Whats your pleasure?

[k0ua]

I have both, I learned to weld using a stick almost 30 years ago. I didn't strike an arc for 25 years, then bought a MIG and learned all over again.

I like the AC/DC stick for quick projects and repairs, and it's the cat's azz for heavy stock.

The MIG is smoother, faster, and a much higher production machine. I have a spoolgun for welding aluminum, which was the primary reason I chose the MIG. There's nothing like MIG for light metal, except maybe TIG which I don't have. Yet.

Sean

Hi Sean, you should spring for the TIG setup on your DC stick welder, It is pretty cool, I am still learning, but I do like it. The regulator is about $25 and a 17V torch about $75 and whatever you can get a cylinder for locally. I gave $210 for a filled 125cf. cylinder of Argon. It is slow compared to even stick, and no way could keep up with MIG, but it is precise. Like gas welding but a much smaller Heat Affected Zone. Be sure to get some TiG rod as the RG45 gas rod seems to be porous with TIG.

James K0UA

 

[Chilly807]

Hi Sean, you should spring for the TIG setup on your DC stick welder, It is pretty cool, I am still learning, but I do like it. The regulator is about $25 and a 17V torch about $75 and whatever you can get a cylinder for locally. I gave $210 for a filled 125cf. cylinder of Argon. It is slow compared to even stick, and no way could keep up with MIG, but it is precise. Like gas welding but a much smaller Heat Affected Zone. Be sure to get some TiG rod as the RG45 gas rod seems to be porous with TIG.

James K0UA

I think I'll start looking into it.. I already have the argon cylinder, I use that for aluminum with the MIG. I assumed steel welding using TIG would use the same tri-mix gas as MIG?

Sean

 

[k0ua]

I think I'll start looking into it.. I already have the argon cylinder, I use that for aluminum with the MIG. I assumed steel welding using TIG would use the same tri-mix gas as MIG?

Sean

Everyone uses just pure Argon, and that is what I have. But I dont know what the results would be.. Probably ok...I have settled on 1/16 Lanthanated tungstens as they are not radioactive and maybe safer to grind instead of thoriated. I have some of the .040 tungstens but they would be for really thin stuff. the 1/16 goes up to about 150 amps. Of course I can see the usefullness of HF start and a foot pedal to taper off instead of having to snap up to cut off the arc, but even though it is crude to start and stop, once you are welding it is just fine. If you can gas weld well, I believe you would have no trouble getting into the TIG groove. It is pretty bright, and you need to cover up well or you will look like a cooked lobster and there is no smoke to shield you. No smoke, fumes, or not much noise. Just a little ozone smell. If you have the cylinder, you are just a few bucks away from striking your first TIG arc.

James K0UA

 

[yomax4]

It's MIG all the way. Thin Thick No Matter. I have a 400 amp Hi Def Pulse/TwinPulse Synergic Mig set up that also does stick and tig. Best Aluminum and Stainless Welds that look like Tig at Mig Speeds. Next I have a 300 amp multi process Mig Tig Stick with 4 Wheel Drive Feeder, ( use mainly for .023 Mig ) Next is a 200 amp AC/DC Tig Stick full featured with Pulse and variable Hz. Next is a 250 amp Mig Tig Stick Digital Integrated unit with a dozen extra features. Next is a Tig Stick 115/230v with trigger lock, Arc Force and Hot Start. Lastly a Ranger 8 Engine Drive with a Suitcase feeder. ( use to repair Deer Stands or for Aux power ) That's 6 Stick capable Welders, 4 Tig and 4 Mig setups. Still only use Stick if I can't reach with Mig or need some quick Cast or Chamfer work done. I love them all and am blessed to have them. I vote MIG.. :thumbsup:

 

[k0ua]

I think I'll start looking into it.. I already have the argon cylinder, I use that for aluminum with the MIG. I assumed steel welding using TIG would use the same tri-mix gas as MIG?

Sean

Here are 2 pieces of metal I welded together, yes I did grind off the weld but you can see it is not porous. It is about 14 maybe 16 guage metal. It was Tigged with a 1/16 Lanthanated tungsten at about 45 amps If I remember correctly. the red line shows where the weld seam was.

James K0UA

 

[kevinj]

Maybe pics should be included too.

 

[deereman75]

Maybe pics should be included too.

Nice dialarc and engine drive. Love the unisaw in the background.

 

[ericher69]

Not a professional welder but an enthusiastic hobbyist!

Learned to weld in high school with AC/DC stick and had a great shop teacher.

He was very adamant that stick and O/A was to be used and perfected before touching MIG (did not have luxury of TIG)

Coop placement with a local welding shop and the senior welder I was placed with told the boss on my first day that I would not be sweeping floors as I was here to learn and that he was taking me out on the job site.

Showed me all position stick plus high pressure pipe, repairs of aluminum props/skegs, stainless, etc etc.

I own both AC/DC 225/150amp miller thunderbolt clone and a Lincoln MIG 220V

I now prefer MIG for quicker repairs and fab but still use Stick when needed

33yrs and counting

 

[pickeringchris]

This is awesome stuff guys. I was asking age because I wanted to see if the old timers leaned towards stick and the young guns towards mig. This is somewhat true but not conclusive.
I never asked about flux core. Maybe that's the best of both worlds. On a 240v machine you can get darn good penetration on thicker materials and have better control than stick.

