MIG Welding...Which welding process should I try first? MIG part 3

MIG Welding, Part 3

MIG welding may be one of the most popular welding forms out there today.   Granted, it offers speed and results without a whole lot of training, the very things that make MIG popular are also the things that make it a less than desirable first choice for a welder.   People who MIG weld often develop bad habits.  They find that they can create a good MIG weld without paying particular attention to travel speed, torch to work distance,  or gun angle.  This is one reason that MIGs get a bad rap about not “penetrating” and not for heavy welding.   Nothing could be further from the truth!  However because people never truly learn to make a proper weld by learning to “see the puddle” or manipulate the torch correctly, many good looking MIG welds fail quite easily in the hands of the unversed beginner.   A good MIG weld can be made as strong as any other weld process can make it.  However, because a beginner’s (and some professionals) tendency to glob and spread on unfused filler metal without ever seeing the fusion taking place in the puddle itself.   A beautiful MIG weld may truly be only skin deep.   Skills sets do not transfer well to other welding processes and very few people who have pulled the trigger on a “squirt” welder can go right into welding with another process.  However, almost any other process skill set can be learned and transferred into MIG welding with only the slightest adaptations being necessary.   One final detration to MIG welding, is the cost of cylinder rental and gas.  Both leasing costs and gas costs are on the way up, and even though it is a relatively inexpensive welding process, the cost to MIG weld is on the rise.

Everlast Power Equipment, your MIG Welding Resource.