SMAW and MIG

[Flynth]

I really like stick welding for heavy structural stuff outside in the wind/rain/snow (yes I did have a pleasure to weld in all of those simultaneously...).

But for thin gauge sheet metal, if you want to do it quickly there is no substitute for MIG. One of my first proper MIG welding projects were big sliding garage doors for my workshop. They were so heavy I built the frame with square steel tubing on the floor with TIG (teaching myself TIG at the time), but the sheet metal had to be welded in place. I had to use thin sheet metal. 1mm (40 thou - 19 gauge I think) panels 2.5m (7.5ft) tall by 1.2m (4ft) wide. They had to be welded all around and there were 3 panels per door side. Inside was a breeze. I loaded 35 thou gas shielded MIG wire and it welded great. But the outside... There was wind, and rain, and I had to finish it. I bought self shielded wire and it was really difficult at first. I must have welded and ground off a lot of that wire before I got (sort of) the hang of it. Eventually I did weld the outside well. I ground it and sanded it so it looks like one big sheet of metal.

Then there is TIG. There is no better welding method IMO for aluminium, magnesium, various castings, cast iron (tig brazing with silicon bronze) and of course stainless.

So these days my go to method is MIG, then TIG then stick.

Also, anyone with a stick welder and a big air compressor I recommend to try carbon-air-arc gouging for "disassembly" of stick welds. It's a lot of fun.

 

[Jake M]

Just curious, is that truly SMAW or are you using flux core wire with your mig FCAW? At least as I understand it flux core wire is FCAW and plain wire gas only is SMAW. .

My way to sort these out (at least the most common few that you'll run into), is that if the shielding gas comes out of a bottle, it's "gas", or a "G", and that leaves the "S", or "shield" for the ones that provide their own shield. I'm not at all sure that is right, bit like I say, it works for the easy ones.

SMAW is stick. Shielded metal arc welding.

GMAW is mig. Gas metal arc welding, or metal inert gas.

GTAW is tig. Gas tungsten arc welding, or tungsten inert gas.

FCAW is wire feed. Flux core arc welding. FCAW-G is dual shield, or flux core in a mig welder. FCAW-S is self shielded, or "gasless" wire feed.

If you're bored, there's eight or ten different arc welding types. In my world, the rest are hypothetical.

 

[Janderso]

When I started welding I did so with a mig welder. Taught myself making all kinds of stuff. Then got a job that only had a tombstone AC unit. Got by, let’s just say lots of grinding. 15yrs later I come across a deal on a Miller dynasty setup and get that. Again self teaching all along the way. YouTube has been a god sent.
All that said I did it totally backwards. Should have gotten good at stick first. It teaches you all the key points. To me stick and stick are the same just different approach. Mig is like bowling with gutter bumpers.
After tig welding stick seems easier to me. I can read the puddles easier no voids anymore it’s like I know what I’m doing.
You wanna test yourself weld off the bench in position,or out of position.

I can’t imagine trying to tig weld off balance or off the bench.
Yes, Youtube is awesome.

 

[Janderso]

Just curious, is that truly SMAW or are you using flux core wire with your mig FCAW? At least as I understand it flux core wire is FCAW and plain wire gas only is SMAW. I am not a pro welder so could have my acronyms wrong. Looks like I see some flux in one spot? I typically use flux core with my mig since most of my mig is outside in the wind. I find the spatter with flux core is significant and I can definitely make stick look better. True SMAW mig welding with plain wire and just gas usually turns out a little nice for me, or at least last time I tried, has been a while.

Hmm, I’m using Shielded Metal Arc Welding SMAW.
Just your basic arc welding rod with the coating.
Oh and the mig is just plain wire.

 

[BladesIIB]

Hmm, I’m using Shielded Metal Arc Welding SMAW.
Just your basic arc welding rod with the coating.
Oh and the mig is just plain wire.

Yes, I was getting my acronyms mixed up. I was referring to the type of wire for the mig, not the stick welding. So you answered it above and the acronym is just MIG (metal insert gas, should have known that one) so you are not using flux core for your mig, that is what I was trying to ask. Thanks.

 

[Janderso]

Yes, I was getting my acronyms mixed up. I was referring to the type of wire for the mig, not the stick welding. So you answered it above and the acronym is just MIG (metal insert gas, should have known that one) so you are not using flux core for your mig, that is what I was trying to ask. Thanks.

I’d like to try the flux core. I just haven’t been outside my shop.
My assumption is stick or SMAW is better for thicker stock 3/8” and up? Better penetration.
And of course no need for shielding gas and windy conditions do not apply for arc welding.

 

[BladesIIB]

I’d like to try the flux core. I just haven’t been outside my shop.
My assumption is stick or SMAW is better for thicker stock 3/8” and up? Better penetration.
And of course no need for shielding gas and windy conditions do not apply for arc welding.

Yes, that sounds about right. You need a pretty large Mig machine to do thicker than 3/8". I do like the Flux Core for outside repairs that take a lot of welding. Nice to be able to run without changing sticks, but then duty cycle on the Mig also becomes an issue. Have had to wait for mine to cool many a summer day when welding to steady. Like most things, always trade offs to consider.

 

[aliva]

Keep in mind if you want to try carbon arc gouging. Your welder has to run at a high amperage, the duty cycle is reduced and it's hard on a welder.
It's a very effective way to remove old welds, but noisy as hell, and throws a lot of hot slag

 

[Janderso]

Keep in mind if you want to try carbon arc gouging. Your welder has to run at a high amperage, the duty cycle is reduced and it's hard on a welder.
It's a very effective way to remove old welds, but noisy as hell, and throws a lot of hot slag

What about a plasma cutter for gouging? Never tried it though.
I have a Hypertherm Powermax45 XP. It has a section on gouging in the manual.
I see there is a gouging mode on the control console.
Anybody tried it?

 

[Janderso]

Yes, that sounds about right. You need a pretty large Mig machine to do thicker than 3/8". I do like the Flux Core for outside repairs that take a lot of welding. Nice to be able to run without changing sticks, but then duty cycle on the Mig also becomes an issue. Have had to wait for mine to cool many a summer day when welding to steady. Like most things, always trade offs to consider.

I was looking at duty cycle the other day on my Miller Multimatic. Yeah, pretty wimpy when you get up there in the amps.
I have to say though, with all the projects I’ve done, this Miller Multimatic 220 AC/DC has been an awesome machine for me.
Mig, tig ac dc and stick! All in one machine with two gasses (i have argon75% CO2 25% and 100% argon tanks attached to the cart)
Very expensive but you get three machines in one.