porosity

Are you using self-sheilded wire or dual-shield?

tcary wrote:

I think it is just .045 flux core self-shielded wire

Give us the full AWS number on the roll. Then we can tell you what you have. As mentioned you could have self shielding wire or otherwise. It may be all position wire or downhand only. The number tells all. Randy

The wire is Lincoln .045 innershield NR211 MP self shielded cored wire AWS AS20

So you have a self shielding wire there , All position. The AWS number is E 71T-11 The wire should not require gas shielding. Some wires will take the gas shielding but it is not necessary. Generally all flux core wires are run back hand. That can have an effect on your bead. Also the stickout is important. That is the distance that the wire sticks out past the contact tube tip when you are welding. You might try changing it a bit as you run your bead to find the optimum stickout. It is important because the wire is heated between the end of the tube and the end of the wire as it leaves the contact tube. You don't really need the shielding cup on your gun. I ran a large 1/16th wire that needed between 1.5 to 2 inches stickout. If you went closer to reduce stickout you got instant porosity. It is kind of embarrassing when you think you know how to weld and then get nothing but Swiss cheese. I was looking pretty sheepish along with several others until we were told what the procedure was.

Randy

Lets try again with that Lincoln site:

That should work.!!!

The address wraps around for me... Just go to the Lincoln catalogue and click for flux core wires, self shielding.

That should work.!!!

Thanks for the info Randy. That must be the problem. I'll try that tomorrow. Ted

I'm not sure if you did this already but: the self-shielded welding wire is run on straight polarity and not reverse polarity. You may be getting porosity because of that.

The lincoln wire you are using is a great wire. I use it all the time in my hobart 135 (but in .030 size) or with my ranger8 connected to a hobart CC/CV suitcase wire feeder (.045)

Lots of smoke is quite normal for a flux cored wire, you should see the air in the shop I work in after a couple of hours with 15 welders welding all at once, would make a elephant choke!!.

Hey Randy, Thanks for the info. That longer stickout does make a difference. I stll do better with the gas on. Is there a nono with using gas and sef shielding wire? Thanks again Ted

I doubt it would make much difference with flux core however I do know that the weld metal will be slightly different when using solid wire and changing from carbon dioxide to mixed gas. There was a caution on the box. Randy