Welding wire brand and size recommendation

[LandCruiserPhil]

My new reconditioned "A" stock Hobart Handler 187 has just arrived.

My new welder will be an addition to my old smaller welder that I will continue using on smaller gauge work because of its variable control for both voltage and wire speed using .024 solid wire. The new welder will be for larger work using solid wire also. It has the capability of using .030 or .035. Will I be better served using .030 or .035 solid wire for larger work and what brand?

 

[2badfjs]

i only use lincolns .035 flux core, on everything.
i'm welding 1/4" all the time

 

[Cruiserdrew]

I assume you'll be using gas.

I would use 0.030 solid wire, I think your machine is optimized for this size. I like the Radnor brand best. I have a spool of the Hobart 28 to try, but the Radnor is excellent stuff.

If you are not using shielding gas, then I think you'll have to use 0.035 flux core. I've not seen a 0.030 flux core.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Yes I will be using gas because Im lazy and dont want to deal with slag.

 

[Mad4wd]

We go thru a lot of wire here....buy the best you can afford...there is a difference is what I can tell you. I highly recommend Lincoln or Esab...there are others that are more specialty oriented that we use also. SuperArc L-56 or SuperGlide S6 Lincoln would be my first choice for you.

Lar

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

We go thru a lot of wire here....buy the best you can afford...there is a difference is what I can tell you. I highly recommend Lincoln or Esab...there are others that are more specialty oriented that we use also. SuperArc L-56 or SuperGlide S6 Lincoln would be my first choice for you.

Lar

Do you agree with other posters on .030 as the perfered size?

 

[Mad4wd]

What exactly are you welding?

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

What exactly are you welding?

Mild steel
General projects square and round tubing 1/8" - 1/4" in all directions

 

[chicago]

i only use lincolns .035 flux core, on everything.
i'm welding 1/4" all the time

x2 on this...
2 bad had said this some time ago, and the stuff works great through my HH187!
Ive never used gas though.

Have fun!

Chicago

 

[2badfjs]

Yes I will be using gas because Im lazy and dont want to deal with slag.

a little anti-splatter and you have almost no slag to clean up.

three reasons i use flux:
1) i was told you get better penetration
2) i'm welding all the time and if i run out of gas i'm done.
3) added expense of having two bottles of gas around.

 

[fj40charles]

Do you agree with other posters on .030 as the perfered size?

Yes. I would run .030 and nothing else on your HH187 since you have a small 110v welder for .023 wire.

Radnor (Airgas house brand made by Lincoln) or Hobart HB-28 are both very good wires. I heard good things about HTP wire. I ordered some .023 wire from HTP (ebay userid jeffnoland), but have not tried it out yet. HTP has some really good prices on wires and welder consumables.

Cheapest place I found for a 10 pound spool of Hobart HB-28 .030 wire is here.
$24.20 including shipping. $20.00 including shipping for .030 wire.
http://store.cyberweld.com/hobhbmigwir1.html

I use Hobart HB-28 .030 wire in my Millermatic 200 welder. It works very well.

disclaimer: no affiliation with any vendor.

 

[Blue77FJ40]

2badfjs:

What do you use for anti-splatter?

Thanks, Dan

 

[84CRUISER]

2badfjs:

What do you use for anti-splatter?

Thanks, Dan

lincolns "anti-splatter"
i buy it at home depot.

 

[Mad4wd]

If you want 'no-spatter'...you run dual-shield wire period...everything else spatters..that way you have flux and gas shielding. The picture is one pass..dual shield..3/4" across. No spatter and fluid with excellent penetration. Now your welder does not have the current capacity that ours do, but you get the idea. I can not strees enough the two things that will help you in welding...good consumeables and a great helmet. For those that dont want the expense of buying a second bottle....i disagree, just buy one and be done with it.

Lar

 

[chicago]

If you want 'no-spatter'...you run dual-shield wire period...everything else spatters..that way you have flux and gas shielding. The picture is one pass..dual shield..3/4" across. No spatter and fluid with excellent penetration. Now your welder does not have the current capacity that ours do, but you get the idea. I can not strees enough the two things that will help you in welding...good consumeables and a great helmet. For those that dont want the expense of buying a second bottle....i disagree, just buy one and be done with it.

Lar

NICE!
It amazes me how you guyz can do a radius weld without stopping at least 3 times...
For the life of me, I cant keep my had steady enough to make the turns without BLOWING it.
Very nice!



Chicago

 

[Josh83]

I also like the lincoln wire. I would go with .035 for me. However I tend to like heavy wire. I use .045 at work.

 

[RHINO]

come awwn guys, flux core for better penetration? whats wrong with proper settings on your machine for proper penetration.

Phil, i run my lincoln 200 on .030 for the flexibility with thinner material. but since your keeping the second machine for smaller stuff maybe you should go ahead and run .035,,, or you might want to buy a small spool of each and try it out for yourself. i like lincoln brand wire.

 

[brian]

Now your welder does not have the current capacity that ours do, but you get the idea.

Lar

yeah. i'd like to see a 110 machine that will run at 27+ volts

D/S is the shizzle.
in a former life i ran .054 and 1/16th, talk about laying a fatty. these days it's just .045.