Gasless flux core wire - get the good stuff!

[Surfwagon]

Struggled like crazy with the no-name generic gasless wire I bought from my motorfactor.
Impossible to get a consistent bead - and slips in the wheels like crazy!
Got two boxes of SiF brand (yellow box) from Ebay - what a revelation! Matt grey finish - doesn't slip in the rollers AT ALL, weld pool damn near as controllable as gas, perfectly good for 1mm car body steel, you can 'blip' weld in pulses to avoid burn through without the flux causing holes, and plug weld without getting integrated slag.
I would never go back to messing with gas bottles again!
Thanks to this forum for steering me towards gasless. ( :

 

[TechnicAl]

just keep in mind that SIF dont manufacture. Its a rebadged bought in product that could change. I dont know where they are currently buying it. The price will probably be a good indicator.

 

[Surfwagon]

just keep in mind that SIF dont manufacture. Its a rebadged bought in product that could change. I dont know where they are currently buying it. The price will probably be a good indicator.

I'd read that here before - but having a reputable brand on the box is a good indicator that there will be some quality control. Clearly the case with the stuff I bought - it's worlds apart from the Happy Shopper tat which was all I could find in my area!
Btw. - I am getting quite heavy spatter - but I can't switch polarity on my welder.

 

[norlander]

I am quite happy with f/core on my welder, I posted recently about Esab 0.8 f/core, and I have posted before about the gasless torch kit from GYS, I find that makes FC much easier to use.
Whilst I am happy using FC, I would always give gas priority, no clean up, nice bright beads and virtually no fumes or spatter.
But a recent job using the Esab stuff was no problem, so FC remains in my armoury- but I'll be keeping my gas set up.

 

[Surfwagon]

JUST when I thought I was on the last lap ...
my Ferm 150 has died! The fan is spinning, but the trigger has no effect on anything.
Could anyone give me some emergency advice?
Anything obvious things to check? I've cleaned up the handset switch terminals already.

 

[Surfwagon]

Fixed it! Temporarily at least - the relay wasn't making contact inside . Phew.

just keep in mind that SIF dont manufacture. Its a rebadged bought in product that could change. I dont know where they are currently buying it. The price will probably be a good indicator.

ME AND MY BIG MOUTH!
Just saw the label on the 'no-name' nasty wire; it's SIF!
So they DO sell the nasty stuff too.
The good stuff I found is called 'SIF Premium' - and comes in a labelled yellow box...

 

[norlander]

Fixed it! Temporarily at least - the relay wasn't making contact inside . Phew.
The good stuff I found is called 'SIF Premium' - and comes in a labelled yellow box...

All you need to do now is buy a 'premium' welder to go with the wire