Thinnest metal to weld with .045 wire

admin

Please pardon my newbe question but referring to a mig parameter chart it looks like 18ga is the thinnest metal that .045 wire should be used for, do most of you find this to be true?   My reason for asking is with voltage and wire speed set as close as possible and running practice welds I get a lot of burn through even on 16ga . And maintaining a fast and consistent travel speed seems pretty challenging.  What what'd you all think? Please try going easy on me,LOL
Reply:For 18 gauge .030" wire is more appropriate. I have used .045" for 1/4" and up but have .035" in the machine so not worth the bother to put in the .045" unless I have a lot of heavy stuff to weld.Ernie F.
Reply:Your settings might be off, or the machine is not up to the task.  Please post what machine you have, and the controls you have and the actual settings.  And as metalman said, it's the wrong wire for the job.  Are you using 0.045" solid wire ER70S-6  or something else?

1st on WeldingWeb to have a scrolling sig!



Reply:What type welder are using TIG  MIG or FLUXCORE Dave

Originally Posted by jzr75601

Please pardon my newbe question but referring to a mig parameter chart it looks like 18ga is the thinnest metal that .045 wire should be used for, do most of you find this to be true?   My reason for asking is with voltage and wire speed set as close as possible and running practice welds I get a lot of burn through even on 16ga . And maintaining a fast and consistent travel speed seems pretty challenging.  What what'd you all think? Please try going easy on me,LOL
Reply:With .045 solid wire, in my experience, 1/8" is about as thin as you want to go in short circuit transfer mode, and even then either an .030 or .035 wire is a better choice
Reply:I wouldn't suggest anything under 3/16 for 045 solid wire. Even 3/16 is a little thin for 045.Unless you weld a good amount of 1/2 or a lot of 3/8, you should  be running 035 normally
Reply:

Originally Posted by metalman21

For 18 gauge .030" wire is more appropriate. I have used .045" for 1/4" and up but have .035" in the machine so not worth the bother to put in the .045" unless I have a lot of heavy stuff to weld.
Reply:

Originally Posted by smithdoor

What type welder are using TIG  MIG or FLUXCORE Dave
Reply:

Originally Posted by jzr75601

I'm running a Miller cp200 at this time.
Reply:

Originally Posted by Country Metals

I wouldn't suggest anything under 3/16 for 045 solid wire. Even 3/16 is a little thin for 045.Unless you weld a good amount of 1/2 or a lot of 3/8, you should  be running 035 normally
Reply:

Originally Posted by jzr75601

Does make a lot of sense to run the smaller .030 wire for the really thin ga. materials I remember doing a lot of body panel work using .035 solid wire but have never tried .030 or even .023 .
Reply:

Originally Posted by Oscar

ok, so do tell, what settings did you run?  Maybe you had decent settings and something else was off, but you didn't tell us what you had.  


Reply:I know practice practice, practice makes perfect, but  How are you guy's at controlling and consistently establishing good travel speed and developing technique to avoid burn through any tips or tricks?Last edited by jzr75601; 1 Week Ago at 05:32 PM.
Reply:

Originally Posted by jzr75601

to avoid burn through any tips or tricks?
Reply:It will run wire but the is get close max. What are you welding and type of work?Dave

Originally Posted by jzr75601

I'm running a Miller cp200 at this time.
Reply:

Originally Posted by jzr75601

I'm at..... about 110 inches per minute wire feed speed. .
Reply:I don't understand why you would try to weld such thin steel with .045 wire, it's like trying to solder a circuit board with an acetylene torch.Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

http://www.philswelding.com
Reply:

Originally Posted by MetalMan23

I don't understand why you would try to weld such thin steel with .045 wire, it's like trying to solder a circuit board with an acetylene torch.Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
Reply:

Originally Posted by Oscar

I think it's just a secondary consequence due to what he already had loaded up in his machine.
Reply:

Originally Posted by smithdoor

It will run wire but the is get close max. What are you welding and type of work?Dave
Reply:I know I have 045 ER70S-6, but it's the one wire not loaded in any of my 4 MIGs, lol.  If you still cant figure it out after trying my suggestion of dropping the WFS, let me know and I can load up a MIG and find some 050 thick scrap.

1st on WeldingWeb to have a scrolling sig!



Reply:It is not the ideal size for gates and most decorative metal gate.The people I know that does typically uses 0.030 or 0.035" size wire. I think they use E70S-3 with CO2 for lower cost.  In machine shops they use E70S-3 and C25 gas.Myself I would uses 0.035 or 0.045 E71T-1 with CO2 fluxcore but that is from line work I did in too. Today I use E71T-11 0.030 no gas. E70S-6 is for moderate amounts of scale or rust. But they a little more cleaning be for painting.  Most that use E70S-3 is used on new steel and most do not clean before painting. Dave

