"What wire welder (mig) should I buy for my small home shop?" is probably the most common question we get. It's a good question, but most people don't realise that most 110-volt small wire welders are very similar. In the end, what will probably matter most is the electrode type, gas type, duty cycle, input amperage, and total output amperage.
Let's talk about these things.
Choose an electrode. Most of these small machines come with flux-cored wire. (The shielding flux is already in the wire, so no shielding gas is needed.) Flux-cored wires and small hobby welders with limited Amperage input and output are not a good match.
There are different types of flux-cored wire. 1) Cored with flux and no gas 2) Flux with a gas core.
There is a place for flux-cored wire. It is a deep-reaching process that won't stop. But most hobby welders don't know how to use it and don't like the way it makes their welds look. Also, most small wire welders don't have enough of a duty cycle to run flux-cored wires for very long.
If you decide to run it, here are some things to keep in mind:
- Make the distance between the contact tip and the base metal half an inch longer "as this lets the core flux melt and turn into gas and liquid in the puddle of molten rock.
- Raise your voltage because most flux-cored wires work best with a longer arc length, and in wire welding, voltage = arc length.
When welding with wire, always keep in mind:
Voltage = Arc length (you can also think of it as weld width) Why? The arc length is longer when the voltage is higher, and the weld is wider when the arc length is longer.
- Move in a straight line. Drag, 1/8 "forward, stop, repeat) keep the molten puddle hot and make it impossible to weld over flux that has already been put down.
Small welders are set up next to each other so that users can compare them. 1) Cored with flux and no gas 2) Flux surrounded by gas 3) Er70s6 solid core with 75/25 gas
Users don't want to go back to #1 or #2 after trying #3.
So, if you buy one of these machines, keep in mind that you might want to choose the gas kit so you can switch, and keep in mind that you probably will have to. BUT don't throw the flux-cored wire in the trash! You might be able to use it in some situations, like when it's windy outside or when gas isn't easy to carry.
Wow, that took forever! The ones after this one are easier.
Choice of Gas -
CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) is the cheapest and most penetrating of the three, but it makes the welds flow the least and look the worst.
75/25: Argon/CO2 is more expensive and doesn't penetrate as well as CO2, but the welds look good and flow well. This is the one that is most often used.
92/8: Argon/CO2 is the most expensive and least penetrating of the three. It also has the best flow and look of the welds. It is great for working on thin metals and car bodies.
Duty cycle is how long a machine can work at a certain amperage in 10 minutes. Example: 50 percent at 60 amps means you can weld for 5 minutes out of 10 minutes at 60 amps.
Input amperage is the amount of amperage that a machine needs to run. This is something that many people don't think about when they buy a machine. If you buy a 110-volt machine and plug it into a garage outlet that is already being used by other things, you will have input amperage problems. If you don't give your welder its own circuit, you will keep tripping the breaker every time you weld.
Total output amperage is the amount of Amps that the power source can give out during a certain duty-cycle period. You can't expect a machine with 110 volts to give out more amps than it can.
Don't get us wrong ! There is a place for small wire feed welders in the world, but you should know that they have the highest return rate of any welder on the market.
Now that you know why, you should be able to decide if you need one in your shop's treasure chest of tools.
Just our 2 cents
Best of luck!
Staff- weldguru.com
