MIG or Stick?

[J_J]

Slicer rod or thermic lance with 75 lbs of oxy will will cut the railroad track in a jiffy.
5500 degrees

 

[JohnDeere4300]

And, to confuse things more, I've moved from O/A to O/P. It works just as well and is considerably less expensive.

I heard that 'propane' didn't get as hot as 'acetylene'... Dargo can you tell any difference when using O/P ?

I can get my 3ft acetylene tank filled for $30... Is it cheaper than that ?

 

[jjcc246]

my vote is for both. old lincoln 225amp 220v buzz box are around used for $100 and under. mig 110 volt for light stuff does a nice job. the ones at home depot or lowes are cheap enough and do a good job. just make sure you get one with a gas regulator so when you need pretty you can do it. I only suggest the 110 volt because if you need to transport it you can get the power most anywhere. just an opinion.

 

[Dargo]

I heard that 'propane' didn't get as hot as 'acetylene'... Dargo can you tell any difference when using O/P ?

I can get my 3ft acetylene tank filled for $30... Is it cheaper than that ?

Per literature "Propane does not burn as hot as acetylene in its inner cone, and so it is rarely used for welding. Propane, however, has a very high number of BTUs per cubic foot in its outer cone, and so with the right torch (injector style) can make a faster and cleaner cut than acetylene, and is much more useful for heating and bending than acetylene."

O/A torches usually run at about 5720 degrees. O/P torches run at about 5112 degrees. For most purposes, if you can cut it with O/A, you can cut it with O/P. All of our metal salvage yards as well as most all ship salvage yards use O/P torches for cutting. Besides, if I run out of propane I can always just use the tank from my gas grill and vice versa.

For most cuts that need to be clean, I use my plasma cutter. It can cut at nearly 50,000 degrees yet I can use a 1/4" piece of plywood as a guide without it catching fire.

 

[sizzami]

buy both you will need both I love my mig till I need to weld cast then I love stick and I have to admit 6010 is a lot cheaper than hours of grinding and sandblasting.

I have to say it a gain though any one who says a good looking bead doesnt mean squat is not looking at a good looking bead.

 

[rhett]

What I'm not reading is one fact about machine capacity, even the smallest machine can weld very thick material, it just takes multiple passes. The reason to go with a higher rated machine is Duty Cycle (previously stated), unless the material absolutely must be welded in one pass.

The Shipyard made me a believer of the Innershield Process (flux core).

 

[BlacknTan]

Stopped over my old buddies shop today.. The best welder I ever saw, bar none, and I've been in contact with some pretty fine ones. Used to teach and weld chassis for Nascar Modifieds.. He and his Dad both ran Modifieds in the past.. Today, he just builds cars for others.
He at first recommended stick, until he heard some of my repairs may include sheet steel about 1/8 thick, plus or minus.. He immediately changed his recommendation to MIG. I told him I was thinking on a MillerMatic 211. He loves that machine and recommended it highly.. He himself has a MillerMatic 180, along with his SynchroWave 350's.
He also said he'd have me welding pretty nicely the first day of instruction.. I'd rather give him a couple of bucks to teach me than the Trade School he taught at..

Maybe a stick machine later.. If I find it necessary..

Thanks for all the comments..

 

[wushaw]

Cool

 

[alltoys]

I had access to extremely talented certified high vacuum welders... Many of them were true artists and forgot more about welding than I nwill ever know..

But, for my purposes, what is the best solution... MIG or Stick??

!

My question to you is, What the heck is a VACUME WELDER?? I have welded for more than 30 years and never heard of one. If you have pictures I sure would like to see one!!!!

 

[bobodu]

As much as I hate them...a decent stinky little 120v GOOD QUALITY MIG would be handy for the really thin stuff I might burn through. But there ain't much I can't do with a little stick of 6013 and 40a.
I hate plugged nozzles,slipping feed wheels,changing spools,pulling a welder around to the other side of whatever I'm working on because the leads have to be short,running outta gas at 12:03 on Saturday,bottle rentals or maintenance programs,tossing a rusty spool of otherwise good wire, delay between pulling the trigger and actual wire feed ( like that damnedable Hobart 210 at work) and generally fiddling with knobs until I get it right.
Cost the company $700 for a circuit board for the big Lincoln and $120 for a trigger/lead assembly for the damnedable Hobart 210.