CMC Welder

I do both when I'm welding sliders, not really a choice there.

 

I have a millermatic 185, 220v input only though. 20+ years, no issues. I use 75/25 gas for better penetration but it’s messy compared to full argon.

 

Every time I call in an order, my current supplier doesn’t have it. The 75/25 makes a fairly clean weld but mucks up the nozzle much quicker.

 

In short – buy the Titanium 125 and have fun, just don’t post the welds on a forum and you’ll be fine.


You will not find a more versatile cheaper to run machine than a 110v mig welder running flux core wire. It has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that a flux core weld is just as strong as a weld done with solid core and gas.


I owned a Craftsman (wasn’t built by Craftsman) 110v mig for 17 years and built entire trailers with it, an entire car frame with it, SAS swap, and thousands of other projects were successfully completed. I did use that Craftsman as my sole welding machine to do welds for friends/acquaintances and I made a lot of money over the years doing that. I have never had 1 weld break that I have welded in the last 38 years after I said the job was done. I have used older model Harbor Freight 110v migs and they were completely crap. I have also used 2 different Lincoln 110v migs. The Lincoln’s ran slightly smoother than the Craftsman. I have never used the Titanium 125 welder but I don’t recall ever seeing a product that had better reviews than the Titanium 125 has. I will be buying a Titanium 125 because of those reviews. I gave my Craftsman mig to a great friend of mine about 9 months ago.


You can weld any thickness of steel with a 110v mig but the thicker stuff will require multiple passes. A CMC can be done with 1 pass with a decent 110v flux core mig and it’ll be far stronger than it needs to be. You’re going to want to do all of the CMC welding at one time (not in one pass, just in the same period of time). You’ll also want the heat/amp setting at its highest. Skyscraper frames are built with flux core mig wire. Thin sheet metal can be welded with a 110v mig but it will not end up looking like a professional repair but it will be strong.


There are only 2 things a 110v mig can not do. One thing they can not do is produce “weld porn” on thick steel and still have the weld be strong. They can produce a great looking weld on thick steel but that weld will not be strong and it will fail when stressed. Another thing a 110v mig will not do is run solid core wire with gas, they do not have enough power. Even the 110v mig machines that are built to run gas do an absolutely horrible job while running gas, horrible to the point of being useless.


While welding with a 110v mig you’re going to want to make wide passes, wider than “normal”, if you want the welds main quality to be strength. A thin beautiful weld is a no go with a 110v flux core welder.


Grinding a flux core weld smooth will make the area appear to be full of cracks, they are not cracks. After thin sheet metal has been welded with 110v mig flux core if that weld is ground down the weld will eventually fail. It is definitely not the welder you would want to use for body work on a Tacoma with extremely thin sheet metal if you care about what that repair looks like. A 110v flux core welder will do an outstanding job on a CMC with the only exception being the welds appearance. You’re going to want to practice quite a bit before you do that CMC weld and make sure you beat the crap out of your practice welds with a sledge hammer to make sure your welds will hold up.


A mig running flux core wire is far more versatile and is less expensive to run than a mig running gas with solid core wire.


Mig welds are extremely hard and they will not flex so if you’re welding fairly thin metal that will feel vibrations the chances are high that the metal surrounding the weld will eventually crack.


It all boils down to what your priorities are. You either want strength and versatility or you want strength and pretty welds but you are not going to get all three with a 110v buzz box or with a 220v mig welder.

 

I’m glad someone else chimed in with more experience using flux core.

I used one once, and decided it’s not for me. Then I watched someone I worked with use his, and saw what it did. I think that was more to do with his abilities.

I’ve used my millermatic 185, with gas for thick and thin materials. I’m happy with it and it’s abilities. If I were in need of a new mig, I’d be looking at the new dual voltage rigs, with gas. Although the portability of those suitcase welders is nice. Occasionally I wish I had one.

 

Even if you are using a lower voltage machine and it requires more passes that's ok because multiple smaller passes are actually stronger then one bigger pass. Building up your weld will always be stronger and your weld will always be stronger then the metal you are welding to.

 

I have a Titanium 125, it's pretty good for what it is. Watch sales and Google harbour freight coupon db. And search the site for deals. I got mine for $149.

It's a good little machine, just practice with it first. If you have to do 2 passes, make sure to wire brush good after first pass. And remember, it's inverter, so after your done don't just turn it off, let it run for 10min or so to cool the transistors

 

For hobby use, I wouldn't recommend that you consider buying a stick welder; wire is so much more useful on thinner metal. I have my dad's Miller stick welder and have probably used it twice, and just for fun, in the 25 years since I've had a MIG.

The only thing I would add to the above posts is to absolutely spend the $$ and get an auto-darkening helmet. No need to spend $300 on one, just see what has decent reviews. I generally only weld a few times a year and held off for a long time on the auto-darkening helmet. The first time I used one I wished I bought it not long after they came out; it makes things SO much easier on you, especially if you're a novice.

