flux core mig wire

admin

I recently bought a Deca MIG welder and haven't gotten gas for it yet, but have been using the fluxcore wire that came with it. This stuff splatters quite a bit but whats happening is when I finish a bead it seems to leave a slight indentation where I left off. I've played with the power and wire speed settings and nothing seems to help. I haven't had this problem with other MIG welders but this is also the first time I've used flux core wire. Would this problem go away when I get the gas ?
Reply:Well that crater at the end of a bead is sorta normal for most wire feeds, flux and gas both. It's probably a little more defined with the flux core is all. Wire dia for wire dia and at the same feed speed flux core provides less filler and wets out more so that crater is more obvious. It does need filled as always. I usually just run back over it before the orange glow goes away or reverse and go back in about a half inch. It's best to get that crater before a crack developes, which is well before major cooling happens.  I get craters with GMAW also. I always fill them in regardless of pretty.
Reply:Welcome, lamar!   Did you make sure the polarity was correct for flux-core wire? Needs to be positive ground - negative at stinger. Also, flux wire doesn't use gas so any problems you are having  are not gas related. The burning flux provides all the shielding needed. Sorry if the is old news to you, I dont know what you know.