Cost comparison between gmaw and dual shield?

[gnforge]

Our shop is mostly dual shield for the simple reason. A good welding salesman came in one day and said how great this stuff is even though it costs more and uses more gas. Industry standard he said, going to change the world. I can't figure out the company reasoning and have asked many times with a simple answer. We don't have a procedure for solid wire. So we chip and grind slag all day doing multi passes that would be much easier with solid wire. I have wore out more chipping hammers and needle scaler's in the last 4 years than I have over the last 40 years. Just my thoughts...Bob

About same thing happened to me, my LWS told me that was the way to go!! Used it for a year or so but hated the slag and really for in shop welding wasn't that great.
I then switched to a metal core wire which I really love for in shop welding. Very efficient, no slag, can run multiple pass without any cleaning, much higher quality & strength than solid wire, using spray transfer, very fast and produces A+ looking welds. I use one for general mild steel and another matched for 4130 series metal when welding those metals.
Down fall is not recommended for vertical up welding though can be done but 90% of in shop work can be positioned.
As far as my in field work its dual shield all the way as most of that work is all out of position, dirty, windy etc. love the control and flexibility of that wire.
Greg

[Sberry]

If it wasn't for solid wire I might have quit this biz a long time ago,,, hahaa

[aametalmaster]

Our shop is mostly dual shield for the simple reason. A good welding salesman came in one day and said how great this stuff is even though it costs more and uses more gas. Industry standard he said, going to change the world. I can't figure out the company reasoning and have asked many times with a simple answer. We don't have a procedure for solid wire. So we chip and grind slag all day doing multi passes that would be much easier with solid wire. I have wore out more chipping hammers and needle scaler's in the last 4 years than I have over the last 40 years. Just my thoughts...Bob

[Tryagn5]

Dual shields main advantage is the puddle control. Ie with soild wire the item needs to be postion, where dualshield the weldment does not need to be moved much. Also in flat muliple pass welding solid wire is going to be faster. No slag to chip and clean from the piece. Dont forget gas cost. 71 likes 45-50 cfm of gas. While solid does just fine on 25 cfm.
Kevin

[Coalsmoke]

Thanks. Same to you. I was pleasantly surprised when you replied to this post, it has been a while!

[H80N]

Good to see you back....

had not seen you here in quite a spell.....

[Coalsmoke]

Thank you sir for the quick education. It's being done in the shop so I'll stick with the solid wire. Again, many thanks.

[H80N]

Here are some deposition charts that you might find useful

http://www.esabna.com/euweb/awtc/lesson9_13.htm

and a process comparison

http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php...ng-consumables


http://www.mechanicalforums.com/thread-102502-1-1.html



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[Coalsmoke]

Has anyone here taken a look at how the numbers break down when deciding to use a 71 dual shield or outer shield wire vs a solid er70? I'm looking at a total deposition of roughly 105lbs filler material, and I'm not sure if the benefits in speed of the dual shield outweigh the costs, both look like they'll meet the required specs. Some of you guys running this stuff all the time on the larger equipment repair jobs might have a common sense answer or know where I'm going with this. I'm not needing to get too scientific here