Thread: MIG - Welding For Dummies

Hi Metal Head,
I agree with you that MIGs are easy to pick up, I much prefer teaching art students that than arc welding! I introduce it as the big hot-glue gun.
Seems odd there is no adjustments for voltage and feed rate, in fact I don't know how I'd go actually use the thing, unless you select the steel to suit the setup!! These two settings become a balancing act depending on steel thickness and position, not about operators skill...but then I've never touched an automatic MIG.
The hardest thing to teach to a novice is how to see with the helmet on, and I don't believe in spoiling a learner with an auto darkening helmet. Some of them even freak out with dark glasses when brazing, reckon they can't see what they're doing!

Cheers,

Hi Metalhead

Like the man used to say "oils ain't oils".
Well mate, its the same with Mig machines. You could say that the only same thing between them is that they are all different.

The WIA rig that you used is likely to be one that sports a pre programmed digital chip set for the metal thickness , metal types, gas ,etc. Change the job parameters and you change to another chip.

Remember the aluminium winged keel yacht Australia 2 that Bondy built? It was welded up using a WIA Mig that was first of the the generation developed by them and CSRIO.

I trialled one very briefly years ago but our company decided against the purchase.It was set to run with none other than perfect conditions.It was not able to cope with the minor variations that do occur the the course of repair work.

This machine would be best suited only for production work where large numbers of the same weld are repeated over and over. The price difference would possibly be 5 or 6 thousand greater than you or I would pay for a good quality unit for home.

Believe me, the skill in mig welding is not merelypointing the torch and pulling the trigger, but in how to precisely set the controls to make the unit produce the results you require from it.

The wire speed (which is the amperage ) and the voltage (heat input into the weld pool) must be "tuned" to a setting to go give optimum performance on that particular metal thickness and position of the job.

If possible ,ask to use different manual controlled migs and ask the operators to show you the variation in their control adjustments.That should help a great deal in the understanding of the controls.

Cheers
Grahame

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

Hi Metalhead

Believe me, the skill in mig welding is not merely pointing the torch and pulling the trigger, but in how to precisely set the controls to make the unit produce the results you require from it.

The wire speed (which is the amperage ) and the voltage (heat input into the weld pool) must be "tuned" to a setting to go give optimum performance on that particular metal thickness and position of the job.

Cheers
Grahame

BINGO. Right on the money. This is what you needed to hear MH. When my fitter and turner brother sets up his MIG for me, I can weld beautifully. But when I do it ....

Thanx Grahame, Rossluck & Andy Mac for your replies.

I appreciate that I had it easy being preset but with a bit of practice it shouldn't be too hard to strike an equilibrium, maybe I should wait until I get the opportunity to try one out.

I contacted a local TAFE college last week to see how much a MIG course would cost to do. I was told that a short course (over 8 weeks) in it would be $425 as oppose to $375 for one over a year and it would include the opportunity to obtain your ticket in it.

Ta
MH