I'm getting close to cutting out rust and installing panels. I have a
Century wire feed welder, MIG and flux-core, will flux core work for auto
body? I'm wondering since I don't use this very much I took my cylinder
back instead of paying monthly rental. I can do a cylinder lease if
necessary but if Flux core wire will work for auto body repairs then I can
save some money.

Also, it appears I'll need a more powerful compressor. The compressor I'm
most interested in right now is a Porter Cable 60 Gallon 3HP with a Cast
Iron pump, these are running $599-$699 on the internet but the local farm
stores have them for $399. I figure the 60 gallon tank being brand new
would make that hard to beat, unless someone here knows of a better deal.

The Porter Cable 3HP compressor has around 10CFM at 90PSI, I have another
compressor with 5.3CFM at 90PSI I can connect together if I need to. Also I
have another compressor with around 3HP with a hole in the tank. Anyway, if
I bought the $399 compressor with the 60 gallon tank, I could couple 2 more
compressors and get close to 25CFM if I needed to.

RogerN

On 2010-06-27, RogerN wrote:

I'm getting close to cutting out rust and installing panels. I have a
Century wire feed welder, MIG and flux-core, will flux core work for auto
body? I'm wondering since I don't use this very much I took my cylinder
back instead of paying monthly rental. I can do a cylinder lease if
necessary but if Flux core wire will work for auto body repairs then I can
save some money.

Can you have owner bottles?

Also, it appears I'll need a more powerful compressor. The compressor I'm
most interested in right now is a Porter Cable 60 Gallon 3HP with a Cast
Iron pump, these are running $599-$699 on the internet but the local farm
stores have them for $399. I figure the 60 gallon tank being brand new
would make that hard to beat, unless someone here knows of a better deal.

The Porter Cable 3HP compressor has around 10CFM at 90PSI, I have another
compressor with 5.3CFM at 90PSI I can connect together if I need to. Also I
have another compressor with around 3HP with a hole in the tank. Anyway, if
I bought the $399 compressor with the 60 gallon tank, I could couple 2 more
compressors and get close to 25CFM if I needed to.

Thats like an equivalent of a 5 HP compressor. If you look around, you
can find a decent 5 HP compressor, it will work forever and supply
enough air.

i

"Ignoramus12901" wrote in message
...
On 2010-06-27, RogerN wrote:

I'm getting close to cutting out rust and installing panels. I have a
Century wire feed welder, MIG and flux-core, will flux core work for auto
body? I'm wondering since I don't use this very much I took my cylinder
back instead of paying monthly rental. I can do a cylinder lease if
necessary but if Flux core wire will work for auto body repairs then I
can
save some money.

Can you have owner bottles?

Yeah, something like that anyway, lifetime lease or something like that.
But if flux core wire will work just as well it would save me maybe $200 for
the tank and gas.

Also, it appears I'll need a more powerful compressor. The compressor
I'm
most interested in right now is a Porter Cable 60 Gallon 3HP with a Cast
Iron pump, these are running $599-$699 on the internet but the local farm
stores have them for $399. I figure the 60 gallon tank being brand new
would make that hard to beat, unless someone here knows of a better deal.

The Porter Cable 3HP compressor has around 10CFM at 90PSI, I have another
compressor with 5.3CFM at 90PSI I can connect together if I need to.
Also I
have another compressor with around 3HP with a hole in the tank. Anyway,
if
I bought the $399 compressor with the 60 gallon tank, I could couple 2
more
compressors and get close to 25CFM if I needed to.

Thats like an equivalent of a 5 HP compressor. If you look around, you
can find a decent 5 HP compressor, it will work forever and supply
enough air.

i

In all I could hook up 2ea 3HP compressors and a 1.5HP compressor to get
around 25CFM, I usually don't see over 18CFM maximum from 5HP compressors,
though 5HP would be enough for about anything I plan to do, maybe some sand
blasting. For the new compressors around here the single stage 5HP are $800
with a 60 gallon tank. At one time Rural King had a Quincy single stage 5HP
60 gallon for ~$600, I'd buy one of those if they were still available.
Anyway, an extra $400 to step up from 3HP to 5HP seems steep since they both
have 60 gallon tanks. I think I would be better off to buy 2 of the 3HP
compressors and have 20CFM + 120 gallons of air tanks!

