gas with cored wire?

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I was just wondering if you can use your shielding gas (75/25) with flux cored wire to minimize splatter?? I have a lincoln 140 mig and it calls for cored wire for 1/4 steel....after I get good enough I want to mod my 4 link on my truck and weld a set of tabs for the wishbone so I need the extra strength.also that reminds me, is cored wire stronger than solid wire for structual welds? if so why is that?
Reply:There are differnt cored wires.  Some need gas, some need a certain type of gas.  I dont know what property changes using gas when you dont need to you might cause.  I personally would follow guidlines of wirecored and solid are not differnt in strength.  Cored tends to burn hotter though, thus deeper penetraiton and handling thicker materialIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:Isn't dual shield using cored wire with shielding gas?  I hear it makes really good looking welds.
Reply:also that reminds me, is cored wire stronger than solid wire for structual welds? if so why is that?
Reply:thanks for the fast replies, I have heared it makes good welds too, but cant seem to find this lincoln dualshield wire anywhere, i guess dualshield is there trademark...but cant find anyone elses either, lincoln has like 60lb spools on their site...sheesh that would last a lifetime! i'll try to search some more on it, if anyone has anymore info feel free to chime in  ... I need some .035 mild steel wire preferably with c25 gas mix (i think thats what its called?), if I cant pull anything up i'll have to ask the welding supplier on sat.
Reply:Try this for reference.http://www.lincolnelectric.comI'm going to recommend that if you plan in using the 140 that you don't move up to .035 in the solid. Not just yet anyway, and don't just tear into any critical 1/4 inch stuff with anything till you get some pointers from the guys here.
Reply:Most importantly, what are you welding that is 1/4"?  The 120V MIGs have plenty of uses, but MIG welding over 1/8" isn't one of them.  3/16" is okay with flux-cored wires for non-critical applications, also.  Anything else is creative advertising, unless you just need it to stick together for art's sake.These machines are realistically limited to .030" solid wires and .035" flux-cored wires (self-shielded only.)
Reply:Some things to consider:Ultracore is Lincolns tradename for gas shielded flux cored wire.   From what I see with Ultracore 71C the thinest you can get this wire is 0.045"0.045" wire in any 110 volt mig is a tough sell, I'd almost say impossible.   In the example 71C is a CO2 shielded wire that needs 110 amps at the minimal settings (175 in/m, 22-25 volts)   To get to a faster rate you need between 150 and a 170 amps and up to 28 volts.   These are not doable numbers for a 110 volt machine and probably hard work for a 175 amp 220 volt machine.So nice wire but just not doable on a 110 volt machine and frankly not doable on most machines used by hobbiest.     A 220 volt 175 amp machine might do ok for minimal usage and short on times but that is aobut it.    This is of course only one wire and Lincoln has several so do do as suggested and take a look at www.lincoln.com for data sheets and other info.So like everybody else I think you need to reconsider welding methods.   I'd suggest tacking things and either taking them to a professional or a friend with a good stick welder.   Or a much larger MIG for that matter.   Generally I see 110 volt MIG as a bad first welder investment unless you specfically know what you expect to do with  it.    Autobody sheet metal and light frame work is a good use for these machines, but they don't really cut the mustard when called upon to do work outside that realm.Dave
Reply:I did get to weld with all lincoln flux cored wires about a month ago at a seminar and dual shield is the easiest flux cored wire I have ever used. Flux cored wire given the same parameters will out entrated solid cored wire but with a 110 volt machine the difference is nominal. I would never suggest a structural weld of any kind by using the short circuit process and a 110 volt wire machine. Why? Limited amperage.It is true that some cored wires are made to be used with gas and some are not but we have used cored wire which was not and it did improve arc characteristics and had no more porosity issues than without gas. I dont think I helped you any, sorryDonLast edited by ZTFab; 12-09-2010 at 05:20 PM.
Reply:Thanks everyone, I kinda figured it wasnt real safe to weld that thick of metal with only 110v....regardless of what it says, I really wouldnt want to do any framework on a $460 mig. I pretty much bought it for autobody sheetmetal only and if I needed to weld any heavy stuff and still was "in" to welding I was looking at a millermatic 210.When I do make my 4link suspension mods... welding tabs to relocate shocks and lower profile tabs, I will be taking it into a metal fab shop or if I get good with my grandpas stick welder that might be do-able alsoLast edited by ZTFab; 12-09-2010 at 05:21 PM.