David smith
Metal Inert Gas (MIG) Welding also known as Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) is the most popular welding method at hand. It is the most well-known than (GMAW). Because Metal Inert Gas (MIG) is too simple to learn and there is no need to clean it every time.
Are you looking for a Mig Welder (that is really good) for your work or home? If so, then you are in the right place to find out the best MIG Welder for the money.
There are many MIG Welders available in the market, but it is a little confusing and not easy to choose which one will be best for you. As a beginner, it is challenging to find out the Best MIG Welder for your home workshop.
In this article, I am going to explain how you will choose the right best MIG machine for you. And I reviewed here the top 10 best MIG Welder reviews of 2020.
I hope, it will help you to purchase a MIG welder. which is best for your home or workshop.
if you want to know about what is MIG welding Click here.
#1 Hobart 500554 Handler 190 MIG Welder 230V Review – Our Top Pick
Product Specs
If you are looking for a low-cost MIG welder that’s capable of handling both aluminum and steel then the Hobart 500554 Handler 190 is a perfect option for you.
The Hobart 500554 Handler 190 MIG Welder comes with a 10 foot long, 150 amp spool gun. It is capable of welding flux core steel, stainless steel, mild steel, and aluminum.
The Hobart Handler 190 MIG Welder is a great unit that can handle most small shop type work. It has some handy features. that you’ll found on expensive models, like the regulated wire feed.
It is highly useful for household repairs, auto body repairs, it’s typically good to use for sheet metal and body work, and even farm projects.
There is a difficulty for run the Hobart Handler 190 welder with a normal household power outlet because it will require 230v outlet. On the other side, you can use it with generators of at least 7,000 watts.
You need to keep in mind that the Hobart 190 operates on 230V power if you’re planning on using at home or on the farm. This great MIG Welder was also suitable for beginners.
Pros:
Best Quality Items
Reasonably priced
Portability
Easy Use
use for sheet metal and body work.
Cons:
Require 230v Outlet.
Little Expensive.
Welding is of two types in case of arc welding; these are MIG or Metal Inert Gas welding and TIG or Tungsten Inert Gas welding.
The MIG is also called the wire welding that is because the wire is fed by a spool that comes via the electrode of the welding machine. This wire, in this case, is the filler material.
However, stick electrodes can also be used as filler material, but this article is solely based on wire welding.
Basic MIG welding techniques require a lot of in-depth knowledge on the welding machine itself, so let’s have a clear concept on that at first.
The welding machine consists of a welding gun, a power source, which is usually a DC supply, shielding gas supply, and wire feed. This welding gun has a torch shaped tubular body and a trigger. Upon pulling the trigger, the wire comes out via the contact tip through the nozzle onto the base metal.
Now, the shielding gas is also released simultaneously when the trigger is pulled, and this helps in protecting the molten material from atmospheric contamination like oxygen or water vapor. The gas comprises of argon and CO2 and is stored in high-pressure cylinders.
In the MIG welding machine, the current has to flow in a complete circle, so a work lead is clamped to the work surface to ensure a complete circuit. The closer the lead is connected, the smoother the welding is.
For customization of a metallic tool, knowledge of welding is a must-have. By reading books, seeing videos, or attending seminars, one cannot learn everything about welding. For this practice and only practice is a necessary thing. But even before that, comes safety.
*Safety Rules
*Protective helmets gloves jackets are a must, although you will see most people just close their eyes during welding. This will only make the welding look bad as well as some serious long term effects on the nervous system.
The welding produces rays that are more powerful than the sun, so helmet should always be worn. Welding fumes are hazardous to health, so the person must work in a well-ventilated room.
Before starting the welding, make sure there is a clean working surface possibly made of metal. The working surface must not be cleaned with any chemical cleaners, as they can break into harmful gases during welding. Again, the working lead or the ground lead must be attached.
Then the welding machine is set up, check the gas flow, electrode polarity, and cables.
In the case of working with steel, ER70S-3, and ER70S-6 wire are more used. The latter is used in case of rusty tools.
Basic gas is argon and CO2. 75/25 ratio is best for carbon steel, whereas 100% CO2 will cause deeper penetration but lead to an uneven surface.
this should be set correctly according to metal thickness, type of metal and type of shielding gas used.
The appropriate length is 3/8 inch, which, when kept long, results in uneven welding. This is a common mistake made by beginners.
Here are three basic techniques for beginners.
The first step before starting the welding gun is to tune it. If it is not tuned properly once the trigger is pulled, it will produce a bizarre loop and only stab on the metal. In this case, the wire will feed out fast. So tuning is important.
