OK, Now I'm totally confused.
At first I wanted a stick welder, then I learned MIG. Then I wanted a MIG welder, then I learned TIG. Now I want a TIG welder.

What's a boy to do?!

Seriously, I know we've talked about this before, but I need help. I did really well doing aluminum and I've always wanted to make my own bicycle frame, so TIG could be really cool.

HELP ME!

I'll help:

The TIG welder cost a lot more than a MIG welder.

Soon you'll be making oil coolers for all of us.

B

I'm no expert. The local welding supply I bought my Miller 175 from told me that I could upgrade my MIG to do TIG for around $400. Some kind of voltage add on unit and then of course different gas and wire. I won't pretend to understand it at this point, but once I get deecent at MIG, I'm going to look into it.

My body shop guy that's going to do the /6 work will only TIG body panels. I'm actually hoping to learn some stuff from him while doing the grunt work on my car at his shop.

I can MIG.

What's the difference?

Like I said, I'm no expert...

I believe TIG is a smaller, more concentrated arc, and generally is not as hot. Therefore it doesn't burn through aluminum and sheet metal.

Hopefully someone will educate us shortly. I'd like to know for sure myself.

MIG uses the electrode (wire) to melt the parent material and fuse the pieces together with the wire. When you squeeze the trigger, you are making an electrical path between the wire and the piece you are working on. (the machine "feeds" the wire into the work)

With the TIG, once you squeeze the trigger, you create a spark between the electrode on the gun and the parent material, once the material starts to melt, you feed in the welding rod which is held separately and independent of the machine. (you feed the rod into the work with your hand)

With TIG, one can weld two pieces together without any welding rod...it's basically the electronic welding equivalent to gas welding (using a medium to melt and then inserting another material to fuse the pieces together)

I was impressed by TIG, the control you can get is amazing. I also like that you can see the weld puddle, unlike MIG. At first I was burning the Aluminum a little, but once I got used to driving the power setting with my foot I could get nice looking welds. I'm gonna do some stainless on Thursday.

Which is easier, aluminum or stainless? I've heard different opinions on that.

I've only TIG'd aluminum...once you get good you can weld aluminum cans together....why?? I don't know?

You could make a can with a pop-top on each end for easier shotgunning. Would be an instant hit with the college crowd.

Help me out here Mike. I'm confused by these two statements. They both say TIG, bit in the first paragraph you said, "feed in the welding rod". In the second paragraph you said, "weld two pieces together without any welding rod".

You can TIG without rod, like acetyline welding, but (my interpretation) you need the rod to make a smooth (full) weld.
I think that a weld without rod would be thin and, therefore, weak. TIG welds are typically fine anyway, so there isn't a whole lot of weld or mess.

Thanks Sean.

...my middle name is mike....

My step-brother's name is Shawn....

Actually, my middle name is Mike (Michael). Ain't tellin ya what my first name is.

Gilbert?

Gilbert Ginter has a ring to it ya know!?

Oh thats easy so your beer doesnt leak out..



TIG:

Uses a non consumable electrode with a seperate filler rod (or without) Tig offers much better control of the arc than other weld processes. The foot pedal is often used for arc control, some tig torches now have fingertip control of the arc. Noble gasses are used for shielding the arc (argon, helium etc, comtimes combined with co2)

MIG:

Uses a consumable electrode. The filler wire is the electrode. One problem with MIG is that you are always adding filler metal. Reworking areas of weld requires grinding etc. With TIG you can remelt the area. Mig also uses shielding gasses.

I have access to a high end TIG machine ( at my friends shop) but for my personal home use I have a small lincoln MIG machine..

I think for general automotive use the MIG is a better and more practical welder to buy.

If money was no object Id get a welding power supply, and the TIG, MIG and stick attachments for it..Hobart, Miller Lincoln make these they probably cost over $3000 to start..

That's pretty close on the cost estimate.
Them beyotches are pricey. We work on
some really nice combo units and I'm sure I'm
spoiled, so whatever I get will be a step down
from what I learned on.

Thanks for the info. It sounds really cool - hopefully I'll get a chance to learn someday.

-Rusty