Wire welder wire, Whats your favorite?

I just bought a Hobart 230 welder. It didn't come with any wire or a owners manual. I've read a lot of theads about using 75/25 gas, but what wire do I need to get? Whats your favorite? I'm planning on boxing a model A frame to start out...and yes, I used the search function............

 

I like .023 for sheet metal and .035 for the thicker stuff

 

You can download a manual at Hobart's website

http://www.hobartwelders.com/service/owners-manuals/

 

get a small spool of 023, 030,035 and try them out and see what works for you. I like 030 the sheet metal and my boss has to use 023,its different for everyone.

 

.030 is what I use for a good all around use.

 

I use .035 wire in my Miller. I have had some recent issues with the wire from China, lot of extra smoke, twisting wire as it feeds, and inconsistent feed as I was welding. The last 2 rolls were made in the USA wire and the issues have disappiered. The USA wire cost more, but improved the welding experience. For the record, I use a #44 lbs roll every couple months, so I know how to set up my machine and how to use it, and the wire was not old, rusty crap. Gene

 

Hey,

I'll second what Gene said! The cheap/ChiComm. welding wire is no bargin!
I like what Lincoln sells in the .023 dia.

 

I use Lincoln .023 on sheet metal work . For thicker metal I use Lincoln .030 or .035 depending on the thickness . I have also used Hobart and welds very nicely as well .
Either brand is very good welding wire . I would buy some small spools of Lincoln & Hobard to see which works best for you . Both can be bought at Home stores Lincoln and Tractor supply carries Hobart .
The chinese wire at HF and store brands at hardware stores are pure dog shit and messy !

Retro Jim

 

for boxing a frame, use .35, ER70S13, just use co2, your gonna grind the weld anyway when boxing the frame, so, who cares if it leaves a nicer looking bead, which i don`t buy anyway, especially the price difference between co2 and 72/25, makes no sence......unless you are a pro and leaving beautiful beads the 75/25 is a waste of money...

 

Don't buy the stuff from your local home store! Its crap, and its not wound properly on the spool from the factory! That is why you will have feeding issues with it. Buy decent wire from a WELDING SUPPLY STORE. It will save you the headaches of shitty feeding of the wire.

 

Same here. I use the Radnor "house brand" wire from Airgas.

Bob

 

I have .23 in there now and I hate it. I haven't tried it on sheet metal but I welded up my firewall with .035 and that seemed to work really well. Need new tips before I get started on my Dash soon.

 

I haven't found any real difference with the brand name wire from the welding stores but usually buy my wire on 11lb spools from the welding supply that I get my gas and Oxygen and Acetylene from.

I'd go along with buying the small spools until you find the wire you like to use though.

 

.023 and .030 for most applications. Spend the extra money for domestic wire from a welding supply store.

 

NS copper free

http://www.nationalstandard.com/index.php

 

here too, .030 from Airgas...... a great all around wire

 

buy the good name brand wire ,will save u from headaches later. i use .023for sheetmetal and .030 or .035 on heavier jobs i buy from airgas

 

Off topic but why does no one seem to use stick/ arc welding for chassis stuff- its all mig or tig? Just thought I would ask.

 

For sheet metal I am using .023 esab easy grind wire.

 

I actually use .030 for sheet metal and .028 for the heavier stuff with my little Hobart. I get better penetration with the smaller dia wire, bevel everything and stack my welds.

 

i also use 023 easy grind wire on sheetmetal and 030 for other welds

 

I have a Miller 35 and use American wire and tried the different sizes and chose the .035 for every thing and just go up and down on heat range for the different thickness metals.I tried co2 way back years ago and didnt like the results and went to 75/25 and used it many years. Its just a personal choice and one you will have to make by trial and errorfor yourself.

 

I gotta say definitely spend the extra dough on the USA made wire you will not regret it!! the cheap stuff is exactly that.. I got a roll and for the life of me thought my welder was screwed up for days till I switched the wire.. back to normal... And as far as wire size go by the chart in the machine for what your welding.. it will get you close

 

ESAB EZ grind for sheet metal, HOBART for structural -solid core, and LINCOLN when I use Flux Core.

 

I agree with this, not worth the hassle of changing the liner, tips etc back and forth. I seem to have a lot more trouble with the .023 birdnesting. Had to be real careful about laying the cable out and not having much of a bend anywhere.
ER70S for almost everything mild steel, although I have have used some of the silicon alloys for rusty/galvanized metal and it" helps". No matter what the job,or process, do your best to get down to shiny bare metal and you'll get better results.

 

1- Different equipment. Everybody and their little brother has a MIG gun now, and most use it for everything.
2- Mig is faster and has a lot less cleanup, better for thinner stuff.Less waste.Better containment of heat, less warpage and distortion.
3- Skill level- It takes a lot longer to learn to get good results with a stick, mostly because of trying to tell what's the weld puddle and whats the slag and trying to keep the two seperate.

 

see what your drive wheels are groved for. Mine is .023 and .030. I use .030 for most stuff but the .023 is much better for sheetmetal.

 

Can you hammer down the welds easier with this wire? I've been wanting to try it but I have a 10 pound spool of Hobart .023 I've got to use up first.

 

Thanks for all the input guys. I am shopping for a bottle as we speak. Will try the small spools of different wires. Wish me luck.....

 

I am all about the .023 ESAB Easy Grind for sheet metal. I can't say enough good things about it. I run it with 75/25 gas.

I use it with no problem in my Millers, with the same liner that feeds .035. Just swapping tips and drive rollers are all that is needed. Have not had a birds nest yet, and I have gone through over one hundred 35-pound spools.