 

I was the go to stick welder on my ship decades ago. Interesting projects with a stick welder: welding brass bolts to an aluminum bulkhead (wall) to hold a heavy fire hose using aluminum rod, welded a very cracked cast iron exhaust manifold with 6011 and a torch to control cooling, Ford Ranger forged I Beam front axles where I cut off at the spindle mount and raised to lower the truck with a lot of passes with 7018, and welding up a huge ~10' crack above nuclear reactor #1 that was literally just rust - I burned through so much 6011 on that it was ridiculous and I used rebar that the Chief Engineering Officer stole off of a construction site near his home.

 

Rent one.

 

Stick welding (smaw, shielded metal arc welding) still definitely has it’s place. I remember hearing it’s an old process that’s being phased out but, it’s still used all over.

Advantages is there are multiple configurations available. Gasoline, diesel, 110v, 220v, 440v powered. Multiple different rods available. Even if your not storing them in a rod oven, they’ll still get the job done. It performs well in the field, even if it’s a little windy. If someone claims to be a welder, you can give them a stick welder and they’ll get the job done.

Disadvantages is you always got slag to chip off. Not like a clean gas shielded mig (metal inert gas). It throws sparks and melted metal at you so one should be better protected from it. Mig does the same but not as much. Stick welding takes skill and practice. I’ve always said if you have enough skill to operate an ink pen, I can teach you to mig.

Since I’m throwing out proper terminology like a teacher, the hf machine op is asking about is considered fcaw, flux core arc welding. One more mig process to mention is gmaw, gas metal arc welding. It uses flux core wire and shielding gas. I tried it once, didn’t care for it. I believe that is the process they thought would replace stick.

 

Sure, stick welding is still used all the time in industry- pipelines, structural steel, heavy equipment repairs. It's used outdoors and on thick steel. But for hobby welding it's been obsolete for decades because it sucks on sheet metal. Which is a huge part of what hobby welding consists of. I have a 240 VAC Miller stick and also a 240 VAC Lincoln MIG. If I had to keep only one it's the MIG, wouldn't even have to think about it. Same as if I had nothing and was buying a machine tomorrow- MIG, or a FCAW if I couldn't afford the gas setup.

GMAW is MIG. No flux wire, it's solid wire.

 

cool thread. thanks for the info guys.

 

Agreed, I’ll never get rid of my mig. People always ask if they can buy it. I bought mine back when they were still kinda expensive. Now they’re much cheaper and more feature packed so I’d never get what I think I should for it. I can put a smaller wire in, turn it down and weld up super thin stuff. Or crank it up and go to town on a heavy piece. My other machine hasn’t been plugged in in years, combination tig, stick. Now that the rats have pissed all on the cables I really don’t want to.

 

Yes
I don't but some around here do. Look in "anything welding" thread.
Good luck

 

No matter what process or what machine you buy take the time to learn the proper technique for the process you are using. This matters more to me than anything. You can have the best everything in equipment, have the right heat and wire feed settings but if you aren't putting the metal down correctly, getting good penetration into your base metals and tying it in right it won't matter. Practice, practice, practice.... and learn what good welds look like and learn what weld defects look like and how to not have them. Just my 2cents... Also, gmaw/fcaw are much easier to learn then stick and definitely tig. Even learning to braze is very effective way to learn to move the metal how you want and make 100% welds, 30 years ago when I started learning welding that's where they started us off... f*ing brazing.

I also recommend an auto-darkening lens. I am using an ArcOne right now and I also use a Lincoln Viking Model 2450 (clearest lens I have ever used) which is really great because you can adjust the darkness and it has a grind mode which is cool so you don't have to have a separate face shield to swap to when you are grinding. Don't ever be stupid and not wear glasses and a face shield when grinding. Getting metal in your eye and having to have it drilled out is about as unfun as it gets.

Oh and one last thing.. if you are welding on your car make sure to put the ground close to where you are working. Have seen motors and pumps get messed up from the ground being in the wrong place and bearings get arced up and ruined because the electricity grounded through them.

 

Real good info in here. I just picked up a Lincoln Electric 125 HD and will be tackling the CMC next month. Started to practice and its kinda fun.

 

Save up for a 220v MiG with gas and it will make you a hero every time. Flux core always looks like shit so go that route if you don’t care what your welds look like. And once you have mastered MiG try TiG, it will change your life

 

Some anti spatter spray will help that, and I’m not sure where you got the idea that flux core isn’t strong?

In winter when it’s cold and windy I run Hobart Fabshield 21b, it’s awesome. Lays a nice bead, great penetration, no worries about the wind blowing my c25 away. I certainly prefer shielding gas, though.

The rest of your post is spot on

 

Perhaps I'm a bit close minded on the process. It tried it myself once and said meh. Then watched someone with his 120v flux core try to do a repair. That situation was lack of skill, and knowledge on how to set the machine for certain.

If you're getting it done with what you got, more power to you brother