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Welder Recommendation - TIG or MIG
- Thread starter mrstinson
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aeronca65t
Great Pumpkin
Offline
I like oxy-acetlyne for body work. The mini-tanks are fine for home use (about $250 from Harbor Freight).
I'd prefer TIG to MIG if that was the choice. A decent TIG unit is the Lincoln Square Wave for about $1200 USD plus argon/CO2 tank.
The only MIG welders I like have a spool gun (only on more expensice units). Personally, I do not like the gasless MIG wire.
To read more about this, go here:
https://www.asashop.org/autoinc/march97/welding.htm
You can also buy a moderate-priced AC/DC welder and convert it. Northern Tool has some decent ones for under $400 USD. An AC/DC welder is a nice overall welder for heavier welding too: this is the way I'd go if I was looking for best bang for the buck and still wanted TIG.
I'd prefer TIG to MIG if that was the choice. A decent TIG unit is the Lincoln Square Wave for about $1200 USD plus argon/CO2 tank.
The only MIG welders I like have a spool gun (only on more expensice units). Personally, I do not like the gasless MIG wire.
To read more about this, go here:
https://www.asashop.org/autoinc/march97/welding.htm
You can also buy a moderate-priced AC/DC welder and convert it. Northern Tool has some decent ones for under $400 USD. An AC/DC welder is a nice overall welder for heavier welding too: this is the way I'd go if I was looking for best bang for the buck and still wanted TIG.
CraigFL
Jedi Trainee
Offline
You can buy MIG welders for cheap and I find it's much easier for an inexperienced/beginner/occasional welder to be good with MIG. MIG gives you the filler automatically and TIG you have to not only learn how to feed it but how to move it to melt and fill properly. Point and shoot with MIG. I have a Hobart which serves me well. I bought this one because I like Hobart and can get parts for it. Some of the cheap, imported welders you can find on Ebay use components and wire feed guns that are hard to find parts for.
PS "gasless MIG" isn't MIG but actually FCAW -- Flux core arc welding. This is how a lot of MIG welders are sold because they don't provide the gas tank or regulator.
PS "gasless MIG" isn't MIG but actually FCAW -- Flux core arc welding. This is how a lot of MIG welders are sold because they don't provide the gas tank or regulator.
Dugger
Senior Member
Offline
I picked up an older Panasonic "Sharpshooter" that does dual function - stick & wire feed (MIG), but I prefer the MIG to arc because most of the welding that I do is with light material - less than 1/4". THe gasless "MIG" systems are usually stepped controlled for voltage/wire-feed, whereas the more expensive units are variable voltage/wire-feed which gives you better control based on the material you are welding.
TIG requires the use of both hands to operate and that can be a problem in some cases.
Regardless of which you decide on using, each has its advantages/disadvantages, but one thing remains the same, use protective gear.
Good luck with your adventure into welding.
TIG requires the use of both hands to operate and that can be a problem in some cases.
Regardless of which you decide on using, each has its advantages/disadvantages, but one thing remains the same, use protective gear.
Good luck with your adventure into welding.
ChrisS
Jedi Knight
Offline
Take a look at this:
https://www.linkgrinder.com/information/S...nformation.html
It summarizes Mig pretty well. Shielding gas choice is often overlooked in home shop units because of the cost of having different bottles, if you have one gas pick 75/25. Be careful of the inexpensive 110V units; I don’t know anyone that has been satisfied with them. On the cheap units the tip is energized all the time when the unit is powered on; a quality unit will only energize the tip when the feed roller is activated. I’ve flashed myself more than I’d like to admit using a friend’s cheap unit. Often by the time you buy the gas valve separately you are close to what a decent unit would cost.
Tig is better from a heat and distortion standpoint and typically you have less grinding because you can control the electrode more, but it takes time to learn. Stitch welding with Mig can get you there and is easier to learn.
I have a Lincoln Power Mig 215 and it is a little oversized for some work. The real drawback is that there are two different gun sizes, 100A and 250A. Although more rugged, the 250A gun is tough to use in tight quarters since it is also bulkier. This is the Miata over the winter. I’ve learned to despise spot welds.
https://www.linkgrinder.com/information/S...nformation.html
It summarizes Mig pretty well. Shielding gas choice is often overlooked in home shop units because of the cost of having different bottles, if you have one gas pick 75/25. Be careful of the inexpensive 110V units; I don’t know anyone that has been satisfied with them. On the cheap units the tip is energized all the time when the unit is powered on; a quality unit will only energize the tip when the feed roller is activated. I’ve flashed myself more than I’d like to admit using a friend’s cheap unit. Often by the time you buy the gas valve separately you are close to what a decent unit would cost.
Tig is better from a heat and distortion standpoint and typically you have less grinding because you can control the electrode more, but it takes time to learn. Stitch welding with Mig can get you there and is easier to learn.
