The thread about what is the difference between different vendors of
308L made me curious if anyone knows of any significant differences between manufacturers of solid MIG wire. I am about to get some .023 wire. Should I go with the cheapest or is some brand name ( Lincoln, Essab ) better?Dan
Hi Dan,
IMHO, It depends if you want a quality weld for your projects, you should go for the US known Brand. Some Taiwan, China, Korean, Japan (yawata)are cheaper that US.
Why are you getting 308L instead of 308? Are you welding 308L based metal. If not should buy 308 only. See below for the specifications for both.
MIG 308L - The welding wire yields low carbon 19-10 SS weld metal and exhibits smooth finish, corrosion resistance to intergranular type, Crack resistance by virtue of controlled Carbon level. Suitable for welding Similar Compositions or AISI 304L, 308L for overlays, surfacing.
MIG 308 - The Welding wire deposits 19Cr-10Ni weld metal with exceptional finish. The weld displays excellent resistance to scaling and cracking. It is suitable for Welding Stainless Steel materials AISI
301, 302, 304, 308 etc.The main composition of AWS 308L is 19% Chronium and 10% Nickel but it has LOW carbon content. The balance are steel. The best thing to do is to have it demostrated to you. The best one with the same Volt and Ampere should be running smooth and less spatter if you are doing Short Circuit mode.
Some cheap Foreign brands sells you 308 only and sometimes with less Chronium and Nickel content. This will cause the weld to corrode than US brands.
Austri G. Bas> The thread about what is the difference between different vendors of
PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.