What is the best type of welder to use?

[jim_wilson]

Since I got the tractor I have been doing more and more welding. I have a bunch of projects lined up and am now wondering if am using the right welding process for what I want to do. I currently have a Miller EconoTig and an HTP MIG welder. The MIG is broken (wire feed does not work) so when I welded up a hitch adapter for the 3PH I used the TIG and got pretty good results. I also used the TIG to weld up some other brackets that were 1/8 steel welded to 3/8 steel and got good results with that too.

But I have been told and have read online that stick is really what I should be using for welding on heavy steel. The Miller EconoTIG will do stick welding and is rated for 130 amps.

Should I be using stick instead of the TIG for welding up the heavier steel? I am talking about stuff from 1/8" up to 1/2". If so do I really need something with more power than the 130 amps from the EconoTIG? I am not averse to spending some money and getting the right equipment for the job if it really is the right equipment for the job. I anticipate doing more and more welding of heavier steel so I would like to be using the right equipment for the job.

 

[JimR]

The stick would be the way to go with heavy metal. I have used my mig welder for welding heavy metal also. I do believe the stick will get a much better penetration. You can do a search on welding here and find all kinds of info on welders and peoples thoughts on this issue.

 

[PineRidge]

There is also a wealth of welding experience at the Hobart forum here

 

[jim_wilson]

I sort of figured that the stick is what I really want to be using for the heavier metal. I had used the MIG for heavy stuff before and was never really satisfied with it. I could never seem to get good penetration. I have gotten pretty good with the TIG and I can make nice looking welds but for really heavy stuff it just won't penetrate well and it is slot. I figured the stick might be the way to go. I will check out the Hobart forums when I get a chance.

 

[MadReferee]

To weld heavier metals in one pass with a mig you need need a machine that is 200+ amps.

If you already have a tig that has stick capability then that's what I would use. Stick requires a little more cleanup work (spatter and slag) but with the right rod and right amperage setting it should work fine for 3/8" to 1/2" steel.

The Hobart and Miller Motorsports welding forums are the correct place to get good expert welding advice from people.

 

[FL_Cracker]

Jim, you make be unhappy with the MIG welds but it's more the machine than the process. Stick welding is an old process and just very time consuming and difficult. I have more than 20 Miller CP200 power supplies and Miller wire feeders and all we weld is 1/8", 3/16" & 1/4" plate to heavy channels. We weld 3/8" & 1/2" flat bars every day. If your going to get a new machine go with the MIG but get a good 200+ amp power supply and then use a Miller feeder and Tweco gun. Stay with .045 wire and you should have no problem with 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" and heavier. 75/25 shielding gas works good, you just need to keep the wind off your work.

Something else to consider,

I just purchased a Trailbalzer gas powered welder for myself and added a Miller suitcase feeder and Tweco gun. The Trailblazer gives you portable welding and a 50amp 220v outlet you can use to power you house. During our two hurricanes last year we were without power for 12 days total and the Trailblazer kept my house going the whole time.(That's two fridges, two freezers, all basic power and a 3Ton A/C system) If I needed hot water I had to turn the A/C off while the WH was on. They are great machines. I also used two of them to run my business during the power loss and we could use one Trailbalzer to weld and at the same time power an electric CP200 power supply giving me two welders per Trailblazer. (Welder, MIG, Generator, StandBy Power all in one)

Charles

 

[jim_wilson]

Thanks for the info FL_Cracker. I wondered myself whether the MIG machine I had wasn't maybe part of the problem. Like I said - I wouldn't mind springing for a new piece of equipment if it is going to make me more productive, I just want to make sure I am getting the correct piece of equipment. The TIG does a good job and I have gotten good enough with it that I can make some pretty welds but it is slow.
I think what I am really looking for is a piece of equipment that is going to be more productive. I have a bunch of projects lined up that I want to do and the time I will spend welding them up with the TIG is going to take a long time. I had sort of relegated the MIG to the back burner because my previous experience with it did not lead me to think it would give me the quality of welds I was looking for. Whenever I see something welded up I look it over to try and figure out what kind of welding process was used during the fab. A lot of the welds on my tractor for instance sure look like they were done with a MIG.

The Trailblazer is cool but way overkill for what I would want to do. A lot of the time I end up getting my welding done at night down in the basement. I am in a suburban neighborhood and my wife tends to go to bed early. Firing up the welder at 10:00PM wouldn't make her or the neighbors very happy /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif . I would rather invest the extra money in nice plasma cutter /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[FL_Cracker]

Jim,

Yes, your tractor welds would be MIG. 99% of all production welds are done MIG these days. It makes for a clean weld, no slag, 70 series wire is a hard weld. Most people can weld better than MIG than stick. Stick takes much more practice and tallent.

Charles

 

[jim_wilson]

Sounds like I should think about getting a better MIG welder. I am still going to check out the Miller and Hobart forums but for welding a lot of 1/8, 1/4, 3/8, and ocassionally up to 1/2 steel what sort of machine should I be looking at? I have always wanted to try welding aluminum but have never had the need as of yet. I was looking at the Miller site and the Millermatic 251 looks like a pretty nice machine that is in an acceptable price range for me.

 

[FL_Cracker]

Miller is good. We have used them for years and have good results. Just get a machine that fits your budget that is rated to weld the type of material you will be using. Many of the machines have options to add aluminum spool guns later. All you need to do is change you shielding gas to Argon and you can use the same power suppy.

Charles