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Why Does MIG Welding Get A Bad Rap?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Drive Em, Dec 13, 2012.

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  1. 3030
    Joined: Dec 21, 2010
    Posts: 206

    3030
    Member

    I know Don it's Christmas damn it!
     
  2. Fishbeck, I made a simple stand out of 1/2" tube. just welded a short piece of 2" tube for a holder. I got fancy and added a small tube for rod. Part of the deal for me is I like the A/O process. And TIG, what little I've done. (don't have a machine at the home shop) It's kind of a zen thing. And I love the malleability of the steel when your done. I like mig welding too, it just feels like production, rather than a craft............but if you haven't figured it out yet, I'm an old hippy.
     

  3. I was over thinking it! I need to make one, as soon as this rain stops. I have some lower quarters to do for the 60. The picture I seen for a torch holder, almost look like a ground clamp for a welder. Like you just pushed the torches handle thru and the springs pressure held it.
     
  4. Drive Em
    Joined: Aug 25, 2006
    Posts: 1,748

    Drive Em
    Member

    I did this with no pulse, just good hand eye coordination and 28 years of experience. I try to make every weld I do look like this:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  5. Davkin
    Joined: Apr 5, 2008
    Posts: 439

    Davkin
    Member
    from SLC, Utah

    There is nothing wrong with the strength of MIG welds. I am a mechanical designer and the company I work for engineers equipment that withstands hundreds of thousands of ft-lbs of torque and in some cases even millions. All our fabricators MIG weld, and I have yet to see a weld failure personally in 22 years of working here. If we had to TIG weld our equipment we'd go out of business. No doubt, in the right hands TIG makes beautiful welds, but beauty doesn't get the job done. Like most things, it's the man, not the tool.
     
  6. TIG requires a little more skill, at the bare minimum.
    MIG can be done with one hand and eyes closed.

     
  7. Any high production rate welding is MIG. Most all of car welds that are not spot welds are MIG. Good MIG welds are stronger than the base metal.

    The problem with MIG is that without proper machine setup, weld prep, and good operator skill you can cause very low penetration. MIG welds will always be less ductile than TIG or Oxy/Acetylene.

    The expression "glue gun" is used for those MIG welding that have poor setup and skill. The 120v machines can increase the chances of glue gun welds, but are not the sole cause many times.
     
  8. TagMan
    Joined: Dec 12, 2002
    Posts: 6,294

    TagMan
    ALLIANCE MEMBER



    Just wondering, Blue One - where did you get your Metalurgical degree?
     
  9. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    So, anything made before TIG came along should be exploding by now?

    I'm learning to weld at college right now and one thing my instructor said about this topic:

    "It ain't the machine, it's the man. Period."
     
  10. Fortunateson
    Joined: Apr 30, 2012
    Posts: 5,331

    Fortunateson
    Member

    Do you mean hammer finishing your welds or flattening you r welds. Contrary to popular belief "HAMMER WELDING" is actually using a forge to heat the metal, layering it and then using a hammer to fuse (weld) the two pieces together. That is how the Romans, Franks, Goths, and all those earlier civilizations welded back then. Especially important in the construction of some very tough swords and other such weapons/tools.
     
  11. GregCon
    Joined: Jun 18, 2012
    Posts: 689

    GregCon
    Member
    from Houston

    I once asked a group of very experienced welders just why a good TIG weld should look like a stack of dimes. They all agreed there was no reason they could think of other than it looks cool. From a strength standpoint, and I assume strength is the goal of a weld, the stack of dimes is hard to explain.
     


  12. I think you are correct Fourtunateson. The term has become common for gas welding and hammering the weld to flatten and stretch. The terminology was argued quite extensively here a while back :rolleyes:What ever you call it, its a really nice way to join sheet metal.:)
    __________________
     
  13. Yes, hammer finishing! I'm good at spitting the wrong shit out.. real good! I don't know where I got that from.. probably because it's similar
     
  14. Fortunateson
    Joined: Apr 30, 2012
    Posts: 5,331

    Fortunateson
    Member

    It's only because I teach history. Now, anyone up for "hammer welding" a frame together? LOL:p
     
  15. verno30
    Joined: Aug 25, 2008
    Posts: 1,148

    verno30
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    An opinion to the OP:

    My opinion is that MIG welding has a bad rap from the same people thinking all traditional rods with White Walls or Flat Paint are R@t Rods, they're obviously not.

    We all probably agree the HAMB is "rareity" if you will. That is, the majority of us build our own cars and are talented craftsman, where as many car people buy their cars and consider themselves experts. In reality, many of them are dumbshits :)

    I have a MIG and TIG and wouldn't trade either for anything. I think anyone who knows what they're doing would agree.
     
  16. mammyjammer
    Joined: May 23, 2009
    Posts: 512

    mammyjammer
    Member
    from Area 51


    ...see post #94
     
  17. Now that would be traditional! Oh yeah.. thanks Teach'! :D
     
  18. triumph 1
    Joined: Feb 9, 2011
    Posts: 591

    triumph 1
    Member

    I own a mig, tig & stick welder. While tig is my preferance, a skilled welder can make good welds with any welding machine. Some processes have advantages over others in certain situiations. Just my .02
     
  19. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,627

    The37Kid
    Member

    The MIG welds I've seen scare me, and I've never been able to put down a MIG weld myself, I did Heli Arc Aluminum body work for years, and can gas weld. TIG and gas have a pool, MIG is a gob of crap on top of the weld metal. If you feel good about yout MIG welds I happy for you, but I'd be far happier paying for a good looking TIG weld. Bob
     
  20. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member

    Thats what it boils down to, doesnt it?

    Different welders for different jobs.

    And no one machine does it all.


    Take a look at my latest find...

    I'm having fun with it.:)

    5Ld5N75J73Ed3Jf3ofc4habe77d3b4f241623.jpg
     
  21. Cowtown Speed Shop
    Joined: Sep 26, 2010
    Posts: 1,192

    Cowtown Speed Shop
    Member
    from KC

    For all the guys who want to argue that mig welding is just as good or better than TIG welding.......When you can make your mig welds look like this, let us know!...until then, Nuff said!!.....by the way these are not mine they were done by another HAMB member
     

    Attached Files:

  22. Pneumatically controlled, spot welder?
     
  23. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member

    Yep.

    And watercooled.

    But I havent done heavy enough stuff where I have had to hook that up yet.
     

  24. I'm curious what it was used for originally. What gauge metal was used?
     
  25. Hackerbilt
    Joined: Aug 13, 2001
    Posts: 6,254

    Hackerbilt
    Member

    The opinion expressed in quote B) explains exactly the reason for quote A)! LoL :D:D
     
  26. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member

    Different kinds of production stuff..

    I bought it out of a small factory that had not used it for quite some time.

    They hooked it back up for me, so I could try it and make sure it worked.


    Its not going to see a lot of use with me either.

    But when you need it, its nice to have it...:D


    And it does really nice spotwelds...:)
     
  27. No such thing as too many tools!
     
  28. c-10 simplex
    Joined: Aug 24, 2009
    Posts: 1,371

    c-10 simplex
    Member

    Really, if you want to get very general about it, aren't mig and tig really the same except with one you are feeding the filler metal by hand and with the other by machine?
     
  29. 5p or 6010 rod will give you the same look, and actually was doing it long before any welder had ever seen a tig machine.
     
  30. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member

    Exactly...:D
     
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