Blue Demon flux core wire?

[California]

Several 2-lb rolls of flux core wire came with a used HF-180 welder. In the middle of a project I finished a roll of Hobart .035 and put in a new roll of Blue Demon .035 flux core. It wouldn't weld smoothly like the Hobart had. I thought the wire quality was uneven with it flaming out. But I think instead, it was feeding unevenly. ( I was careful installing it, it hadn't rat-nested).

Looking at Amazon reviews of this wire I saw occasional one-star reviews saying the wire came wrapped too tight and bound up. There is one photo of wire simply braided on the spool. No wonder it wouldn't feed.

Is this a common problem? Any solution? I'm thinking I will put some duct tape on a 9/16 drill to fit the 5/8 hole in a discarded spool, and spool a few yards of wire off the new Blue Demon spool onto this old one. Then try welding with the wire I spooled off. Finally, hoping I had reached good non-snarled wire, put the Blue Demon wire back in the welder.

Anybody have experience with this? Is there a more practical way to re-spool the wire?

 

[ning]

May be a combination of wire quality and feed.
Is it e71t-gs or -11?

 

[California]

May be a combination of wire quality and feed.
Is it e71t-gs or -11?

This Blue Demon is E71T-GS, flux core.

I was pleased with the Hobart E71T-11 I had before and will buy more eventually.

For now I want to use up the last of the supplies that came with the used welder so I put in this Blue Demon to keep going on my project. It was an unopened roll with the shrinkwrap intact.

I'm surprised it won't feed smoothly like the Hobart wire did with tension set the same. Quite light, just short of unspooling. I started with the drive roller set to the same tension as with the previous .035 wire. Then I tried lighter, tighter, returned to same, no change. I really think it feels like uneven resistance coming off the roll, that's why I'm thinking about winding off some of the wire to see if it runs better from a different spool.

 

[5030]

Take a filter cigarette (not smoked) and take off the filter and put it over the wire in front off the feed rolls and feed the wire through the filter. Takes the oil and crap off the wire before it feeds. Works like a charm.

 

[ning]

There's very few specs for E71T-GS like there is for -11. In fact, "GS wire meets the standards ‘as agreed between supplier and purchaser’", and good luck finding which standard you've agreed to.

If you find a GS you like, that's not a problem, but you won't necessarily be able to switch brands.

The E71T-11 on the other hand is pretty well defined as a spec and should be pretty similar brand to brand, and it also supports multi-pass.

 

[California]

Take a filter cigarette (not smoked) and take off the filter and put it over the wire in front off the feed rolls and feed the wire through the filter. Takes the oil and crap off the wire before it feeds. Works like a charm.

Thanks!

I had forgotten - somewhere in the bottom of my welding box there's a Lube-Matic kit I bought years ago for a previous welder. I used the kit once then set it aside. I should install the cleaning pad from that, as you suggested.

There's very few specs for E71T-GS like there is for -11. In fact, "GS wire meets the standards ‘as agreed between supplier and purchaser’", and good luck finding which standard you've agreed to.

If you find a GS you like, that's not a problem, but you won't necessarily be able to switch brands.

The E71T-11 on the other hand is pretty well defined as a spec and should be pretty similar brand to brand, and it also supports multi-pass.

If the redhead says E71T-11 then that's what I need!

Agree, E71T-11 should be uniform from one brand to another. I'll go back to the good Hobart version of it that I've found satisfactory, after I finish the random stuff that came with this used welder.

 

[5030]

I stock INE wires in the shop now exclusively. Very consistent with good wet out and minima spatter.

 

[WranglerX]

Any wire that does not work for you should be abandon..... I got completely a way from fluxcore because dislike the mess it leaves behind..... Find a brand that you just put new roll in and go.... IF you have to futz with it its not for you, make it present for a neighbor you don't particular care for....

 

[5030]

Sometimes flux core is necessary like welding outside or where there is a lot of air movement. Myself, I prefer shielding gas (75-25) but I keep a roll of flux core for outside jobs. Gonna try the foam ear plug wiper method. Good idea.

 

[California]

Any wire that does not work for you should be abandon..... I got completely a way from fluxcore because dislike the mess it leaves behind..... Find a brand that you just put new roll in and go.... IF you have to futz with it its not for you, make it present for a neighbor you don't particular care for....

Prior owner of this welder apparently 'gifted' me all his failed experiments. Various brands of flux core wire. . He was clearly a hobbyist experimenter, rather than someone who needed things welded. I liked the Hobart -11 best of all.

I think this Blue Demon wire stalls because it really is snarled up on the spool, as I saw in some Amazon reviews. That's why I'm thinking about spooling some wire off to see if it will feed better from the other spool.