amp outputs mig vs. stick

[Shield Arc]

Alot of the confusion and problem with a question like this...IMO....is due to the fact that you dont actually know what amps you are running with the mig.

I remember when welding machines only came like this. Wonder how we ever got anything built not knowing where the amps, and volts where.

 

[LD1]

Kinda like my Mig welder now, and like some modern smaller mig machines.

In reality, I havent a clue what volts or amps or even wire feed is on my machine. Just a number 1 thru 10 for wire, a 1-4 for heat range, and low-6 for heat control.

Just un-arbitrary numbers that dont really mean anything. Kinda like most John Deere model numbers going WAY back up until just the last decade or so:laughing:

 

[Shield Arc]

Amps, volts, and wire speed means nothing to me! I was taught to read the puddle, and do what ever the puddle requires. Can't tell you how many wire feed welding tests I've taken where there was duct tape over the gauges on the machine when I walked into the booth.

Best advice I can give to anybody wanting to learn how to weld. Learn to read the puddle!!!!

 

[arrow]

Amps, volts, and wire speed means nothing to me! I was taught to read the puddle, and do what ever the puddle requires. Can't tell you how many wire feed welding tests I've taken where there was duct tape over the gauges on the machine when I walked into the booth.

Best advice I can give to anybody wanting to learn how to weld. Learn to read the puddle!!!!

Good, I always loved puddles. In order to get me to stop jumping in them, my father used to say "How deep is that puddle?" I'd say "I dunno" Then he'd say "If you dunno, maybe one day you'll jump into one and drown" In tis case , if you "dunno" puddles, maybe one day that piece you're welding that you are depending on will break.
Shield you learned to weld like I learned to paint. There are tomes and tomes of color theory books. All were just about meaningless to this instructor. He simply said "look, when you have this color next to this color and you try to create the shadow just mix this with that and you get this". It was good.

 

[Shield Arc]

if you "dunno" puddles, maybe one day that piece you're welding that you are depending on will break.

Use a 120-volt Mig welder, and that could very well happen.

 

[Piperflyer]

Amps, volts, and wire speed means nothing to me! I was taught to read the puddle, and do what ever the puddle requires. Can't tell you how many wire feed welding tests I've taken where there was duct tape over the gauges on the machine when I walked into the booth.

Best advice I can give to anybody wanting to learn how to weld. Learn to read the puddle!!!!

Agree

 

[mikehaugen]

the nice thing about numbers is that it gets you in the ballpark to begin, then maybe fine tune from there. They don't have to be exact "volts" or "amps", actually my old idealarc tig only has a scale 1-10, then a 3 ranges to deal with. After using the same machine for a while, you know that about 3 1/2 is close (or whatever), then maybe tweek it a little. Better than starting completely blind.

 

[Shield Arc]

I thought that's what a pencil is for. :laughing:

 

[LD1]

I thought that's what a pencil is for. :laughing:

What machine is that from???

Looks alot like my linde dial

 

[Shield Arc]

Looks alot like my linde dial

I wonder why?