Wire feed low down

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I'm an absolute wire feed novice/rookie/just plain dumb in the subject.  I've taken a spray arc plate test before and that's it.  First, I'd like to know the difference and most popular uses for the different processes:  Globular Spray Arc (is that right?), Short Circuit Mig, and flux core.  I think that's all of them, please feel free to expand if it's not.  I'd like all the info you squirt gunners have on this stuff.  Advantages/disadvantages, polarity, heat settings, speed settings, how to determine them, best machines that you can get the most out of, the difference in all the different guns that I've seenSecond, how in the world do they get the core into the "flux core" wire????
Reply:Short circut is below twenty some volts.  The wire meets the puddle and burns off.   Globular transfer is when the weld leaves the wire in a bigger piece than the wire is and has athe most spatter.  Spray is above 24 or so volts depending on gas and then the wire is atomized in the arc and transfered in pieces smaller than the wire.Speeds and feeds?  Go play.  Here a few guesses..023 wire in short arc around 17 volts give or take.035 and .045 up to 21 volts give or take.Go to the miller website, they have a great on line guide to answer your questions.Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by bigcountry1009I'm an absolute wire feed novice/rookie/just plain dumb in the subject.  I've taken a spray arc plate test before and that's it.  First, I'd like to know the difference and most popular uses for the different processes:  Globular Spray Arc (is that right?), Short Circuit Mig, and flux core.  I think that's all of them, please feel free to expand if it's not.  I'd like all the info you squirt gunners have on this stuff.  Advantages/disadvantages, polarity, heat settings, speed settings, how to determine them, best machines that you can get the most out of, the difference in all the different guns that I've seenSecond, how in the world do they get the core into the "flux core" wire????
Reply:Globular transfer is good for deep penetration when appearance isn't too important or when you don't have the argon percentage needed for spray transfer.You don't need oxygen for spray, but a common spray gas is 98% Ar, 2% O2.  Other spray gases that are common have argon percentages higher than 90%, with the balance being CO2.  The argon percentage required depends on the capabilities of the machine.  The gas with 2% O2 will spray more easily for machines that can barely do it.  My PowCon 300SM will actually spray with as little as 86% Ar, but the settings are very critical.
Reply:I was doing some 3/8 fillets today with spray.  92/8 at 27 volts, 400 ipm .035.  It makes the smoothest weld.  LOTS of penatration.  DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Ok, well, will the MillerMatic 251 spray arc?  Or do I need something bigger, like a larger power source and a separate wire feeder?And what are the advantages/disadvantages to FCAW vs. Spray mig?
Reply:ok, so you can spray with both mig and gas-shielded flux core.  You really can't spray with self-shielding flux-cored wire.  So if you are welding outside, you don't want to have to play with shielding gas so you use self-shielding flux core.  If you don't like chipping slag, you run with Mig or metal cored wire.  If you like really good strong hot welds, you go with gas shileded flux cored wire.
Reply:look at EdCraig'sweldingreality.com
Reply:Originally Posted by bigcountry1009Ok, well, will the MillerMatic 251 spray arc?  Or do I need something bigger, like a larger power source and a separate wire feeder?And what are the advantages/disadvantages to FCAW vs. Spray mig?
Reply:Originally Posted by bigcountry1009Ok, well, will the MillerMatic 251 spray arc?  Or do I need something bigger, like a larger power source and a separate wire feeder?
Reply:Ahhh, very nice, slick even.
Reply:The flux (flux-core) or metal (metal-core) is put in by forming a U-shape in the wire when it's flat, loading the core material in it and then feeding the wire into a roller that closes the 'U' basically making it a tube.So... wire goes from ___ to U to O with the filler material added at U stage.I use 1/16" metal-core wire everyday. Lincoln Idealarc DC-600, LN-7, Bernard water-cooled 600a gun, Tri-Mark Metalloy 76 1/16" wire, usually running about 28-32 volts, neighborhood of 300 amps (give or take) and wire at about 275-320 IPM. Our most common weld is 8mm (5/16") fillet although we do quite a few single pass 10mm (3/8") and multi-pass up to 20mm (3/4").Always looking for another old VW, especially in the southeast.