Originally Posted by jzr75601

David, just really doing a lot of practice pieces for now in preparation for doing a pretty good size decorative metal gate the first one I did was smaller but quite a chore with .045
Reply:Can you switch wires? Or is it not an option? Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

http://www.philswelding.com
Reply:Metalman,that seems to be the obvious solution for sure. My original question was how true most found those welding parameter chart's to be.but as most of you pointed out it just makes more sense to use the thinner wire to begin with. And from that I gathered trying to use .045 on the thinner metals is just working too hard.  So the only draw back in my case is having to get a hold of another set of drive rolls for a four roll feeder and another spool wire. Other than that I remember having" bird nesting" issues using the thinner wire where the wire would pile up before entering the feeder outlet guide. Never had that problem using .045.but the solution to that is adjusting the outlet guide as close as possible to the drive rolls.Last edited by jzr75601; 1 Week Ago at 03:43 AM.
Reply:

Originally Posted by Oscar

That's it right there.  045 wire "produces"  about 1A per 1 IPM of wirefeed speed (for solid wire) so you're dumping around 90-100A into very thin material.   Do the 6-second test and run an actual 60IPM, and adjust the volts to suit.I agree, if you can switch wires, it is the best option.  Just make sure your liner isn't too large for the thinner wire.

1st on WeldingWeb to have a scrolling sig!



Reply:I haven't tried anything thinner than 11 gauge with 0.045 er-70s6 wire. But I have had no problems welding 11 gauge with that wire both in short circuit mode and pulsed spray mode, both with 90/10 gas
Reply:

Originally Posted by MetalMan23

I don't understand why you would try to weld such thin steel with .045 wire, it's like trying to solder a circuit board with an acetylene torch.Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
Reply:Then do all your welding with 0.045 wire. To weld thinner gauge use trigger on and off like a pulse and or a back bar. Also if switch the fluxcore it like dropping a size of wire. I have used a lot 0.052 fluxcore I could weld 16 gauge with a pulsing the trigger. Dave

Originally Posted by jzr75601

I've usually worked quite a bit on 1/4" and up material running through a 350amp Tweco Spray master mig gun and a  four roll feeder using .045 ER70s-6 solid wire at this time, I only have a set of .045V drive rolls in the feeder so limited in that respect. haven't had the setup or parts to run smaller wire.
Reply:

Originally Posted by jzr75601

Please pardon my newbe question but referring to a mig parameter chart it looks like 18ga is the thinnest metal that .045 wire should be used for, do most of you find this to be true?   My reason for asking is with voltage and wire speed set as close as possible and running practice welds I get a lot of burn through even on 16ga . And maintaining a fast and consistent travel speed seems pretty challenging.  What what'd you all think? Please try going easy on me,LOL
Reply:

Originally Posted by MetalMan23

Can you switch wires? Or is it not an option? Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
Reply:

Originally Posted by Oldiron2

In Post 7, he said he doesn't have the parts, meaning the feed rolls & liner, I take it,to use smaller wire. He also hasn't mentioned his location, so we have no idea how had it is to get those parts there.Maybe he's stubborn too, like I tend to be, so wants to keep trying until he either succeeds or has to give up.What stick-out is being used, and would increasing that help significantly, assuming it keeps decent gas shielding?
Reply:Time to buy a second welder. 😀
Reply:Like Louie said, just start and stop, doing a series of tacks , it's not a big deal, I even do that when welding 16ga with 035 wire when I'm too lazy to turn the heat setting down a couple clicks.Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

http://www.philswelding.com
Reply:

Originally Posted by jzr75601

I've usually worked quite a bit on 1/4" and up material running through a 350amp Tweco Spray master mig gun and a  four roll feeder using .045 ER70s-6 solid wire at this time, I only have a set of .045V drive rolls in the feeder so limited in that respect. haven't had the setup or parts to run smaller wire.
Reply:

Originally Posted by albrightree

What feeder are you using ? Many of the feeders have flip over drive rollers. If its a miller feeder there should be some parts available. The 350 amp gun, the 4 roll feeder, and the wire seem a bit large for a CP200.
Reply:

Originally Posted by albrightree

What feeder are you using ? Many of the feeders have flip over drive rollers. If its a miller feeder there should be some parts available. The 350 amp gun, the 4 roll feeder, and the wire seem a bit large for a CP200.
Reply:Absolutely agree with Dan, time for a second machine.  There is a lot of babble about tig and multi process but I could skip all that for A second small feeder. I am on the hunt for another, no hurry as I made it this long without 3 steel feeders but I am going to add a 120v unit with 023. I had my neighbors here, it was handy and I been using larger wire for so long that I can weld near foil with the little stuff providing I got some cheaters to see that little wire way down there,,, ha  I put 045 in my 250 last time, have always used 35, its ok, can turn if up some for speed.www.urkafarms.com
Reply:Absolutely agree with Dan, time for a second machine.  There is a lot of babble about tig and multi process but I could skip all that for A second small feeder. I am on the hunt for another, no hurry as I made it this long without 3 steel feeders but I am going to add a 120v unit with 023. I had my neighbors here, it was handy and I been using larger wire for so long that I can weld near foil with the little stuff providing I got some cheaters to see that little wire way down there,,, ha  I put 045 in my 250 last time, have always used 35, its ok, can turn if up some for speed.www.urkafarms.com