I just purchased a MIG welder and I am trying to weld some galvanized expanded metal to 1" steel tubing. It's not working so well. The expanded metal shoots smoke out when the flux core wire hits it. Is this something that can be welded with my MIG?
Thanks,
Don
Don, As has been stated, the best method is to remove the galvanizing from the base metal. If for some reason you cannot, then there is a self-shielded flux-core wire designed for thin mild steel, either uncoated or coated (galv.). Hobart makes a version called Fabshield 23, and others make it under the AWS E71T-GS designation.
-dseman
Make that:
It is bad to breathe the white zinc oxide that forms when you weld galvanized material. It should be easy to avoid, since it is a clearly visible puffy material (not a gas.) Might be good to wear at last a paper mask.
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