I have a Lincoln Power Mig 215 and it is a little oversized for some work. The real drawback is that there are two different gun sizes, 100A and 250A. Although more rugged, the 250A gun is tough to use in tight quarters since it is also bulkier. This is the Miata over the winter. I’ve learned to despise spot welds.
Attachments
GregW
Yoda
Offline
Some of the best looking welds I’ve seen are from a TIG. Having said that, welding fenders and such, you don’t want to see the bead. I use a Henrod 2000 torch setup, which is fantastic. Very little distortion from heat. You can weld aluminum and stainless with it as well as braze. The cutting feature is nice also. Check out the videos HERE to see what it can do. This picture is a piece of a fender I fabricated. This weld hasn’t been brushed or ground down at all. Note how the heat doesn’t affect much of the surrounding metal.
G
Guest
Guest
Guest
Offline
Mig deffinantly for the beginer...WITH GAS!:
Forever usefull tool.
Tig good if you have the volume to justify. Hard to justify otherwise:
Gary
Forever usefull tool.
Tig good if you have the volume to justify. Hard to justify otherwise:
Gary
Look at the welding rate--mine is 30%. I can weld 3 minutes every 10 minutes. On fenders I like to weld a small spot and move to reduce heat. You can learn a lot by watching building programs (American Chopper). They go into detail on welding Bike gas tanks. I, also, found excellent books in the local college book store. MIG with gas would be my choice. I have three welders and a truck shop to use if I need larger units.
twigworker
Jedi Trainee
Offline
Greg...That torch kit is REALLY interesting. I have both gas and Mig outfits but that thing looks like it just HAS to come to my house. Jack
John Loftus
Darth Vader
Offline
I have a Henrob torch and love it. My MIG welder (Millermatic 135) is good for some jobs but not for thin panels. The resultant bead is extremely hard while the Henrob bead feels to be the same hardess as the panel steel so it's easy to grind. Because of the low pressure and finer tip sizes, I've even welded thin perforated metal. BTW, my favorite 'welding rod' is rebar tie wire ... dirt cheap too!
Cheers,
John
Cheers,
John
TRMark
Jedi Knight
Offline
I've been thinking of getting a Henrob for doing sheet metal work. I also found the Meco Midget, check this link.
https://www.tinmantech.com/html/meco_midget_torch.html
Any comments would be helpful. I used my mig to weld in rocker panel and fender patches on my Lancia. I got it done but the welds are hard and the heat warps the metal if you are not very careful.
https://www.tinmantech.com/html/meco_midget_torch.html
Any comments would be helpful. I used my mig to weld in rocker panel and fender patches on my Lancia. I got it done but the welds are hard and the heat warps the metal if you are not very careful.
John Loftus
Darth Vader
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
Have you tried welding aluminum or stainless with the Henrob? Oddly, I find aluminum easier.
[/ QUOTE ]
The rebar wire tip came from the panel beater that worked on my car and he uses a Henrob too. What's nice about the rebar wire is that it's quite thin so it's easier to get a nice small bead. I did experiment with aluminum and was able to get a pretty good weld. But then I tried to weld an aluminum plug to fill the antenna hole on the shroud and couldn't get it to work right away and chickened out. Wrong plug material? wrong welding rod? wrong technique? who knows but I had to get the bodywork guy to do it and unfortunately I wasn't around to see his technique.
Cheers,
John
Have you tried welding aluminum or stainless with the Henrob? Oddly, I find aluminum easier.
[/ QUOTE ]
The rebar wire tip came from the panel beater that worked on my car and he uses a Henrob too. What's nice about the rebar wire is that it's quite thin so it's easier to get a nice small bead. I did experiment with aluminum and was able to get a pretty good weld. But then I tried to weld an aluminum plug to fill the antenna hole on the shroud and couldn't get it to work right away and chickened out. Wrong plug material? wrong welding rod? wrong technique? who knows but I had to get the bodywork guy to do it and unfortunately I wasn't around to see his technique.
Cheers,
John
GregW
Yoda
Offline
When I’m welding thin stuff, I cut pieces of wire off my MIG spools. I did that when I made a new drain channel out of 20 gauge stainless for the Healey. What a tedious job. About 17 feet of leak proof welding was required. At least it won’t rust. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif
GregW
Yoda
Offline
Hi TRMark,
I’ve heard good things about the Meco, though I’ve never used it. I wouldn’t have it as my only torch. It doesn’t cut, and I’m not sure how well it would heat metal for bending. I used the MIG to install the rockers as well. I did plug welds where a torch would have been the wrong tool.
I’ve heard good things about the Meco, though I’ve never used it. I wouldn’t have it as my only torch. It doesn’t cut, and I’m not sure how well it would heat metal for bending. I used the MIG to install the rockers as well. I did plug welds where a torch would have been the wrong tool.