MIG stands for Metal Inert Gas welding. When it comes to MIG welding, good training surpasses everything. If you’ve received good training, MIG welding will definitely be an easy ride for you. MIG welding, also known as GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding) is very popular in the world.
Both professionals and beginners prefer this type of welding to TIG welding. MIG is very easy to learn, strong and also reliable. Before you start your welding journey, there are tips that are very important in this journey:
9 Mig Welding Tips For Beginners
Safety
In every type of welding safety is very important. Ensure that safety is guaranteed during and even after work. Take safety precautions seriously because the burns and injuries aren’t good for you.
In order for you to succeed in these safety measures, get the right safety equipments before you start working. These are:-
Welding gloves
Do not go for too thick gloves for a start. They might be hard to work with. Get at least three different MIG welding gloves.
When you use high amperages you will need the thick gloves. But for a start use light gloves with low amperage until you master the art of MIG welding.
Go for leather MIG welding gloves. Never buy the Synthetic gloves to use for a welding project.
Clothing and boots
You will need to invest in good apron or fire proof overall for MIG welding. Never wear any synthetic cloth during your welding.
For the boots, you will also need to invest in boots that protect your toes well just in case you hit metal. Go for boots that are made of leather for they last long and offer maximum protection.
Use a Good Darkening Helmet
In MIG welding, a standard welding helmet might not as convenient as the darkening helmet. A darkening helmet assists the welder to see where he is pointing without removing the helmet.
Respiratory Protective Equipment
The welding fumes can be very disgusting, at least to most people. Use the appropriate Respiratory protective equipments to prevent the fumes from getting into your system.
Apart from the fumes being unbearable, they can be very harmful to the body. Scientists have outlined evidences that the welding fumes can cause lung cancer.
Cleanliness
Before you start doing anything, it is important to clean the surfaces. Cleaning your surfaces ensures that your welding job comes out perfectly.
Clean out paints, dust and rust before you start welding. MIG welding doesn’t go well with oil and greased bases. Getting rid of these contaminations guarantees you a perfect welding without problems.
Use non woven abrasive for the cleaning of your metal.
Choose The Right MIG Welding Machine
As a beginner, the quality of your work highly depends on the type of MIG welding machine you buy. It is also important to identify what you want to MIG weld. The type of metal you will weld is a great determinant on the machine you will buy.
Go through you MIG gun guide to see if its specifications and power match with the metal type and thickness you will work on.
Cheap is expensive. Avoid buying a cheap MIG Welding Machine. It is better to settle for a second hand popular MIG welder than buy a cheap new Machine.
When you finally buy the MIG welder, check to see if it’s in a perfect shape. Ensure that the gas holes aren’t clogged, the clamps aren’t broken, feed system is good and the tip is in perfect condition.
Choose A Suitable Electrode And Metal
Having knowledge on the correct electrode, metal diameter and the amperage you’re working with is essential in MIG welding. This tip helps you to understand which rod will work well with which metal. For example, the e70s2,3,4 and 6 work best with carbon steel. The er308L electrode works perfectly with stainless steel while 4043 or 4943 works with aluminum.
Read Your MIG Welder’s User Guide
Do not make a mistake of throwing away your user manual that comes with the MIG welder. This document is produced to help you know your machine better. It also helps you to adhere to the given instructions. The user manual gives comprehensive steps on how to use and maintain the MIG welder.
Have Extra Welding Gun Tips
The contact tips can easily burn back. It’s not an unusual scenario if you notice your tips keep on burning back.
As a beginner, you might be welding in an improper position or the tip is dirty. To avoid such inconveniences, ensure that you have extra tip always.
Welding Speed
Now that you’ve gotten the basic tips, you want to weld to showcase your skills. An important point to note is your speed. Your welding speed greatly determines the quality of your work.
The speed of the movement of your gun plays a big role on your project. If you move the gun too slow it will result to a big bead. When you move your gun too fast then the penetration will be extremely low.
When welding, ensure that you also tune your welder. This is important because you will set the rate of wire feeding. If the wire feeding rate is high then it can result to a cold weld. This means that the wire did not melt properly. If you experience this, adjust your wire speed a little bit lower.
Choose The Right Shielding Gas
In MIG welding, you can use a mixture of carbon dioxide and argon as a shielding gas or use them separately. Your welding wire determines whether to mix these gases or to use them separately. When welding aluminum, most professionals prefer using 100% argon or 75% carbon and 25% argon.
Ensure The Torch Is Angled Correctly
Always ensure that the torch if on a right angle. Position your welding gun at 5 to 25 degrees. If you’re welding thick metals together focus your angle at the center. If one of the metals is lighter than the other, then your angle should be near the thicker metal.
Final Word
MIG welding is one of the easiest type of welding. If you already have the welding skills, it might not take long for you to become a professional in MIG welding.