The portable compressor I have with 3HP and a leaking tank has a 30 gallon
tank, pretty big for a portable. I don't like the idea of welding on a
tank, it could have some compressor oil in there, might make flamable fumes.
If I get energized to disassemble the compressor maybe I'll fill it with
water and weld on it.

RogerN

You can use the flux welder for plug welds; that's about it. Won't
work for panel butt welds or lap joining, except maybe to spot weld
the joints. It's almost impossible to run a seam in thin sheet metal
with a flux welder. You really need to Tig it.
JR
Dweller in the cellar

On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 08:45:07 -0500, "RogerN"
wrote:


I'm getting close to cutting out rust and installing panels. I have a
Century wire feed welder, MIG and flux-core, will flux core work for auto
body? I'm wondering since I don't use this very much I took my cylinder
back instead of paying monthly rental. I can do a cylinder lease if
necessary but if Flux core wire will work for auto body repairs then I can
save some money.

Also, it appears I'll need a more powerful compressor. The compressor I'm
most interested in right now is a Porter Cable 60 Gallon 3HP with a Cast
Iron pump, these are running $599-$699 on the internet but the local farm
stores have them for $399. I figure the 60 gallon tank being brand new
would make that hard to beat, unless someone here knows of a better deal.

The Porter Cable 3HP compressor has around 10CFM at 90PSI, I have another
compressor with 5.3CFM at 90PSI I can connect together if I need to. Also I
have another compressor with around 3HP with a hole in the tank. Anyway, if
I bought the $399 compressor with the 60 gallon tank, I could couple 2 more
compressors and get close to 25CFM if I needed to.

RogerN

--Is that Porter Cable air compressor a red-painted vertical one? I
got one a few years back and it had some serious teething problems that
included sucking an air valve assy that required a visit from a P-C tech to
fix. He then said that the valve had to be replaced every few months to keep
the thing operating. Have also thrown the drive belt a few times. You might
want to look to another brand.

--
"Steamboat Ed" Haas : Didja see my stuff
Hacking the Trailing Edge! : at 2010 Maker Faire??
www.nmpproducts.com
---Decks a-wash in a sea of words---

I don't believe 10 CFM at 90 PSI with 3 PS, nor should you.You get what you pay for. Don't buy junk.
Steve

"RogerN" wrote in message m...

I'm getting close to cutting out rust and installing panels. I have a
Century wire feed welder, MIG and flux-core, will flux core work for auto
body? I'm wondering since I don't use this very much I took my cylinder
back instead of paying monthly rental. I can do a cylinder lease if
necessary but if Flux core wire will work for auto body repairs then I can
save some money.

Also, it appears I'll need a more powerful compressor. The compressor I'm
most interested in right now is a Porter Cable 60 Gallon 3HP with a Cast
Iron pump, these are running $599-$699 on the internet but the local farm
stores have them for $399. I figure the 60 gallon tank being brand new
would make that hard to beat, unless someone here knows of a better deal.

The Porter Cable 3HP compressor has around 10CFM at 90PSI, I have another
compressor with 5.3CFM at 90PSI I can connect together if I need to. Also I
have another compressor with around 3HP with a hole in the tank. Anyway, if
I bought the $399 compressor with the 60 gallon tank, I could couple 2 more
compressors and get close to 25CFM if I needed to.

RogerN

On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 08:45:07 -0500, "RogerN" wrote:

I'm getting close to cutting out rust and installing panels. I have a
Century wire feed welder, MIG and flux-core, will flux core work for auto
body? I'm wondering since I don't use this very much I took my cylinder
back instead of paying monthly rental. I can do a cylinder lease if
necessary but if Flux core wire will work for auto body repairs then I can
save some money.

Roger...mig works nicely with CO2. Im sure you can snag a small Co2
bottle someplace. I get em for little or nothing. Liquid CO2 costs
damned little, and a bottle will last for literally hundreds and
hundreds of hours of mig welding. A 20lb bottle can be had for less
than $50..often far far less..and they are cheap to fill and last a very
long time.

