Welding Tips and Tricks

G'day guys,

Here's a newbie question for you all.

Arc, Mig, Tig. I am doing a short course that covers all 3 in general.

Once i am confident enough to buy a machine and start practicing from home, should I concentrate on one method or do all 3 at once?

I tend to see Arc as boring, MIG is where my attention may be at first as id like to fabricate for automotive purposes but id love to learn TIG and get those clean crisp welds down on aluminium catch cans etc.

Should I buy a dedicated MIG machine and stick with that for say 2 years before getting a TIG or get both and learn both?

Any questions and feedback welcome.

Cheers, Mick

I'm in the "learn them all" camp

I use them all - they each have their place.

I'm with Dave. They all have advantages and limitations that's why all three are still used.

You'll think stick is great if you ever have to weld outside in a breeze.

MinnesotaDave wrote:I'm in the "learn them all" camp

I use them all - they each have their place.

Oh I plan to learn all 3, but should I stick to one at a time while in the learning process?

I think ill buy a MIG machine first and stick with that for at least 12 months before moving onto TIG.

sedanman wrote:You'll think stick is great if you ever have to weld outside in a breeze.

Oh yeh for sure. I know ARC has its place for sure. Will have an arc set up for the moments I need it. A mate used his last week because he was out of MIG Gas and needed to weld up an exhaust quickly.

It depends on how far you want to go in each process. If you want to go for certification level, you're best off doing one at a time to develop muscle memory and skill for that one process, then move to the next once you have qualified.

If you're going for general purpose welding you could probably learn them together if you have the time to practice all three enough as well as earning a crust.

Not to be a stick in the mud, but stick (SMAW), MIG and TIG, all three are arc welding. I know you mean stick welding when you say arc.
Buy the MIG and as you learn you'll know better when to move on to another process, enjoy the journey.

LtBadd wrote:Not to be a stick in the mud, but stick (SMAW), MIG and TIG, all three are arc welding. I know you mean stick welding when you say arc.
Buy the MIG and as you learn you'll know better when to move on to another process, enjoy the journey.

Yep, understand fully what you mean. MIG is probably where my main interest lies. Unsure to even how far id like to take this all as im in my 30's (36 in May) and unsure if ive left my run too late to even consider it as a profession.

My goal would be to be good enough to do paying jobs I have interest in such as automotive and other odd jobs.

MickStephens wrote:

LtBadd wrote:Not to be a stick in the mud, but stick (SMAW), MIG and TIG, all three are arc welding. I know you mean stick welding when you say arc.
Buy the MIG and as you learn you'll know better when to move on to another process, enjoy the journey.

Yep, understand fully what you mean. MIG is probably where my main interest lies. Unsure to even how far id like to take this all as im in my 30's (36 in May) and unsure if ive left my run too late to even consider it as a profession.

My goal would be to be good enough to do paying jobs I have interest in such as automotive and other odd jobs.

I reckon the moment it becomes known you own a welder, you'll discover you get attention from all sorts of 'friends'. Mine now tend to show up with something metallic and broken, as well as maybe some beer.

THEM: "Can you fix this?"

ME: "Don't you think I should actually learn how to weld properly first?"

As for types of welding, I dabbled in Stick but never really 'got it'. I then took up Tig, got the hang of the basics fairly quickly, and found to my surprise that what I'd learned in Tig welding made me a much better stick welder.



Kym

I'd start off with a MIG at home. Fairly easy to master as opposed to the others.
As for welding without gas, it can be done with MIG using a flux core wire.

Tokoroa_Welder wrote:I'd start off with a MIG at home. Fairly easy to master as opposed to the others.
As for welding without gas, it can be done with MIG using a flux core wire.

Yeh ill stick with MIG. Yeh, he didnt have the correct wire to weld gasless so had to do with a little stick welder. did the trick for what he needed to do.

I think it all depends on what your career goals are, and what you want to do long term. If you are happy working at the trailer factory, then learn your wire feed and go find a job. If you are doing this as a home hobby guy, then get a mig and oxy/fuel rig and you will be able to do just about anything that come along.
Gary

Boomer63 wrote:I think it all depends on what your career goals are, and what you want to do long term. If you are happy working at the trailer factory, then learn your wire feed and go find a job. If you are doing this as a home hobby guy, then get a mig and oxy/fuel rig and you will be able to do just about anything that come along.
Gary

Yeh unsure on any major career goals. I was considering volunteering or working somewhere say once a week to build up my skills etc. Maybe an exhaust shop or trailer shop etc.

Ultimately love to make stuff from home or a small shop for automotive use and make a good living along with my day job of selling cars.

