MIG gas for both short circuit and spray transfer

Goff · Oct 1, 2018

We have a Lincoln 255 mig welder. I want to weld some 1/2" plate for fixtures and use spray transfer.

The machine is somewhat under powered for this application. If I get a 90/10 gas mix, I will be able to use spray transfer.

If later, I want to weld some 1/8" wall square tubing, using short circuit transfer, can I still use this gas? I would like to have only one bottle of gas in the shop for convenience, but I do not know if this is practical.

We weld only a few times a month and the material is A36 or 1018 steel.
Thanks in advance for all replies.

Fabworks · Oct 1, 2018

Here is an article that discusses the transfer modes in GMAW. The section on spray transfer shows the shielding gas mixes and amperages required for various wire sizes.

Understanding transfer modes for GMAW - The Fabricator

Goff · Oct 1, 2018

Fabworks, the article mentions 3 part gases for short circuit. Do you know what they are and why they are used?

gary-sc · Oct 1, 2018

As far as I know you will not, we have a separate tank for spray transfer which unfortunately is used very little.

1 Jaw Chuck (Chuck Evans) · Oct 1, 2018

Jcoehlo,

I would try an 80/20 mix which should be available from your supplier.

I have used it for Mig welding 1/8" to 1/2" 1018. It's my all purpose mix.

Chuck
Burbank, CA

gusmadison · Oct 1, 2018

I use what Airgas (hate the company now) calls Steel Mix gas for spray and short circuit. Years ago it's mix was supposedly a ratio of gases that Ed Craig and Airgas collaborated on... back when they played well together.

Your machine will handle what you want to do if you have a large enough amp gun on it. And my personal opinion is that you will find yourself using spray transfer a lot more than you think. Burn things in hot and fast, minimal spatter, what's not to love?

YMMV
Gus

PlasmaOnTheBrain · Oct 1, 2018

If I had to make the choice id go for 80/20 because itll be the closest to 75/25 for short circuit but would still spray. IF I couldn't get a separate bottle.
Why not get a spool of fluxcore that's meant to run on 75/25 (a lot of them are) and use that for the thicker stuff?

Arc-On · Oct 1, 2018

I run 90/10 on my 350P. You can short circuit with it, but it's not quite as smooth as 75/25. Still plenty useable, just not ideal.

If you plan to do mostly spray, I'd get 90/10. If you're gonna do primarily short arc, you're gonna be happier with 75/25, and get a smaller cylinder of 90/10 for the odd spray job.

Goff · Oct 1, 2018

Thank you all. This machine is only used randomly to build fixtures in a 2 person shop that is part of a small manufacturing company. There is an Airgas nearby, that I will check out tomorrow. I do not want to use fluxcore because of the smoke, although it would be ideal for thicker material.

DDoug · Oct 1, 2018

Check with lincoln to find exactly what mix you can can run what wire size on that machine.

As said above, 75/25 would be the best for your short arc (90% of your work ?)
If, you could get that machine to spray with it (75/25), would be best.

FWIW if your running .035 wire, maybe a drop down to .030 would work.

kustomizingkid · Oct 1, 2018

A little left field... but if you have three phase and the space go buy an old beast 400 amp power source and wire feeder setup. Its a more extreme solution, but once you have sprayed some wire with a real deal power source and a proper big boy gun its hard to go back. A friend bought a miller 400 with a feeder for $500 and man that thing lays wire.

Lets you keep a reasonable gun and wire size in the Lincoln for general use work too.

DanielG · Oct 1, 2018

Have you considered running flux core? It'll handle the thicker plate and you can use the same gas.

Fabworks · Oct 1, 2018

jcoehlo said:
Fabworks, the article mentions 3 part gases for short circuit. Do you know what they are and why they are used?

This article discusses shielding gases and the various mixtures available including trimixes.

Choosing shielding gases for arc welding - The Fabricator

Fabworks · Oct 1, 2018

gusmadison said:
I use what Airgas (hate the company now) calls Steel Mix gas for spray and short circuit. Years ago it's mix was supposedly a ratio of gases that Ed Craig and Airgas collaborated on... back when they played well together.

Your machine will handle what you want to do if you have a large enough amp gun on it. And my personal opinion is that you will find yourself using spray transfer a lot more than you think. Burn things in hot and fast, minimal spatter, what's not to love?

YMMV
Gus

I have used Steelmix as well. It is a AR 84% / CO₂16% MIX

Goff · Oct 2, 2018

Fabworks, Thanks. That article is what I was looking for.

Ohio Mike · Oct 2, 2018

DanielG said:
Have you considered running flux core? It'll handle the thicker plate and you can use the same gas.

I assume you mean something like Lincoln Outershield or ESAB Dual Shield wire?

Goff · Oct 3, 2018

I ordered some SteelMix, 84Ar/16CO2 from Airgas. I recognize that what I want to do is not ideal.
Fluxcore, Dualshield, a more powerful machine would all be good. For our limited use, the 84/16 with .035" wire is the compromise that I am making.
Thanks for all of the replies and information.

DanielG · Oct 13, 2018

Ohio Mike said:
I assume you mean something like Lincoln Outershield or ESAB Dual Shield wire?

Yes, I use Lincoln Ultracore.

I don't know that's it's any better than the two you listed. My main heavy fab vendor has the same welder I do, so when I wanted to try flux core I called up their weld foreman and asked what they use.

cyanidekid · Oct 13, 2018

the "dual shield" flux-core is a beast with a good high amperage setup, I love the Ultracore, really lays it down.

yes, it does make a little bit more fume, but you should be source evacuating anyway.

the "special mix" gasses like that 16% Co2 could be a good compromise, but watch out for how much they are jacking you for it! it could be cheeper to get another tank, say a 125 customer owned bottle for the less used mix.

also, the lower Co2 mix is going to reduce your penetration, especially on rust and scale. definitely use a -S6 or -S2 wire with that (higher de-oxidizing wire), and clean down to bare metal and run a little hotter on your settings.

(also note that the fume generated by a "dual shield" type wire can vary a lot, some are not really that bad, others are a regular smoke bomb)

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