I'm welding wrought iron patio furniture for repairing broken weld. Do I need a welding table or is the furniture itself sufficient grounding?

Also, I have a welding machine that can do mig (which requires gas shield), but it can also do flux core, which doesn't require gas shielding. Given both options, why would I choose MiG and have to get a gas cylinder? Is flux harder to use?

I think you'll find there are more welders on the outdoors forum and I'm only a passable welder at best, so take that for what it's worth.

The biggest difference between the two is the amount of slag that flux core produces, whereas MIG is cleaner, but flux core is easier to drag around. I've also heard that flux core is better for cast iron (because you can get hotter/thicker metal) but I've never welded cast iron.

The welding table doesn't do much for you, and shouldn't be necessary. It might improve the contact area if the shape of the furniture is right, but a little surface prep will go a long way. Finding the right settings for the material and thickness will be the hardest part of your weld. If you can practice on similar scrap before, it will help you dial it in.

I'd just stick with flux core and no table if I were in your shoes. Good luck.

That helps. Thank you sir!

You don't need a welding table. I use a stick welder and a mig with flux core. I don't have bottles for anything just because I don't need yet another thing to keep up with. I don't have a table. I weld stuff in the shop, in the yard in front of the barn, on the tractor, etc. For what you are doing, your wire welder with flux core will be perfect. If you Havnt welded before make sure you have a grinder to clean up welds and make them prettier before paint. You'll be fine.

I would really suggest getting some of the thinner solid core wire and use the gas. Like .024". If I remember correctly, that flux core wire only comes in .035". That's a tricky weld with something as thin as most patio furniture. If you do use flux core, don't forget to flip the polarity on the cables (at least you have to do that on my Millermatic).

When I was at a shop at A&M, cast iron was only able with stick. The MIG couldn't actually weld. I could put stuff together, but it was more like metal glue.

Stick welding actually welded cast iron stuff.

~egon

I use MIG fluxcore outdoors where it's windy and can't keep shieldgas.

I run solid wire with shieldgas in the barn.

No advice on wrought iron welding, never tried it.

Thanks for the replies gents