Anyone welded with Metal-core wire?

I was wondering if any of the welders on here have run much Metal-core(flux-core)wire. I've done lots of MIG and flux-core but never metal-core. I have a job test tomorrow and was wondering if there's any tricks for burning metal-core wire. From what I've read, it's best to use a push angle like MIG or straight on rather than a pulling angle like flux-core. I know it's spray transfer but any tips and advice would be appreciated. The stick test shouldn't be a problem and I don't think the metal-core will be either if I use the right technique. Thanks. Dave

Sorry Dave never ran any metal core, and have read very little about it.

Good luck with the tests!

We tried some at work last friday, some good points are penetration on heavy material, and the metal can be a little dirty (rusty). Bad points, only good in the flat position, must clean up after every pass or you will have inclusions, don't bend the whip too short because the wire may kink in the liner

I've burned many spools of .30 Flux Core with my Lincoln 140 but never heard of "Metal Core". Do you mean that the spool contains solid wire with no flux or am I missing some thing here.What cleans the path of the wire rod as it progresses? What would be the advantage or job requirement to call for Wire Core?

No experience myself, though I've heard good things about it from thin panel welders.

This tech link may help you some.
linky

Metal core is kind of a cross between MIG and gas shielded flux-core. It is a tubular electrode with basically iron powder inside it. It has the high deposition rate of flux-core and clean welds without any slag like MIG and almost no spatter. It's been around for a while but is only recently getting popular with fab shops. I was hoping someone might have ran some and knew it's quirks. From what I've read, having the gun at 90. deg or slightly pushing is the angle to use. Maybe I can use a piece of scrap to experiment a bit with before doing the test? Dave

It's supposed to be good for welding thinner material and bridging gaps as well as high production. You link didn't open. Dave

Thanks. Dave

How long until you get the results of your tests?

As many tests as I've taken, there always seems to be just a touch of uncertainty in the back of your mind. I think its mostly the fear of embarrassment, well for me anyway. :lol:

I went to do the weld test today and I don't know why the guy said metal-core. It was .035 S-6 MIG wire and a Millermatic 252. Huge difference between MIG and metal-core wire.

Anyway, he grabbed a piece of angle iron and a piece of flat bar to test vertical up and overhead fillet welds. There were no scrap pieces anywhere around the area. I played with the machine a little bit and got it where I could make decent enough welds. I could have played more and done a lot nicer job but didn't want a spend a lot of time since that might be used against me if the test took too long. It wasn't a bend test(thank god). He wanted me to use the same pieces to test my stick welding. There wasn't enough of room left but he must have liked my MIG welds good enough because he went and got another piece of angle iron.

I tacked the angle on the flat bar and there was a slight gap because the flat bar was torch cut on that side and not perfectly straight. I used that to my advantage(kind of cheated but not really). It made my vertical go in real nice and flat and the same with the overhead weld.

I was offered the job. They were only looking for an apprentice but since I haven't worked in a fab shop for several years I didn't want to be too choosy with a lot of other welders out of work. I said I'd work for 3rd. year rate to start as long as I could go up to journeyman rate if I proved myself. The GM said I could get a raise in as short as a month if they're happy with my work.

Of interesting note is that the GM said he had a lot of people apply hyping themselfs up like they were the best welders on earth. There resume's were super impressive and they talked his ears off. Unfortunately, when they actually had to weld, the results weren't as impressive as their resume's. My MIG welds weren't very good so I'm thinking these other guys must not have done too much out of position welding.

Overall it's great I got back into a welding shop. A couple of things that aren't so great is the pay isn't the best, hopefully just for the time being, and they work 4 10 hour shifts Mon.-Thur. and one 4 hour shift on Friday. I don't mind working the long hours, it's just going to take a while to get adjusted after not having worked in a big shop for several years. I'm going to be pretty tired for sure and I hope my back holds up OK. The shop builds oilfield equipment like mud tanks and other oilfield products. Dave

They were pretty informal tests. I think they just wanted to see if I could weld out of position. Strictly a visual only test. It would be nice if places that wanted a test had a test booth or at least an adjustable arm to hold the test pieces. It's not fun kneeling on the concrete without knee pads. Dave

Well good!You seem like you need a job.Lots of people who are looking for work lie about what they can do and what they know.So when a person comes along that can do the job,they next want to see how cheap he will work.You would probably be the same way if you were writing the paychecks.If you prove that you are good and dependable they might give you a raise.Usually they just try and keep the pay as low as they can get away with and still attract help.When the economy is bad they can find lots of welders,so pay might take a while to go up.
So what is the pay?Its probably going to be the toughest jobs they have that they throw at you at first too,to see if you will quit or not.

Look at the bright side... least you wern't up to yer arse in mud...

Rod

It's a fairly new shop too so hopefully will have decent heat in the winter. I just find it kind of amusing that shops are advertising for welders but aren't prepared when the people come for a job test. Pressure shops are though. Dave

Some shops are very cheap with wages for sure but this shop hired a 3rd. apprentice and wanted me to start at the same wage so nobody would complain if they found out I was getting more. Their ad was for apprentices but since I haven't been in a big fab shop for quite a few years, I thought it would be an easier way to get back in a welding shop. Maybe I could have asked for more and got it? Maybe, but they might not have hired me and I did need a job because my track was really slow this year due to all the rain, fire, etc. They seemed pretty sincere that I could go up in pay once I prove myself. I think it takes a lot of pressure off me as well. If I would have demanded more pay, I'd better be the best welder they've ever seen and never make a mistake. I hope I don't get all the difficult jobs. Pay starts at $26/hr. which is quite low but if I don't get decent compensation for my skills and experience, I can always look for another job once I get my welding legs back. I couldn't be really picky since its been a while since I was in a shop. Also this was the only job that you could apply in person. Even the guys there admitted a lot of people "doctor" their resume's to make them look better than they actually are. You can be a better welder but your resume gets overlooked because it's not a big pile of BS. It's hard to fake actual welding skills. If the job only required welding theory, I would have asked for more money. LoL For general stuff I don't get stumped too often. Dave

The strangest test I ever took was, I was dispatched out as a weldor to install a Fairbanks Morris Scale. Found the factory rep, handed him my union dispatch and some welding cards, he said put those back in your pocket, we always test on site. After getting all the tools out and welders running, he through a 3/4-inch flat washer down on a piece of C-channel, said weld all the way around the washer. I did, and he was happy.