It should be noted that Co2 bottles are falling out of favor in bars,
soda shops and whatnot as newer tech is employed..and there are
literally Millions of them out there.

Just a heads up.

As far as welding with CO2..it does a really nice job, though the welds
are not always as pretty as C25 or straight argon..they are as good or
better than flux core, and actually make the machine "hotter" so you can
weld at a lower power rating. And there is litle or no "clean up" after
welding.

Gunner

One could not be a successful Leftwinger without realizing that,
in contrast to the popular conception supported by newspapers
and mothers of Leftwingers, a goodly number of Leftwingers are
not only narrow-minded and dull, but also just stupid.
Gunner Asch

"Steve Lusardi" wrote in message
...
I don't believe 10 CFM at 90 PSI with 3 PS, nor should you.You get what you
pay for. Don't buy junk.
Steve


10CFM at 90 PSI seems to be a common rating for 3HP compressors, most other
brands have compressor in the same range. Or course all these could be
rated with the same amount of wishful thinking though :-) A friend at work
has a Quincy single stage 5HP that is supposed to run around 16-18CFM at 90
PSI. I don't actually know anyone with a CFM meter for their air compressor
but one of the reviews I read on the compressor said they were able to run
two air sanders on the compressor. I just figure it would run most of my
air tools, my 5.3 CFM runs most of my air tools, but I could couple it up
with the 5.3CFM if it has trouble keeping up.

RogerN

"Steve Lusardi" wrote in message
...
I don't believe 10 CFM at 90 PSI with 3 PS, nor should you.You get what you
pay for. Don't buy junk.
Steve


I'm hoping Iggy can find me one of these for maybe $25 though. Probably
cost me $1000 for a drive and wiring though!

http://www.ruralking.com/compressor-...20gal-max.html

On 06/27/2010 08:46 AM, JR North wrote:
(top posting fixed)
On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 08:45:07 -0500,
wrote:


I'm getting close to cutting out rust and installing panels. I have a
Century wire feed welder, MIG and flux-core, will flux core work for auto
body? I'm wondering since I don't use this very much I took my cylinder
back instead of paying monthly rental. I can do a cylinder lease if
necessary but if Flux core wire will work for auto body repairs then I can
save some money.

(compressor stuff snipped)


You can use the flux welder for plug welds; that's about it. Won't
work for panel butt welds or lap joining, except maybe to spot weld
the joints. It's almost impossible to run a seam in thin sheet metal
with a flux welder. You really need to Tig it.
JR
Dweller in the cellar

Or hammer weld it with oxy-acetylene. Not that this is a trivial skill
-- it may take you less time to get a part-time job at McDonalds & save
up for a TIG welder than it would take you to learn how to hammer weld a
really good seam with oxy-acetylene. But it can be done.

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...
On 06/27/2010 08:46 AM, JR North wrote:
(top posting fixed)
On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 08:45:07 -0500,
wrote:


I'm getting close to cutting out rust and installing panels. I have a
Century wire feed welder, MIG and flux-core, will flux core work for
auto
body? I'm wondering since I don't use this very much I took my cylinder
back instead of paying monthly rental. I can do a cylinder lease if
necessary but if Flux core wire will work for auto body repairs then I
can
save some money.

(compressor stuff snipped)


You can use the flux welder for plug welds; that's about it. Won't
work for panel butt welds or lap joining, except maybe to spot weld
the joints. It's almost impossible to run a seam in thin sheet metal
with a flux welder. You really need to Tig it.
JR
Dweller in the cellar

Or hammer weld it with oxy-acetylene. Not that this is a trivial skill --
it may take you less time to get a part-time job at McDonalds & save up
for a TIG welder than it would take you to learn how to hammer weld a
really good seam with oxy-acetylene. But it can be done.

I haven't seen that done for 30 years, but someone who was expert at it
tried to teach me once upon a time. He largely failed, or I just failed to
learn. d8-)

It takes a lot of practice and a fine feel to know how much to "splash" the
metal toward the weld with hammer and dolly.

