How To Mig Weld!

How To MIG Weld: Mig Welding is a semi-automatic to automatic type of welding that is sometimes called gas metal arc welding or GMAW but the name most people understand is Mig welding, short for metal inert gas welding.

Mig welding is probably the easiest of all the different welding types; this is mainly because it is a semi-automatic to an automatic process so the welder supports you greatly as you weld. Before you start welding you need to ensure you have the correct equipment to be able to weld, these are a welding gun and wire feed unit, a power supply, shielding gas, welding mask and the correct protective clothing.

Mig welding carries a basic and quite simple technique because the welder does a lot of the work for you, this does not mean that you will be able to weld correctly straight away though. It normally takes a good few days to a week or two before you can gain the correct technique to start Mig welding to a good standard.

When you pick up the welder you will need to hold the welding torch with the welding wire end kept away from the body, then you need to ensure the gas is on to the correct level and the power supply is on.

Now you can start to weld, to do this you need to look at where you are about to weld (for a first timer simply weld onto a flat piece of metal for practice), move the welding torch over the area with the welding wire around quarter to half an inch away from the metal then put your welding mask on to protect you eyes. Once all this is complete press the button of the welding torch and slowly move the torch along the line of where you wish to weld.

Hints and Tips On How To Mig Weld...

The angle of the welding torch is important as it has a big impact on the quality of the weld, for a flat weld it needs to be kept at a ninety degree angle and for a fillet weld keep the torch at a forty five degree angle.

When keeping control of your welding torch try to keep a steady distance between the torch and the metal, altering the distance alters the weld.

Always try to keep a steady, constant speed when welding. If you keep moving faster then slower the weld will change along your weld path.

After welding, review your work, you want a good strong weld but not one that is too wide. You can practice different speeds on a piece of metal to see the difference in the welds.

Related Articles:

Mig Welding Tips

Mig Welding