I can only think of maybe a hand full of times I've tested on site, majority of the time its a scheduled visit to the testing facility. I've been at some testing facilities with 30 other guys!

135 ,don't know where you are located,but 26.00 an hour around here would be about 10.00 more an hour than anyone makes. I know some good welders that would like to go to work for 15.00. The economy sucks, there are no jobs and we still have companies laying people off. I've been in business for myself for over 30 years and I don't clear anything like 26.00 per hour and I don't have any benefits. Be thankful you found a job.

Couple... well mabey 3-4 years ago... I've heard of guys with pressure tickets making 90/h working shutdowns. Big, big overtime... I assume tha 45/h would have been the nominal rate at the time. That's not with a machine either.... that's walk in off the street.

Rod

Why should a third year apprentice complain if he got paid less than someone with a ticket and 20 years experience? Just because they advertize looking for a third year doesn't mean they have to hire third year if someone more qualified comes along...

Rod

Congratulations, Dave.

I'm no welder but have lots of experience with the job market from both sides of the desk. I respect you for being honest with your resume.

I have always been honest with mine and it has not paid off. Resume ehnancement is so universal that hireing managers simply assume that your resume has been likewise enhanced. This, of course, disadvantages those few who do not.

Dean

The pay beats unemployment. Sometimes we have to bite the bullet and just do it.

I think they had a wage in mind from the start to save a little money. Hopefully in a month or maybe less, they'll be impressed and give me a raise to the journeymen rate($29/hr). Had I recently worked in a fab shop, I would have wanted more money. Some J-welders in Alberta are getting $37/hr but the average is in the $28 to $31 range. Some shops only pay $24/hr for journeymen welders which is really cheap. I was making $24/hr as a pressure welder back in 1997. This job also has benefits including, life insurance, group insurance benefits, dental and vision care which equals a few bucks an hour. Dave

I have a lot of experience and I'm sure my resume could be made to look better but I think welding ability is more important than what's written on a piece of paper. I was out of welding for 6 years in the 90's(long story)but got complimented on my ability the second day after going back to a welding shop. The boss actually said I was too good of a welder not to have my B-pressure ticket. The sad part is that most places make a short list by what's written on a resume so a lot of people who are better at welding than writing a resume get passed by. If your resume is spectacular, you have a lot to live up to. I think it's better if the employer is pleasantly surprised that you are good at what you do. Dave

I am very thankful to get a welding job. Dave

A lot of that stuff is exaggerated. Some really experienced TIG welder doing the most critical work or a foreman might have got wages like $45/hr. Most union shops pay double time on weekends and even triple time on holidays so there is a lot of money to be made. If the oil patch is slow though, there can be no work. Alberta is starting to recover though. A few month's ago, there weren't many welding jobs advertised. Dave

I know a guy making 27 an hour driving a truck... doing deliveries. As I said... the 90 an hour was likely based on double time for 84 hour weeks on boiler shutdowns. So 45/hour is, or wasn't at that time particularly unrealistic. But... as you say, I know there are many that work for far less money and many jobs that pay far less. From what local guys tell me that go out there... it's very much hit and miss. No matter if it's carpenters, welders, electricians or mechanics.

Rod

Around a thousand per week before taxes.Thats good pay.Might not seem like a lot to somebody with their own business,but its still not that bad.
Beats the 750 a week I get driving a dump truck.Also I havent had a week together for a long time.More like 2 or 3 days if that.Plus it broke down today and I have to try and fix it.It keeps raining.Besides that the season is about over.You could always have it worse.

You better try and get along for a while.Seems like a good place with pay like that.At least there is room to go up.Theres a lot of people who dont get the pay people like you and I or anybody that knows how to do something gets.I know I wouldnt make it very long in a factory,especially a chicken place,and I doubt if many in the south get 10 dollars an hour.10 Dollars an hour is 400 a week for 40 hours.I worked for a lot less than that years ago,and a lot harder than welding or driving a truck,in the cold,miserable,and couldnt even find another job.Im thankfull I had the one I had.Im thankful I can get a job now when so many people arent working.

It's an inside job and apparently they have lots of work and more coming. 44 hour week x 26 is $1144 gross per week. I'm guessing take home will be about $1400 every 2 weeks. Some of the places that pay the really good wages can be busy for a few month's and then nothing for a few month's so you get laid off. I also hate the cold a lot more than when I was younger. Working outside in -20C and colder doesn't appeal to me at all. Dave

When I was the welding supervisor at the mall, I made a little more money but it was a complete gong show! When you have managers and higher ups that know nothing about the trade(welding), it makes it very difficult to do the job you were hired to do. I'm being optimistic about this job and hope that I don't get taken advantage off. Despite what some people think, I'm easy to get along with and take a lot of pride in my work. I work well with others and try to help apprentices whenever they have a problem. I'm not the fastest guy (or slowest)but I also rarely have to do things over. Dave