Mig or tig, Which would you choose? Options

[r_towle]

Thank you everyone!
This has helped me by teaching me.

A new Mig is in my future.

Rich

[Brett W]

Ugh on the shielding gas and cup recommendations. That is not correct as you want to use the largest cup possible for the application. This is coming from a national welding education instructor and a former aviation TIG welder.

All other comments I agree with.

This is a specific sheetmetal specific application ONLY. When butt welding a steel component that needs metal finishing such as straightening, wheeling, bending etc, this technique will keep the metal from becoming as hard as a normal TIG weld with proper post flow and gas coverage. The goal here is to melt the metal quickly and minimize the "air hardening" applied by the shielding gas. It will be completely finished out and the weld needs to be invisible.


If you are doing structural or other components, absolutely, bust out the Furick cup and send it. Don't do this with TIG welding anything but sheet metal components on a body. Not chassis sheetmetal or anything else.

[mb911]

Ugh on the shielding gas and cup recommendations. That is not correct as you want to use the largest cup possible for the application. This is coming from a national welding education instructor and a former aviation TIG welder.

All other comments I agree with.

This is a specific sheetmetal specific application ONLY. When butt welding a steel component that needs metal finishing such as straightening, wheeling, bending etc, this technique will keep the metal from becoming as hard as a normal TIG weld with proper post flow and gas coverage. The goal here is to melt the metal quickly and minimize the "air hardening" applied by the shielding gas. It will be completely finished out and the weld needs to be invisible.


If you are doing structural or other components, absolutely, bust out the Furick cup and send it. Don't do this with TIG welding anything but sheet metal components on a body. Not chassis sheetmetal or anything else.

My specialty is aviation sheet metal components so completely get it but you use a large cup to dissipate the shielding gas so that it does not rush at a higher pressure through a #4 cup similar to a venturi effect. All you need for thinner materials is 15cfh but a large cup actually reduces the pressure. A gas lens would be preferred.

[windforfun]

Are there any modern adhesives available that are better than welding?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

[914_teener]

@nathanxnathan

I hear ya. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)



Even in this case - all 3 layers were new and clean but still had major episodes of splattering weld puddle that contaminates the electrode.

Good example where TIG was not the best tool for the job. Would have been much better to have done this with MIG but I didn’t have my MIG available.

FYI - my solution here was to downsize the electrode to 0.020” (pulsed at 2-3 Hz) to get in the hole down to 1st layer get the puddle between 1st and 2nd layer started then feed 0.023 MIG wire in as the filler and fed it in fast to get the inner layer fused. Then let it cool - repeat for 2nd and 3rd layer. Took way too much time for each puddle weld. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

This is an application for spot welding.

What is happening is the gas between the layers (O2) expands and when the puddle melts contaminates the weld.

So to TIG weld three layers the weld design is better if a plug weld is used....drill with a spot faced drill through the first two layers three times the dia of the thickness of the metal and fill up the hole.

In my opinion becuase of weld deposition rates (time) MIG is better there given that application.

If no MIG is available...pulse is a good decision and a gas lens...if you don't have a gas lens stuff some 3M scotchbirte in a #8 cup.

No charge.

[914_teener]

Are there any modern adhesives available that are better than welding?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

In a aero space clean room yes:

VHB.

[scott_in_nh]

Thank you everyone!
This has helped me by teaching me.

A new Mig is in my future.

Rich

Hey Rich, I am sort of in the same boat and will be buying a Mig this winter.
Look at Yeswelder.com, there are many reviews on YouTube. They have a lot of features for the money and you can buy them on Amazon as well.
Give us a review of what you end up with!
Scott

[Amphicar770]

I have both Tig and Mig, I am terrible at both but can say that Mig is much faster for long welds.

I've seen Ben's welding. It's a work of art. Whatever he says, go with!

[mb911]

I have both Tig and Mig, I am terrible at both but can say that Mig is much faster for long welds.

I've seen Ben's welding. It's a work of art. Whatever he says, go with!

Thanks for that. What I would say is there many talented folks out there when it comes to welding. There are folks that really know the technical aspects of what is correct and how things should be done and then there are many whom are self taught that have found what works for them but may or may not be the correct way to do proceed even though the results maybe favorable. My issue with the latter is that many times it is bad advice to the average learner and though maybe achievable by higher skilled folks the weekend warrior welder on a car forum does not benefit from advice.

I have now been teaching tech college level welding for 20 plus years and often remind my students that even though they have purchased a welder at home depot it takes years to master the skill and longer without proper advice/ and or training.

Again I need to do some youtube videos.

[Superhawk996]

Yeah you do (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

[Superhawk996]

@nathanxnathan

I hear ya. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)



Even in this case - all 3 layers were new and clean but still had major episodes of splattering weld puddle that contaminates the electrode.

This is an application for spot welding.

Agreed but sometimes we have to make do with the tools we have at hand.

The problem is that spot welds can be one of the hardest weld processes to get a good solid weld in a home shop environment. Lots of variables: clamp pressure, current/voltage, cycle time, tip geometry. I’ve seen bodies from OEM assembly plants scrapped due to spot welding process that went out of whack.