# MIG welding



## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

not sure if this is the right place to ask this question but will anyway.

for quite some time i wanted to include a MIG welder in my toy collection.

i would like to replace the concrete front stairs with custom-made steel ones. would also like to build a back deck out of steel + make my own window bars etc.

which specifications should i be looking for and what would be an overall good welding machine for me ?

thx,

- a -


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,..... Mig is a Great way to get started if your not already a Welder,.....

The Little 120V powered Migs can do a Great job on materials up to maybe 1/4",..... 3/16" is more realistic though.....
I've got a little bitty 120V Sears model I bought used on ebay for nearly Nothing because of a broken switch that I replaced for a bucktwo.98 or so....
It's a pretty handy machine I use alot,... I run the flux-core wire rather than messing with the Gas for the solid wires.....

If you have more specfic questions I'll try to answer them,...
Or,....
Google up "Shopfloortalk",.... 
It's a Welding Forum with alot of really Good folks, with some Great knowledge between them.....


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## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

thanks for your insight. this idea of mine is still in a very infant phase. i am not sure what typical thickness of steel railing for this purpose would be.


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## Kingfisher (Nov 19, 2007)

Keep an eye out at lowes and HD both the mig welders, I have two I got there for about 1/2 off each when they changed models. One is gas ready and one can be up graded to gas. Both are 120v not the 220v. I have a arc welder for heavy wight stuff but for what you want the mig will do fine. The starter model would work but I'd try to get the next model up list price about $350 that is gas ready.


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## BleachCola (Dec 29, 2007)

I run a sears mig with adjustable power, works great for home and car projects. if you want pretty welds with no splatter, gas would be needed, and not all MIGs have a gas hook up.


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

actually, all MIG welders do come gas ready becuae that is why they are MIG welders.

MIG- metal inert gas.

actually, the proper term is GMAW- gas metal arc welding 

What you speak of is a wire welder where you would use flux core electrode wire. FCAW-flux cored arc welding

as to spatters; it is dependant upon many things but MIG dies spatter. Lots of variables that can cause spatter, some intentional, some incidental, some accidental.

If you want spatter free, then go for a TIG.


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## troubleseeker (Sep 25, 2006)

nap said:


> , If you want spatter free, then go for a TIG.


He is going to have to have a lot more patience than me, in order to TIG weld a steel deck. :yes: 

Neither MIG or TIG are particularly good choices if he plans on doing mostly outdoor projects like decks and stairs, because the slightest breeze plays havoc with the gas supply to the arc. You are right about the wire feeders producing a lot of splatter. From his general description of his projects, I think he might be better served with a decent little stick welder.


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## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

what is a stick welder ?

thx,

- a -


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

> what is a stick welder ?


A welder that uses welding Rods, rather than wire.......

A 220V Stick welder is Great if welding materials of 1/8" or thicker.......


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

troubleseeker said:


> He is going to have to have a lot more patience than me, in order to TIG weld a steel deck. :yes:
> 
> Neither MIG or TIG are particularly good choices if he plans on doing mostly outdoor projects like decks and stairs, because the slightest breeze plays havoc with the gas supply to the arc. You are right about the wire feeders producing a lot of splatter. From his general description of his projects, I think he might be better served with a decent little stick welder.


Oh, i wan't meaing he should take on TIG welding, simply stating that it is splatter free while the other welding discussed will splatter to some degree.

stick welding- SMAW- shielded metal arc welding.

a rod of metal about a foot long covered with flux. Depeinding on what rod (different rods contain slightly different mixtures of metal as well as different fluxes, each having its own purpose and qualities), the weld can look as good as MIG welding.

If you are considering welding different types of steel, arc welding is actually one of the most versatile and cost efficient methods. You can buy small quanitities of rod for the different projects where with MIG or wire welding, you have a roll of wire.

as - a - stated, if you are going to be doing any welding outside, anything using gas is problematic as the shield gas is easily blown away causing poor welds.


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## scrapiron (Aug 30, 2007)

First, go to the library or book store and pick up a book on basic welding processes. A little more information will help you make a decision. In my shop the two Lincoln migs, a 110 and a lightweight 220 are favorites.


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## scrapiron (Aug 30, 2007)

One more thing, I would consider an auto-darkening helmet as a critical piece of equipment. Cost a little more but well worth it.


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

When I decided to restore old cars, I took a welding course at the local BOCES. You spend 3 hours welding every week for 10 weeks. They teach you oxyacetylene, MIG, TIG and arc welding. 
You might have a local school that will give these courses, that way you can decide which welding category suites your need best. The course was taught be a guy whose day job was a welder.
I ended up buying a Hobart 140 mig welder. A little safety tip. Just because the metal isn't red, doesn't mean it won't leave a scar.
Ron


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## McGaw (Sep 27, 2007)

Go for a MIG. Easiest to learn on, you can do longer welds, really the spattering isn't to bad on them, they're amazing little machines to learn on, you don't really need anyone to teach you. Make sure you do alot of practice welds before you do bigger projects though. A auto darkening helmet is ideal, but I wouldn't say forget about the flip ones.


