what is the difference between tig and mig welding?
also which is the easiest to learn? (arc, tig , mig)

 

Do a Google search; this is a big question. TIG tungsten inert gas, MIG metal inert gas. Each has its own application. I have all 3. All require extensive practice; it takes time to become proficient in either one. Knowing your metals is the biggest part of any welding practice. I use my stick welder out doors and on heavy machinery, MIG inside on my welding table for fabricating milder steel and the TIG for aluminum and chrome molly tubing for frames.

The most intimidating and expensive, equipment wise, is TIG. I am by far not the best and probably never will be. Having a steady hand and a good eye makes a nice weld, with that said I am getting old and nervous…..

Your question is not dumb, just read up and enjoy what can be done with the right application. I had the pleasure of using a 300 Amp wire fluxed welder that was used in the production of the M1A1 tank, it was less we say an experiance to behold.

 

Well said Max. I totally agree. I too have all three at home. Mostly Tig Alum. and SS at work. And all have thier own pros and cons. Helps to know someone to give you a lesson.

 

I always push the hobart welding , lincoln foundation website and Dave Wright welding all three are great sites to help you with any of your questions. Mig is far the easiest to master. Then arc then TIG. YOu will most likely use MIg the most in a shop setting - but don't skimp on a machine. ALthough you may find a used lincoln buzz box welder (ARC) for about $50-- that could atleast get you started. For the regular guy TIG is an expensive way to get into welding - It also can be the hardest to master- if you ever do. I will be the first to admit-- I am no good at it. I was pretty decent with Mig in the first 30 minutes, as I arc welded for many years before.. Know your metal-- know your penetration.. A good looking weld doesn't mean anything if you do not know your penetration.. Good luck ..welding is proably one of the funest "work" things you can do..

 

thanks for the help
I am going to enroll at the community college and take a welding class.

 

Nothing wrong with that, they should have the full line of welders and most up to date information. Good Luck and happy welding...

 

Just don't let TIG get you down the first time. It takes awhile for most people to get it figured out. I just took a refresher course last spring in an area Vo-tech myself. Have fun...

 

I was a welder for 20 years and I learned on a MIG during breaks and lunch at a place I worked. I would practice by welding scrap pipe and tubing together. I have to agree that MIG is the easiest to learn.

 

I myself am a welder/welder in training. I am a 17 year old young buck that has been lucky enough to learn and suceed in MIG TIG AND STICK(ARC) welding. I will agree with others in saying mig is by far the easiest, and also don't go the cheap way out when buying a welder. If you are going to buy a mig, you want one that has gas (argon) and not a flux core welder. Flux core welds look poor in my book and would question the structural strength of the welds. If looking into a stick (arc) welder, a lincoln buzz box ac/dc welder is the best route to go, but don't plan on welding .65 tubing. It would take much practice to be able to weld a thin well tubing or plate steel with a stick welder. Last but not least TIG welding. I see tig welding as a process for your more precious metals such as stainless or aluminum or galvinized. With my experience with TIG welding, i don't suggest it for anything that has to do with a truck. TIG is for your more precise welds and is quite a task in itself to learn. Go out and buy you a Hobart or Lincoln mig welder that is about 150 amps or more. They come with your gas hookup and regulator and the such and will only hit your wallet up for about $400. A bottle of gas will be relatively cheap at no more than $100 and for less than $600 you will be welding in no time and layin beads down that are good enough for any welder to like. GOOD LUCK WITH LEARNING TO WELD you will enjoy every minute of it.

 

Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) is what they call “stick” welding. It uses an electrode that is coated with flux. The flux melts with the electrode and forms a blanket of slag over the molten weld pool to protect it from the atmosphere while it solidifies. The molten metal wants to absorb oxygen and nitrogen while it cools and the flux prevents this. Oxygen and nitrogen getting in there will make the weld brittle and crack prone.

Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), used to be called MIG welding for Metal Inert Gas. Uses a solid wire electrode that is fed through a welding gun, and the shielding gases they use can be either inert gas like argon, or a reactive gas like carbon dioxide. This is definitely the easiest one.

Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) is like GMAW except it has a flux core in the wire so it doesn’t need gas. Sort of like a cross between SMAW and GMAW. You get slag with this method too.

Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) is what they used to call TIG, which was Tungsten Inert Gas, but again, they are using inert and reactive gases for shielding with this method now. It uses a tungsten electrode that doesn’t melt, and then a wire is hand fed into the arc for the filler metal. Takes a lot of skill and practice.