I thought this was a lost art, and that everyone did this work with MIG
these days, hammering down the bead a bit and then just grinding it off? It
introduces a lot less total heat than TIG, and a great deal less than O/A.

--
Ed Huntress

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...
On 06/27/2010 08:46 AM, JR North wrote:
(top posting fixed)
On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 08:45:07 -0500,
wrote:


I'm getting close to cutting out rust and installing panels. I have a
Century wire feed welder, MIG and flux-core, will flux core work for
auto
body? I'm wondering since I don't use this very much I took my cylinder
back instead of paying monthly rental. I can do a cylinder lease if
necessary but if Flux core wire will work for auto body repairs then I
can
save some money.

(compressor stuff snipped)


You can use the flux welder for plug welds; that's about it. Won't
work for panel butt welds or lap joining, except maybe to spot weld
the joints. It's almost impossible to run a seam in thin sheet metal
with a flux welder. You really need to Tig it.
JR
Dweller in the cellar

Or hammer weld it with oxy-acetylene. Not that this is a trivial skill --
it may take you less time to get a part-time job at McDonalds & save up
for a TIG welder than it would take you to learn how to hammer weld a
really good seam with oxy-acetylene. But it can be done.

I already have a TIG welder with a 350A liquid cooled torch. All the stuff
I see on auto body is saying MIG weld, that oxy-acetylene and TIG makes too
much heat in the panel and causes warping. I loved oxy acetylene welding in
school, you could see what you were doing, welds were very solid, no slag to
fight... but from what I have heard it doesn't work for modern automobiles,
hopefully that's wrong.

RogerN

On 06/27/2010 01:26 PM, RogerN wrote:
"Tim wrote in message
...
On 06/27/2010 08:46 AM, JR North wrote:
(top posting fixed)
On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 08:45:07 -0500,
wrote:


I'm getting close to cutting out rust and installing panels. I have a
Century wire feed welder, MIG and flux-core, will flux core work for
auto
body? I'm wondering since I don't use this very much I took my cylinder
back instead of paying monthly rental. I can do a cylinder lease if
necessary but if Flux core wire will work for auto body repairs then I
can
save some money.

(compressor stuff snipped)


You can use the flux welder for plug welds; that's about it. Won't
work for panel butt welds or lap joining, except maybe to spot weld
the joints. It's almost impossible to run a seam in thin sheet metal
with a flux welder. You really need to Tig it.
JR
Dweller in the cellar

Or hammer weld it with oxy-acetylene. Not that this is a trivial skill --
it may take you less time to get a part-time job at McDonalds& save up
for a TIG welder than it would take you to learn how to hammer weld a
really good seam with oxy-acetylene. But it can be done.

I already have a TIG welder with a 350A liquid cooled torch. All the stuff
I see on auto body is saying MIG weld, that oxy-acetylene and TIG makes too
much heat in the panel and causes warping. I loved oxy acetylene welding in
school, you could see what you were doing, welds were very solid, no slag to
fight... but from what I have heard it doesn't work for modern automobiles,
hopefully that's wrong.

Oh, _modern_ automobiles...

I only ever learned oxy-acetylene welding, and that a long time ago and
only to the stage where I was told that with lots more practice I should
be really good.

I'm surprised that MIG is supposed to be better than TIG, but as I said
I've been out of the loop.

RogerN wrote:
"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...

On 06/27/2010 08:46 AM, JR North wrote:
(top posting fixed)

On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 08:45:07 -0500,
wrote:


I'm getting close to cutting out rust and installing panels. I have a
Century wire feed welder, MIG and flux-core, will flux core work for
auto
body? I'm wondering since I don't use this very much I took my cylinder
back instead of paying monthly rental. I can do a cylinder lease if
necessary but if Flux core wire will work for auto body repairs then I
can
save some money.

(compressor stuff snipped)


You can use the flux welder for plug welds; that's about it. Won't
work for panel butt welds or lap joining, except maybe to spot weld
the joints. It's almost impossible to run a seam in thin sheet metal
with a flux welder. You really need to Tig it.
JR
Dweller in the cellar


Or hammer weld it with oxy-acetylene. Not that this is a trivial skill --
it may take you less time to get a part-time job at McDonalds & save up
for a TIG welder than it would take you to learn how to hammer weld a
really good seam with oxy-acetylene. But it can be done.


