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Hey, I bought that welder at harbor freight too. I've been welding for over 20 years professionally. I'm 6G MIG certified, and worked for several companies such as CASE, and TRAILKING, etc. Now I bought my welder to use as a field repair unit for small jobs. I'm fairly happy with it because of the price and features. I HATED the harbor freight wire that it came with. The 030 harbor freight brand wire sucked I was getting the same thing as you did sticking and stubbing. I was pleasantly surprised when I ran across your video and saw you were trying different wires out! I like the way that Lincoln sounded the best and I hated the sounds that the harbor freight and the O'Reilly's and the matheson wire sounded the Hobart seemed okay but the Lincoln sounded the best. Like it was getting the best penetration. I know that the harbor freight wire seem to be a cold roll every time I used it even when I crank the heat up all the way and the speed down all the way. I was welding 3/16 material down to 18 gauge. I'm definitely going to try out the Lincoln wire from Lowe's I'm assuming home Depot would have it as well and Menards? Thank you so much for taking the time to research these because I'm out of wire now and I need to re-up my wire supply! I subscribed to your channel now just because I like to watch other welders work and get their tips as well. When we stop asking we stop learning. Great job on the video by the way
@Zach Grayson thanks man I appreciate your support! Yah that Lincoln wire is really good stuff. You can get it pretty much at any of the big box stores including online. I have got some other viewer suggested wires coming up again real soon but up to now the Lincoln is by far the best wire I have used.
You know I had the same problem cuz I had a spool of Harbor Freight inner shield wire sit outside for quite some time and I thought it was maybe just cuz it sat outside or something but no man that Harbor Freight wire ain't nothing good at all The spit or spatter splatten oh god it was a it's a horrible mess. Now the Harbor Freight Vulcan brand pretty darn good and I got that new titanium flux 125 that little some bitch is badass
It all comes down to wire speed and how hot you run your machine as it relates to your welding style and skill. Wire does vary but your settings and skill have a very big impact on your results. Find what works for you! Like many skills it comes down to practice and seeing what works. Great Video. Thanks for posting!
Thanks @imxploring you are correct but there is also manufacturer tolerances that impact how well the wire feeds and burns. Many aren't aware but solid core wire varies in diameter based on the manufacturer and flux core wire is rolled up like a piece of paper to contain the flux within. Flux core can be real problematic depending on how good the manufacturers tolerances are.
Good test. I first used the Lincoln flux core 0.035 inch wire in my Lincoln SP-100, no issues. Also have used the Lincoln flux core 0.030 inch wire which seems to give better penetration and no issues. Both give butter smooth welds. Was sold a lesser expensive wire and like you found, got stubbing till I ran it slower as well as a higher voltage. The resulting welds are rougher. This lesser expensive wire also throws off more slag and does not give the "frying bacon" sound.
@Evan Thompson I completely agree with you. Some viewers have given me a couple more suggestions on wires to try that they say are as good if not better than Lincoln so we will soon find out but until now the Lincoln is the best I've found so far
I bought a Titanium Flux 125 from Harbor Freight about 2 years ago and used the 1 pound spool that came with the welder on a project and also knowing I was going to blow through the wire I also bought 2 - 2lb spools off Amazon from Welding City out of Atlanta the same numbers E71T-GS for under 30 bucks shipped for both spools , liked it well enough I bought 2 more as back ups , they come vacuum sealed so storage doesn't degrade them as much as the shrink wrapped ones off the shelf at the box stores . Loved the video , always good to watch more welding videos . Thanks .
Over the early summer I cut a 1973 jeep cj5 in half and stretched it 20" in the center of the frame to accommodate a cj6 Body. The stub section I put in to space it was a 3/16 rectangle tube I had acquired. Years ago in my late 20's I had already boxed in the frame with 1/8th plate using a old sears 220 buzz box arc welder. This time around I used a bare bones $145 Harbor freight 170 wire feed wired at 220v. I used Lincoln .030 flux from home depot on the req spacer to mate to the front and back half of the frame. I ran it at its hottest setting which was almost a bit too hot . After running out of Lincoln wire I couldn't find any at my two local HD stores so I ended up using a 2lb spool of vulcan .030 to continue the job and then attach the new suspension brackets. It ran great once the speed was dialed in. Around that time I mashed the crap out of my right hand and My Elderly neighbor offered to finish up the rest of the welding. He is a retired Boilermaker and he pretty much knocked it all out in a long day and that included him grinding out some of my lesser quality beads :) . He fiddled with the settings a tad and then went to town using the Vulcan wire . He ran the machine full tilt for quite a long period and it never went into the protect mode. Really made me nervous. But he's the professional. He seemed to like the wire so there's that I guess. I've since swapped back and forth using the Lincoln wire and the Vulcan wire when building my trailer. Once its dialed in on either brand they seem to be pretty comparable. I Enjoyed the video. Thank you for taking the time to make it for us!
@Deezildennis thanks man i appreciate it! You make a very good point. I think most wires will run pretty decent once you figure out what they like. As you know even subtle differences on torce angle and work distance can make a big difference once you have it dialed in. I think the noticable difference is when you just jump in without any prep from one wire to the next. The Lincoln just seemed to work better in my opinion without much learning curve. It sounds like you have great neighbor that is willing to lend a helping hand when you needed it. The workd needs more of that! Thanks again for sharing! 🙏
Thank you for doing this test. The Lincoln Intershield wire you tested is an E71T-11 wire, while all the others are E71T-GS. I don't know what (if any) difference that makes, but it would seem to make more sense to compare the Lincoln wire to the E71T-11 wire from different manufacturers. There also may be a difference between using an AC welder as opposed to a DC welder. I have been using Blue Demon E71T-11wire and it works fine for me in my Forney 140 FC-i. There are a lot of other choices of E71T-GS wire available as well - many for less than $5.00/lb (in a10 lb spool). I understand that some wires burn hotter than others which can be good or bad depending on the application.
@Rocket Stoves Rock the aws designations would be a whole other test in itself but for general purposes it's what a consumer would end up with for a product based on using these wires that are ready available to them if they ran out of wire and ran to a local store to grab more. I only included Matheson because its been the brand I've been using and it's readily available.
Hello, with what amperage does the e71t-11 0.030 cable weld well on thin sheet metal? Well, I have tried with 14 volts and 110 amps and it penetrates a lot without drilling
That was a fun video. I do want to mention something about respirators and filters. The filters must be kept in a plastic bag such as a sandwich bag. Squeeze all the air out, and make sure it’s sealed. The problem, and most people don’t think about this, is that the filters absorb gasses from the air, even if you’re not breathing through them. A new filter kept out in the shop becomes saturated, and does no filtering after about a month, or less, depending on what’s being done in the shop and the heat and humidity. I learned this a long time ago in my own chem lab. It’s also on the plastic (sealed!) bags the filters come in. I’m sure almost no one reads this. They should. I was also thinking that 10-11 pound spools are always cheaper by the pound. I wish my welders took 33 pound spools because they much cheaper by the pound. I’ve thought of using my lathe as a spoiler, but it’s just too much bother. House brands are almost always cheap unknown brands, likely from China. Since there is no law preventing them from charging 400% more than they paid, we get the ridiculous $29.95 for a 2 pound spool of cheap junk from that car store.
Just for kicks i just ran down to my garage and grabbed my 3m Respirator with OV P100 cartridges that are probably 6 months old and first tried to see if i could smell some solvents. Acetone, lacquer thinner, and denatured alcohol filtered just fine. Next i tried smoke from a soldering iron and still smelled fine, filtration working. Keep in mind these cartridges are barely used and they have the particulate filter so it's not like they're getting much airflow sitting in a cabinet. I then remembered I had another respirator that must be 5 years old, so i dug that up and yeah... definitely didn't work anymore. i'm still a bit high from that big whiff of lacquer thinner i just got. ugh.
I appreciate you testing all the different types of wires. I am currently using the Harbor freight " Vulcan wire" and I am having great results with it. I run my wire speed at a little over 5 1/2 on my machine. This speed works great for me. Thanks for all your hints and techniques that you show us. We appreciate you!👍💯
Thank you very much! I appreciate your support @RHR77 and this just goes to show that some wires run a little better than others in different machines. When you run out of the Vulcan, you should try a small spool of the Lincoln. I've never heard anyone tell me they didn't like it :)
As an experienced welder, I found the same results years ago on the blue harbor freight welder. I also replaced the tip with Lincoln parts and did many adjustments to the unit. Still works very well.
@david wilson HAHAHAHA I think I owned that same unit! It would trip the thermal overload and shut off in middle of welding so not knowing any better I bypassed the overload. I beat the tar out of that thing and eventually I accidentally dropped it off a bridge pier into the ocean. That was the last I saw of it.
Awesome test , Lincoln welding has been around for over a 100 years , my little buzz box is 45 years old and still works like the day I got it , it cost 125.00 back then ,stay safe TANK
@Rob H that's a great idea and yes I'm very curious how my other welders will run this wire so I will be running them through a transformer based Hobart and inverter based Fronius and possibly YesWelder
That's why I bought the 125 just to see what it could do compared to my Lincoln and Miller machines. I was amazed. Most of my bend specimens were welded with the 125.
I'm proud of you for recommending a respirator. Yes, it is important. Thanks for solving this problem for me. I'm using Vulcan wire and I thought I just suck at working with this, or the machine sucks, but it's highly likely that I need different wire.
Thanks man! Yes get yourself some Lincoln wire and it's going to feel like a totally different machine. You are going to love it! Thanks for your support bud! 🙏
Been mig welding for over 20 years. Just tried flux core wire for first time. Once I got the settings down I was really impressed. Thanks Brandon, great video. I'll be using the Lincoln wire.
Hey Brandon, I use the same Harbor freight welder and have very good luck with the HF wire. I turn the wire speed down to 5 or 6 depending on the metal I'm using, and I get a nice clean weld with low spatter. Love your channel, its nice to see a fellow Mainer on TH-cam!
@Adam stairs Thanks man! The Vulcan wire didn't actually run that bad once I messed with it for a while I was able to get a decent bead but it took some playing with to get it right but when I ran each wire back to back without that learning curve the Lincoln and Hobart stood out. I lived on Lincoln St. In Randolph as a child and had neighbors with the last name Stairs...any relation?
@@BrandonLund I'm originally from Aroostook County, so most of my relatives are up there, but it's possible that they are related. I live near Bangor now. When you set up your HF welder did you change the polarity of the leads? I left mine stock and I think the gun is actually ground.
It's possible. I grew up in Randolph then Gardiner and Auburn. This welder doesn't have any ability to switch polarity which I thought was odd because the stinger has holes for gas and it uses a gas nozzle
@@BrandonLund I'm in NH now but I grew up in the Portland/S. Portland area initially, then we moved up to Eastport, where I spent most of my childhood. Great to see other current and former Mainers here.
