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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / TIG vs MIG
- - By ak50 Date 12-04-2008 03:33
What is needed to convert welder from MIG to TIG? Is TIG harder than MIG?
Parent - - By sbcmweb (****) Date 12-04-2008 04:03
First, you need a Constant Current welding current to TIG weld. MIG welding is done with a completely different type of welding current, and process using Constant Voltage. Lots of people get the two mixed up. Maybe because they rhyme?? :-)

If you do not have an inverter power source built to handle different welding processes, it isn't going to happen.

Millerwelds.com has a good tutorial on MIG & TIG welding. Two completely different processes. You may want to check it out. Generally speaking, TIG welding commands a high level of skill & dexterity. MIG welding, again generally speaking, can be done with less experience & skill level.

Good luck. S.W.
Parent - - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 12-09-2008 17:05
As far as the harder than mig goes I am well versed in the mig process and going to tig, well it's different. Instead of just pulling the trigger while your free hand dangles at your side your tig keeps your free hand not so free.

Different because your having to dip your filler rod rythmically to get a consistent bead, or drag the filler as was explained to me(still working on it at school so by no means an expert). Then figure in that your filler is getting shorter, fingers are working the rod down to keep up. Don't touch the tungsten tip or you'll contaminate and so on.

I think the tig keeps you a bit more active than the mig especially if you throw in a foot control then I start to feel like I'm driving big trucks again except my left foot ain't doing anything. I've heard tig is easier than stick, which I'm still formulating my opinion on. Easier than mig....hmmm, I'm not thinking so but with my experience in mig and tig at this point there is more to tig. Although tig has some of the same things going as mig, it don't much care for "dirty" material, paint, rust and so on from what I've seen. When it comes to burning through stuff.....stick is still the most user friendly.

As far as converting a mig machine to tig? Don't really have anything to add about that but I don't know if it can be done. I've seen stick to tig and combo units are pretty much stick/tig combos. Buy a tig machine and it's likely to have stick capabilities.

Good luck, hopefully my limited knowledge has somehow helped.

Shawn
Parent - - By chris2698 (****) Date 12-10-2008 00:18 Edited 12-10-2008 09:03
I found tig easier then mig I hea so many guys oh tig is so hard sorry I gotta lotta respect for you stick welding guys tig is easier
Parent - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 12-10-2008 15:11
"What is needed to convert welder from MIG to TIG? Is TIG harder than MIG?"

THAT is the original question so I will answer it first:   Basically if you have a powersupply that is capable of of CC/CV you will readily see this printed on the side or front of the machine much less the manual.  There are not a lot of CC/CV capable welders out there, the miller shopmaster series is one that comes to mind.  A powersupply that is fully capable of stick/mig/tig with addition of plug in accessories.  For the small shop or individual that needs to be flexible as possible, these types of powersupplys are definitely the way to go.  For larger more dedicated shops,,,,not so much.  So in summery you will not find a wealth of machines that can operate a mig process as well as a tig process in the same machine.

Second question: is TIG harder then MIG     ummmmm   my answer can vary wildly in degree dependant on the type of joint and type of material.  But in general TIG takes much more physical skill in dexterity and coordination.  Manual TIG is a much slower more methodical process...MIG is much faster and in my experience used much more in production type welding and or heavy structural welding.  TIG seems to be used more where weld quality and integrity is far more important consideration then ANY amount of time used.  Tig use is more suited to very thin materials and exotic alloys then thicker and more common used materials.

My compadrie scbmweld  gave you a good answer and I cannot disagree...I just elaborated slightly.

Chris    yea everyone says tig is so hard....thats because they never really done it much if at all, I think.    You do got it right on stick welding....SMAW out of position "any position"  (especially in the field)  takes some real skill/eye/steady hand....it is an art .....period.  I can smaw out of position about as well as I can tig (I take great pride in my SS SMAW skills especially)......the smaw takes more effort and concentration for me....I really have to focus to do it REALLY well.   Mig/spray....well its physical motion...but for me at least ....I don't have to concentrate or work that hard to get a sick bead that meets the needs required.  So in short the pipeliners and boilermakers should be making more money...they are doing the hardest joints with the hardest process...in some of the crappiest conditions compared to a lot of us!!

WOW  sorry guys I am almost starting to preach here ....nobody gave me no pulpit.   Sorry.
There is my 20+yrs $.02
Tommy
Parent - By PipeIt (**) Date 12-10-2008 21:53
If you can get a machine with the high freq start that will help keep your tungsten clean or learn to scratch start helps also. I had a hard time getting used to the high freq start kept flashing myself, I could never get used to speed glass to many years flippen the hood up and down.

flippen sorry spell check to lazy to use spell check feature but not to lazy to get shot in.
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / TIG vs MIG

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