Oxy acetylene mild steel flux

JimS · Sep 9, 2022

What happens if you use flux on your filler rod when welding mild steel with oxy acetylene?

I realize flux is called for if you oxy aluminum or stainless and that oxy acetylene welding naturally produces carbon dioxide creating a shield eliminating the need for flux, but what would happen if I fluxed the rod? Would I have a better shield or would I just mess the whole thing up? If I weld outside with oxy acetylene, would use of flux offset any harm a breeze may cause upsetting the natural CO2 shield?

I just got a Henrob 2000 torch and got to wondering.

Thanks.

zuhnc · Sep 9, 2022

No inherent shielding with OA that I know of. The flame shape provides some shielding, but I don't think it is CO2.
Good clean metal, and don't overheat. Just enough heat to melt a puddle and then insert filler rod into the puddle.

J.Wondergem · Sep 9, 2022

Geez, where I weld with the torch I just use mechanics wire, no flux.

da.bees · Sep 10, 2022

I don't know that flux will make a difference with oxy/acety but I use 20 Mule Team Borax while forge welding and can't get by without it. If I were trying it I would dip filler same as brazing.

MarkB_MI · Sep 10, 2022

> No inherent shielding with OA that I know of. The flame shape provides some shielding, but I don't think it is CO2.

If you have a neutral flame, almost all of the oxygen in the flame is burned up. It doesn't really matter what the combustion product is. I'm pretty sure it's mostly carbon dioxide and water. It's important when gas welding steel to get a perfectly neutral flame, and to keep your filler and work within the flame.

UncleTom · Sep 10, 2022

I have been using wire coat hangers for years for gas welding. Its a good thing i dont do it much anymore as coat hangers are getting scarce. I learned it well in high school shop class. The bus mechanic taught me how.

teddy52food · Sep 10, 2022

Been using coat hangers all my life too with no flux.

JimS · Sep 10, 2022

Except if you are welding stainless or aluminum. Then you want a carbonizing flame.

Crazy Horse · Sep 10, 2022

Tom .... we still have wire coat hangers around the house but they are becoming less numerous and the plastic count is growing. Does anyone still use wire coat hangers? Like dry cleaners or things like that?

504 · Sep 10, 2022

I use baling wire no flux needed.

Janicholson · Sep 10, 2022

No flux is needed, One caution is that using copper coated (real) mild steel welding rods is recommended. They provide the rust free cleanliness needed, as well as the tiny bit of copper that enhances flow and wetting. I teach OA welding and brazing every school day 32 weeks a year. I don't use coat hangers for two reasons. the first is they are normally made from steel scrap and have a variety of alloys in them to make them stiff. The second is that the resulting weld can have a heat affected zone that can have fracture/crack failures from the unknown alloy fusing with the mild steel. Every thing I weld needs to be human safety rated (my policy). I would prefer mechanics wire or baling wire that is not rusted to any coat hanger. Jim

mrhud · Sep 10, 2022

copper coated mild steel welding rods is the only way to go

Oxy acetylene mild steel flux

JimS

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zuhnc

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da.bees

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