Plasma Arc Welding (PAW) is starting to get popular with smaller less expensive equipment. It’s kind of like GTAW because it uses a tungsten electrode, but it also uses a high velocity plasma gas, so it has a nozzle like device in the welding gun. The arc intensities for these two are analogous to an adjustable water hose nozzle, where GTAW would be the gentle fine spray and PAW would be the hard concentrated stream.

For a home unit, a GMAW is a good choice. It can be used to weld most all the thickness you’d need for a backyard mechanic and can be converted to FCAW so you can also use it outdoors. If I had the money, I'd get a GTAW set up. You can weld almost anything with a good GTAW machine.

All of these are “Arc” welding. A non-arc welding method is Oxyacetylene Welding (OAW), it uses a flame so it’s considered a chemical welding method.

 

Well I don't think I can add much after the response from "Darkwolf40". That sounds like a journeyman talking. I'm not a welder by profession but I do like to weld when ever possible. I finally saved up the money for a Lincoln 175 TIG (GTAW) for home use. This machine can be switch over to SMAW very easily if I want to stick weld. Lincoln also has a MIG (GMAW) wire feeder accessory if you already have a power source. You will need to build a cart to hold the welder and contain two different tanks of gas.

I purchased the Lincoln 175 TIG welder about six years ago and they are still about the same price today. Although the MIG welders are getting smaller and cheaper so the above idea may not be cost effective today. But, I really wanted a TIG welder so that is where I started.

I for got to add a comment about gas welding. My first welding class in high school and community college always started us in oxygen / acetylene welding techniques. This form of welding may seem old and out dated but you develop much of your torch and filler rod coordination this way. Brazing is still very common welding method in body work and small repairs. If you want to test your patients try learning how to repair cast iron that does not pop the weld off or warp the work piece when you're done.

 

I have a Miller Synchrowave for the last 13 years, 251 Millermatic with 30A spoolgun for 3 years and weld once every 20 to 60 days. Talk about getting rusty without welding alot. Welding is a home hobby thing for me. It sure feels great when you have an idea no matter how strange and create it into iron.
Carl.....o&o>....

 

Carl, what model synchro do you have? I have a 300. I bought it used for 100 and it had a problem on the card, 50 cent transistor hat screwed with the AC output. The owners thought it was something with the hi-freq. I have a full service manual for it. BTW,,, I think its iron first,,, then you create,, ha,,,,,,,, I see you quoted 630.12 for welders, you could quote 630.11 for the wire derating table too.

 

Sberry27, that would be a 350 Synchrowave (big box 890#) with PF caps, pulser, pre, post flow, water cooled torch. Only thing i didn't order was a timer for spot welding. I was lucky, on the last job we had temp SO cord, 18,000' each 8/3, 6/3, 4/3 and 2/4. Dusty new used 18 months in a car tunnel, i got free 300+ feet of each. A care package thing. Now if i can find a plug and cord caps (free or cheap) for the 2/4 i can replace the 6/3 that feeds the 350. 131 amps or 101 with PF caps.At 185' of 6/3 the welder lays down when welding aluminum. Man i got a bad case of VD and my doctor can't help. The 251 is a pleasure to use also. The wife laughs when i tell her i'm out of gas. Ha! Ha! Do you have the state license thing in your state? Calif will in 1-05. Carl....o&o>........

 

Are you talking about electric licencing? Yes, Michigan has strict lic for electric. 4 years as a journeyman and another 1 to take the masters. When I was younger I should have got one when I had some close friends in the biz and there wasnt so much scruitney about hours and years. We can still pull our own homeowners permits here. At one time our local townships even had some of their own inspectors and because I knew them I could slide by. My understanding of electrical theory for the most part is so poor that I would have had trouble although working on a regular basis and with a little study I may have done alright. Most installation work is basically mechanical anyway that I manage and I can follow codes and also have studied the specific areas that I use. Controls and complex circuits still allude me as do electronics but I have a couple friends that are sparkies and one to do electronics that was born with his finger in a socket I think and I have access to help when it gets over my head. Just due to the nature of my business I had to learn the basics a long time ago as I figured I couldnt call someone with every installation. I counted once and have about 25 panels and its continious additions, upgrades, etc. While my legitimate field of expertise is structural ironwork I can do about anything and being in the farming business we do all our own work from engines, paint, to the telephone systems. About the only thing I send out is diesel injection pump rebuilds and I get a little help with refrigeration and electronics. I have a users gallery on this site with pictures.