Using CO2/Argon for MIG Welding

[antichrist]

x2 on learning stick frist to be good at MIG. Way to easy to get cold lap with MIG.

I am just saying that the difference between flux core and gas is like the difference between flux core and stick.

I underatnd what you're getting at. My point was that it actually is weldor skill more than equipment.
A skilled weldor can do a good job with crappy equipment (god knows I've used some crappy equipment over the years), but I don't care how many dollars you throw at equipment for a crappy weldor, you'll still have crappy welds.

 

[maxyedor]

Yeah, and I've learned to purge before starting a weld if it's been a little while since the last weld. I wish there was a way to do it manually... I just hit the pedal for a sec holding the torch far away from the work, let the gas go a bit, move to the weld, then hit the pedal again.

Not sure how you'd do it on a MIG without having the wire come out?

Most if not all the newer tigs have a pre-flow setting, usually you only need .1sec, but if it's been sitting a while I step it up to 1 sec. for the first weld. On a mig you just turn the wire-speed way down and point it away from the work, you do end up wasting a few inches of wire, but there's a few thousand feet of wire on a spool, so who cares about 6-8 inches?

I have my mig set to 12cfh in-doors and 19cfh outside, use as little as possible without contaminated welds, no sense in overshielding, all it does is waste gas and money.

 

[antichrist]

I have my mig set to 12cfh in-doors and 19cfh outside, use as little as possible without contaminated welds, no sense in overshielding, all it does is waste gas and money.

Too high a flow rate will also distort your arc and lessen weld quality.

 

[I HATE PONIES]

Most if not all the newer tigs have a pre-flow setting, usually you only need .1sec, but if it's been sitting a while I step it up to 1 sec. for the first weld. On a mig you just turn the wire-speed way down and point it away from the work, you do end up wasting a few inches of wire, but there's a few thousand feet of wire on a spool, so who cares about 6-8 inches?

I have my mig set to 12cfh in-doors and 19cfh outside, use as little as possible without contaminated welds, no sense in overshielding, all it does is waste gas and money.

I just flip the tension adjuster down and hit the trigger. The gas comes out but the wire doesn't. The gas comes out so fast that I think it may not be needed. I do it anyway just to be sure.

On the flow rate the welder shop guy told me to run 30cfh. It is working O.K. so far but I will try turning it down if I can get away with it.

 

[antichrist]

The Weldor's bible:
https://ssl.lincolnelectric.com/lincoln/apdirect/item.asp?prodnum=PH

 

[I HATE PONIES]

The Weldor's bible:
https://ssl.lincolnelectric.com/lincoln/apdirect/item.asp?prodnum=PH

The link won't work. It says something about security.

 

[antichrist]

The link won't work. It says something about security.

I think their certificate has expired. You should be able to click ok and then see the site.
If you can't, you can see it here also:
http://www.toolingu.com/bookstore/item_info.aspx?item_ID=69
But if you order it, get it from Lincoln Electric, it's only $25 from them.

 

[I HATE PONIES]

Thanks Tom!