MIG, ARC or TIG?

[MTL_4runner]

Which one of these is the easiest to get started with and why?

[Piett]

I suppose ARC is. I learned in the order ARC, MIG, then TIG. Not that I can weld anymore since I don't practice.

ARC machine setup is the simplest and all of the control is the electric arc distance, angle and speed you move.

With MIG you still have that but since the wire is automatic feeding you have the set wire feed based on the the travel speed and the voltage (dependent on thickness).

TIG is more similar to ARC but these have foot for voltage and you have to be able to use your other hand to control the filler rod.

ARC machines are cheapest but are a hassle since you have to remove the slag. MIG is my preference due to convenience but cost is higher. IMO TIG is the trickiest but you can do stainless, aluminum, cromoly, etc. No matter what the best thing you can do is get practice.

I am sure there will be additional comments.
Geoff

[garrett]

i learned MIG before ARC and i thought MIG was much easier.... i suck at ARC

don't know anything about TIG

[waskillywabbit]

Real welders start by learning how to use a torch, then to stick, then to MIG, etc.

[garrett]

i must be going backwards cause i learned MIG, ARC, then torch haha

[bamachem]

honestly, i've done flux, MIG, & TIG and i would have to say without a doubt that flux is the easiest. it's literally a matter of setting amps, wire speed, then just point and shoot. from there, it's practice to get good at it. after that, then you work up to MIG and TIG.

[Robinhood4x4]

Mig is the easiest to learn since everything is automatic. Put the torch close to the work piece and pull the trigger. The tricky part is learning the settings like how much power to use, wire speed, and how fast to move the torch. But even the settings are mapped out for you in a table under the cover. Of course those are just ballpark estimates.

Stick is the next hardest because it takes skill to learn how to strike an arc and keep it going. You have to move the stick closer as it gets consumed and also move it along the seam you're trying to weld. Getting the arc going in the first place is the hardest part because the stick always gets stuck to the work piece and you gotta free it before the stick melts.

Tig is the hardest and most complicated of the three. Not only do you need skill to strike the arc but you also have to feed filler rod in with your other hand and control the power with a foot pedal. It's kinda like gas welding in that you form a puddle of metal and feed the filler rod into the puddle. In the mean time your foot isn't steady because you haven't gotten used to the feel and you end up melting through the metal or the arc goes out. Plus there's a tungsten tip in the torch that constantly needs sharpening with a grinding wheel because you keep accidentally dipping it in the puddle.

[slosurfer]

I am in the middle of a beginning welding class, I have to say that those that can TIG really well are amazing, especially look at some aluminum bike frames. We have mainly done stick and cutting but spent a day or two on MIG, TIG, and Flux core. So far, I really dig stick welding.

My question is: which would be the most practical to have in my garage for fabbing bumpers and building up my trailer? My concern with the MIG is whether or not the welds are strong enough for 1/4 plate. It seems like the instructors and textbooks cut it off at 5/16ths, but it seems like I see it being used all the time for builds. Thoughts?

[bamachem]

if you want 1/4" plate butt and fillet welds that look like stacked dimes, then you'll need a 240V MIG machine.

[Cheese]

In my course, we started with an Oxy/fuel torch, then added rod.

After that Stick, then MIG, then TIG.

If you put the MIG on the right settings or close, I can do all right. I still like the control of TIG and feel more comfortable with the puddle control.

With any of this, practice is the key.