I'd recommend that you learn to 'gas weld' before any of these.
You can also use gas to heat up and shape stuff, as well as cut with it.
http://www.cutlikeplasma.com/
http://www.cutlikeplasma.com/video_library.htm
https://www.tinmantech.com/

MickStephens wrote:G'day guys,

Here's a newbie question for you all.

Arc, Mig, Tig. I am doing a short course that covers all 3 in general.

Once i am confident enough to buy a machine and start practicing from home, should I concentrate on one method or do all 3 at once?

I tend to see Arc as boring, MIG is where my attention may be at first as id like to fabricate for automotive purposes but id love to learn TIG and get those clean crisp welds down on aluminium catch cans etc.

Should I buy a dedicated MIG machine and stick with that for say 2 years before getting a TIG or get both and learn both?

Any questions and feedback welcome.

Cheers, Mick

I offer 40 hour course that introduces students to all 3 processes and then allows them to build skills with the one of their choice. During each process, I explain the advantages, disadvantages, and job opportunities related to each one. Then, if they can take additional training. Returning students are allowed to go right to the shop to build skills based upon their previous achievements.

There is nothing wrong with learning all you can, just understand that they all take time and practice to be the best you can be.

Gerald

weldingt wrote:I offer 40 hour course that introduces students to all 3 processes and then allows them to build skills with the one of their choice. During each process, I explain the advantages, disadvantages, and job opportunities related to each one. Then, if they can take additional training. Returning students are allowed to go right to the shop to build skills based upon their previous achievements.

There is nothing wrong with learning all you can, just understand that they all take time and practice to be the best you can be.

Gerald

Yeh ive enrolled into a 24hr ( 6 x 4hr classes) night school course which starts next month. Its titled "Welding Production" and goes over all three. Its apparently a laid back approach with no testing etc. Their are teachers in the room to assist but they let you go your own pace and their to show you the basics.

I think ill buy a machine which is capable of ARC/MIG/TIG but just do MIG for 12months or so before moving onto anything else. Just going to play it by ear.

MickStephens wrote: Should I buy a dedicated MIG machine and stick with that for say 2 years before getting a TIG or get both and learn both?

Any questions and feedback welcome.

Cheers, Mick

My personal experience:
The very first day I got a TIG welder (which was many, many years after the MIG), I immediately wished that I would have had it from the start (along with the MIG). They both have their purposes. If the funds are available, don't limit yourself and get both.

My job requires that I use the TIG, so I am partial to that machine. That being said, about the only thing I use my MIG welders for anymore is exhaust work under cars and repairs on parts that cannot be brought inside and welded on the welding table.

No. You have to learn how to weld first. If you can't weld with an O/A torch you're not a welder.Period.
From there you go stick, then TIG(while O/A work is fresh in the brain---both hands working).
THEN . You don't even need to "learn" MIG. Just pull the trigger and, because you can already weld, you'll know if it's too fast, hot, cold, etc.The fine tune MIG stuff can be found here.That's easy stuff.
A puddle is a puddle. MIG welders use knobs and buttons.The others take much more finesse.

Antorcha wrote:No. You have to learn how to weld first. If you can't weld with an O/A torch you're not a welder.Period.
From there you go stick, then TIG(while O/A work is fresh in the brain---both hands working).
THEN . You don't even need to "learn" MIG. Just pull the trigger and, because you can already weld, you'll know if it's too fast, hot, cold, etc.The fine tune MIG stuff can be found here.That's easy stuff.
A puddle is a puddle. MIG welders use knobs and buttons.The others take much more finesse.

"To each his own"

Sorry, I'm not trying to start an argument, but I have to call 100%B.S. on this one... Times have changed. You are referring to the High-school method that has been taught for decades. Don't get me wrong, Oxy/Acetylene welding is a very good skill to have, but it is not needed. Nor is Stick welding. I'm glad I learned them both, but they have not been relevant whatsoever in my career path. If my high school had a TIG welder and a teacher that knew how to use it, I would have immediately gone to him and asked for instruction on the TIG first. It would have saved me an incredible amount of time getting to where I wanted to be.

You can pick up a TIG welder instead of an oxygen/acetylene torch and learn very similar principles. When you first learn to weld with an O/A torch, you run "beads" on a sheet of metal with no filler rod, learning to control the puddle and heat by pulling the torch away from the material if it gets too hot. With a TIG, you keep the same distance from the work piece, but back off the heat with your foot pedal. Why would one technique be more important to learn before the other?

I firmly believe that if someone is dead-set on becoming a proficient TIG welder, then get a TIG welder and focus on that first and foremost. If you are interested in the other types of welding, then learn those skills in addition. I compare this to being forced into piano lessons if you want to be a guitarist. Lots of people will say that in order to be a musician, you need to start with the basics (piano). Pure nonsense. For a lot of people, forced piano lessons will take the fun out of music.

