 thumbs off the end of that timber"

Whether or not that is the true origin, it sounds reasonable to me.

And your thumb is the same length as your nose.

Bob

You guys can take your thumb away from your nose now.

[deadbodyman]

Caught me Bob....heres another tid bit of info...the term shiver me timbers ....A shive is an old term for shim....as the wood expanded and contracted they needed to be shimmed...Now were really off topic...

[oldred]

And then there's "Grog" which was the way they preserved their drinking water, the barrels of fresh water (on which their very lives depended) would have an amount of RUM added so it would not stagnate in the barrel, this mixture was called "Grog" and if you drank too much you became "Groggy"!