Welding Question, Welding Options

[Bigdamdork]

Hey Everyone. Based in no small part on the suggestions from my original thread about what order to do my restore I picked up some steel and pushed my Makita metal cut-off saw the limit. I'm ready to start putting this together. My question is I have a Weldpack 3200. I bought it a couple of years ago just to play with things. Some metal art, built a Santa Maria Style BBQ, etc. Per the instructions, the metal is .125 (so close to 11 gauge?) for the 2x4's. Am I fooling myself by thinking I could use this welder to put the jig together? The welder says it can handle 12ga to 1/4" with .035 gasless flux cored wire DC(-). I just don't know enough about the duty cycle, etc. to know if I should just suck it up and buy a bigger welder. I figure once I get into the car I should be fine as it's mostly 18ga sheet metal so I hate to buy one just for the jig but will if I need to I guess. Maybe find a buddy with one. Just wanted to get some expert's thoughts as my total welding time is about 2 hours. I plan on being an expert post-rebuild. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

Super appreciate any advice you can offer. Thank You!!
[attachmentid=885
729]

[mb911]

Ok one last tidbit. So there is this negative thought on self shielded flux core (they make a gas shield version). Self shield flux core is used extensively in iron working on the west coast so almost every commercial building you see in California, Arizona, Nevada, etc is built using a self shielded flux core almost identical to what your running in your little 110 welders (common type NR211)

[Superhawk996]

. . .(they make a gas shield version).

Do tell - not aware of something different than common flux core.

When you say they make a gas shield version - are you referring to solid wire used with typical shielding gas or are you saying there is a self shielding version that doesn’t leave usual flux core kind of slag and spatter?

I apologize if I’m misunderstanding the post. Would love some thing self shielding for outside use but less messy than NR-211 type flux core wire.

@mb911

[mb911]

. . .(they make a gas shield version).

Do tell - not aware of something different than common flux core.

When you say they make a gas shield version - are you referring to solid wire used with typical shielding gas or are you saying there is a self shielding version that doesn’t leave usual flux core kind of slag and spatter?

I apologize if I’m misunderstanding the post. Would love some thing self shielding for outside use but less messy than NR-211 type flux core wire.

@mb911

Gas shielded flux core is very common in manufacturing. It is still a tubular wire (hollow) with flux and then they use typically co2 or a 75/25 mix. Often referred to dual shield. AWS numbers of E71-T or similar. It is meant for heavy plate welding and favors spray transfer mode.