types of welding, thicknesses, and rules of thumb

[morgandc]

So does anyone have rules of thumb for how thick of metal you can weld with different types of welders, amps required etc? I have heard 1 amp for .001 inches on tig for steel. Are there rules of thumb for Mig, stick and oxy? Trying to figure out what capability a person needs... also, how do you apply these rules? Seems like nobody could weld one inch plates with rules like this...but I have seen stick welders do multiple passes on thick plates.

Thanks,
-Dwight

[burninbriar]

I'm not sure what your goal is here but the smart selector to the right of this forum might help you out. Just plug in the weld process, material and a few other questions and it will give you welder recommendations.

[morgandc]

The objective is to get a feel for the landscape, in short I am just getting back into welding. I have a Lincoln buzz box and an oxy setup. I am trying to figure out how much of a tig welder I need based on how much of a gap I am leaving in what I can or can't weld. Basically, I know that I won't ever weld thick aluminum or Titanium so I don't need many watts there, but am not sure what the capabilities of an oxy rig and old stick rig are. And figuring out what a MIG rig can do will weigh in too.

Got to figure out what my puzzle of equipment will look like to optimize cost and functionality.

-Dwight

[FATFAB]

The objective is to get a feel for the landscape, in short I am just getting back into welding. I have a Lincoln buzz box and an oxy setup. I am trying to figure out how much of a tig welder I need based on how much of a gap I am leaving in what I can or can't weld. Basically, I know that I won't ever weld thick aluminum or Titanium so I don't need many watts there, but am not sure what the capabilities of an oxy rig and old stick rig are. And figuring out what a MIG rig can do will weigh in too.

Got to figure out what my puzzle of equipment will look like to optimize cost and functionality.

-Dwight


A big part of this puzzle is what "work" you intend to do.

Are you out fitting a shop for production, a truck for pipeline work, a service truck, a hobby shop to play in?

So what do you intend to do with this stuff?

[FusionKing]

So does anyone have rules of thumb for how thick of metal you can weld with different types of welders, amps required etc? I have heard 1 amp for .001 inches on tig for steel. Are there rules of thumb for Mig, stick and oxy? Trying to figure out what capability a person needs... also, how do you apply these rules? Seems like nobody could weld one inch plates with rules like this...but I have seen stick welders do multiple passes on thick plates.

Thanks,
-Dwight


So you reckon a thousand amps could be a bit much??:confused:

[morgandc]

Oh, mostly hobby stuff, trailers, etc. Anything at all is overkill the the amount I will use it, so I am trying to get a lay of the land on how much to spend on dreaming...

Just a little Diversion is what I should get as it would be plenty, but it seems to limited as far as duty cycle goes maybe may need someday and so next thing I know I am looking at a 200dx. But that is a major jump in price. I know a lot of what I want to play with is light alum, and perhaps some titanium so I am leaning toward inverter powered. But, if I am going to have to by a 200 amp Mig later for some other purpose I can save some money now and just get the Diversion.

-Dwight

[fun4now]

i don't think i would look at it as a 200 amp MIG having a big deciding factor in the TIG unit you get. although i suppose a spool gun would allow for thicker aluminum work. TIG is a different animal than a MIG. a 180amp MIG and a Diversion. would cover most all things around the hobby shop. the TIG seeing the least use. MIG is the work dog of the shop really. its fast, easy, and fairly clean looking if you use gas rather than flux core wire. TIG is slow and looks great but i would not want to spend the time or $$ involved to build a trailer with it. filler and argon use would add a huge $$ to the project with no advantage. i got TIG because i just wanted to learn it and had some light aluminum stuff i wanted to play with. but for the last 7-8 years my little MM135 has done every fix it job around the house and garage. heck i even built my shop with it.:p once you start looking to fix stuff you will notice that 1/4" steel is harder to find around the house/garage then you might think. and on the rare occasion i do find it. slapping in a rod and stick welding is my first choice, then TIG if i need great looks.( and i'm a horrible stick welder) most of the time some thing is brok, i need a fast repair so i can get it put back together or get back to using it. this is a bigger concern then how nice it will look ( be-for i paint over it and put it back inside or under some thing where it will never be seen).
i'm not trying to discourage you from getting TIG. its great fun and very relaxing. ( after you learn how to TIG that is ) but it has its drawbacks just like any process choice.
its not easy to learn.
its much slower ( you will find yourself reaching for the MIG more often)
and the $$ to use is higher. ( argon & filler VS C-25 or Co2 and wire)
yes it looks great but a well run MIG bead is looks great also.;) (if its even visible when finished and in use)
also keep in mind that wanting to do aluminum dose not mean you need an inverter. the syncrowave 200 is an excellent TIG unit for aluminum and a lot more bang for the $$ than an inverter would be. if you have the power to run a syncrowave 200 you might look in that direction.

i think a MM212 and a Dyn200DX would be a great home hobby shop setup. but in truth, most every thing around the home is going to keep you on the low end of them both. true that means longer duty cycles, but hobby time allows for some cool time if needed. and most stuff is short beads then move and another short bead so duty cycle may not even come up.

first thing you should do is look at your power options, space options, probable needs, skill level, and possible allowance. ($$$)

a nice MIG unit would likely be a better first option.
ones first thought being, grab a TIG first as it will weld anything. can lead to a frustrating start into welding for fix and fun at home.

i hope this didn't just make your choice harder rather than essayer, but now is the best time to look at a possible welder choice change. better to think the needs out more now then after you have the wrong welder in the hobby shop out back and the wallet is empty of toy $$ for a wile.