Welding Machines

Metal Inert Gas or MIG welding is where a continuous electrode wire is fed through a welding gun and this wire acts as the filler material to join the base materials together. MIG welders are probably the best type for beginners as they are easy to set up and use and are relatively inexpensive.

MIG welding is best for large and thick material such as bullbars and bash plates. It is not overly suited for thin sheets of metal such as car panels as the heat can cause the thin steel to warp. Experienced and competent welders can do panel work with these machines but rely heavily on understanding the thickness of the material, the need for cooling the panel and the correct technique and process needed.

Tig welders and Arc (stick welding) each have their own benefits related to the types of material being welded. TIG welding is similar to MIG welding in that it uses a consumable metal rod to create the welding pool to join the 2 metals together. Where TIG welding has an advantage over MIG is that it can be used to weld aluminium, alloys, copper, brass, stainless steel and chromoly. This makes it suitable for repairing bike frames, lawn mowers, door handles and other more specialised and fragile components.

Arc or stick welding as it is known uses an electrode (stick) to create the weld pool to weld both pieces of metal together. These machines are relatively cheap, mobile and are easy to use. They do however require a good understanding of machine operation and the materials being welded to produce a clean and strong weld. As with any type of welding if you have a high frequency of use you will naturally get greater proficiency and better results. Projects such as boat trailers and wrought iron are well suited to Arc welding.