Hold the MIG welding gun at a 15-degree angle (travel angle), so shielding gas can cover the surface then pull the trigger. Go in a forehand or backhand technique.
The forehand or pushing technique produces lesser penetration, but the backhand or pulling technique creates a better weld. You should go slowly at first but don’t burn the metal itself. For beginners, it is easier to go in ‘e’ or ‘u’ shapes and then move on to loops to create an even weld.
The welding bead depends on the amount of penetration. At first, start working in a small metal piece and see the depth of the bead. The size of the bead determines whether you are moving too fast or slow.
For instance, if the bead is a snake-like and thin, it means you are moving too fast. The beginners mostly make the same mistake. They hold the gun too far away, some keep the wire stick out too long, and some go so slow that they burn down the entire metal.
The key to success is practice, start by practicing in a small metal piece and then later work on the actual metal after you have enough confidence.
**Here are some basic weld joints you need to know.
Butt Joint
This is produced by sealing two metal pieces together. The beading can be seen under the surface.
T Joint
The name comes from the obvious shape of the metal after welding them at right angles.
Lap Joint
This is done by welding the edge after two pieces of metal are laid on top of another.
MIG Welding Tips for Beginners
Protective helmet, gloves, the jacket should be worn by the person who is welding to prevent any health hazard.
To fill in deep space, hold the gun at a 90-degree angle so that penetration is most and space is easily filled.
In high voltage, the weld will be very hot, so tune the voltage according to metal type.
A cleaner work surface provides better welding.
The working lead should always be connected to the work surface.
Right shielding gas should be used.
If there is a little or no shielding gas present, the weld will be porous.
Use a DC electrode — positive or reverse polarity for MIG welding.
Keep some extra contact tips at hand if they are rusty or old.
If the feeding wire is rusty, use a new wire.
If the machine is too hot or wire speed is slow, the weld will burn through the metal.
The sizzling bacon sound during welding represents that the wire speed is optimum; if the wire speed is too high, it will produce a popcorn popping sound.
The uphill welding method is better for thick metal penetration.
Smaller wires should be used according to the rule of thumb for thick metal welding.
Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding is a popular form of welding. It uses an arc of electricity to create a short circuit between the gun and the metal, which produces heat.
This heat, alongside a non-reactive (inert) gas, melts the metal. The metal is then allowed to cool, which causes it to solidify and fuse.
While that is the basic outline of MIG welding, there is a lot more to it, which this article will cover as well as teach you how to use a MIG welder.
**
These welders are used for smaller manual welding done inside factories or metal workshops. MIG welding has a less steep learning curve than other types of welding that are practiced and, as a result, is a good starting point for novice welders and is also used by hobbyists for small-time projects.
As it has been stated, MIG welding is used for small structures and is generally fast while producing excellent quality. However, it should be noted that MIG welding cannot be used outside, as it is very susceptible to draughts. Workshops will require windscreens to ensure proper welding.
MIG is also heavily used because it works well with lots of different metals. To list a few, MIG is used to weld carbon steel, aluminum, magnesium, copper, nickel, and silicon.
MIG welding has several advantages, which makes it a terrific choice for your welding needs. In case you were confused about whether or not MIG welding is for you or not, then it might help to look through the several advantages it has.
Speed of Welding
It goes without saying that MIG welding is fast. While it also depends on the complexity of the joint or fusion, in most cases, you will find that MIG takes the least time. This is attributed to the continuously feeding electrode, which ensures a fast and smooth process.
Quality of Welding
Alongside being fast, MIG produces very high-quality welding. This form of welding offers good weld pool visibility alongside great control due to the auto-feed wire.
All these work in tandem to provide a simple, efficient, and high-quality weld when working with the large variety of metals MIG welding is compatible with.
Clean and Efficient
MIG welding uses a shielding gas to protect the arc. What this does is reduce the loss of alloying elements and prevents the formation of slag and other waste products.
Furthermore, this ensures high uptime, and there is very little clean up to do. This makes the process fast and less tedious.
Easy to Learn
Despite all these advantages, MIG welding is quite easy to do and teach. In many workplaces, it is very easy and cheap to provide sufficient basic training to employees that will allow them to perform properly.
It is also very easy for people to pick up and use for their projects. Simply having someone demonstrate it or watching a video tutorial is often enough.
Are you looking for equipment to merge two metal pieces? This article will help you to know about how does MIG welding work?
There are many MIG welders in the marketplace (Are you confused?) how to choose a mig welder for your work or home Then you have come to the right place We have covered all the information for you Whatever you need
We help people with knowledge about welder and other related issues. We also provide the information you need before buying the projects