Thanks, Brandon. I just bought 2 - 10 lb. spools of Hobart wire, 1 solid and 1 flux, at Running's while they were on sale. Glad to see I made a decent choice. I will, of course, use up the spools that came with the machine just because I'm frigging cheap. I - I mean frugal. Yeah, that's it, I'm frugal.
@Howard Grant I'm the same way...actually the more I played with the Vulcan wire the easier it was to run but I think that is true for most wires. But when you factor that out and just run them back to back the Lincoln and Hobart stood out as being better. I'm "frugal" too! 😏
Very interesting video I have used Lincoln wire and Hobart wire. As well as a couple of off brands. With my Miller machine I find the Hobart to run the best. With Lincoln second. They both produce a fine weld and run smoother than others. My experience is the Hobart had less spatter less smoke and deslagged the easiest usual with just a wire brush. But it varies with different machine brands and wire brands. You always need to fine tune wire speed and voltage/amperage to the wire and materials thickness your welding.
@Eric Hill I'm curious how these wires will run in my Fronius. I really like the Hobart and Lincoln also. I'm quite surprised they beat out the wire I have been using for years but this is why I wanted to do this test. I will be doing more like it very soon and with other wire also. It should be interesting.
I bought a secondhand HF welder, the old blue one. It had run maybe 10 feet of wire from the starter spool and the guy warned me that it really sucked. And it did. I found two problems, both had the same cause. It wouldn't feed well because the knurling in the drive wheel was full of greasy black crud. And it wouldn't hold an arc because the inside of the contact tip was also dirty. Cleaned and then looked at the wire. Wiped a few feet with a shop rag dampened with lighter fluid. Lotsa black on the rag. Put it back together and it worked just fine. Threw the HF wire and bought a spool of the Lincoln 211 and it's worked fine since. Great wire to demo your welder. The dirty wire shut it down.
I had the same problem using the Vulcan wire, I didn’t even finish welding what I was working on because of it, couldn’t turn the speed down low enough to get it to run right so it was a waist of $20, the Lincoln is definitely the way to go in that welder, I know from experience with it
I've been using that Hobart wire for a while now. I guess I'm gonna be getting the Lincoln wire next. Seems to have had the best performance all the way around. Thanks for the video and I'm now a subscriber
Awesome @Bill Shewmake I appreciate it! If you are going from the Hobart to the Lincoln wire you wont see a huge difference but you will see a differencve for sure. Thanks again man I appreciate the sub and comment!
Thanks for doing this video! I am currently running the Vulcan wire and I have experienced the stubbing too. I figured it was due to something I was doing. I am able to weld with it but my results aren't very consistent. It seems like it runs better on really hot settings if I am welding thick stuff. I am going to pick up some lincoln wire. I have seen several showdowns and they all usually end up with the same winner - lincoln.
@Christopher Salisbury I knew the Lincoln wire worked good but inside I wanted to believe the wire I was currently using was the best (considering it was recommended by my LWS store) and I have been using it for years. You can pretty much manipulate any wire to work good after you run it for a while but when running them back to back without any learning curve, the Lincoln shined above the others. I love when I personally learn something and this surprised me.
Thank you for the video Brandon.. I bought my HBF Flux-125 over two months ago and set up a dedicated 20Amp outlet outside my Garage. Almost broke my Hip falling off a ladder drilling the hole and running the Line through the Attic Top Plate to the outside wall outlet I installed ! I bought everything I need to get going each payday and yesterday I was FINALLY READY to try my FIRST test welds !! YEEHAHHH.... When I tried to load the Lincoln .030 1LB wire coil the wire was difficult to feed through. Then... wait for it!! ... BZZZWHOOOP! the WIRE of the roll suddenly turned into a HUGE BIRD'S NEST! 🤣😲DAMN !!! I tried to re-wrap as much as I could and cut it off and tried AGAIN and... BZZZWHOOOOPPP..AGAIN... after four tries and several yards of wasted wire.. I gave up, put everything up and Later last night.. I tried again in my 'Mancave' ... just to get the wire to feed... Again and AGAIN..for OVER TWO HOURS.. at LEAST 10 Yards of WIRE on the floor. ONCE I got the wire to feed.. almost.. but it stopped before the wire came out... I'm Done ... I used .030 Steel Safety wire every day working on Helicopters and NEVER expected this! The properties of this wire are totally different! Do you or anyone have any clips that focus on the Loading/Feeding process or TIPS to keep this from happening ? Otherwise.. I'm selling my NEVER USED FLUX-CORE and getting a STICK WELDER... Which might have been the better choice for a newbie
@DaddyDawg Sorry to hear that man! Hang in there because after you do it a couple times it will be easier. Here is a video loading up aluminum wire but the same principals apply for all wire. If you to skip to the 9 minute mark I talk about setting the tension on the wire reel and the drive rolls. It sounds like you have one or both needing adjustment. Just know it still happens to me occasionally 😉 th-cam.com/video/nCMTbYJfOG8/w-d-xo.html
HALLELUJAH and PASS THE PEANUTS!!!! 🤠🤠😎AFTER watching YOUR DETAILED CLIP explaining setting up the TENSION.... and after using a Plastic Bag strip Heat Shrinked around the spool to stop the BIRDS NEST... I was able to FEED THE WIRE PROPERLY! WOW!! If I weren't heading to Jacksonville for the Jags Draft Party in about an hour I would be setting up and trying my FIRST WELD! I'll save that for TOMORROW and update you after! THANKS for THIS and ALL your Video clips!
Brandon - Excellent video, especially for beginners. Great explanation of important basics. I did similar testing a couple years ago using a Hobart Handler 140 and now I use the HF Titanium 125 for FC. There is a huge difference in wire. What is interesting is that for me, the Lincoln wire ran really bad - it was the dirtiest and most spatter, and least consistent bead. I tried a couple of the wires you tested but also INE (German or Italian - can't remember), Blue Demon, Firepower (Napa brand - probably the worst of them all, but also THE most expensive). My welding supply store suggested Washington Alloys - which was by far the best for me - not even close. Great profile and the cleanest burn/least spatter of anything I tried. And it is reasonably priced. That is now the only brand I use for flux and MIG. Everybody has their own experience and favorite - just wanted to throw my 2 cents in here.
@Booger & Zeke’s Welding Emporium I've heard good things about Washington also but I havent tried it. Now that you mention the Hobart 140, you have me thinking. I was using the Lincoln with my 140 but then switched to Matheson and immediately liked it better. The Hobart is a DC transformer based machine and all my other welders are either inverter based or AC. You could be on to something...Maybe the DC transformer has something to do with the Lincon not working as good with the Hobart because I guess in hindsight that was my experience also when comparing the Lincoln to Mathesion using the Hobart 140.
I am a beginner welder and the used welder came with the lincoln .030 you tested...I used about 3/4 of a 1lb spool and switched to INETUB BA71TGS .030-Inch on 2-Pound Spool Carbon Steel Gasless Flux Cored Welding Wire that I bought off amazon. My welds improved and the splatter was much less. I find that it generates more smoke though.
I’m back. Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy meeting another flux core fan. My Forney flux core welder I picked up at Home Depot for $179 welds ten times better than my Lincoln Mig which cost way more. And I’m not buying a tank of gas every time I turn around.
I would have to agree with your assessment Brandon. I have a Lincoln 135 SP. I have tried a few different wires and I always come back to Lincoln wire.
I've got one of them same machines, use nothing but the Lincoln wire in it. Also got it a better ground clamp and put in a bridge rectifier so it runs dc on proper polarity rather than the stock ac output. Before the mods Lincoln was the best for me as well.
Thank you. Here's a link to the one I used, if anyone wants to know. Plenty of how to on TH-cam, lots go farther than just the rectifier, but it's fine without the capacitor and bleed resisters. Maybe convert yours and make a how to. www.ebay.com/itm/254419124129?_trkparms=aid%3D1110018%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.COMPLISTINGS%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20200224111413%26meid%3D0987a8177ffa45e9a1a3cf591b6165e6%26pid%3D100520%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D252732635077%26itm%3D254419124129%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2332490%26algv%3DItemStripV101HighAdFee&_trksid=p2332490.c100520.m4113&amdata=cksum%3A2544191241290987a8177ffa45e9a1a3cf591b6165e6%7Cenc%3AAQAGAAAB8NsdNWaMT37v3gZh4gHUqeV5R9NPBd9gWEm18GvyA%252Bcd%252B6ZGTTdxYqHPpf439GtMhFhnfuV0Y6Wigu8WDWxG45CIAD7dLunbSApDOZ9GyKkOSaYW%252FRljSRpZipf24%252FrRQLh15zvMmEAfpm28CMhcQMoCbgEtpN4nN5NogmMYqB7jMarCtvvVJLVxmxdyBOjHr9t6aIdbpeSjkO2gGrAyBExhK1NsaEDlGD8KYa6ne4wx5mfJtJSey1J0nJZi8irR7A2cuz%252BP9FiITxsSTEJegXctKIpyWc5dVb%252FYQuz40goTfejW%252Fq2NvfP1jdNf0Aydzojy4Jq19EGxwcYCkMkq1Kd1DtUFNNcpeXCkXtWvqMU9yXO5NENaezhqFCl%252FQSz8KQ%252FeQWOda%252BLJgVgP2ByWunfubRSUZOtfWr2x8tpvRspbFSwbxeNxIQ2RUb8wiYxNvUsRBEzFPF0BGVG%252FBOB9cP3ww83U08O8CAtpiPcyBfNY%252BBS%252FDHQC9YgSmu2oFqQ5HpPLWkfrU%252FwbPhDNhVDWfrNpF0aV2zzP7K7VoV%252FmBenSKonvW%252FUa3F9dhwU5CykVlMQ%252FOrlpPCw8%252FTFGjYi367CJxC9mfkHgXgnqezFo%252BUIK0s0pk2X1gKitA4%252Bt%252Fvjlqwj0qh%252BvWdl3CXIjs%252B40IKA%253D%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A2332490&epid=2082860419
I picked up the Harbor freight (Chicago Electric) Mig (220v) and also the Flux core 125. The guy sold me both for $40. He showed me the flux core one worked and the mig wouldn't feed well. Turns out the Mig had old rusty wire on it (just reeled off a bunch and it works fine). I bought .035 wire and tips for the Flux core and its doing decent but still seems like I am doing something wrong at times. But I am learning. I couldn't pass these up for the money. While I want a better machine I think these two will get me by a while. Now seeing this video I think I may buy the Lincoln wire for both. Thanks for the videos. I love learning new stuff.
@@BrandonLund That's awesome. I have a big cast iron caldron (32 inch dia) I use for a firepit I used the flux machine to build a grill top thing I can use on top of it so I can cook on it. It was my first project. Just need to finish collecting some more metal and finish the cooking surface. I find it pretty fun to build stuff and Learn so this is right up my alley.
Thanks for this -- I am new to flux core welding and need all the help I can get, haha! I'm using the HF Titanium 125, so I think I'll pick up some of that Lincoln Electric wire.