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## RussellF (Sep 1, 2006)

Good information here:

http://www.weldingweb.com/


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## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

i saw a dude at HD the other day buying a stick welder and asked him about my project. he told me that a MIG welder is too small for building a deck and a stairwell. what gives ?


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## McGaw (Sep 27, 2007)

I don't see anything wrong with buying/ using a mig, make sure all the settings are fairly low, and go slow.


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

amakarevic said:


> i saw a dude at HD the other day buying a stick welder and asked him about my project. he told me that a MIG welder is too small for building a deck and a stairwell. what gives ?


These projects you're planning require more then a novices' experience in welding. These are structural elements, that if they fail, will get people seriously injured.
I would suggest taking some welding classes and/or find someone who can oversee the quality of the work you're doing.
Ron


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## McGaw (Sep 27, 2007)

That's why we have inspectors.


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

McGaw said:


> That's why we have inspectors.


Probably the biggest laugh of the day, thanks.(insert one of those happy faces, here)
Ron


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## comp (Jan 14, 2008)

Ron6519 said:


> Probably the biggest laugh of the day, thanks.(insert one of those happy faces, here)
> Ron


:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

amakarevic said:


> i saw a dude at HD the other day buying a stick welder and asked him about my project. he told me that a MIG welder is too small for building a deck and a stairwell. what gives ?


that guy had no idea as to what he was talking about. You can get a very small MIG welder just the same as you can get a very small stick welder. Conversely, you can buy either one that will weld as thick of steel as you want. I have welded 1 inch thick steel with a MIG welder. When that welder was set on the upper end of its power level, it was difficult to weld anything as thin as 1/4 steel as it simply melted away as I was welding it.

Typically, a stick welder is going to be less expensive for a given power range ( determines the thickness of metal you can weld).

The thing is everybody believes a MIG is so great as a welder. The do have a purpose but truthfully, they are not as versatile as a stick for a typical user. They were designed for production welding, hence the spool of wire. They are very susceptible to air currents that blow away the shielding gas. You have to buy spools of wire and if purchasing specialty wire for a specific use, you may simply have to buy more than you need. It has to be stored to prevent rusting or it becomes a decent door stop. If it gets crap on it, it does not work in the welder very well as it jams up in the feed liner. If you do not use the welder for a while, you need to remove the wire and prep it and store it. Then, there are consumables like tips and nozzles that need to be replaced as they become worn out, which is pretty regular with the tips. Then there is the liner that the wire runs through as it is fed to the welding tip. It does wear out and needs to be replaced occasionally.

they are easier to learn to use though.

What welder you buy is highly dependent on what you are going to weld. At the moment, I have no welders but if I set up a shop, I would purchase a good stick welder and a TIG welder. With those two welders, I can weld just about anything. If I were to purchase only one welder and wanted a general use welder, I would go with a stick welder.


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## Kingfisher (Nov 19, 2007)

I think one of the things that also matters is that an arc/stick welder will weld thicker steel in a single pass than a mig, so what make more passes. I use both when I work with any thing over 1/4", tack with the mig and finish with the arc. I could do it all with the mig though and make 4 passes to fill the joint right just more time


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## comp (Jan 14, 2008)

Kingfisher said:


> I think one of the things that also matters is that an arc/stick welder will weld thicker steel in a single pass than a mig, so what make more passes. I use both when I work with any thing over 1/4", tack with the mig and finish with the arc. I could do it all with the mig though and make 4 passes to fill the joint right just more time


whats the cost difference,,,sticks vs. spools ???


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## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

*so, can i get some metrics ?*

in terms of V and AMPS that i should be looking for ?

e.g. would this be adequate for me:

http://cgi.ebay.com/115V-135AMP-FLU...yZ113743QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


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## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

also, how bout this one ?

http://cgi.ebay.com/HOBART-HANDLER-...yZ113743QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

i noticed three main brands:

1. lincoln (cheap)
2. hobart (expensive)
3. millermatic (most expensive)

in this case, is it worth spending more $ (like i usually think it is with tools) ?


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## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

also, is there such a thing as a difference between AUTO and CONSTRUCTION welding machines, i.e. are some more suitable for one purpose than the other ?


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## Kingfisher (Nov 19, 2007)

never realy priced sticks and rolls that way, use them for defferent things it is hard to weld thin stuff with a stick welder so all and all the mig is a better only have one tool. Sticks can weld then stuff but if you are never welding over 1/4" a mig is your best bet. Auto and construction may refer to the thickness you plan to weld, auto is much thinner material than any construction material.


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## scrapiron (Aug 30, 2007)

Any of the brand name migs will serve you well. While I am a stick welder at heart I believe one of the greatest advances in welding in the past thirty years has been the introduction of these little 110 volt migs. I don't weld full time anymore but my truck still carries a little lincoln 110, a shield, and a 4 1/2 inch grinder for those little emergencies.


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