Latent MIG capability?

[pezman]

I picked up a Campbell Hausfeld WF2050 flux core welder at Wal Mart on clearance for $100. It looks a whole lot like the WF2060 MIG:

http://www.mysimon.com/Tools-and-Hardwa ... 20Hausfeld

At any rate, I was struck by the similarity of the two units and opened up the torch to see if it had any parts in common. Sure enough, there is a block in the torch that has a little valve, and the tip has little jets to emit a gas shield, so I have an elegant way to inject a shielding gas.

At any rate, I'm wondering if the fact that flux core welders use electrode negative convention vs the normal MIG electrode positive convention would cause me any problems when welding SS on thin material. Would I absolutely need to switch the polarity, or can I get away with it in certain applications?

I looked into SS flux core and it's hellishly expensive -- and not widely available.

[Jim Berquist]

I am not a welder! But what would be the difference between Positive or Negative current flow? Does it produce a bead? Yes! Electrons flow from Neg to Pos....Could it build the bead higher? Deeper? !! I would think if the rod end is Neg then it would go deeper...positive Rod end could be good if you do want to pull the metal up and not penetrate or go deep!! Could be cool if your working with thin metal!!!!


Jim

[El-Kablooey]

I don't MIG weld, but I have seen a friend go nuts one day trying to figure out what was wrong with his welder. He had been welding outdoors with fluxcore wire, when he changed back over to gas he forgot to swap the polarity. It would hardly weld at all, looked like pigeon poop. It didn't take him long to figure out what he had done...