@@BrandonLund yeah this video really showed it. You make some good informative videos. Great job. I'm new to your channel. Been following for a couple weeks and glad I found it. Definitely be waiting for the next one 👍🏻
I really appreciate the video! I have been learning how to weld with the same machine and the Vulcan wire is all I have tried on it. It definitely does not work the greatest unless you keep the speed slow. I'm definitely going to try the Lincoln wire
I normally use Forney e71 and ran out on a job for a friend and we ran out to lowe’s and bought flux core lincoln wire. I was really impressed with how it laid down.
great video... I use that Lincoln wire and it works better for me.. the harbor freight wires and rods have always ran with difficulties. Hobart wire works fine in my machines as well...
I have the inverter welder from Harbor Freight and used the Lincoln wire for the most part but found the Hobart wire actually ran the best. I also switched to the .35 instead of the .30.
Great Job, thanks. New to welding. Just a thought. If you are running different wire feed speeds for different wire, wouldn't a better cost comparison be the cost per inch of weld.
Thats an awesome suggestion but that alone could most likely be a whole new video. If the wire is inferior than it's going to ultimately cost more than just the actual cost of the wire.
It would be great to see the same test in different brands of welder. Perhaps at least Miller, Lincoln, Hobart, and Vulcan since it’s HF’s top brand welder. Of course whichever brand of these you could get your hands on.. BAM!…instant series of videos.
Uh, the Lincoln electric is 25.94 per lb. You shouldn't have divided by 2 for a 1-lb spool. That makes the Lincoln Electric the priciest per lb. I use a Lincoln Electric Welder and Lincoln .035 flux-core wire. Nice video by the way. I had just ran out of wire and was thinking of trying a different brand. You stopped me. The Lincoln has always worked well for me. Thanks!
32 yr welder here and Lincoln sounds on point , by the way should have preheated the block fr the start as your first test was on cold steel and the last was preheated
I only use flux core. You do not need the gas shield for flux core. it is a conductive contact point. Lincoln wire is the only brand I have ever used. Been very happy with it for years. And yes it is a Lincoln welder.
Interesting and useful information. When I did personal testing of FC wire my results were different. I found the Innershield to be horrible. The most expensive stuff I tried was Napa Firepower wire which globbed up like a pregnant caterpillar no matter what I did. Ultimately my welding supply store recommended Washington Alloys FC wire which made a HUGE improvement and welds much better than those in your test. I consistently stack dimes with no BBs and clean up is a couple seconds with a wire brush. And it’s low cost. Worth checking out.
@Booger & Zeke’s Welding Emporium Interesting. I think a lot of it might have to do with the machine. I will be trying this same experiment in my Fronius and see how it stacks up. I know my Hobart 140 runs really well on the Lincoln wire so it will be interesting to see if this test is different. I will have to pick up some of that Washington Alloy wire and give it a try! Thank you for sharing!
@@BrandonLund yeah the machine is an important factor. Funny thing- I did all my testing on a Hobart 140. I don’t have that anymore and now I just a HF Titanium 125 for my flux core work. The Washington Alloys is still the best for me in that machine too. I look forward to your update. Thanks
Thanks for your time and expertise, I have all but given up on flux core welding, after watching your video has given me some hope that I should try the Lincoln wire also, trying alot of settings I was still having trouble with too fast, too hot, too much wire speed or too slow. So maybe it's just the wire. 🤔. Now what to do with 4 spools of wire that doesn't work for me.
Hey Gary I hear you. Some other issues if you run Lincoln and are still having problems. It could be you need to switch your polarity, you might need to set your drive roll tension or your liner could be dirty. Each of these will cause feeding problems. Here is a video showing those issues th-cam.com/video/2ns3HLXDZsE/w-d-xo.html
I recently bought a Harbour Freight Titanium 125 Flux Core welder (on sale for $179) through July 5th. Anyways their Vulcan Flux core wire is $13.95 on sale Reg $19.95 a spool. Saw the Lincoln wire at Home Depot for $13.95 ! But if you are a Veteran you get a 10% discount so for about $12.00 you can get the Lincoln Wire!
@bloop68 sweet deal. I'm very happy with the HF flux core welders. It's what started my interest in welding 30 years ago. That's a good price on the Lincoln wire. The only downfall is that the Lincoln wire only comes in a 1lb or a 10 lb. spool which works out to be around $24.00 for 2lbs. The HF wire didn't run too bad once I messed with it for a while but without the learning curve the Lincoln did better and it's worth the extra money (just my opinion because I know others have had good luck with the HF wire)
Another wire you could review in the future is called ESAB Sureweld from Northern Tool. All but one of those you've tested in this video I can buy locally. I've just purchased my unit from Grizzly, so am looking for wire for the future. Thank you for posting.
@@BrandonLund I think flux core is supposed to be DC I don't think it was ever supposed to be AC but a big transformer was cheaper without some caps and a bridge rectifier
I woulda liked to see this before I started welding 7 months ago! I laughed, you do the exact same prep that I taught myself to do, Movements and everything
Common misconception is that all flux core runs the same polarity. You have to verify what the label calls for. Not a big deal on a machine that lets you swap polarity.
@Travis Hanson Spot on. As a general rule, most gasless wires FCAW are run DCEN. GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding) and FCAW that use gas will usually be run DCEP but as you mentioned it will say within packaging.
I can confirm that Forney wire is pretty good, but I havent used them immediately side by side to see which one I like best, but it would for sure be right up there with Hobart and Lincoln.
It would be interesting to see how each of the wires run in either your Hobart or trans-something machines! I suspect the nicer the machine the better the crappy wire will run.
All the portable welders I've used through the years I've always ran Lincoln wire and got the best performance you could out of the welder it was in. I've tried other brand's and never had any good luck the Hobart is ok if your in a pinch and can't get your hands on any Lincoln wire when you ran out and need to run a couple more beads.
Unfair comparison because different electrode classifications.. GS wire is rated for single pass general purpose wire. T-11 wires are rated for general use but typically multi-pass applications from 5/16" to 3/4" thick steel (depending on brand) and according to AWS, rated for light structural per code. Also the GS designated wires, manufacturers can essentially use any flux mixture they like as long as it meets the lenient requirements. Again, T-11 wires are more strict on flux requirements. Don't get me wrong, I like flux core arc welding, but in my quest to get the best results I have gone down a rabbit hole learning all I can about it. I'd like to cite AWS D1.1 as my reference source. For the record, the Hobart and Lincoln wires are the only T-11 wires tested in this video. Not trying to sound like I'm hating man, just some constructive criticism. If I were as good as a film maker as you I'd love to share results from my own testing of various brands at various settings, including running off CC welders instead of typical CV.
You have good intentions, but its not for this audience. These are the wires that are available in stores across the country on any given weeknd for consumer use. Home Depot, Harbor Freight and Lowes aren't going to give you those options you mentioned that you will find at a welding supply store. If I were gearing this towards an advanced audience, I wouldn't be buying my wire at O'Rileys.
The welder I use is an old Lincoln weldpack that belongs to my father-in-law and I’ve only used the harbor freight .030 flux core wire with it. It can be set up for mig, but not sure if it works it’s old so I just always use the flux settings. Gonna build a small welding table soon and will try a new brand wire. Question, should I use .035 instead of .030 since the table will have 1/2 top and 1/4 in legs/frame? Or do you think .030 is fine for welding those thickness together?
.035 would be the better choice but if all I had was .030 and it were my table I would just use what I had and make multiple passes. 1/4" is just outside the single pass range of .030
Great head to head wire comparison!! Price comparison wise it would have been nice if it was possible to source them all from the same place, anything you buy at O'Reilly's you could probably get cheaper at TSC, and cheaper still at Lowe's, and even cheaper from HF. Lincoln, Hobart and Matheson are available from multiple sources but Vulcan is exclusive to HF and I don't think they offer any of the other brands, not sure about Vaper but I'm guessing it's an O'Reilly only deal and I don't know if they offer any of the other brands, so probably impossible to single source the wire unfortunately. Great comparison of the wire performance!! Glad you adjusted your settings to give each wire a fair chance. Some might complain it wasn't a true apples to apples comparison, but in the real world if your wires not running good you check and adjust your settings. Great job!
@@BrandonLund When the favorite comes in second you know it's an honest test!! You can probably get the Lincoln, Hobart, and Matheson from a welding supply website, but yeah, Lowe's and HD only carry Lincoln wire for their Lincoln welders, same with TSC and Running's with Hobart supplies. Cool to learn you're a Mainer, former Eastporter here.
I use GIG-WELD wire in my welder. The welder is identical to the one you have, but marketed under a different brand name. I do not set my wire speed higher than 4, & I get a good weld that way, with the weld current on max.
I've purchased a set of 0.30 & 0.35 YESWELDER Flux Core Mig Wire Mild Steel E71TGS when they were on sale, though not used yet. Just checked the 10lb spools and they're like ~$40-50. Wondering how performs compared to the Lincoln?
Thanks for sharing too! Most I read regarding, the Lincoln is the preferred wire, though seems to be a lot of favor with the Yes wire too. I have a Miller, so know the feeling. Invested in a restorable Century 125GL and loaded up the Yes wire and need to find the time to lay some dimes... or well not quite dimes.
@jafinch78 I've heard good things about that wire also but I've yet to try it. I will order some and get some results posted. Thanks man for the suggestion!
I have an old Miller, Millermatic 115 volt. I was having problems feeding and they (Miller Dealer) told me to use .030 wire. Have not tried other brands yet but will try the Lincoln wire.
@Charles Million Much of the feeding problems have a lot to do with the manufacturing process that Lincoln doesn't seem to have. Its a very reliable wire.
Useful review, thanks! I often end up welding galvanised steel, I have found that different galvanising works better with different wires 🤷🏻♂️ Worth trying an alternative wire if the regular wire is not working well.
not a good idea to weld galvanized steel without a full air mask that get fresh air from a distant soruce.. the outgassing from galvanized steel will form zinc oxide fumes that can be dangerous to your health
Do you try to "degalvinize", so to speak, at all to avoid fumes and bad welds? Im curious about common hardware types and welding them. Black oxide, zinc, galvanized, stainless, grade 5 and 8 and which is best for a diy'er
@Nate B I make a good effort to get metal to bright and shiny regardless of what it's coated with, with the exception if I'm outside throwing something together stick welding then I will not be so fussy with cleaning but as a general rule you should always get the metal to bright and shiny before welding and wear a 2091 or 2097 respirator at the very least when grinding and welding.
I use Lincoln and Vulcan, depending on tinkering project, or paying customer. there is 1 more wire I think about, but I have never tried it in a flux core, but love it best in solid wire for doing auto-body work, discovered it 5 or so years ago, accidentally picked 1 up, sent my wife to get, lol, and thats all I use now, for welding car bodies made by Washington Alloy. another I hear about is Blue Demon, but never tried any consumables, but I do have a MIG by them & love it!