I already have a TIG welder with a 350A liquid cooled torch. All the stuff
I see on auto body is saying MIG weld, that oxy-acetylene and TIG makes too
much heat in the panel and causes warping. I loved oxy acetylene welding in
school, you could see what you were doing, welds were very solid, no slag to
fight... but from what I have heard it doesn't work for modern automobiles,
hopefully that's wrong.

RogerN



I'm surprised to hear that it's thought that TIG puts in too much heat
compared to MIG. My choice would be TIG and butt welds but that's my
preference, on long joins at least. I'm not doing it for a living mind
you. The longest external panel join I've done, read visible, was about
2' or a bit more letting in the bottom sill section of a rear wing on a
Lancia Beta HPE. Usual procedure of tacking every couple of inches,
hammering the tacks to counter contraction and keep the gap constant,
then weld between the tacks and again hammer the weld. End result
required very little filler in a few spots. I find that while MIG is
quick you can then spend quite some time grinding back the weld and need
to be careful doing it so as to not distort the panel from the grinding
heat. For some shorter welds up to maybe 10" I have used MIG hot and
fast and run a single weld in one pass to good effect but still care
needed in the grinding.

BTW I've rarely used gasless and generally have heard it's not good for
auto body sheet metal as it runs hotter and is more prone to burning
through.

On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 15:34:44 -0400, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:


"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...
On 06/27/2010 08:46 AM, JR North wrote:
(top posting fixed)
On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 08:45:07 -0500,
wrote:


I'm getting close to cutting out rust and installing panels. I have a
Century wire feed welder, MIG and flux-core, will flux core work for
auto
body? I'm wondering since I don't use this very much I took my cylinder
back instead of paying monthly rental. I can do a cylinder lease if
necessary but if Flux core wire will work for auto body repairs then I
can
save some money.

(compressor stuff snipped)


You can use the flux welder for plug welds; that's about it. Won't
work for panel butt welds or lap joining, except maybe to spot weld
the joints. It's almost impossible to run a seam in thin sheet metal
with a flux welder. You really need to Tig it.
JR
Dweller in the cellar

Or hammer weld it with oxy-acetylene. Not that this is a trivial skill --
it may take you less time to get a part-time job at McDonalds & save up
for a TIG welder than it would take you to learn how to hammer weld a
really good seam with oxy-acetylene. But it can be done.

I haven't seen that done for 30 years, but someone who was expert at it
tried to teach me once upon a time. He largely failed, or I just failed to
learn. d8-)

It takes a lot of practice and a fine feel to know how much to "splash" the
metal toward the weld with hammer and dolly.

I thought this was a lost art, and that everyone did this work with MIG
these days, hammering down the bead a bit and then just grinding it off? It
introduces a lot less total heat than TIG, and a great deal less than O/A.

The excess heat and consequent distortion is the problem with O/A. I
can do hammer welding, or could at one time, but MIG and TIG make life
so much simpler.

On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 08:45:07 -0500, "RogerN"
wrote:


I'm getting close to cutting out rust and installing panels. I have a
Century wire feed welder, MIG and flux-core, will flux core work for auto
body? I'm wondering since I don't use this very much I took my cylinder
back instead of paying monthly rental. I can do a cylinder lease if
necessary but if Flux core wire will work for auto body repairs then I can
save some money.

I've done a lot of rust work back in the day. I will make two
suggestions based on my experience:

1: forget flux core, go with Ag25. (25% CO2, balance argon)
2: lose the Century and get a Lincoln SP125+ (or whatever model is
current now) with continuous heat control. That continuous control
makes a huge difference on thin steel.
3: if you don't have one already, get an autodarkening helmet

The relatively minor cost of having the right tools will repay you
many times in labor savings and satisfaction with results.

I have TIG but never used it on autobody. MIG is the right tool for
thin steel panels and autobody plug welds.


Also, it appears I'll need a more powerful compressor. The compressor I'm
most interested in right now is a Porter Cable 60 Gallon 3HP with a Cast
Iron pump, these are running $599-$699 on the internet but the local farm
stores have them for $399. I figure the 60 gallon tank being brand new
would make that hard to beat, unless someone here knows of a better deal.

