I bought a 25# spool of Harris-Welco .045 SS FCAW last week for $375.
I like the way it welds, especially compared to solid wire, but I'm still in sticker shock over the price.
Is this price close to what you guys are paying?
Can someone recommend a cheaper brand that burns well?
Thanks in advance,
Tim
Tim:
I noted in the "metal core" post by JW regarding a 30 lbs. spool of SS composite (metal cored) GMAW wire I purchased for a client a few years back. His only cost about $600. I understand the price has come down some from what we paid back in 1996.
I sure as heck hope so.
What flavor of SS are you welding? 300 series? 400 series? Also how thick? I use alot of .045 metal core but not flux core.
kam
I'm using 309LT1-1, .045 wire to weld grade 304, 10 gauge plate.
This grade wire was not my first choice for this application, but it was the only wire available at the time.
Tim
Stainless to stainless should be welded with a 308 S.S. wire. 309 is used to join stainless to mild steel.
If you are welding 10 gauge ss check out KOBELCO'S DWG SS WIRES. It is a .045 wire made for thin ss plate. We just got a roll and it welds nice. We generally use ESAB's shieldbrite for most of our ss welding.
Tim,
I can understand your sticker shock! I just checked with our vendor and found we would have paid about $215 for a 25# spool of 309L, 0.045". Of course our company goes through 10,000s of pounds of various electrodes and have a negotiated contract. 304L is about $0.20 a pound cheaper.
Most of our stainless wires are ESAB which seems to work okay for us.
I'm hope I didn't give any indigestion, but I do think you could shop a better price. For estimating purposes, I figure about $10/pound for any of the common 300 series stainless.
Chet Guilford
We use about 2-300 lb of 316L FCAW 1/16" wire per month and get if for 6.58/lb. Not long ago we were paying over $8/lb though.
$6.58 per pound? I'll alert our purchasing people to look for that price. Thats $50 a roll cheaper than we pay now.
Chet Guilford
Thanks for you responses!
For that purchase, I was a victim of having to have only 1 spool, right away.
It seems my Vendor smeeled blood and went for the kill.
It will wind up being his loss though, because now I have the time to hunt up a better deal, from someone else, for all future purchases.
Thanks again!
Tim
I just received a quote for "McKay In Flux 0" 308L .045 FCAW 25# spool for $174.50.
At $6.98 per pound, this seems almost too good to be true...
Has anyone used this wire?
Does it burn well?
Thanks again
Tim
Tim,
That is $8.02/lb. cheaper than what you paid for that 309L.
John Wright
The sales rep for our vendor stopped in today so I asked him about stainless prices today in light of the price GRoberts mentioned. You could say he's got an answer for everything. He said the $6.58 / pound price must be for cheap, import stuff, not the high quality wire he sells us. I can only chuckle because he said the McKay wire is selling for around $8.00 / pound everywhere, and then I read your post! That sales rep sure is "entertaining"!
I can't tell you about McKay FCAW but their SMAW electrodes seem to work OK for us. Like any brand, some welders love them, some hate them, but they will do the job.
Glad to see some shopping has paid off for you.
CHG
The $6.58/lb price we are getting is for ESAB Shielbrite on a 33 lb roll. It is 316LT0-1.
Ask that sales rep about that cheap import wire,Avestra.I don't use it very much,but sure is smoke free,and works nice.
We use McKay for 410NiMo, and the welders like it better than another brand we use. Seems to run pretty smooth. As it is 1/16" diameter that we use, not the best for out of position, but it is doable.
The Mckay mentioned is Self Shielded Flux Core Wire for Stainless. Prices for Gas Shilded FCAW electrodes may differ.
I haven't ever used the self shielded SS wires but like any process I'm sure there are applications where this works well.
Have a nice day
G Austin
Did you mean the "In Flux O" or the 410NiMo is self sheilded?
Thank you all for your input!
Tim
The Influx 0 is self shielded.
G Austin
Thanks Gerald,
I just received a quote on "McKay In Flux T1" 308L .045 SS FCAW x 25# spool for $171.25. This wire is supposed to be the gas sheilded type.
Now I'm down to just $6.85 per pound! Wooo Hooo!
I wonder if my boss can now afford to give me a bonus? (not likely...)
Do you know if this wire burns well?
Tim
That wire does run well. I have used it in vertical position uphill on 1/4" SS and it worked well. I have also roll welded 14" and larger pipe with it.
It sure beats stick welding. STICK being the key word when I use it:)
I may have been confused about the Mckay designation as far as being self shielded. Those AWS Classification numbers are much easier to remember!
G Austin
Might try national standard wire. I payed 2.78 per # for a 300# spool. Not sure if that is the basic price for everyone. My company uses thosands of #'s of wire every month. Too bad you cant use 409 wire. That stuff is really cheap...think we are getting it for around a buck and a half a pound but then again we use thousands of pounds.
kam
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