I have heard both are good also. I have a Blue Demon welder and love it but I too have not tried their wire. I'm going to have to pick up a roll. Thanks for watching and sharing @Randy mack
@@BrandonLund thank you. I bought my Blue Demon welder as a joke, shop I worked at only had 110 power to building I worked in, so had to piece cars together, then take apart, take to big building with his 220v welder, to refit parts, and weld, I figured I would tack weld parts to hold in place, however joke was on me, that welder was so awesome, I used it for everything, and it has put on so many quarter panels, rockers, cab corners, floors, trunk pans, plus so much more. a honestly amazing welder to be made in China. I did do a few mods, 1 it needed a new liner in mig gun, but I ordered a custom MIG gun, and installed a bronze ground, the MIG gun has a better switch, & really helped it, & then I discovered the Washington Alloy. and prefer it to Lincoln, for auto-body work. mine is a 135M which is an older MIG welder, but I wouldnt trade it for anything, & I have Lincoln MIGs, but I will grab this for sheet metal every time
@Randy mack that's an awesome story! I kinda chuckled about it being a "joke" at first. I have their 120/240 stick welder and it probably has the nicest arc I've ever struck with a stick welder. There welders are definitely under marketed for what they are. I heard the Blue Demon wire is made in the same factory as Hobart but I can't confirm that. I'm really curious to try that Washington Alloy. Thanks again man!
@@BrandonLund I honestly want to either buy the multi-function, or the 140 MIG, by Blue Demon, to have a new machine, and use mine as a backup, I own 5 other MIGs, 2 are Lincoln 180's a 110V Blue Point, then 2 cheap ones. but for sheet metal I love my Blue Demon. my boss that I bought the Blue Demon because of, he has a Snap-On YA212, those do pretty good for sheet metal, but also suck for normal welding, although supposedly an internal switch to make it weld normally? but it uses stickout of wire to run lower temp for sheet metal, weird technology. but works for auto-body, but my boss insisted on .030 Lincoln for auto-body, which generally I prefer .023. but his did a great job, then I discovered my Blue Demon, generally I prefer 110V machines for auto-body, plus a trick, if wanting to lower amps, but want it say between #2, & #3. you can try using extension cords at the higher power level, a 15', 25', 40', and 50' can drop it, so that its no longer too hot on number 3, but hotter than normal #2, if your having issues, if you wish to play? use cheap 16 gauge cords. otherwise, 10 or 12 gauge cord 25' or less so you wont drop amps. lol. thats best way I found to add ranges to a welder for thin sheet metal. LOL. the Joke, I was browsing Marketplace for a cheap welder to tack parts with, saw this advertised by a guy I know, sold it to me for $100, with a 135CF tank of gas, and cart. he closed his muffler shop, but welder had been used exclusively for exhaust work since new. it did ok, so I spent money for new gun & the bronze ground. and me sending wife for MIG wire, .023, thats from LWS, and got that Washington Alloy, I figured I would try, and I prefer it to Lincoln, then my second choice is Lincoln. the only beads I welded with Washington Alloy in reinforced areas on autobody, the rest are tacking, if your familiar with installing sheet metal on cars? my Lincoln 180 Mig welders, both set up for flux core, 1 I keep Vulcan wire from Harbor Freight in all the time, for tinkering projects, or repairs that are not critical, then the other one I keep Lincoln wire in for anything important. I bought welders dirt cheap, 1 was new, 1 was almost new, person gave up trying to learn to weld. $400 for new, at pawn shop, the other used 1/2 of a 2lb spool, it was $450.
@Marty Hopper absolutely. If you have a Mig machine it's an excellent idea because it helps keep the gas passages clear of crud. I've run my Hobart without any at all and regretted it. I accidentally bumped the little compression ring that holds the nozzle on and it arced out against my workpiece and ruined it. That was a 25 dollar mistake. I think the flux nozzle for that machine is only $9
Thanks man I have the same welder and I’ve been playing with diff wire am running the tractor supply Wire now and have been wanting to go to Lincoln wire and that just made my choice lol thanks buddy
@@BrandonLund yes I ended up getting mine for like 109 with a torque wrench included some kinda deal they had going but out the door I paided 100 even for mine witch ain’t bad at all
The Lincoln wire is also the only one of that bunch that is rated for multiple passes. The others produce welds that are too brittle for multi-pass work.
I know that you were testing flux core wires but as a rule do you typically use flux core? I use Lincoln wire in my Miller and it burns so hot I have to turn down the settings. Do you have to do the same?
I use flux core quite regularly. I use it whenever it's windy conditions like outside or when I have fans running inside because I don't have to worry about the coverage gas being blown away and it's awesome for thicker metals because flux core burns hotter. I haven't noticed the solid lincoln wire needing less amperage but flux core in general does run hotter
There are many good flux core wires available for 4 to 5 dollars per pound. Blue Demon, YesWelder, PGN, WeldingCity etc. I'd like to see how that machine runs some of these cheaper wires.
I agree 👍. I'm going to be running some of these also real soon! I'm actually really wanting to try the YesWelder. They seems to be making a comeup and im real curious about their wire. I've "heard" the blue demon and the Hobart are the same wires rebranded...we are going to test that too real soon.
Brandon, Thanks for the comparison video. It would be interesting to know who makes the Tractor Supply wire and the O'Reilly wire. Also, FYI: your fume extractor wasn't doing much, if anything. Good thing you were using the respirator.
It wasn't doing anything LOL It's too loud to keep running when I'm doing the narration parts of the video so half the time I forget to turn it back on
@@frankschwartz7405 No, I do use gas. I was just saying that Vulcan brand works great for me when using it with the recommended gases. This is a fluxcore review, but the final product with the vulcan brand looks great with gas.
Ive found with the harbor fright welder is to not fallow the suggested settings on the wire feed it simply dose not have the heat to run at 7or 8 in my opinion it seems to run best on max and like 2 or 3 on wire speed
I know this is an older video but the Lincoln spool shown in this video is only 1lb vs the usual 2lbs the 4 inch spool comes in. That makes it the most expensive per pound if you're buying 4 inch spools so not really worth it unless you're buying the 10lb version. Also Eastwood is currently having an online sale on .035 2lb spools of flux core for $7 each AND they have a $15 off any order coupon. I weas able to buy 4, 2 inch spools (8lbs total) for $30 after tax, or $3.75/lb. I haven't personally tried Eastwood branded wire yet but from reviews I've seen online it seems to run about as good as the Lincoln or Hobart wires. The $15 off coupon ends September 21, 2023 so only a couple days left; and the sale doesn't have a date range so I'm assuming until they run out.
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Hey, I bought that welder at harbor freight too. I've been welding for over 20 years professionally. I'm 6G MIG certified, and worked for several companies such as CASE, and TRAILKING, etc. Now I bought my welder to use as a field repair unit for small jobs. I'm fairly happy with it because of the price and features. I HATED the harbor freight wire that it came with. The 030 harbor freight brand wire sucked I was getting the same thing as you did sticking and stubbing. I was pleasantly surprised when I ran across your video and saw you were trying different wires out! I like the way that Lincoln sounded the best and I hated the sounds that the harbor freight and the O'Reilly's and the matheson wire sounded the Hobart seemed okay but the Lincoln sounded the best. Like it was getting the best penetration. I know that the harbor freight wire seem to be a cold roll every time I used it even when I crank the heat up all the way and the speed down all the way. I was welding 3/16 material down to 18 gauge. I'm definitely going to try out the Lincoln wire from Lowe's I'm assuming home Depot would have it as well and Menards? Thank you so much for taking the time to research these because I'm out of wire now and I need to re-up my wire supply! I subscribed to your channel now just because I like to watch other welders work and get their tips as well. When we stop asking we stop learning. Great job on the video by the way
@Zach Grayson thanks man I appreciate your support! Yah that Lincoln wire is really good stuff. You can get it pretty much at any of the big box stores including online. I have got some other viewer suggested wires coming up again real soon but up to now the Lincoln is by far the best wire I have used.
You know I had the same problem cuz I had a spool of Harbor Freight inner shield wire sit outside for quite some time and I thought it was maybe just cuz it sat outside or something but no man that Harbor Freight wire ain't nothing good at all The spit or spatter splatten oh god it was a it's a horrible mess. Now the Harbor Freight Vulcan brand pretty darn good and I got that new titanium flux 125 that little some bitch is badass
It all comes down to wire speed and how hot you run your machine as it relates to your welding style and skill. Wire does vary but your settings and skill have a very big impact on your results. Find what works for you! Like many skills it comes down to practice and seeing what works. Great Video. Thanks for posting!
Thanks @imxploring you are correct but there is also manufacturer tolerances that impact how well the wire feeds and burns. Many aren't aware but solid core wire varies in diameter based on the manufacturer and flux core wire is rolled up like a piece of paper to contain the flux within. Flux core can be real problematic depending on how good the manufacturers tolerances are.
Good test. I first used the Lincoln flux core 0.035 inch wire in my Lincoln SP-100, no issues. Also have used the Lincoln flux core 0.030 inch wire which seems to give better penetration and no issues. Both give butter smooth welds. Was sold a lesser expensive wire and like you found, got stubbing till I ran it slower as well as a higher voltage. The resulting welds are rougher. This lesser expensive wire also throws off more slag and does not give the "frying bacon" sound.
@Evan Thompson I completely agree with you. Some viewers have given me a couple more suggestions on wires to try that they say are as good if not better than Lincoln so we will soon find out but until now the Lincoln is the best I've found so far
I bought a Titanium Flux 125 from Harbor Freight about 2 years ago and used the 1 pound spool that came with the welder on a project and also knowing I was going to blow through the wire I also bought 2 - 2lb spools off Amazon from Welding City out of Atlanta the same numbers E71T-GS for under 30 bucks shipped for both spools , liked it well enough I bought 2 more as back ups , they come vacuum sealed so storage doesn't degrade them as much as the shrink wrapped ones off the shelf at the box stores . Loved the video , always good to watch more welding videos . Thanks .
Thanks man I appreciate it! I'll have to look into that wire. Thank you for sharing!
Over the early summer I cut a 1973 jeep cj5 in half and stretched it 20" in the center of the frame to accommodate a cj6 Body. The stub section I put in to space it was a 3/16 rectangle tube I had acquired. Years ago in my late 20's I had already boxed in the frame with 1/8th plate using a old sears 220 buzz box arc welder. This time around I used a bare bones $145 Harbor freight 170 wire feed wired at 220v. I used Lincoln .030 flux from home depot on the req spacer to mate to the front and back half of the frame. I ran it at its hottest setting which was almost a bit too hot . After running out of Lincoln wire I couldn't find any at my two local HD stores so I ended up using a 2lb spool of vulcan .030 to continue the job and then attach the new suspension brackets. It ran great once the speed was dialed in. Around that time I mashed the crap out of my right hand and My Elderly neighbor offered to finish up the rest of the welding. He is a retired Boilermaker and he pretty much knocked it all out in a long day and that included him grinding out some of my lesser quality beads :) . He fiddled with the settings a tad and then went to town using the Vulcan wire . He ran the machine full tilt for quite a long period and it never went into the protect mode. Really made me nervous. But he's the professional. He seemed to like the wire so there's that I guess. I've since swapped back and forth using the Lincoln wire and the Vulcan wire when building my trailer. Once its dialed in on either brand they seem to be pretty comparable. I Enjoyed the video. Thank you for taking the time to make it for us!
