Thread: MIG or TIG?

Seeing as you want to be able to weld aluminium panels, go for TIG. For thicker aluminium MIG is OK. As has already been said, MIG is fairly straight forward and you can teach yourself. You can probably teach yourself TIG too seeing as you are able to oxy weld. I found this book from Miller very good - TIG Handbook. You can download it for free. I have printed and bound a copy that I keep in my shed with the welder.

If you really want a challenge, enrol in a course to oxy weld aluminium. My Dad does a great job with the oxy on ally (uses the TIG mostly though)

Just to be different I ticked option 3. Can be done but need to be something of an expert gas welder to do it. Go the TIG. Every man and his dog has a MIG welder but not so many TIGs out there. You will have plenty of people knocking on your door if you get a TIG. (that's if you want to go down that path. Welding with MIG is easy as, TIG is a bit more of a challenge.

Go the TIG
Mig is easy,if you can operate a sillycum gun you can use a mig.
In the future I would like to buy a TIG,already got a mig.
Ive seen boat kits on the net that are very reasonably priced,all the bits laser cut,you DIY glue it.Wouldnt mind having a go at building one.
Andrew

Anybody can use a MIG, but a lot don't use it well. There is a lot of frightening welding going on out there.

I don't mean to burst anyone's buble BUT the general population here is saying Mig is easy ,
wait till you start doing Pipe , vertical up and overhead with Mig.

to get a mickey mouse weld down , is NOT easy and takes a lot of practice.

Edit: I just read Slunnie's post , it's spot on.

while both can do the same job they are for different application. Generally speaking the tig is a finesse tool and the mig speed and big stuff.

Mig is great but steel wire rusts if not used regularly, so often a stick is better. A good tig welder is an artist just about I have seen some amazing work with a tig, but it is slow.

I want both but SWMBO says only one and as I cant deside I still have neither

Tote,
I reckon you should do what you want! but a couple things I have encountered.
Get the gear that you will use the most!

If you want to weld panels on an old landy O/A or TIG would be your best options. BUT - most old landy panels Ive laid eyes on wont be the greatest surface to weld!!! For overall "Landy Fabrication" a MIG with some edumacation will let you lay down good full pen welds on all the steel that needs replacing and adding to. You can of course TIG or stick chassis / axles / firewalls and door bottoms but MIG will be easier/ quicker and just as strong.

Im sure Yass is a little like where I am...
The biggest ongoing expense with TIG and MIG is going to be gas bottle hire & consumption. If you oxy weld you already have two bottles? Time for a third.

If you want to weld Al (for other things than panels) then buy a big MIG unit and rent straight Ar. On steel you wont get as much pen as Ar/CO2 mix but if you have bought a big unit you can crank it up when welding thicker plate to compensate. Thin stuff like chassis / brackets wont be a problem. The straight Ar will then let you re-line, re-tip and glue Aluminium down to say 1.0mm with no hassles. It wont be as pretty as TIG but wont let go?

Landy-Andy... if I was building anything bigger than a 12' punt I would want a big push/pull MIG with huge duty not a TIG... Can you imagine laying down hull long beads with 40cm TIG sticks! 3ph push/pull MIG is what the two Al boat builders use that I know?

anyways, my vote is MIG for its overall functionality in Landy fabrication. If you did the MIG course the teacher may even give you a few hints and helps for O/A welding thin Aluminium panels... that then gets all bases sorted!

Steve

Thanks for the replies folks, I now have a clearer insight on the two technologies and which is used for what. In the end the decision will probably come down to the nights they run the classes but I think I'd enjoy the TIG class more.

Regards,
Tote