How To Mig Weld

how mig to weldLearning how to Mig weld is probably the easiest of all the welding processes. There are basic fundamentals to understand but once mastered you will be able to weld most metals in various positions with a mig.

The act of welding is simply fusing two metals together with the aid of a filler material. You first need to get enough heat into the metal to begin the fusion process. For this the power of the welder needs to complement the job to be done. For example it will be difficult to bring 1 inch steel to any sort of melting point with a 120 Amp welder.The more power in the mig welding machine the thicker the metal you can weld.

Filler materials or welding wire in the case of MIG welders will need to be the same as the work to be welded, e.g. welding aluminium requires aluminium welding wire. Also the wire gauge should also complement the work to be welded. For light welding of sheet metals you would use a .08 mm wire gauge. For thicker metals you will use 1.2 mm wires.

The basic set up with a mig is that the welding wire is fed through the welding cable to the welding gun; pull the trigger of the gun and the wire feed pushes wire to the job. The power level and wire speed must be consistent with the job to be done. Getting the two synchronised can be a challenge when you are learning how to mig weld. Once the combination is right the welding will be smooth and relatively quiet without splattering.

The power of the welder in relation to the work is most important, especially when the job being done could be a safety issue if the welded joint is not fused properly. A poor weld is often referred to as a cold weld or cold lap. A weld such as this can look perfectly fine but have no strength at all due to lack of penetration.

To prevent poor weld penetration the power of the welder must be sufficient to melt the parent work and fuse the metals together. Always weld with as much power as you can to ensure correct fusion of the joints.

How to mig weld with Gasless wire.

Mig welders will generally require a shielding gas however gasless wires are commonly available. Gasless wire is excellent for the welding of galvanized iron. Gas-less wire is also convenient where portability is needed or for site work when wind and breeze can blow away the shielding gas from the work.

 

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