@Deezildennis thanks man i appreciate it! You make a very good point. I think most wires will run pretty decent once you figure out what they like. As you know even subtle differences on torce angle and work distance can make a big difference once you have it dialed in. I think the noticable difference is when you just jump in without any prep from one wire to the next. The Lincoln just seemed to work better in my opinion without much learning curve. It sounds like you have great neighbor that is willing to lend a helping hand when you needed it. The workd needs more of that! Thanks again for sharing! 🙏
Thanks for performing the test, also agree after using a roll of Lincoln wire it was clearly the best !
Thanks man!
Thank you for doing this test. The Lincoln Intershield wire you tested is an E71T-11 wire, while all the others are E71T-GS. I don't know what (if any) difference that makes, but it would seem to make more sense to compare the Lincoln wire to the E71T-11 wire from different manufacturers. There also may be a difference between using an AC welder as opposed to a DC welder. I have been using Blue Demon E71T-11wire and it works fine for me in my Forney 140 FC-i. There are a lot of other choices of E71T-GS wire available as well - many for less than $5.00/lb (in a10 lb spool). I understand that some wires burn hotter than others which can be good or bad depending on the application.
@Rocket Stoves Rock the aws designations would be a whole other test in itself but for general purposes it's what a consumer would end up with for a product based on using these wires that are ready available to them if they ran out of wire and ran to a local store to grab more. I only included Matheson because its been the brand I've been using and it's readily available.
@@BrandonLund Valid response!
@@douglasgallardojr4759 thanks man 👍
The Hobart says right on the front that its E71T-11.
Hello, with what amperage does the e71t-11 0.030 cable weld well on thin sheet metal? Well, I have tried with 14 volts and 110 amps and it penetrates a lot without drilling
That was a fun video. I do want to mention something about respirators and filters. The filters must be kept in a plastic bag such as a sandwich bag. Squeeze all the air out, and make sure it’s sealed. The problem, and most people don’t think about this, is that the filters absorb gasses from the air, even if you’re not breathing through them. A new filter kept out in the shop becomes saturated, and does no filtering after about a month, or less, depending on what’s being done in the shop and the heat and humidity. I learned this a long time ago in my own chem lab. It’s also on the plastic (sealed!) bags the filters come in. I’m sure almost no one reads this. They should.
I was also thinking that 10-11 pound spools are always cheaper by the pound. I wish my welders took 33 pound spools because they much cheaper by the pound. I’ve thought of using my lathe as a spoiler, but it’s just too much bother. House brands are almost always cheap unknown brands, likely from China. Since there is no law preventing them from charging 400% more than they paid, we get the ridiculous $29.95 for a 2 pound spool of cheap junk from that car store.
Great point! I used to use a paint can back in the day.
And there never will be such a law under a capitalist state, as capitalists (business owners) are who such a state is representing.
Just for kicks i just ran down to my garage and grabbed my 3m Respirator with OV P100 cartridges that are probably 6 months old and first tried to see if i could smell some solvents. Acetone, lacquer thinner, and denatured alcohol filtered just fine. Next i tried smoke from a soldering iron and still smelled fine, filtration working. Keep in mind these cartridges are barely used and they have the particulate filter so it's not like they're getting much airflow sitting in a cabinet. I then remembered I had another respirator that must be 5 years old, so i dug that up and yeah... definitely didn't work anymore. i'm still a bit high from that big whiff of lacquer thinner i just got. ugh.
I appreciate you testing all the different types of wires.
I am currently using the
Harbor freight " Vulcan wire" and I am having great results with it. I run my wire speed at a little over 5 1/2 on my machine. This speed works great for me.
Thanks for all your hints and techniques that you show us.
We appreciate you!👍💯
Thank you very much! I appreciate your support @RHR77 and this just goes to show that some wires run a little better than others in different machines. When you run out of the Vulcan, you should try a small spool of the Lincoln. I've never heard anyone tell me they didn't like it :)
When I was making my welding tutorial videos I ran out on lincoln wire so I tried other brands and came to the same conclusion. Great video
It works awesome!
As an experienced welder, I found the same results years ago on the blue harbor freight welder. I also replaced the tip with Lincoln parts and did many adjustments to the unit. Still works very well.
@david wilson HAHAHAHA I think I owned that same unit! It would trip the thermal overload and shut off in middle of welding so not knowing any better I bypassed the overload. I beat the tar out of that thing and eventually I accidentally dropped it off a bridge pier into the ocean. That was the last I saw of it.
Awesome test , Lincoln welding has been around for over a 100 years , my little buzz box is 45 years old and still works like the day I got it , it cost 125.00 back then ,stay safe TANK
Thanks buddy I appreciate it! I knew Lincoln was good but I wasn't expecting it to outperform what I have been using so I'm glad I did this test :)
When I'm spending someone else's money I buy Miller. If I'm spending my money it's Lincoln. Lincoln machines last forever.
Since you have all the wire already, will you run the same test with your other welder?
@Rob H that's a great idea and yes I'm very curious how my other welders will run this wire so I will be running them through a transformer based Hobart and inverter based Fronius and possibly YesWelder
Exactly. Not only are wires different, welders run different too.
That's why I bought the 125 just to see what it could do compared to my Lincoln and Miller machines. I was amazed. Most of my bend specimens were welded with the 125.
I'm proud of you for recommending a respirator. Yes, it is important. Thanks for solving this problem for me. I'm using Vulcan wire and I thought I just suck at working with this, or the machine sucks, but it's highly likely that I need different wire.
Thanks man! Yes get yourself some Lincoln wire and it's going to feel like a totally different machine. You are going to love it! Thanks for your support bud! 🙏
I corrected the comment's grammar. I don't know how it got so distorted.
@@douglasgallardojr4759 oh trust me i do the same thing lol
Been mig welding for over 20 years. Just tried flux core wire for first time. Once I got the settings down I was really impressed. Thanks Brandon, great video. I'll be using the Lincoln wire.
Thats awesome Richard! Thanks for your support!
Thank you Brandon for all the work you put into this video, I’m so glad I’ve been using the Lincoln wire 👍
@Ruben Vargas I will be too after this lol
In my testing Lincoln was in the top 4. Victory and Inetub came out on too Lincoln tied for 3rd with Radnor.
The old saying is You get what you pay for. I used Vulcan once in my Lincoln Machine.
Nice to actually see and hear the difference. Thank you Sir
Thanks Patrick! I appreciate it!
Good video. I use the Lincoln flux core when i weld outdoors, or want portability, and find it works very well. Super smooth arc.
@Timmoth Martin I couldn't agree more! Thanks buddy!
Love to see an honest review with a surprise ending. Great Video
Thanks! @Mitch Smith! Appreciate it man!
Hey Brandon, I use the same Harbor freight welder and have very good luck with the HF wire. I turn the wire speed down to 5 or 6 depending on the metal I'm using, and I get a nice clean weld with low spatter.
Love your channel, its nice to see a fellow Mainer on TH-cam!
@Adam stairs Thanks man! The Vulcan wire didn't actually run that bad once I messed with it for a while I was able to get a decent bead but it took some playing with to get it right but when I ran each wire back to back without that learning curve the Lincoln and Hobart stood out. I lived on Lincoln St. In Randolph as a child and had neighbors with the last name Stairs...any relation?
@@BrandonLund I'm originally from Aroostook County, so most of my relatives are up there, but it's possible that they are related.
I live near Bangor now.
When you set up your HF welder did you change the polarity of the leads?
I left mine stock and I think the gun is actually ground.
It's possible. I grew up in Randolph then Gardiner and Auburn. This welder doesn't have any ability to switch polarity which I thought was odd because the stinger has holes for gas and it uses a gas nozzle
@@BrandonLund I'm in NH now but I grew up in the Portland/S. Portland area initially, then we moved up to Eastport, where I spent most of my childhood. Great to see other current and former Mainers here.
@yertel t I was just in NH last week for bike week. What a experience that was! It was my 1st time at that event.
Thanks, Brandon. I just bought 2 - 10 lb. spools of Hobart wire, 1 solid and 1 flux, at Running's while they were on sale. Glad to see I made a decent choice. I will, of course, use up the spools that came with the machine just because I'm frigging cheap. I - I mean frugal. Yeah, that's it, I'm frugal.
@Howard Grant I'm the same way...actually the more I played with the Vulcan wire the easier it was to run but I think that is true for most wires. But when you factor that out and just run them back to back the Lincoln and Hobart stood out as being better. I'm "frugal" too! 😏
Very interesting video
I have used Lincoln wire and Hobart wire. As well as a couple of off brands. With my Miller machine I find the Hobart to run the best. With Lincoln second. They both produce a fine weld and run smoother than others. My experience is the Hobart had less spatter less smoke and deslagged the easiest usual with just a wire brush. But it varies with different machine brands and wire brands. You always need to fine tune wire speed and voltage/amperage to the wire and materials thickness your welding.
@Eric Hill I'm curious how these wires will run in my Fronius. I really like the Hobart and Lincoln also. I'm quite surprised they beat out the wire I have been using for years but this is why I wanted to do this test. I will be doing more like it very soon and with other wire also. It should be interesting.
I bought a secondhand HF welder, the old blue one. It had run maybe 10 feet of wire from the starter spool and the guy warned me that it really sucked. And it did. I found two problems, both had the same cause.
It wouldn't feed well because the knurling in the drive wheel was full of greasy black crud. And it wouldn't hold an arc because the inside of the contact tip was also dirty. Cleaned and then looked at the wire. Wiped a few feet with a shop rag dampened with lighter fluid. Lotsa black on the rag. Put it back together and it worked just fine. Threw the HF wire and bought a spool of the Lincoln 211 and it's worked fine since. Great wire to demo your welder. The dirty wire shut it down.
Thats awesome! Good score!
I had the same problem using the Vulcan wire, I didn’t even finish welding what I was working on because of it, couldn’t turn the speed down low enough to get it to run right so it was a waist of $20, the Lincoln is definitely the way to go in that welder, I know from experience with it
My favorite by far!
Running the tractor supply with Forney Easy Weld 140 FC-i. So far pleased. Appreciate yuh testing these out n saving a guy time from experimenting.
Thanks man! I was going to tet that wire. I've used some Forney wire years ago and remember liking it.
I've been using that Hobart wire for a while now. I guess I'm gonna be getting the Lincoln wire next. Seems to have had the best performance all the way around. Thanks for the video and I'm now a subscriber
Awesome @Bill Shewmake I appreciate it! If you are going from the Hobart to the Lincoln wire you wont see a huge difference but you will see a differencve for sure. Thanks again man I appreciate the sub and comment!