The Porter Cable 3HP compressor has around 10CFM at 90PSI, I have another
compressor with 5.3CFM at 90PSI I can connect together if I need to. Also I
have another compressor with around 3HP with a hole in the tank. Anyway, if
I bought the $399 compressor with the 60 gallon tank, I could couple 2 more
compressors and get close to 25CFM if I needed to.

RogerN

I have 14.4 CFM at 90 PSI, never ran out of air doing autobody work.

On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 10:57:06 -0700, Gunner Asch
wrote:

On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 08:45:07 -0500, "RogerN" wrote:

I'm getting close to cutting out rust and installing panels. I have a
Century wire feed welder, MIG and flux-core, will flux core work for auto
body? I'm wondering since I don't use this very much I took my cylinder
back instead of paying monthly rental. I can do a cylinder lease if
necessary but if Flux core wire will work for auto body repairs then I can
save some money.

Roger...mig works nicely with CO2. Im sure you can snag a small Co2
bottle someplace. I get em for little or nothing. Liquid CO2 costs
damned little, and a bottle will last for literally hundreds and
hundreds of hours of mig welding. A 20lb bottle can be had for less
than $50..often far far less..and they are cheap to fill and last a very
long time.

It should be noted that Co2 bottles are falling out of favor in bars,
soda shops and whatnot as newer tech is employed..and there are
literally Millions of them out there.

Just a heads up.

As far as welding with CO2..it does a really nice job, though the welds
are not always as pretty as C25 or straight argon..they are as good or
better than flux core, and actually make the machine "hotter" so you can
weld at a lower power rating. And there is litle or no "clean up" after
welding.

Gunner

I've not used straight CO2 so I won't knock it, but "hotter" is not a
feature when welding 24-gage steel.

When considering the time spent and cost of good materials (paint,
etc) for a decent job, the cost of Ag25 mix is completely
insignificant, probably less than the cost of electricity to run the
compressor doing all the sanding and grinding.

On Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:33:19 -0500, Don Foreman
wrote:

On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 10:57:06 -0700, Gunner Asch
wrote:

On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 08:45:07 -0500, "RogerN" wrote:

I'm getting close to cutting out rust and installing panels. I have a
Century wire feed welder, MIG and flux-core, will flux core work for auto
body? I'm wondering since I don't use this very much I took my cylinder
back instead of paying monthly rental. I can do a cylinder lease if
necessary but if Flux core wire will work for auto body repairs then I can
save some money.

Roger...mig works nicely with CO2. Im sure you can snag a small Co2
bottle someplace. I get em for little or nothing. Liquid CO2 costs
damned little, and a bottle will last for literally hundreds and
hundreds of hours of mig welding. A 20lb bottle can be had for less
than $50..often far far less..and they are cheap to fill and last a very
long time.

It should be noted that Co2 bottles are falling out of favor in bars,
soda shops and whatnot as newer tech is employed..and there are
literally Millions of them out there.

Just a heads up.

As far as welding with CO2..it does a really nice job, though the welds
are not always as pretty as C25 or straight argon..they are as good or
better than flux core, and actually make the machine "hotter" so you can
weld at a lower power rating. And there is litle or no "clean up" after
welding.

Gunner

I've not used straight CO2 so I won't knock it, but "hotter" is not a
feature when welding 24-gage steel.

But you can indeed turn it down to the next lower range in most
cases...giving you plenty of welding ability and for cheap. But yes..C25
may be better if you have it. Trimix would work as well. But..its pricey


When considering the time spent and cost of good materials (paint,
etc) for a decent job, the cost of Ag25 mix is completely
insignificant, probably less than the cost of electricity to run the
compressor doing all the sanding and grinding.

Your advice is noted.

Thanks!

