Flux Core - what can you and can't you do?

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In order to keep the landlord happy I'm going to have to use flux core so as there aren't any gas cylinders in the garage (my garage is actually under someone else's townhouse - the whole complex is a weird design).Besides mild steel, are there any other metals that can be welded using flux core wire?  If other metals need special flux cores then that is fine.
Reply:If your garage is under someone's house, better think about fumes from flux-core.  Outside the garage door is likely your only option.Jerry30+ yrs Army Infantry & Field Artillery, 25 yrs agoMiller 350LX Tig Runner TA 210, spool gunLincoln 250/250 IdealArcESAB PCM 500i PlasmaKazoo 30"  vert BSKazoo 9x16 horiz BSClausing 12x24 lathe20T Air Press
Reply:A bottle of inert gas is way more townhouse friendly than flux-core smoke!
Reply:The fumes shouldn't be a problem as the garage ceiling is well sealed - the fumes will simply go out the back door of the garage.
Reply:OKAY, expect to get to know the landlord well.30+ yrs Army Infantry & Field Artillery, 25 yrs agoMiller 350LX Tig Runner TA 210, spool gunLincoln 250/250 IdealArcESAB PCM 500i PlasmaKazoo 30"  vert BSKazoo 9x16 horiz BSClausing 12x24 lathe20T Air Press
Reply:I think it will be OK - the landlord doesn't live in the complex, and the townhouse above is usually unoccupied - they use it as a holiday house.
Reply:Good. You may be good to go.Jerry30+ yrs Army Infantry & Field Artillery, 25 yrs agoMiller 350LX Tig Runner TA 210, spool gunLincoln 250/250 IdealArcESAB PCM 500i PlasmaKazoo 30"  vert BSKazoo 9x16 horiz BSClausing 12x24 lathe20T Air Press
Reply:To get this back on track - Besides mild steel, are there any other metals that can be welded using flux core wire? If other metals need special flux cores then that is fine.
Reply:The only other flux core types I know of are stainless and hard facing.old Miller spectrum 625 Lincoln SP-135 T, CO2+0.025 wireMiller model 250 and WP-18V torchCraftsman 100amp AC/DC and WP-17V torchCentury 115-004 HF arc stabilizerHome made 4 transformer spot welderHome made alternator welder
Reply:and fine grained high strength construction alloys, and old-school high-manganese steels, and hadfield steel, and about all metals that you will probably ever encounter as a hobbyist.comes in muchos flavours (all possible positions, metal-cored, rutile and basic, ...)I'd say you probably won't have to worry about finding the correct flux cored wire for whatever you'll do.But, as said before, a bottle of inert gas and/or argon/CO2 mix won't harm anyone...
Reply:So what your saying is that besides mild steal, I can also do the metals that I want to do on occasion - aluminium, 304 and 316 stainless etc using flux core wire?
Reply:Dude, don't weld under someone else s' dwelling, with or without permission.If that house burns down in the middle of the night & people die you are screwed. (aside from never being able to sleep peacefully again).If you want to weld everything, why not go with a TIG so that you can stick weld too.A small CO2 or argon tank will pose very little danger in the garage.Buy American, or don't whine when you end up on the bread line.
Reply:Originally Posted by WeldingMachineDude, don't weld under someone else s' dwelling, with or without permission.If that house burns down in the middle of the night & people die you are screwed. (aside from never being able to sleep peacefully again).
Reply:No propane cylinders for bbq?Thats just wrong.old Miller spectrum 625 Lincoln SP-135 T, CO2+0.025 wireMiller model 250 and WP-18V torchCraftsman 100amp AC/DC and WP-17V torchCentury 115-004 HF arc stabilizerHome made 4 transformer spot welderHome made alternator welder
Reply:I've never seen MIG flux core wire for aluminum. I also think you might be out of luck on stainless with flux core, as I've seen that done with shielding gas (usually CO2). I've also seen a lot of shielding gas used on flux core pipeline welding.Found this with a google search: http://weldmartt.com/weldmartt/index...d=82&Itemid=87Seems to support using the shielding gas. So be careful assuming all flux core wire will allow you to not use shielding gas. Mild steel is just fine with flux core as long as you don't try to go down to really thin sheet metal. I never could get that to work well (thin being like 1-1.2 mm thick sheet).Thermal Arc 186 AC/DCHobart Handler 125
Reply:Originally Posted by mad welder 4No propane cylinders for bbq?Thats just wrong.
Reply:Originally Posted by DefI've never seen MIG flux core wire for aluminum. I also think you might be out of luck on stainless with flux core, as I've seen that done with shielding gas (usually CO2). I've also seen a lot of shielding gas used on flux core pipeline welding.Found this with a google search: http://weldmartt.com/weldmartt/index...d=82&Itemid=87Seems to support using the shielding gas. So be careful assuming all flux core wire will allow you to not use shielding gas. Mild steel is just fine with flux core as long as you don't try to go down to really thin sheet metal. I never could get that to work well (thin being like 1-1.2 mm thick sheet).
Reply:I'd rather run small solid wire - probably .023 but .030 would work fine too or even .035 if that's what I had around - for 16ga but you should do fine with some practice using .030 or .035 FCAW. My 175HD claims you can weld 18ga with .045 fcaw wire although I'd rather not. Get nice tight fitup and do some practice on scrap first and you should do ok.Lincoln 175HD
Reply:Why not store the cylinder outside chain it up and get a long gas hose. Or fill a scuba tank with c02.Thermal arc 211iCk flex-loc 150 & 130Clamps, saws & grindersHarbor freight 80 amp inverter