flux core on sheet metal?

[Coffee Freak]

I am looking to do some chopping soon on a m38a1 (military jeep) windshield frame. I'm not sure how thick the steel is. (seems pretty beefy). I only have access to a flux core wire welder and it doesn't have a bottle option. I've used this in the past to weld 3/16" steel, but never thin stuff. Any advice?

This one has two settings for duty cycle, so I'm assuming I use the lower setting and turn the wire speed down.

 

[EnglishBob]

Test it on some of the sheet steel you cut out,better safe than sorry.

 

[itsmecord]

little late on the jump here but if you cruise over to my thread about chopping the top on a 36 chevy sedan you can see what I have done with flux core. I have used .30,and .035 flux core wire through a lincoln 110 volt unit on this chop I run the .035 tip on either size and I have no complaints at all. I will tell you that I feel like it is a little more difficult to grind a flux core weld....almost like it is a harder weld,BUT that may just be me. happy [

 

[Coffee Freak]

little late on the jump here but if you cruise over to my thread about chopping the top on a 36 chevy sedan you can see what I have done with flux core. I have used .30,and .035 flux core wire through a lincoln 110 volt unit on this chop I run the .035 tip on either size and I have no complaints at all. I will tell you that I feel like it is a little more difficult to grind a flux core weld....almost like it is a harder weld,BUT that may just be me. happy [

That makes me feel a LOT better. Everything I've read on other forums (mainly hot rod and professional metal working sites) slam flux core like its a red-headed stepchild that just got your daughter pregnant and kicked your dog. Yes, it's not ideal, but if it's what you have, it's what you work with. I appreciate the heads-up about grinding the welds - I hadn't thought about them being harder.

I'm also bearing in mind that this is a rat rod I'm building, not a traditional hot rod. For a rat, I'm OK with ugly gorilla welds. In fact - I think that's the look I'm HOPING for!

 

[Sunnybeach]

I went through a spool of flux core before adding a bottle of gas, there is a world of difference.

Beyond better visibility of the weld and a prettier end result, the fumes from flux core are just plain bad for you.

If you only have flux core, practice practice practice--but don't inhale.

 

[soltz]

What "itsmecord" said

I've done a lot of welding with fluxcore. The thinner it is the faster it will burn through, go slow with short welds.[
I didn't see where home is but I have this CJ3 windshield chopped 10" if you can use it [S

 

[26Troadster]

now i run a bigger machine and run .045 71v flux core with 75/25, welds are like a 7018 weld, machine able. the bare wire with gas is some hard stuff to grind and doesn't machine well at all, but i guess they all can be hard if your not used to it.

 

[sneakysnake]

I kicked the bottle, use .030 wire with .35 tip.A little more splatter and not as clean a weld but no trips to the oxy supply for a bottle refill.

 

[rex1927]

Works for us

All we have is a cheap flux core wire machine with 2 settings.High and low.
My brother can weld sheetmetal with it.He welded the steel to my woodies windshield visor frame with it and it worked just fine.(the visor is in my woodie build thread)
He also welded some floor pans in a 1960 falcon for me back in 2004.
He is old school and still insists on using a stick arc welder on car frames,but he is a great welder,so I go with what he wants to do.[