@@BrandonLundI'm going to try it out at the least. I do like the Hobart wire. I absolutely hated the harbor freight wire
Thanks for doing this video! I am currently running the Vulcan wire and I have experienced the stubbing too. I figured it was due to something I was doing. I am able to weld with it but my results aren't very consistent. It seems like it runs better on really hot settings if I am welding thick stuff. I am going to pick up some lincoln wire. I have seen several showdowns and they all usually end up with the same winner - lincoln.
@Christopher Salisbury I knew the Lincoln wire worked good but inside I wanted to believe the wire I was currently using was the best (considering it was recommended by my LWS store) and I have been using it for years. You can pretty much manipulate any wire to work good after you run it for a while but when running them back to back without any learning curve, the Lincoln shined above the others. I love when I personally learn something and this surprised me.
Lincoln tied for third in my destructive testing. Harbor Freight came in last. The only flux core that didn't do better than the GMAW control.
Thank you for the video Brandon.. I bought my HBF Flux-125 over two months ago and set up a dedicated 20Amp outlet outside my Garage. Almost broke my Hip falling off a ladder drilling the hole and running the Line through the Attic Top Plate to the outside wall outlet I installed !
I bought everything I need to get going each payday and yesterday I was FINALLY READY to try my FIRST test welds !! YEEHAHHH.... When I tried to load the Lincoln .030 1LB wire coil the wire was difficult to feed through. Then... wait for it!! ... BZZZWHOOOP! the WIRE of the roll suddenly turned into a HUGE BIRD'S NEST! 🤣😲DAMN !!! I tried to re-wrap as much as I could and cut it off and tried AGAIN and... BZZZWHOOOOPPP..AGAIN... after four tries and several yards of wasted wire.. I gave up, put everything up and Later last night.. I tried again in my 'Mancave' ... just to get the wire to feed... Again and AGAIN..for OVER TWO HOURS.. at LEAST 10 Yards of WIRE on the floor. ONCE I got the wire to feed.. almost.. but it stopped before the wire came out... I'm Done ...
I used .030 Steel Safety wire every day working on Helicopters and NEVER expected this! The properties of this wire are totally different!
Do you or anyone have any clips that focus on the Loading/Feeding process or TIPS to keep this from happening ? Otherwise.. I'm selling my NEVER USED FLUX-CORE and getting a STICK WELDER... Which might have been the better choice for a newbie
@DaddyDawg Sorry to hear that man! Hang in there because after you do it a couple times it will be easier. Here is a video loading up aluminum wire but the same principals apply for all wire. If you to skip to the 9 minute mark I talk about setting the tension on the wire reel and the drive rolls. It sounds like you have one or both needing adjustment. Just know it still happens to me occasionally 😉 th-cam.com/video/nCMTbYJfOG8/w-d-xo.html
HALLELUJAH and PASS THE PEANUTS!!!! 🤠🤠😎AFTER watching YOUR DETAILED CLIP explaining setting up the TENSION.... and after using a Plastic Bag strip Heat Shrinked around the spool to stop the BIRDS NEST... I was able to FEED THE WIRE PROPERLY! WOW!! If I weren't heading to Jacksonville for the Jags Draft Party in about an hour I would be setting up and trying my FIRST WELD! I'll save that for TOMORROW and update you after! THANKS for THIS and ALL your Video clips!
Congratulations buddy and have fun at the party!
Brandon - Excellent video, especially for beginners. Great explanation of important basics. I did similar testing a couple years ago using a Hobart Handler 140 and now I use the HF Titanium 125 for FC. There is a huge difference in wire. What is interesting is that for me, the Lincoln wire ran really bad - it was the dirtiest and most spatter, and least consistent bead. I tried a couple of the wires you tested but also INE (German or Italian - can't remember), Blue Demon, Firepower (Napa brand - probably the worst of them all, but also THE most expensive). My welding supply store suggested Washington Alloys - which was by far the best for me - not even close. Great profile and the cleanest burn/least spatter of anything I tried. And it is reasonably priced. That is now the only brand I use for flux and MIG. Everybody has their own experience and favorite - just wanted to throw my 2 cents in here.
@Booger & Zeke’s Welding Emporium I've heard good things about Washington also but I havent tried it. Now that you mention the Hobart 140, you have me thinking. I was using the Lincoln with my 140 but then switched to Matheson and immediately liked it better. The Hobart is a DC transformer based machine and all my other welders are either inverter based or AC. You could be on to something...Maybe the DC transformer has something to do with the Lincon not working as good with the Hobart because I guess in hindsight that was my experience also when comparing the Lincoln to Mathesion using the Hobart 140.
@@BrandonLund ya know, you might be on to something. That Chicago Electric unit you used for this video is transformer isn’t it?
It is. It's an AC unit and the Hobart is DC
I am a beginner welder and the used welder came with the lincoln .030 you tested...I used about 3/4 of a 1lb spool and switched to INETUB BA71TGS .030-Inch on 2-Pound Spool Carbon Steel Gasless Flux Cored Welding Wire that I bought off amazon. My welds improved and the splatter was much less. I find that it generates more smoke though.
@BitsofBytes I have seen that wire too but have never tried it. I plan to pick some up and do some more testing. Thanks for sharing!
I’m back. Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy meeting another flux core fan. My Forney flux core welder I picked up at Home Depot for $179 welds ten times better than my Lincoln Mig which cost way more. And I’m not buying a tank of gas every time I turn around.
@Scotty Collins right on! It just goes to show that more money doesn't necessarily mean better quality.
You can reverse polarity and run flux in the Lincoln but need to run Lincoln wire in it to get any good results anything else burns like crap.
@@kmrjeep Yep. My beloved Forney finally bit the dust. The Lincoln is getting the job done as a flux core welder. Much better than as a MIG welder.
I would have to agree with your assessment Brandon. I have a Lincoln 135 SP. I have tried a few different wires and I always come back to Lincoln wire.
@Earl Cavenaugh and its not a bad price either!
Never thought about this making a difference
Thx
You welcome!
I’ve been a cert welder for 40+ years , that’s all the company’s I worked for bought was Lincoln and Hobart welding rod and wire.
@clay tammaro It's good stuff!
I've got one of them same machines, use nothing but the Lincoln wire in it. Also got it a better ground clamp and put in a bridge rectifier so it runs dc on proper polarity rather than the stock ac output. Before the mods Lincoln was the best for me as well.
@Dylan great tip on the rectifier!
Thank you. Here's a link to the one I used, if anyone wants to know. Plenty of how to on TH-cam, lots go farther than just the rectifier, but it's fine without the capacitor and bleed resisters. Maybe convert yours and make a how to.
www.ebay.com/itm/254419124129?_trkparms=aid%3D1110018%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.COMPLISTINGS%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20200224111413%26meid%3D0987a8177ffa45e9a1a3cf591b6165e6%26pid%3D100520%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D252732635077%26itm%3D254419124129%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2332490%26algv%3DItemStripV101HighAdFee&_trksid=p2332490.c100520.m4113&amdata=cksum%3A2544191241290987a8177ffa45e9a1a3cf591b6165e6%7Cenc%3AAQAGAAAB8NsdNWaMT37v3gZh4gHUqeV5R9NPBd9gWEm18GvyA%252Bcd%252B6ZGTTdxYqHPpf439GtMhFhnfuV0Y6Wigu8WDWxG45CIAD7dLunbSApDOZ9GyKkOSaYW%252FRljSRpZipf24%252FrRQLh15zvMmEAfpm28CMhcQMoCbgEtpN4nN5NogmMYqB7jMarCtvvVJLVxmxdyBOjHr9t6aIdbpeSjkO2gGrAyBExhK1NsaEDlGD8KYa6ne4wx5mfJtJSey1J0nJZi8irR7A2cuz%252BP9FiITxsSTEJegXctKIpyWc5dVb%252FYQuz40goTfejW%252Fq2NvfP1jdNf0Aydzojy4Jq19EGxwcYCkMkq1Kd1DtUFNNcpeXCkXtWvqMU9yXO5NENaezhqFCl%252FQSz8KQ%252FeQWOda%252BLJgVgP2ByWunfubRSUZOtfWr2x8tpvRspbFSwbxeNxIQ2RUb8wiYxNvUsRBEzFPF0BGVG%252FBOB9cP3ww83U08O8CAtpiPcyBfNY%252BBS%252FDHQC9YgSmu2oFqQ5HpPLWkfrU%252FwbPhDNhVDWfrNpF0aV2zzP7K7VoV%252FmBenSKonvW%252FUa3F9dhwU5CykVlMQ%252FOrlpPCw8%252FTFGjYi367CJxC9mfkHgXgnqezFo%252BUIK0s0pk2X1gKitA4%252Bt%252Fvjlqwj0qh%252BvWdl3CXIjs%252B40IKA%253D%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A2332490&epid=2082860419
@Dylan thanks for sharing!
I picked up the Harbor freight (Chicago Electric) Mig (220v) and also the Flux core 125. The guy sold me both for $40. He showed me the flux core one worked and the mig wouldn't feed well. Turns out the Mig had old rusty wire on it (just reeled off a bunch and it works fine). I bought .035 wire and tips for the Flux core and its doing decent but still seems like I am doing something wrong at times. But I am learning.
I couldn't pass these up for the money. While I want a better machine I think these two will get me by a while. Now seeing this video I think I may buy the Lincoln wire for both. Thanks for the videos. I love learning new stuff.
@ADV Jason you scored big time! Congratulations man! This Friday's episode I'm actually using a HF welder building an outdoor fire pit 😁
@@BrandonLund That's awesome. I have a big cast iron caldron (32 inch dia) I use for a firepit I used the flux machine to build a grill top thing I can use on top of it so I can cook on it. It was my first project. Just need to finish collecting some more metal and finish the cooking surface. I find it pretty fun to build stuff and Learn so this is right up my alley.
Right on brother! Nice!
Thanks for this -- I am new to flux core welding and need all the help I can get, haha! I'm using the HF Titanium 125, so I think I'll pick up some of that Lincoln Electric wire.
@L35 in Colorado you will love it. It runs really nice in the HF machines
I got rid of the Vulcan after using it for the first few times. Another awesome video 👍🏻... Thank you.
@Michael Anthony Crum it didn't run bad after o messed with it for a while but it didn't run as good as some of the others.
@@BrandonLund yeah this video really showed it. You make some good informative videos. Great job. I'm new to your channel. Been following for a couple weeks and glad I found it. Definitely be waiting for the next one 👍🏻
Thanks Michael I appreciate it and I'm glad you found the channel! I appreciate your support 👍🙏
I really appreciate the video! I have been learning how to weld with the same machine and the Vulcan wire is all I have tried on it. It definitely does not work the greatest unless you keep the speed slow. I'm definitely going to try the Lincoln wire
Glad I could help. You will see a huge difference in how smooth it lays in
@@BrandonLund thanks bud I appreciate it!
I normally use Forney e71 and ran out on a job for a friend and we ran out to lowe’s and bought flux core lincoln wire. I was really impressed with how it laid down.
@david Perez did you like the Lincoln better? I've run Forney many years ago and it's been too long to remember how closely they compare.
