TIG vs MIG welding

[PWE]

Which one is better for 'garage welding'
I have never tried to weld and am thinking of taking a welding course.
I am tired of looking for a fabricator to weld me a bracket.
So which one is better to learn, I only want to weld brackets to use on my 4wd

[lloydus67]

Mig is cheaper, no cheap tig units


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Hoyks]

Go the MIG.
Once the machine is set up its almost point and shoot. You can get away with gasless wire if you only use it once in a blue moon.
If you want to do ally, then you need the gas option, a teflon liner for the hand piece and be able to reverse the polarity on the machine.... and ally wire of course. Should get something capable for under $500.

TIG takes a fair bit of practice, coordination (both hands) and consumables. Compressed argon is a must. If you want to do ally, then an ACDC machine is required, for a reasonable one you won't get change from $1200.
Electrodes aren't cheap, so too the gas shield cups and wire. It does a neater job, but only once you know what you are doing.

[KeithB]

I did a 6 months MIG course at tech and it was great. The teachers were all retired tradesmen and the equipment was first rate. Got a certificate but I am still a Shit welder. Go with gas-less and get the biggest machine you can get to run on whatever electrical outlet you have. You can get a spray that will let the spatter come away a little easier.
Have fun.
Keith

[rags]

You could  consider an inverter welder, modern day stick welder, that can be adapted to be a tig welder.
I have this one, perfect for making brackets etc, although you may consider one with 10amp power like the 140 model.
https://unimig.com.au/product/unimig-razorweld-180-amp-mmatig/

[Pete79]

If you're only ever going to be welding in the shed and could be pumping out meters of weld in a day, then MIG is your best option.
If you're only welding a little bracket here and there or could be welding outside, then a stick will be a better choice.


MIG is the easiest to use once setup correctly. Gas MIG is the neatest, just need to be careful to get enough amps into your welds. Often inexperienced people can get a nice looking MIG weld, but it has no penetration and can break easily.
Personally I don't like gasless, I'd rather use stick.

As said previously a nice AC/DC inverter stick will give you the most flexibility for the lowest investment. Use the stick for your every day stuff, then connect the torch and gas to TIG really thin stuff or to get your pretty welds happening.

I have all 3 (MIG/TIG/Stick).
I grab the MIG for 90% of the clean jobs in the shed.
I use the stick for welding most galvanized steel and old rusty/painted bits of metal. And always use the stick outside, doing fencing etc.
I honestly can't remember the last time I connected the TIG. Many years ago I used it for literarily kilometers of 6 inch stainless pipe and 100s of stainless chutes, but the torch and gauge are currently buried in the bottom of tool chest. I actually have some little alloy welding jobs to do soon, might need a refresher course to remember how to use it again...

[DannyG]

IMO Mig is the best but use it with gas. You dont need to rent gas bottles these days, you can buy them outright and just pay for refills like you do your barby bottle.

I use a bought bottle for my pure argon on the tig because I rarely use it but I use the 1 free refill per year deal at BOC for my mig gas because I go through a lot more of that.

[duggie]

When welding steel with a MIG you can use CO2 gas as a shield . buy a cylinder form a beer shop and just fill when needed .

[Bad Scott]

Stick welding. Turn n Burn 

[weeds]

If it's one bracket than I would get a 10a inverter welder......

I reckon the Lincoln Powercraft 131 is pretty good value fo money

I just knocked up some garden edging this morning




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[weeds]

Actually, I forgot to take my old welder to the dump yesterday.....still works fine, it's probably 15yo....you're more than welcome to it.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[PWE]

Actually, I forgot to take my old welder to the dump yesterday.....still works fine, it's probably 15yo....you're more than welcome to it.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Thanks Weeds, I will only be back in Brisbane mid-November.
If you can hold it till then, then please sent me a PM

[PWE]

I should have said, TIG, MIG or stick.
Sounds like TIG is out.
MIG is ok to weld inside a garage
Stick welding only outside (ok to weld under patio? Ceiling fan with three open sides)

I'll be booking my MIG course

[tryagain]

I should have said, TIG, MIG or stick.
Sounds like TIG is out.
MIG is ok to weld inside a garage
Stick welding only outside (ok to weld under patio? Ceiling fan with three open sides)

I'll be booking my MIG course

Doing a course can be worthwhile, but the amount you can pick up from watching a few YouTube might be enough to put you on the right track, then my experience has been that practice is more important than theory

[Pete79]

I should have said, TIG, MIG or stick.
Sounds like TIG is out.
MIG is ok to weld inside a garage
Stick welding only outside (ok to weld under patio? Ceiling fan with three open sides)

I'll be booking my MIG course

You're welcome to come over to my place and have a go with the MIG and Stick to see which one you prefer.

I should clarify my earlier comments, MIG can be used outside you just need to be careful that the shielding gas doesn't get blown away while you're in the middle of a weld.
Stick can weld anywhere and the smaller unit means it's easier to move around if you have jobs to do all over the place and can't always bring things inside to be welded.

Send me a PM if you're interested in testing out the different welders.

[Spada]

You're welcome to come over to my place and have a go with the MIG and Stick to see which one you prefer.

You offering lessons Pete.......I've got a pile of steel I need to learn how to glue together for my shed extension 

[Pete79]

You offering lessons Pete.......I've got a pile of steel I need to learn how to glue together for my shed extension 

I'm sure we could work something out mate.

Structural steel is easier to learn then little fiddly stuff.

[weeds]

Thanks Weeds, I will only be back in Brisbane mid-November.
If you can hold it till then, then please sent me a PM

Yep can do


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Bird]

I had my name down at TAFE for welding course, that got put off time and time again (4 mths in a row) due to lack of starters.. Gave up in the end and went to mates factory and the scrap metal bin..

[tryagain]

I found this guy's videos pretty good for learning to weld, there is probably plenty of others out there but found him easy to watch. https://youtu.be/hgGG-ifphkA

[Bird]

I found this guy's videos pretty good for learning to weld, there is probably plenty of others out there but found him easy to watch. https://youtu.be/hgGG-ifphkA

   

[PWE]

Yep can do


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Weeds

Sorry to stuff you around but I had to stay in the Pilbara a little longer after last weeks 'oops' moment.
I will not be back at the Sunny coast till mid December.
I did manage to sort out a 'training' course here in Karratha at the yard.

[tryagain]

after last weeks 'oops' moment.

This the oops you refer too? https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-06/investigators-visit-runaway-bhp-iron-ore-train-derailment-site/10469802

[plusnq]

Weeds

Sorry to stuff you around but I had to stay in the Pilbara a little longer after last weeks 'oops' moment.
I will not be back at the Sunny coast till mid December.
I did manage to sort out a 'training' course here in Karratha at the yard.

Is that training course " how to catch a runaway train " 

[edz]

Not going to be much welding done for a bit at first I would think, But the Oxy sets will get a good run chopping that lot up .