Gunner

One could not be a successful Leftwinger without realizing that,
in contrast to the popular conception supported by newspapers
and mothers of Leftwingers, a goodly number of Leftwingers are
not only narrow-minded and dull, but also just stupid.
Gunner Asch

"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:33:19 -0500, Don Foreman
wrote:

On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 10:57:06 -0700, Gunner Asch
wrote:

On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 08:45:07 -0500, "RogerN" wrote:

I'm getting close to cutting out rust and installing panels. I have a
Century wire feed welder, MIG and flux-core, will flux core work for
auto
body? I'm wondering since I don't use this very much I took my cylinder
back instead of paying monthly rental. I can do a cylinder lease if
necessary but if Flux core wire will work for auto body repairs then I
can
save some money.

Roger...mig works nicely with CO2. Im sure you can snag a small Co2
bottle someplace. I get em for little or nothing. Liquid CO2 costs
damned little, and a bottle will last for literally hundreds and
hundreds of hours of mig welding. A 20lb bottle can be had for less
than $50..often far far less..and they are cheap to fill and last a very
long time.

It should be noted that Co2 bottles are falling out of favor in bars,
soda shops and whatnot as newer tech is employed..and there are
literally Millions of them out there.

Just a heads up.

As far as welding with CO2..it does a really nice job, though the welds
are not always as pretty as C25 or straight argon..they are as good or
better than flux core, and actually make the machine "hotter" so you can
weld at a lower power rating. And there is litle or no "clean up" after
welding.

Gunner

I've not used straight CO2 so I won't knock it, but "hotter" is not a
feature when welding 24-gage steel.

But you can indeed turn it down to the next lower range in most
cases...giving you plenty of welding ability and for cheap. But yes..C25
may be better if you have it. Trimix would work as well. But..its pricey


When considering the time spent and cost of good materials (paint,
etc) for a decent job, the cost of Ag25 mix is completely
insignificant, probably less than the cost of electricity to run the
compressor doing all the sanding and grinding.

Your advice is noted.

Thanks!

Gunner


What is the ultimate? Perhaps auto bodies should only be welded 5032.1 feet
deep in fresh water at a temperature of 72.549 degrees F with a certain PH?
Didn't work, what kind of hat were you wearing? Ok, I'm being ridiculous,
but like you say, if CO2 is hotter then perhaps you can turn the amps down,
or maybe the flow up, or have it cooled otherwise... I dunno, but I doubt
that the best method is any more than someone's trial and error that they
had success with.

RogerN

On Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:15:04 -0500, "RogerN"
wrote:


"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:33:19 -0500, Don Foreman
wrote:

On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 10:57:06 -0700, Gunner Asch
wrote:

On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 08:45:07 -0500, "RogerN" wrote:

I'm getting close to cutting out rust and installing panels. I have a
Century wire feed welder, MIG and flux-core, will flux core work for
auto
body? I'm wondering since I don't use this very much I took my cylinder
back instead of paying monthly rental. I can do a cylinder lease if
necessary but if Flux core wire will work for auto body repairs then I
can
save some money.

Roger...mig works nicely with CO2. Im sure you can snag a small Co2
bottle someplace. I get em for little or nothing. Liquid CO2 costs
damned little, and a bottle will last for literally hundreds and
hundreds of hours of mig welding. A 20lb bottle can be had for less
than $50..often far far less..and they are cheap to fill and last a very
long time.

It should be noted that Co2 bottles are falling out of favor in bars,
soda shops and whatnot as newer tech is employed..and there are
literally Millions of them out there.

Just a heads up.

As far as welding with CO2..it does a really nice job, though the welds
are not always as pretty as C25 or straight argon..they are as good or
better than flux core, and actually make the machine "hotter" so you can
weld at a lower power rating. And there is litle or no "clean up" after
welding.

Gunner

I've not used straight CO2 so I won't knock it, but "hotter" is not a
feature when welding 24-gage steel.

But you can indeed turn it down to the next lower range in most
cases...giving you plenty of welding ability and for cheap. But yes..C25
may be better if you have it. Trimix would work as well. But..its pricey


When considering the time spent and cost of good materials (paint,
etc) for a decent job, the cost of Ag25 mix is completely
insignificant, probably less than the cost of electricity to run the
compressor doing all the sanding and grinding.

Your advice is noted.

Thanks!

