S305401-019 - Hobart HB-28 ER70S-6 .024" MIG Wire - 2lb Spool

Hobart HB-28 ER70S-6 Solid MIG Wire Overview

The Hobart HB-28 is a premium quality, copper-coated mild steel solid welding wire designed to meet the rigorous demands of general fabrication and precision repair work. Classified as an AWS ER70S-6 wire, the HB-28 is formulated with enriched levels of silicon and manganese. These chemical deoxidizers are critical for welding applications where the base material may not be perfectly clean. They actively react with oxygen and impurities in the weld pool, allowing them to float to the surface as slag rather than becoming trapped as porosity. This makes the HB-28 an excellent choice for welding over light mill scale, rust, or oil, ensuring sound mechanical properties even in less-than-ideal preparation scenarios.

This specific spool features a 0.024-inch (0.6 mm) diameter, which is engineered specifically for thin-gauge applications. It is recommended for use on materials ranging from 24 gauge (0.025 inches) to 18 gauge (0.050 inches). The small diameter allows for lower heat input, significantly reducing the risk of burn-through on delicate sheet metal, making it a staple for automotive collision repair and light manufacturing. The wire exhibits excellent wetting characteristics, meaning the molten puddle flows out smoothly to the toes of the weld, creating a flat, uniform bead profile with excellent tie-in. This reduces the need for post-weld grinding and finishing.

The Hobart HB-28 is versatile regarding shielding gas, performing exceptionally well with both 100% CO2 and 75% Argon/25% CO2 mixtures. While CO2 provides deeper penetration, the Argon blend offers a smoother arc and reduced spatter. The wire is designed to feed reliably through standard MIG guns, accommodating a wide range of wire feed speeds from very slow to moderately fast without stubbing or burn-back issues. This 2-pound spool is compact and ideal for portable MIG welders and smaller projects where a large industrial drum is unnecessary.