Shielding Gas and Electrode Wireįor good results, it’s necessary to use the right shielding gas and electrode. This way, less current can make the same weld in one pass. They bevel the edges of the joint to get the thickness down. Second, manufacturers indulge in a little bit of magic to get these numbers to advertise performance. How is that possible?įirst, these numbers are estimates. So, how many amps does it take to weld 3/8 steel?įor 1/8-inch mild steel, which is 0.125-inch thick, 125 amps would be a good place to start.ģ/8-inch thickness is 0.375 (3 x 0.125), so do you really need 375 amps for this? Some welding machines claim to weld 3/8-inch steel with only 170-200 amps. Stainless needs 10-15 percent less current, and aluminum needs around 25 percent more. Therefore, you have to know how thick your metal is.Ī general rule of thumb is you need 1 amp of power for every 0.001 inches of steel. You set the amperage according to the thickness of the metal. You can make plans for how you approach your project concerning clamping, angle of approach, cooling, dealing with your welder’s duty cycle, and other practical solutions. Know the thickness of the metal so you know if your welder has the power to get the job done, you can choose the right electrode wire and the proper shielding gas. Related: MIG Welding Stainless Steel Explained How Thick is the Metal? They are the main metal found around the home and in cars. Mild steel, aluminum, and stainless or nickel alloys are the most used metals with the MIG process. The wire you choose, the shielding gas, and the machine settings all depend on the material. The characteristics of mild steel are very different from those of aluminum.Īluminum doesn’t melt at the same temperature as mild steel nor conducts electricity or holds heat to the same degree as stainless steel or titanium.īefore you can even start, you have to choose the right process and take care of the mechanical and technical setup. It matters a great deal what material you’re welding. What’s Your Material?ĭifferent materials have different characteristics related to heat and electricity. Welding is a custom craft, and it depends on a lot of variables. There’s no generic assortment of settings that always applies. Your MIG settings, like those of any welding process, depend heavily on the job you’re approaching.

There’s more to this than grabbing your MIG machine and twisting the dials.

Now let’s get that machine set up properly… Before Setting Your MIG Controls You are probably here for this reason, so I’ll explain the main MIG settings and how they should be adjusted. One of those details is setting the right parameters on your new MIG welder for the job at hand. That means some people don’t get a few of the fine details welders learn about in school. There are a lot of people out there with welding machines who don’t have formal training. I think that’s great, but there is one drawback… The growing DIY movement means a lot more people are welding now.

Flux core mig welder