 

[pickeringchris]

Maybe pics should be included too.

Awesome pics Kevin. Cute trailer.

 

[Shield Arc]

This is awesome stuff guys. I was asking age because I wanted to see if the old timers leaned towards stick and the young guns towards mig. This is somewhat true but not conclusive.
I never asked about flux core. Maybe that's the best of both worlds. On a 240v machine you can get darn good penetration on thicker materials and have better control than stick.

On a construction site I use to have a rule, if me or anyone else would be in the same location for more than 10 minutes it was worth having a wire feed, but if you were moving around a lot from one location to another it's a lot easier / faster to drag leads than pack a wire feeder. Far as preference between the two processes, I really don't have one, it's more of the right tool for the situation at the time. In a shop I think Mig is more of the go to process, less clean up, faster weld production, but if you really want to pour the iron to something there is always Dual Shield, and Spray Arc.

Age? Lets just say I was standing on the beach when Columbus arrived.

 

[kevinj]

Nice dialarc and engine drive. Love the unisaw in the background.

The Uni is a 1950 I got out of a school and then went all the way thru it, it needed some TLC.

The engine drive was on its way to the scrap yard because the engine would not run right and the shop could not fix it. Had to do a bit of work on it also.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Stick for me. And 6011 rods. I have tried MIG and TIG. Both present high cleanliness requirement and accessability difficulty into blind or constricted areas as well as outdoor/wind issues. Using just a cheap machine, SMAW 6011 can be done effectively with NO pre cleaning, anywhere, with hi weld integrity and deep penetration. I would never go MIG, but want to get a TIG setup for aluminum and other metals and use on thin steel. [always] This side of 40
larry

 

[rankrank1]

This is awesome stuff guys. I was asking age because I wanted to see if the old timers leaned towards stick and the young guns towards mig. This is somewhat true but not conclusive.
I never asked about flux core. Maybe that's the best of both worlds. On a 240v machine you can get darn good penetration on thicker materials and have better control than stick.

I do not neceassarily think age has anything to do with it. Really it boils down to how the welding process applies to the person or business as well as the target material to be welded. Target material to be welded in business world are almost always shiny brand new metal. Backyard shop and the material is almost always dirty rusty metal.

In big business: "Time is Money" and even ultra expensive welding machines can quickly pay for themselves very quickly. Even a few minutes in timesavings really add up over 24 hours a day and 365 days a year with a large deptmartment of workers. The fastest process will easily save big business money even if the initial investment for equipment is immense.

In smaller businesses: The volume may not be there to invest in ultra high dollar equipment like a big business could , but mid-level priced equipment that provides the best compromise of time-savings and appearance is very important. Many small shops get a good portion of their business from "word of mouth advertising" - and good appearance will only help that.

Backyard shop, farmer, homeowner, or hobbyist type guy: Most only need an affordable machine as there is absolutely no one else to pass the costs onto other than himself. Really we only need something that can produce sound welds affordably - time savings is secondary and to an extent even appearance is secondary. While a stick machine will not always be the ideal best process a used $100 AC buzzbox or better yet a used $200 AC/DC buzzbox will cover so many applications for a minimal investment - and most importantly nearly zero in consumable expenses, maintenances costs, and upkeep. No other process allows you to do so much with so little in investment dollars.

As for flux core in a wire feeder:
I would not call it the best of everything as it has advantages and dis-advantages too just like every other welding process does. Just to name a few disavantages: Thin metal ability is compromised with flux core wire over mig gas, flux core wire is more expensive to buy, and dirty rusty metal will still bring even a $2000 wire feeder to its knees where a $100 stick machine will breeze right along.

 

[jdtractor]

Lincoln Ranger or Lincoln Pipeliner /ac/dc. 6011-7018 stick. Mig is ok but Im not fond of gas wire welders. too much B.S. to set up IMO. Im old enough 2 VOTE!

 

[pickeringchris]

You know what's funny? I have been using the online classifieds for a used ac/dc stick and there are a million that say "only used once". Lol. What gives? People bs'ing or a bunch of guys that give up after a couple hours???

 

[Shield Arc]

bunch of guys that give up after a couple hours???

I think that is it. I just sold a machine to a guy who wanted to get into pipe welding. Bought my machine, bought a length of 6 inch pipe, and a welding video. Just over a week later he e-mails me said he is going to sell the machine, welding is not for him!

 

[k0ua]

You know what's funny? I have been using the online classifieds for a used ac/dc stick and there are a million that say "only used once". Lol. What gives? People bs'ing or a bunch of guys that give up after a couple hours???

Yep, a lot of people give up pretty quick.. I know my first results were not good. It is easy to say, "well I will get a MIG" or just "I think I will take it to the weld shop"

James K0UA

 

[sandman2234]

I had a buzz box, and a buddy told me he was dropping another one by the house. He picked it up at one of the local hospitals the day after he dropped it off (ie brand new) because "somebody" wired it into the wrong voltage at the hospital. Turned out to be ok, so I sold the old one for $100 and put the new one to work. Been having fun with it for years...
David from jax

Sure was nice having friends working for a welding supply company!!!

 

[Soundguy]

reminds me of a saying at work, 2 variations of it actually.

original saying as i heard it: 'stupid hurts'

the variation we use at work: 'stupid is expensive'

IE.. sounds liek the hospital did something stupid and it became expensive for them.. etc..

soundguy