Gunner


What is the ultimate? Perhaps auto bodies should only be welded 5032.1 feet
deep in fresh water at a temperature of 72.549 degrees F with a certain PH?
Didn't work, what kind of hat were you wearing? Ok, I'm being ridiculous,
but like you say, if CO2 is hotter then perhaps you can turn the amps down,
or maybe the flow up, or have it cooled otherwise... I dunno, but I doubt
that the best method is any more than someone's trial and error that they
had success with.

RogerN

I suppose you could spray paint by filling your cheeks with paint and
then sneezing.

Trial and error tends to produce best results with a method that has
technical advantage for one reason or another. That isn't to say
that acceptable results can't be obtained with alternative methods.

I have visited a number of restoration shops and body shops. They all
run Ag25, none that I've seen run straight CO2.

On Mon, 28 Jun 2010 23:03:42 -0500, Don Foreman
wrote:


What is the ultimate? Perhaps auto bodies should only be welded 5032.1 feet
deep in fresh water at a temperature of 72.549 degrees F with a certain PH?
Didn't work, what kind of hat were you wearing? Ok, I'm being ridiculous,
but like you say, if CO2 is hotter then perhaps you can turn the amps down,
or maybe the flow up, or have it cooled otherwise... I dunno, but I doubt
that the best method is any more than someone's trial and error that they
had success with.

RogerN

I suppose you could spray paint by filling your cheeks with paint and
then sneezing.

Trial and error tends to produce best results with a method that has
technical advantage for one reason or another. That isn't to say
that acceptable results can't be obtained with alternative methods.

I have visited a number of restoration shops and body shops. They all
run Ag25, none that I've seen run straight CO2.

I had a commercial welder over to the house yesterday, and he was
wondering how long that tiny little bottle of gas on the back of my Mig
lasted. I told him...about 6 months. He backed up, gave me a really
funny look and a sneer. Then he read the lable on the bottle..and
raised his eyebrows..asked...can you really weld with straight Co2?????

I fired it up, laid out some scrap and handed him a hood and the gun,
and told him to have at it.

He ran some beads, beat some iron..and mumbled that it worked pretty
damned well..and asked if Id told anyone about it?

Chuckle.....

Its not as common in shops as one would expect, which I find really odd.

Shrug

Gunner

One could not be a successful Leftwinger without realizing that,
in contrast to the popular conception supported by newspapers
and mothers of Leftwingers, a goodly number of Leftwingers are
not only narrow-minded and dull, but also just stupid.
Gunner Asch

On Tue, 29 Jun 2010 04:12:41 -0700, Gunner Asch
wrote:

On Mon, 28 Jun 2010 23:03:42 -0500, Don Foreman
wrote:


What is the ultimate? Perhaps auto bodies should only be welded 5032.1 feet
deep in fresh water at a temperature of 72.549 degrees F with a certain PH?
Didn't work, what kind of hat were you wearing? Ok, I'm being ridiculous,
but like you say, if CO2 is hotter then perhaps you can turn the amps down,
or maybe the flow up, or have it cooled otherwise... I dunno, but I doubt
that the best method is any more than someone's trial and error that they
had success with.

RogerN

I suppose you could spray paint by filling your cheeks with paint and
then sneezing.

Trial and error tends to produce best results with a method that has
technical advantage for one reason or another. That isn't to say
that acceptable results can't be obtained with alternative methods.

I have visited a number of restoration shops and body shops. They all
run Ag25, none that I've seen run straight CO2.

I had a commercial welder over to the house yesterday, and he was
wondering how long that tiny little bottle of gas on the back of my Mig
lasted. I told him...about 6 months. He backed up, gave me a really
funny look and a sneer. Then he read the lable on the bottle..and
raised his eyebrows..asked...can you really weld with straight Co2?????

I fired it up, laid out some scrap and handed him a hood and the gun,
and told him to have at it.

He ran some beads, beat some iron..and mumbled that it worked pretty
damned well..and asked if Id told anyone about it?

Chuckle.....

Its not as common in shops as one would expect, which I find really odd.

Shrug

Gunner

My suggestion to RogerN would be to try both at a welding shop. Be
sure to try it on metal of the thickness you plan to weld, e.g. 24
gage autobody steel.