which wire to use .030 or .035

[Synchroman]

I'm a Hobby welder but I work with 1/4" mild steel quite a bit on my projects. I have a Miller 252 and I generally use .035 with straight CO2. It makes very nice welds with exellent penetration.

As mentioned, there is somewhat more spatter with CO2, but with liberal use of weld gel, the difference is minimal. I use a tip with the center recessed 1/8" and they seem to last a very long time. I will keep the tip very clean between welds and even dip it in the gel before welds. I've also used anti-spatter spray and it works well also.

CO2 is very inexpensive as well. I can exchange a 20# cylinder for $25 including tax at my LWS.

As probably everyone here knows, one pound of CO2 expandes to approximately 8 cubic feet of gas, so the 20# cylinder provides up to 160 cu feet of gas. This lasts me quite a while.

With moderate flow rates and moderate welding session length, there is no problem with freezing the ball regulator. If longer periods and higher rates are used, heated regulators are available.

All that said, if I were working to spec on a customer's project, I would certainly use C25 since it's easier to get clean welds. That would be a setting where I would be getting paid so why not used the best? LOL.

So, .035 and CO2 are my favorites. I have also used .030 and it's OK. I have the drive rollers and liner for .024 if I ever need to do a lot of sheet metal. On my former Lincoln SP175 Plus, I used .024 and CO2 all of the time because it fit in with the capabilities of the machine.

With the MM252, larger wire is best, IMHO due to the awesome capabilities of the unit, which will do up to half inch plate with no problem.

The MM252 had me from hello. It's an awesome machine!!!

[Cgotto6]

If your a hobby welder I would only consider c25. It is cheap enough, especially with how little you will use. One less thing to battle for a novice welder.

[Synchroman]

If your a hobby welder I would only consider c25. It is cheap enough, especially with how little you will use. One less thing to battle for a novice welder.

Yes, that's a possibility, except they get $65 to exchange a 160 customer-owned cylinder at my LWS and Airgas is even more. Thus, C25 is a non-starter since I would be exchanging at the same intervals.

As I mentioned, anti-spatter gel or spray makes the difference and for the difference in money, CO2 does the trick for me.

[farmer welder]

I Totally agree with Jsfab. The Hobart 230 is Way too light for repairing digger buckets. Nothing compares to the good old stick welder for the conditions associated with that type of repair. Joe.

[Tryagn5]

I Totally agree with Jsfab. The Hobart 230 is Way too light for repairing digger buckets. Nothing compares to the good old stick welder for the conditions associated with that type of repair. Joe.

Hobart ironman 230 will do 95 percent of all heavy equipment repairs. I have been an heavy equipment mechanic for 20 years. Will it be as fast as a machine which can air arc, run larger wires like .052 and up no...However there is more than enough amps in that machine.
Also fyi stick machines are hardly used much for repair. In the field for short quick repairs is about it. Try to rebuild a bucket, hardface, or production weld with stick..takes way to long. No way that machine is going to get shut down for 3 days when a wire feeder can do it in 1 day.
Kevin