Several MIG welders tips: how to become a better welder and how to select the top welding equipment. Before you get started, conduct online research to see what the best practices are for the specific wire you have or contact a trusted filler metal manufacturer. Doing so not only tells you what the manufacturer’s recommended parameters are for your diameter wire, but also what the proper wire feed speed, amperage and voltage is, along with the most compatible shielding gas. The manufacturer will even tell you what electrode extension or contact-to-work distance (CTWD) is best suited for the particular wire. Keep in mind that if you get too long of a stickout, your weld will be cold, which will drop your amperage and with it the joint penetration. As a general rule of thumb, since less wire stickout typically results in a more stable arc and better low-voltage penetration, the best wire stickout length is generally the shortest one allowable for the application.

Eliminate Any Extra Welds from the Design: Look for ways to modify product designs to eliminate unnecessary welds. For example, one company that manufactured boxes originally had a design that called for welded lift handles on each side of the box. By simply changing the design of the box to cut out lifting slots, it eliminated the need for welding the handles – saving time and money. In another instance, rather than making a part with an open corner, the design was changed to accommodate a closed corner, which meant 1/3 less metal required to fill the corner. Look for Items That Can Be Welded Rather Than Cast: We’ve already discussed ways to eliminate welds to create efficiencies, but what about adding welds? In some cases, it may be more cost effective to weld metal pieces to a part rather than cast the entire component in a costly alloy or exotic metal. For example, a company that originally used a part cast in a high-nickel alloy found that 50 percent of the part could be composed of standard, structural steel which allowed a savings in material and thus a savings in total cost. Also, the company was further able to redesign the part so that it was more efficient.

Several advices on welding equipment, MIG and TIG welders, plasma cutters. Identify the types of welding projects and materials you will weld most of the time. Are you creating metal sculptures? Do you intend to restore an old muscle car in your garage? Does the motorcycle you bought years ago require some fabrication? Maybe you need to do basic repair on farm equipment. Taking the time up front to identify the projects that will occupy the biggest percentage of your welding activity will help you determine the specific thickness of metal you will likely weld most often – and ultimately help you select the most suitable welder. Time to get a bit more specific. Let’s take a look at what welding process you can use for each metal type. Keep in mind that many of these materials are also processed using varying combinations of two or more metals to reinforce strength and functionality.

The welding setup, welder settings, and electrode selection will impact how fast welders can work. Industrial welders invest time in planning the size and shape of their welding areas, how parts are laid out, and how they supply their shielding gas. Testing settings or an electrode on a piece of scrap metal, especially for a beginners, will save time in the long run. Learn more about setting up an efficient shop here. Welding Downhill Increases Welding Speed: While welding downhill is a faster way to weld, it’s not as strong as welding uphill. On most projects it’s not worth sacrificing strength and durability for the sake of welding speed. However, if the metal is thin enough, then welding downhill won’t make the weld weaker and may even be the correct technique for the job. Learn about uphill and downhill welding and see these diagrams of vertical and downhill welding. Discover extra details at MIG welder.

Use gas lens style collet bodies and cups to weld stainless steel: Use gas lens style collet bodies and cups to weld stainless steel. The screen in the gas lens allows far better gas coverage of your welds. You can use gas lenses to weld all materials is you want; they also allow you to stick your tungsten up to 1” out of the cup by increasing gas flow. Sometimes you need to extend it just to reach a tight spot. The screen diffuses gas at higher gas flow rates eliminating turbulence which is what you would get if you tried this without the gas lens. Too much gas is as bad as too little gas. (Especially for TIG welding aluminum) Typical gas flow rates are around 15 to 20 cfh. Bu it really depends on the nozzle/cup diameter. While I am on the subject, what do the numbers on TIG cups mean? I am glad you asked… A #4 means 4/16″ or 1/4″ A #7 means 7/16″. In other words the number cup means how large the inside diameter in 1/16’s. When you use a #4 cup remember to adjust the argon flow to around 10cfh. And the bigger the cup inside diameter, the more gas flow….to an extent.