@@BrandonLund The lincoln laid down a lot nicer but I don’t recall if I changed the settings after putting in the lincoln spool.
Thanks David 👍
great video... I use that Lincoln wire and it works better for me.. the harbor freight wires and rods have always ran with difficulties. Hobart wire works fine in my machines as well...
I agree 100%!
I have the inverter welder from Harbor Freight and used the Lincoln wire for the most part but found the Hobart wire actually ran the best. I also switched to the .35 instead of the .30.
I like hobart wire also
Great Job, thanks. New to welding. Just a thought. If you are running different wire feed speeds for different wire, wouldn't a better cost comparison be the cost per inch of weld.
Thats an awesome suggestion but that alone could most likely be a whole new video. If the wire is inferior than it's going to ultimately cost more than just the actual cost of the wire.
GREAT video, thanks for taking the time to share!
My pleasure!
Good video Menards has the best wire that I found so far for flux core and solid wire Menards
We dont have a Menards near me but i plan to do this with even more wires so I will be sure to order some. Thanks Bob!
It would be great to see the same test in different brands of welder. Perhaps at least Miller, Lincoln, Hobart, and Vulcan since it’s HF’s top brand welder. Of course whichever brand of these you could get your hands on.. BAM!…instant series of videos.
Great suggestion! Thank you!
Uh, the Lincoln electric is 25.94 per lb. You shouldn't have divided by 2 for a 1-lb spool. That makes the Lincoln Electric the priciest per lb.
I use a Lincoln Electric Welder and Lincoln .035 flux-core wire.
Nice video by the way. I had just ran out of wire and was thinking of trying a different brand. You stopped me. The Lincoln has always worked well for me. Thanks!
It's good stuff for sure regardless of the cost.
32 yr welder here and Lincoln sounds on point , by the way should have preheated the block fr the start as your first test was on cold steel and the last was preheated
Lots of moisture in a block of steel , should of least sweated it first
@,Tror Macmillan I let it cool in between each test.
I run Hobart Lincoln and Forney .
Forney is my go to.
@Gene Johnson I've run Forney but it has been a long time. I remember I liked it. I might have to pick up a roll and run some :)
I only use flux core. You do not need the gas shield for flux core. it is a conductive contact point. Lincoln wire is the only brand I have ever used. Been very happy with it for years. And yes it is a Lincoln welder.
@Bubba Pate I use flux core a lot also. It's good stuff!
Interesting and useful information. When I did personal testing of FC wire my results were different. I found the Innershield to be horrible. The most expensive stuff I tried was Napa Firepower wire which globbed up like a pregnant caterpillar no matter what I did. Ultimately my welding supply store recommended Washington Alloys FC wire which made a HUGE improvement and welds much better than those in your test. I consistently stack dimes with no BBs and clean up is a couple seconds with a wire brush. And it’s low cost. Worth checking out.
@Booger & Zeke’s Welding Emporium Interesting. I think a lot of it might have to do with the machine. I will be trying this same experiment in my Fronius and see how it stacks up. I know my Hobart 140 runs really well on the Lincoln wire so it will be interesting to see if this test is different. I will have to pick up some of that Washington Alloy wire and give it a try! Thank you for sharing!
@@BrandonLund yeah the machine is an important factor. Funny thing- I did all my testing on a Hobart 140. I don’t have that anymore and now I just a HF Titanium 125 for my flux core work. The Washington Alloys is still the best for me in that machine too. I look forward to your update. Thanks
Don't stack dimes with flux core.
Thanks for your time and expertise, I have all but given up on flux core welding, after watching your video has given me some hope that I should try the Lincoln wire also, trying alot of settings I was still having trouble with too fast, too hot, too much wire speed or too slow. So maybe it's just the wire. 🤔. Now what to do with 4 spools of wire that doesn't work for me.
Hey Gary I hear you. Some other issues if you run Lincoln and are still having problems. It could be you need to switch your polarity, you might need to set your drive roll tension or your liner could be dirty. Each of these will cause feeding problems. Here is a video showing those issues th-cam.com/video/2ns3HLXDZsE/w-d-xo.html
I recently bought a Harbour Freight Titanium 125 Flux Core welder (on sale for $179) through July 5th. Anyways their Vulcan Flux core wire is $13.95 on sale Reg $19.95 a spool. Saw the Lincoln wire at Home Depot for $13.95 ! But if you are a Veteran you get a 10% discount so for about $12.00 you can get the Lincoln Wire!
@bloop68 sweet deal. I'm very happy with the HF flux core welders. It's what started my interest in welding 30 years ago. That's a good price on the Lincoln wire. The only downfall is that the Lincoln wire only comes in a 1lb or a 10 lb. spool which works out to be around $24.00 for 2lbs. The HF wire didn't run too bad once I messed with it for a while but without the learning curve the Lincoln did better and it's worth the extra money (just my opinion because I know others have had good luck with the HF wire)
Try removing the label completely glue and all. So there is a nice smooth plastic surface. That sticky torn label can cause an inconsistent drag.
Great point @Larry Loper
Matheson is one of my favorite wires as well as Lincoln and Hobart @Brandon Lund
Another wire you could review in the future is called ESAB Sureweld from Northern Tool. All but one of those you've tested in this video I can buy locally. I've just purchased my unit from Grizzly, so am looking for wire for the future. Thank you for posting.
@basement_sawyer that's a great suggestion! 👍 thank you. I will have to pick up a roll and test it out 😀
a little tip for using HF wire welder is to lube the shaft where the wire spool slips over it.
@J D good tip!
In my testing the Hobart broke about the same point as my mig control just slightly better than the Harbor freight.
I'm glad I got a deal on an inverter based flux core welder that has adjustable voltage as well as the feed and mine is DC not AC
A lot of people aren't a fan of the AC machines. Although I like DC better, I kinda like mixing it up now and then :)
@@BrandonLund I think flux core is supposed to be DC I don't think it was ever supposed to be AC but a big transformer was cheaper without some caps and a bridge rectifier
I woulda liked to see this before I started welding 7 months ago! I laughed, you do the exact same prep that I taught myself to do, Movements and everything
🤣🤣🤣 right on man! I guess we must be doing something right 😁
Common misconception is that all flux core runs the same polarity. You have to verify what the label calls for. Not a big deal on a machine that lets you swap polarity.
@Travis Hanson Spot on. As a general rule, most gasless wires FCAW are run DCEN. GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding) and FCAW that use gas will usually be run DCEP but as you mentioned it will say within packaging.
Good choice my friend. Innershield
Thanks! 🙏
I just watch a welding wire shoot out on another channel and the Forney wire reigned supreme
I can confirm that Forney wire is pretty good, but I havent used them immediately side by side to see which one I like best, but it would for sure be right up there with Hobart and Lincoln.
It would be interesting to see how each of the wires run in either your Hobart or trans-something machines! I suspect the nicer the machine the better the crappy wire will run.
Thats a great idea Christopher! Thanks! I agree with you I'm very curious too!
You're the 2nd TH-camr I've seen that prefers the Lincoln InnerShield.
I wasn't up until I made this video. I actually thought the Matheson wire worked best but this test changed my mind. Now it's all I run
Thanks for sharing with us Brandon, great information. Have a great weekend, stay safe. Fred. 🙏🏻🙏🏻👍👍👏🏻👏🏻👋👋
Thanks Fred! I appreciate it! Have a great 4th! 🎆🎇🧨
It would be interesting to see that same test with the Fronius machine.
We might just have to try that out!
All the portable welders I've used through the years I've always ran Lincoln wire and got the best performance you could out of the welder it was in. I've tried other brand's and never had any good luck the Hobart is ok if your in a pinch and can't get your hands on any Lincoln wire when you ran out and need to run a couple more beads.
I agree 100% @kmrjeep It's good stuff
Unfair comparison because different electrode classifications.. GS wire is rated for single pass general purpose wire. T-11 wires are rated for general use but typically multi-pass applications from 5/16" to 3/4" thick steel (depending on brand) and according to AWS, rated for light structural per code. Also the GS designated wires, manufacturers can essentially use any flux mixture they like as long as it meets the lenient requirements. Again, T-11 wires are more strict on flux requirements. Don't get me wrong, I like flux core arc welding, but in my quest to get the best results I have gone down a rabbit hole learning all I can about it. I'd like to cite AWS D1.1 as my reference source. For the record, the Hobart and Lincoln wires are the only T-11 wires tested in this video. Not trying to sound like I'm hating man, just some constructive criticism. If I were as good as a film maker as you I'd love to share results from my own testing of various brands at various settings, including running off CC welders instead of typical CV.
You have good intentions, but its not for this audience. These are the wires that are available in stores across the country on any given weeknd for consumer use. Home Depot, Harbor Freight and Lowes aren't going to give you those options you mentioned that you will find at a welding supply store. If I were gearing this towards an advanced audience, I wouldn't be buying my wire at O'Rileys.
The welder I use is an old Lincoln weldpack that belongs to my father-in-law and I’ve only used the harbor freight .030 flux core wire with it. It can be set up for mig, but not sure if it works it’s old so I just always use the flux settings. Gonna build a small welding table soon and will try a new brand wire. Question, should I use .035 instead of .030 since the table will have 1/2 top and 1/4 in legs/frame? Or do you think .030 is fine for welding those thickness together?
.035 would be the better choice but if all I had was .030 and it were my table I would just use what I had and make multiple passes. 1/4" is just outside the single pass range of .030
Great head to head wire comparison!! Price comparison wise it would have been nice if it was possible to source them all from the same place, anything you buy at O'Reilly's you could probably get cheaper at TSC, and cheaper still at Lowe's, and even cheaper from HF. Lincoln, Hobart and Matheson are available from multiple sources but Vulcan is exclusive to HF and I don't think they offer any of the other brands, not sure about Vaper but I'm guessing it's an O'Reilly only deal and I don't know if they offer any of the other brands, so probably impossible to single source the wire unfortunately. Great comparison of the wire performance!! Glad you adjusted your settings to give each wire a fair chance. Some might complain it wasn't a true apples to apples comparison, but in the real world if your wires not running good you check and adjust your settings. Great job!
@yertel t thanks! Most places I went to pretty much only carried one brand. I really wanted my Matheson to win too but the test showed me otherwise
@@BrandonLund When the favorite comes in second you know it's an honest test!! You can probably get the Lincoln, Hobart, and Matheson from a welding supply website, but yeah, Lowe's and HD only carry Lincoln wire for their Lincoln welders, same with TSC and Running's with Hobart supplies. Cool to learn you're a Mainer, former Eastporter here.
It's always nice when viewers are from my home state! Thanks!
Thank you brother ❤
You bet!
I use GIG-WELD wire in my welder. The welder is identical to the one you have, but marketed under a different brand name. I do not set my wire speed higher than 4, & I get a good weld that way, with the weld current on max.
Right on Christopher. I will have to try some
I've purchased a set of 0.30 & 0.35 YESWELDER Flux Core Mig Wire Mild Steel E71TGS when they were on sale, though not used yet. Just checked the 10lb spools and they're like ~$40-50. Wondering how performs compared to the Lincoln?
