Can every CO2 MIG machine be used for flux core (gasless) welding?

[vybrano]

Is every CO2 MIG machine automatically capable of flux core welding?

[Munkul]

In a word, yes... but some are more difficult to swap the polarity around for common gasless wire.

Some are impossible unless you strip the case right down and bodge up the connectors. I'd say these sorts of machines are not designed for gasless... but also probably not very good quality machines anyway.

[vybrano]

Great, thanks!

[JD1]

I'm not sure what you mean by a CO2 Mig, all Mig's (Metal Inert Gas) use a variety of gases whether that's CO2, C25 or something else. If you change polarity and leave the gas off, you can run flux core on the same machine.

As far as I'm aware, any fairly current Mig can have it's polarity changed pretty easily. On the reverse side, if you have a flux core "Mig" you can't use gas with it. It's not a "Mig", it's a flux core welder. Although it's often incorrectly called a Mig.

[Bonzoo]

It's always " incorrectly" called MIG since the gases are to some point active. MAG is the correct term.
Heliarc is another doozie

[ironmangq]

It's always " incorrectly" called MIG since the gases are to some point active. MAG is the correct term.
Heliarc is another doozie

Depends on the gas used, anything with CO2 or O2 in the mix will be reactive, Argon is truly inert but not many run 100% argon on mild steel.

Heliarc was a manufacturer and the name fell into common usage in the same way that Kleenex fell into common use for any facial tissue

[ljdm]

Is every CO2 MIG machine automatically capable of flux core welding?

Depends on the machine. You need to change polarity, and also the drive wheel for fluxcore is different from solid wire drive wheel, that would also need to be changed.

[JD1]

Depends on the machine. You need to change polarity, and also the drive wheel for fluxcore is different from solid wire drive wheel, that would also need to be changed.

Technically true on the wheel but I used a gas wheel with flux core for a long time without any trouble before switching to a flux core wheel.

[Bonzoo]

Technically true on the wheel but I used a gas wheel with flux core for a long time without any trouble before switching to a flux core wheel.

I have too, when i'm not paying attention. The knurled wheel you need to let up on the drive roller tension or it will mess with the liner(quicker)

[Broccoli1]

Do you have a link to the machine you are looking at- from your other post you are in Thailand, correct?

[Broccoli1]

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/20...5us5Q&search=1


this one seems to be about $300.00 US Dollars.

[shovelon]

It's always " incorrectly" called MIG since the gases are to some point active. MAG is the correct term.
Heliarc is another doozie

Right now I am doing some aluminum MAG welding. Spray-arc of course. Normally I do alum MIG.

I still do Heliarc. Don't you?

[Bonzoo]

Yup. When I could get Helium.

[vybrano]

Yes, I ended up with a MIG machine. Price was ~350$.

Well, more like $500, as of course you need gloves, helmet and angle grinder and...... .