Millermatic 252 for FCAW

I am going to get a Millermatic 255 (I prefer 220V machines) & use *that* for my MIG because the Millermatic 255 can do GMAW-P (which I have never even tried).

I am pretty desperate for room in my shop, so I can store my MIG stuff on the cart under the (smallish inverter) Millermatic 255, which will live on the top shelf of the cart.

So my existing Millermatic 252 will be dedicated to FCAW, so this thread is still holding true to it’s title.

The big caveat is that if the eBike sale falls through, this whole plan is DOA.
 
erikmannie said:
I am going to get a Millermatic 255 (I prefer 220V machines) & use *that* for my MIG because the Millermatic 255 can do GMAW-P (which I have never even tried).

I am pretty desperate for room in my shop, so I can store my MIG stuff on the cart under the (smallish inverter) Millermatic 255, which will live on the top shelf of the cart.

So my existing Millermatic 252 will be dedicated to FCAW, so this thread is still holding true to it’s title.

The big caveat is that if the eBike sale falls through, this whole plan is DOA.
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That will provide you some more capability than just a duplicate machine.

Your welding is kind of different than most since you are doing a lot of it as "training" rather than simply capacity to make something. Looked at in that way I can see where you are coming from, even if it wouldn't be my choice. I'm a guy with 5 lathes with a swing of 9" or less so no room to judge. ;)
 
Aaron_W said:
That will provide you some more capability than just a duplicate machine.

Your welding is kind of different than most since you are doing a lot of it as "training" rather than simply capacity to make something. Looked at in that way I can see where you are coming from, even if it wouldn't be my choice. I'm a guy with 5 lathes with a swing of 9" or less so no room to judge. ;)
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5 lathes. I like this guy!

We don’t need to provide an excuse for excessive spending if it is our own money that we are spending.

I do this just for fun, and working with an arc or cutting metal is almost always fun.
 
erikmannie said:
We don’t need to provide an excuse for excessive spending if it is our own money that we are spending.
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This is true.

We tend to judge the actions of others by what we think our own standards are, conveniently forgetting those times when we did what we wanted to do because we wanted to do it, even against our better judgement. All of us have done this or if not, will do it. It is your money, Erik, and we have nothing to say about what you do with it ... except that we still have the solemn responsibility to help you spend money on things you don't yet have! :drool:

For example, can I interest you in a 0-1" Mitutoyo Quantumike? First time I've seen this top tier mic drop below $200.00 on Amazon. It will read to half a tenth, which suggests that you can somehow cut to that tolerance level. It has a large digital read out that will serve you well as you get older because your arms are only so long, right? Plus, it is smooth as silk in use, which will help when you're an old guy with arthritic fingers. But wait, there's more! Just imagine the pleasure you will have when you tell your friends to not even talk to you unless their drawing of the thing they want you to make for free is dimensioned in 50 millionths of an inch ... they will no longer bother mooching off you. See? I'm your friend and I want to help you ... :clown:
 
One thing with FCAW, hope you have a fume extractor. If you have a small shop, you'll be choking on the smoke pretty quick.

If you want penetration, get a bottle of 90/10 mix and my 251 will go into spray transfer mode around 29 volts and 450 to 500 on wire speed with 0.035" wire. Only for flat but will look like your pouring mercury on the weld. Full 1/2" penetration. You'll quickly set your gloves on fire unless you wear a shield over it.
 
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xr650rRider said:
If you want penetration, get a bottle of 90/10 mix and my 251 will go into spray transfer mode around 29 volts and 450 to 500 on wire speed with 0.035" wire. Only for flat but will look like your pouring mercury on the weld. Full 1/2" penetration. You'll quickly set your gloves on fire unless you wear a shield over it.
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Are you referring to dual shield flux core with these values?
 
@xr650rRider

I do not have a fume extractor. I also don’t have money or space for a fume extractor, so this is a problem.
 
erikmannie said:
Are you referring to dual shield flux core with these values?
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No, regular mig wire. You need the higher argon concentration in the 90/10 mix to go into true spray mode. When the arc gets quiet and looks like your pouring liquid out of gun, your in spray transfer mode.
 
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