Millermatic 252 for FCAW

erikmannie

erikmannie

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Out of nowhere one of my coworkers asked to buy one of my eBikes, & it is just enough money to buy a Millermatic 252 that I will use for FCAW.

I have had a Millermatic 252 for about 3 years that is set up for MIG. I have always used .035” wire & C25 shielding gas. It is a nice machine to weld with.

I could switch out the rollers & wire to run .035” flux core on the Millermatic 252 that I have now, but I like to have my machines ready to plug in and go.

I have only run about 6” of flux core bead in my entire life & I have always wanted to get into it. I don’t know if I will use .035” or .045”, but I am leaning toward .045” because that is a really common size.

Anybody here ever do any FCAW?

Miller ships these machines set up for .035” wire diameter with rollers for MIG wire. I will have to buy FCAW rollers & put those in. If I want to run .045”, I am pretty sure that I will need to put in the correct sized liner for that.
 
Is it really that much work to switch it from one to the other? Seems like the money would be better spent on another tool or paying down the lathe.

Sorry, I know this adds nothing to your question, just seems like having two of the same machine in a hobby shop would be kinda redundant. I can see it if you needed both processes one after the other but the way you describe it you would just have both handy in case you wanted to do one or the other.

john
 
I'm with John, I wouldn't spend the money on a machine that is identical to one I already own.
Perhaps if I had a production shop where machines dedicated to a specific process would save time/make money then I'd do it.
Seems like the money is better used elsewhere.
 
I will buy some .035” flux core rollers and wire to find out how much time and trouble it is to make the switch.

I will also find out if one needs a different sized liner for differently sized wires.

The one time that I did run a flux core bead was when I was taking a MIG class. The instructor was kind enough to bring a roll of flux core from his house. He put the wire in for us so that we could try FCAW. I do not recall him switching out the rollers,

As I understand it, it is a terrible idea to feed the flux core wire using the rollers for the solid core wire.

I am more concerned about space in the shop than money. One of the bikes being taken away opens up a little room, and you know how people have a way of filling the space that they have.
 
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I took my MIG class in 2019, when PG&E was doing all the safety shut downs so we missed several class sessions. FCAW was on the syllabus, but ended up a casualty of the lost sessions. Like you learning something new is of almost as much interest as the ability to make stuff, so I asked the instructor about FCAW. His opinion was that there wasn't much use to it outside of those specific uses where it is needed, basically some industrial use and some very specific home uses where gas is impractical.

I agree with the others that I'd start with getting the rollers for your machine to use the .035 and .045 FCAW wire, and play with it before investing in another machine. If you do decide you want to leave one set up, I'd consider something like the little Titanium FCAW welder from Harbor Freight. Not so much to be cheap ($199), but it only weighs 15lbs, and can be used from a shoulder strap so would actually provide some new utility for you, in being a very portable welder.

Titanium EZ Flux

The 252 is a great welder, that is what I used in my MIG class, I just don't see you using FCAW enough to justify the cost and space of a second $3000 machine.
 
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FOMOGO said:
Reverse polarity for flux-core. Have to agree with the others on need for two of the same machine for a seldom used process. Mike
Click to expand...

I need to review polarities for GMAW and FCAW. As I recall, my Millermatic 252 came set to DCEP; this is because most buyers use these machines for GMAW.
 
Here are the .035” (knurled) rollers for the flux core wire.

store.cyberweld.com

Miller Drive Roll Kit - .035 VK Groove 2 Roll 079606

Miller® Drive Roll Kit - .035 VK Groove 2 Roll 079606Genuine Miller® .035 VK-Groove 2 roll drive roll kit for your Miller MIG welder or wire feeder that utilizes a two roll wire drive system. VK-Groove drive rolls are ideal for feeding flux-cored and other tubular welding wires. Each kit comes...
store.cyberweld.com store.cyberweld.com

I am just learning now that there is an “inlet wire guide”. I will have to find out if the “.035” FCAW inlet wire guide” is the same as the “.035” GMAW inlet wire guide”.
 
At some level of weld nerdiness, the nerd has a machine dedicated for a certain welding process.

Speaking of nerds, when I was working as a clerk for UPS, we had a gentleman who would come in just about every week to pick up a new (Marvel/Star Wars) display model. He was about 40 years old. The boxes were about as big as a bread basket.

Every time, he was practically floating in the door with joy and anticipation. When he got closer, he was always beaming. When I would hand him the box, he lit up even more. That is when he would excitedly announce which figure was in the box. I wish I could have filmed him clutching that box, hurrying out the door to probably tear into the box as soon as he got to his car.

I believe that, as he worked his job, he was thinking “This week is Darth Maul!” or the like. His customers probably thought that he loved his job.

Anyway, I think a lot of us here do the same thing. I know I do. I wonder if this is a pleasant distraction or a mistake.
 
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