BukitCase
Elite Member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2012
- Messages
- 2,753
- Location
- Albany OR
- Tractor
- Case 580B, Long 460, Allis-Chalmers 160
MinnesotaDave pretty much NAILED it back in post#17 -
"Mig is a good process - I use it as much as stick and tig. Faster to learn too.
Hard wire 0.030" (gas shielded) will do about anything you want - even outside. If it's windy, lean a piece of plywood up against the item to block it.
I use 0.030" and 0.035" way more than 0.024". I just used 0.035" for body panels a few months ago and it worked fine.
I use 100% co2 for shielding because it's cheap. Standard mixed gas works great too.
There is almost no need to get more fancy that regular mig wire, and 71t-11 self shielded flux core (for when you really can't use shielding gas).
In my opinion, everything else is just for goofing off and seeing if you like it (like spray arc or gas shielded flux core or pulse mig, etc.).
There are a few things to know. Wire feed speed is your amperage - it controls penetration (depth of fusion).
Voltage controls bead profile. If a bead is tall and ropey, increase volts to widen and flatten puddle.
If arc is spattery and unstable, bead wide and flat, lower voltage until it runs right.
Stay on the leading edge of the puddle. If you don't actually see the arc cut into fresh metal, then assume it didn't.
If you're just an occasional welder who fixes things as needed, you'll likely really like mig. Get one in the 180-200 amp size and weld happy"
Especially the part I highlighted - if that, and watching several of Jody's vids on weldingtipsandtricks.com doesn't let you make things you can't break with concerted efforts, you should probably SELL your mig machine and HIRE any welding done FOR ya
Going from stick to MIG DOES require re-thinking on where your HEAD is; in order to keep a short stickout with a MIG torch you can NOT have your head BEHIND the torch, nor do you want to "DRAG" the torch (with actual MIG, as opposed to flux core) - so you need to get your head off to the side where you can SEE (per Dave's comment) - that lets you SEE that the arc is at the FRONT of the puddle, instead of just piling MORE "bird poop" on top. NOT doing this is where the majority of "internet fact" about no penetration comes from.
Bought my first stick machine around 1973, after the ex-pipeliner friend who taught me decided he wanted his SA-200 machine back (guess he thought a YEAR was a long enough loan) :laughing: - I immediately went looking for a replacement, ended up buying a 250 amp AC/DC machine (Solar, aka Lincoln/Century, etc) - then bought a transformer MM211 about 10 years ago, sold that to a friend a couple years later when I found a MM252 and 30A spool gun and 3 tanks for less than the bare welder costs. A few years later I ADDED the newer inverter MM211.
MIG is about 98% of what I use now, I've welded up to 3/4" steel (deep bevels, 2 passes) with the MM252 and subjected the result to 20 TONS of pressure with no failures. Somehow I doubt those welds lacked penetration... Steve
"Mig is a good process - I use it as much as stick and tig. Faster to learn too.
Hard wire 0.030" (gas shielded) will do about anything you want - even outside. If it's windy, lean a piece of plywood up against the item to block it.
I use 0.030" and 0.035" way more than 0.024". I just used 0.035" for body panels a few months ago and it worked fine.
I use 100% co2 for shielding because it's cheap. Standard mixed gas works great too.
There is almost no need to get more fancy that regular mig wire, and 71t-11 self shielded flux core (for when you really can't use shielding gas).
In my opinion, everything else is just for goofing off and seeing if you like it (like spray arc or gas shielded flux core or pulse mig, etc.).
There are a few things to know. Wire feed speed is your amperage - it controls penetration (depth of fusion).
Voltage controls bead profile. If a bead is tall and ropey, increase volts to widen and flatten puddle.
If arc is spattery and unstable, bead wide and flat, lower voltage until it runs right.
Stay on the leading edge of the puddle. If you don't actually see the arc cut into fresh metal, then assume it didn't.
If you're just an occasional welder who fixes things as needed, you'll likely really like mig. Get one in the 180-200 amp size and weld happy"
Especially the part I highlighted - if that, and watching several of Jody's vids on weldingtipsandtricks.com doesn't let you make things you can't break with concerted efforts, you should probably SELL your mig machine and HIRE any welding done FOR ya
Going from stick to MIG DOES require re-thinking on where your HEAD is; in order to keep a short stickout with a MIG torch you can NOT have your head BEHIND the torch, nor do you want to "DRAG" the torch (with actual MIG, as opposed to flux core) - so you need to get your head off to the side where you can SEE (per Dave's comment) - that lets you SEE that the arc is at the FRONT of the puddle, instead of just piling MORE "bird poop" on top. NOT doing this is where the majority of "internet fact" about no penetration comes from.
Bought my first stick machine around 1973, after the ex-pipeliner friend who taught me decided he wanted his SA-200 machine back (guess he thought a YEAR was a long enough loan) :laughing: - I immediately went looking for a replacement, ended up buying a 250 amp AC/DC machine (Solar, aka Lincoln/Century, etc) - then bought a transformer MM211 about 10 years ago, sold that to a friend a couple years later when I found a MM252 and 30A spool gun and 3 tanks for less than the bare welder costs. A few years later I ADDED the newer inverter MM211.
MIG is about 98% of what I use now, I've welded up to 3/4" steel (deep bevels, 2 passes) with the MM252 and subjected the result to 20 TONS of pressure with no failures. Somehow I doubt those welds lacked penetration... Steve