I can back this up because I have taught two friends to TIG weld that had zero experience in ANY type of welding. After a few days, they grasped it and I am confident that they could have progressed in TIG welding without any knowledge of oxy/acetylene,mig, or stick welding.

Get whatever process you want and start burning.

These threads always end in arguing over different needs for different individuals.
I personally don't have a tig, I mig and stick everthing. It'll be a long time before thaty changes.

If I need to weld Alum, I go to my buddy who has a 250amp inverter.

AKweldshop wrote:Get whatever process you want and start burning.

It truly is this simple if you let it be.

Aaron@6061.com wrote:

Antorcha wrote:No. You have to learn how to weld first. If you can't weld with an O/A torch you're not a welder.Period.
From there you go stick, then TIG(while O/A work is fresh in the brain---both hands working).
THEN . You don't even need to "learn" MIG. Just pull the trigger and, because you can already weld, you'll know if it's too fast, hot, cold, etc.The fine tune MIG stuff can be found here.That's easy stuff.
A puddle is a puddle. MIG welders use knobs and buttons.The others take much more finesse.

"To each his own"

Sorry, I'm not trying to start an argument, but I have to call 100%B.S. on this one... Times have changed. You are referring to the High-school method that has been taught for decades. Don't get me wrong, Oxy/Acetylene welding is a very good skill to have, but it is not needed. Nor is Stick welding. I'm glad I learned them both, but they have not been relevant whatsoever in my career path. If my high school had a TIG welder and a teacher that knew how to use it, I would have immediately gone to him and asked for instruction on the TIG first. It would have saved me an incredible amount of time getting to where I wanted to be.

You can pick up a TIG welder instead of an oxygen/acetylene torch and learn very similar principles. When you first learn to weld with an O/A torch, you run "beads" on a sheet of metal with no filler rod, learning to control the puddle and heat by pulling the torch away from the material if it gets too hot. With a TIG, you keep the same distance from the work piece, but back off the heat with your foot pedal. Why would one technique be more important to learn before the other?

I firmly believe that if someone is dead-set on becoming a proficient TIG welder, then get a TIG welder and focus on that first and foremost. If you are interested in the other types of welding, then learn those skills in addition. I compare this to being forced into piano lessons if you want to be a guitarist. Lots of people will say that in order to be a musician, you need to start with the basics (piano). Pure nonsense. For a lot of people, forced piano lessons will take the fun out of music.

I can back this up because I have taught two friends to TIG weld that had zero experience in ANY type of welding. After a few days, they grasped it and I am confident that they could have progressed in TIG welding without any knowledge of oxy/acetylene,mig, or stick welding.

I won't make an argument (or maybe I will. We'll see.), because you're right. I can take anyone I know with a li'l hand-eye coordination, and teach them to make acceptable welds in any process.

If you wish to be a professional, and have aspirations of moving beyond, perhaps into inspection, it helps to understand the process, rather than simply to accomplish it. Any idiot can pull a torque wrench until it clicks... A mechanic knows why you torque it to that value. Oxy-fuel "can" be valuable here, simply because everything happens slower, and you can see more than just an arc and the half-inch around it.

Steve S

I think that learning to oxy-fuel weld 3003 definitely helped me TIG Aluminum for sure, but I don't think it was a necessity, more of a confidence booster since it's a long lost art for most anymore.

I will say that if you plan on shaping metal after you're done, there really is no substitute for gas welding in aluminum at least. TIG beads wreck English Wheel dies really quickly if you're not paying attention.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Thanks for all the advice guys. Just a little background to my experience and intentions.

I am 35 yrs old, work as a car salesman and am not really looking for a career change. I am a car enthusiast and have watched people make exhausts, catch cans, roll cages, tubs etc etc for years and always made the excuse "I dont have to time learn that".

Now im in my mid 30's life feels "Too short" and im just going to jump in and learn welding to do it at home for fun and if I get good enough I may look at making things for friends or even customers.

I will probably stick to MIG for a year or so before buying another machine. I have a garage at home which doesnt have power yet and is a mess but id like to set it up in there and just start teaching myself and learn from mistakes.

I will work on my own car to practice and when confident will do work for others for FREE then move on from there.

GreinTime wrote:I think that learning to oxy-fuel weld 3003 definitely helped me TIG Aluminum for sure, but I don't think it was a necessity, more of a confidence booster since it's a long lost art for most anymore.

I will say that if you plan on shaping metal after you're done, there really is no substitute for gas welding in aluminum at least. TIG beads wreck English Wheel dies really quickly if you're not paying attention.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

I have to agree here while oxy-fuel welding is not necessary
learning to manipulate with one definitely give you an edge when it comes to tigging aluminium
I start all my first timers on a torch and it pays off early
I think it does give them a little confidence when the start to learn the different methods and progress to mig, stick, and tig