Thanks for sharing too! Most I read regarding, the Lincoln is the preferred wire, though seems to be a lot of favor with the Yes wire too. I have a Miller, so know the feeling. Invested in a restorable Century 125GL and loaded up the Yes wire and need to find the time to lay some dimes... or well not quite dimes.
@jafinch78 I've heard good things about that wire also but I've yet to try it. I will order some and get some results posted. Thanks man for the suggestion!
The Lincoln is also a multi pass wire. I like it!
Same 👌
I have an old Miller, Millermatic 115 volt. I was having problems feeding and they (Miller Dealer) told me to use .030 wire. Have not tried other brands yet but will try the Lincoln wire.
@Charles Million Much of the feeding problems have a lot to do with the manufacturing process that Lincoln doesn't seem to have. Its a very reliable wire.
Useful review, thanks!
I often end up welding galvanised steel, I have found that different galvanising works better with different wires 🤷🏻♂️ Worth trying an alternative wire if the regular wire is not working well.
@Td Wernham Great point! Thanks man!
not a good idea to weld galvanized steel without a full air mask that get fresh air from a distant soruce.. the outgassing from galvanized steel will form zinc oxide fumes that can be dangerous to your health
@@randellgribben9772 Absolutely correct, you need to be careful welding galvanised material, the fumes are very bad for you (potentially fatal).
Do you try to "degalvinize", so to speak, at all to avoid fumes and bad welds?
Im curious about common hardware types and welding them.
Black oxide, zinc, galvanized, stainless, grade 5 and 8 and which is best for a diy'er
@Nate B I make a good effort to get metal to bright and shiny regardless of what it's coated with, with the exception if I'm outside throwing something together stick welding then I will not be so fussy with cleaning but as a general rule you should always get the metal to bright and shiny before welding and wear a 2091 or 2097 respirator at the very least when grinding and welding.
What heat were you running min or max?
@SubieFan20 I think i was on Max
I use Lincoln and Vulcan, depending on tinkering project, or paying customer.
there is 1 more wire I think about, but I have never tried it in a flux core, but love it best in solid wire for doing auto-body work, discovered it 5 or so years ago, accidentally picked 1 up, sent my wife to get, lol, and thats all I use now, for welding car bodies made by Washington Alloy.
another I hear about is Blue Demon, but never tried any consumables, but I do have a MIG by them & love it!
I have heard both are good also. I have a Blue Demon welder and love it but I too have not tried their wire. I'm going to have to pick up a roll. Thanks for watching and sharing @Randy mack
@@BrandonLund thank you.
I bought my Blue Demon welder as a joke, shop I worked at only had 110 power to building I worked in, so had to piece cars together, then take apart, take to big building with his 220v welder, to refit parts, and weld, I figured I would tack weld parts to hold in place, however joke was on me, that welder was so awesome, I used it for everything, and it has put on so many quarter panels, rockers, cab corners, floors, trunk pans, plus so much more. a honestly amazing welder to be made in China.
I did do a few mods, 1 it needed a new liner in mig gun, but I ordered a custom MIG gun, and installed a bronze ground, the MIG gun has a better switch, & really helped it, & then I discovered the Washington Alloy. and prefer it to Lincoln, for auto-body work. mine is a 135M which is an older MIG welder, but I wouldnt trade it for anything, & I have Lincoln MIGs, but I will grab this for sheet metal every time
@Randy mack that's an awesome story! I kinda chuckled about it being a "joke" at first. I have their 120/240 stick welder and it probably has the nicest arc I've ever struck with a stick welder. There welders are definitely under marketed for what they are. I heard the Blue Demon wire is made in the same factory as Hobart but I can't confirm that. I'm really curious to try that Washington Alloy. Thanks again man!
@@BrandonLund I honestly want to either buy the multi-function, or the 140 MIG, by Blue Demon, to have a new machine, and use mine as a backup, I own 5 other MIGs, 2 are Lincoln 180's a 110V Blue Point, then 2 cheap ones. but for sheet metal I love my Blue Demon.
my boss that I bought the Blue Demon because of, he has a Snap-On YA212, those do pretty good for sheet metal, but also suck for normal welding, although supposedly an internal switch to make it weld normally? but it uses stickout of wire to run lower temp for sheet metal, weird technology. but works for auto-body, but my boss insisted on .030 Lincoln for auto-body, which generally I prefer .023. but his did a great job, then I discovered my Blue Demon, generally I prefer 110V machines for auto-body, plus a trick, if wanting to lower amps, but want it say between #2, & #3. you can try using extension cords at the higher power level, a 15', 25', 40', and 50' can drop it, so that its no longer too hot on number 3, but hotter than normal #2, if your having issues, if you wish to play? use cheap 16 gauge cords. otherwise, 10 or 12 gauge cord 25' or less so you wont drop amps. lol. thats best way I found to add ranges to a welder for thin sheet metal. LOL.
the Joke, I was browsing Marketplace for a cheap welder to tack parts with, saw this advertised by a guy I know, sold it to me for $100, with a 135CF tank of gas, and cart. he closed his muffler shop, but welder had been used exclusively for exhaust work since new. it did ok, so I spent money for new gun & the bronze ground. and me sending wife for MIG wire, .023, thats from LWS, and got that Washington Alloy, I figured I would try, and I prefer it to Lincoln, then my second choice is Lincoln. the only beads I welded with Washington Alloy in reinforced areas on autobody, the rest are tacking, if your familiar with installing sheet metal on cars?
my Lincoln 180 Mig welders, both set up for flux core, 1 I keep Vulcan wire from Harbor Freight in all the time, for tinkering projects, or repairs that are not critical, then the other one I keep Lincoln wire in for anything important. I bought welders dirt cheap, 1 was new, 1 was almost new, person gave up trying to learn to weld. $400 for new, at pawn shop, the other used 1/2 of a 2lb spool, it was $450.
can you send me a link on that lincoln wire
Thanks. I need all the help I can get. No time to waste on crap wire.
You bet! Lincoln is good stuff. The Hobart is also good. @Micah West
Good info. What are you thoughts on using flux core nozzle for flux core? Thank you.
@Marty Hopper absolutely. If you have a Mig machine it's an excellent idea because it helps keep the gas passages clear of crud. I've run my Hobart without any at all and regretted it. I accidentally bumped the little compression ring that holds the nozzle on and it arced out against my workpiece and ruined it. That was a 25 dollar mistake. I think the flux nozzle for that machine is only $9
Could you do a similar test like this with regular solid MiG wire?
For sure. I think that's a great idea! I appreciate the suggestion. 👍
Thanks man I have the same welder and I’ve been playing with diff wire am running the tractor supply Wire now and have been wanting to go to Lincoln wire and that just made my choice lol thanks buddy
Glad I could help! It's a great welder especially for the price!
@@BrandonLund yes I ended up getting mine for like 109 with a torque wrench included some kinda deal they had going but out the door I paided 100 even for mine witch ain’t bad at all
@Chris thats a awesome deal! FYI this Friday's episode I'm using this welder also 😁
@@BrandonLund great I’ll tune in to see the show 😁
It's nice to see that O'Reillys welding wire has the same quality as their autoparts. Can't get that kind of consistency anywhere else.
🤣🤣🤣
Do you have the video how to change wire
I don't have a specific one for just that but I do it quite frequently in the beginner welding series playlist.
The Lincoln wire is also the only one of that bunch that is rated for multiple passes. The others produce welds that are too brittle for multi-pass work.
That’s what I run it welds amazing !
@daniel becerra it sure does!
I know that you were testing flux core wires but as a rule do you typically use flux core? I use Lincoln wire in my Miller and it burns so hot I have to turn down the settings. Do you have to do the same?
I use flux core quite regularly. I use it whenever it's windy conditions like outside or when I have fans running inside because I don't have to worry about the coverage gas being blown away and it's awesome for thicker metals because flux core burns hotter. I haven't noticed the solid lincoln wire needing less amperage but flux core in general does run hotter
There are many good flux core wires available for 4 to 5 dollars per pound. Blue Demon, YesWelder, PGN, WeldingCity etc. I'd like to see how that machine runs some of these cheaper wires.
I agree 👍. I'm going to be running some of these also real soon! I'm actually really wanting to try the YesWelder. They seems to be making a comeup and im real curious about their wire. I've "heard" the blue demon and the Hobart are the same wires rebranded...we are going to test that too real soon.
@@BrandonLund Looking forward to it and keep up the good videos brother!
Thanks man!
Brandon, Thanks for the comparison video. It would be interesting to know who makes the Tractor Supply wire and the O'Reilly wire. Also, FYI: your fume extractor wasn't doing much, if anything. Good thing you were using the respirator.
It wasn't doing anything LOL It's too loud to keep running when I'm doing the narration parts of the video so half the time I forget to turn it back on
Nice job Brandon. From my experience, Lincoln wire first, then Hobart wire…
For Dual Shield I use ESAB DualShield 7100 Ultra wire in 0.35”
I like Hobart as well! I haven't tried the ESAB yet but I'm curios. Thank you! 👍
I use Vulcan solid core wire, works great for all projects for the home hobbyist and artist.
@Just for fun I will have to grab some and try it!
You're using solid core wire without gas?
@@frankschwartz7405 No, I do use gas. I was just saying that Vulcan brand works great for me when using it with the recommended gases. This is a fluxcore review, but the final product with the vulcan brand looks great with gas.
For the harbor fright wire turn your wire speed down to 3 1/2 works great
I'll have to mess with it some more. I know some have had decent luck. I just havent compared to the others.
Flux core and dual Shield flux core makes some of the nicest looking beads if you get it all right
They sure are!
Ive found with the harbor fright welder is to not fallow the suggested settings on the wire feed it simply dose not have the heat to run at 7or 8 in my opinion it seems to run best on max and like 2 or 3 on wire speed
Great point Jacob's! I'm going to be doing some more testing on this welder but what your saying makes sense and that's what I was experiencing also.
I have a .035" 0.9mm Lincoln innersheild 1 lb that I bought for $30
I really like the Lincoln wire! @Darren Chee but that price seems a bit steep.
I know this is an older video but the Lincoln spool shown in this video is only 1lb vs the usual 2lbs the 4 inch spool comes in. That makes it the most expensive per pound if you're buying 4 inch spools so not really worth it unless you're buying the 10lb version. Also Eastwood is currently having an online sale on .035 2lb spools of flux core for $7 each AND they have a $15 off any order coupon. I weas able to buy 4, 2 inch spools (8lbs total) for $30 after tax, or $3.75/lb. I haven't personally tried Eastwood branded wire yet but from reviews I've seen online it seems to run about as good as the Lincoln or Hobart wires. The $15 off coupon ends September 21, 2023 so only a couple days left; and the sale doesn't have a date range so I'm assuming until they run out.
1 roll of Flux Core Wire can be used for how many meters of welding?
It all depends on material thickness and amperage. Too many variables