GMAW Vs SMAW

By pipewelder_1999 (****)

Date 08-28-2002 11:47

The first things that come to mind are below:

1) Weld Light Gauge metal
2) Weld Aluminum

However with a DC stick machine you can tig weld CS,SS, Aluminum etc. Some joints without needing filler metal.

If you are thinking about an AC Stick machine, I think the CV(Mig/FCAW) would be more useful.

Good Day to you

G Austin

By Niekie3 (***)

Date 08-29-2002 17:50

I think the question was: What can SMAW do that GMAW can not do? I believe your answer indicated what GMAW can do that SMAW can not do. - Just trying to prevent confusion.

In terms of what SMAW can do that GMAW can not do:

I believe that theoretically you can probably do everything with GMAW that you can with SMAW, but practically there are situations like where there is not enough space to get access with a GMAW gun. In addition, GMAW has problems with side wall fusion if the settings or technique is not quite right. You also sometimes have problems getting the wire feeder close enough to the job, when welding out in the field. Much easier to use long leads in SMAW.

Hope this helps

Regards
Niekie Jooste

By pipewelder_1999 (****)

Date 08-29-2002 19:17

I did read that wrong didn't I.

Another advantage of SMAW over GMAW is :

1) the ability to weld in windy areas.
2) More versatility for all position welding.
3) The ability to change the filler metal in a few seconds vs. a few minutes.
4) With some electrodes, SMAW can weld over "dirtier" metal. Example 6010/11 doesn't mind a little paint. GMAW doesn't do as well.
5) Cost for storing various filler metals. With GMAW you would have to order larger weights of filler metal vs. being able to buy a few rods at the welding supply store for that one of a kind project.

Have a nice Day and sorry if I confused you

G Austin

By RonG

Date 08-29-2002 20:33

It was covered already BUT!

you can't bend that MIG gun to weld up inside a narrow opening and you can run many feet of stinger lead up, around and into things where you will never get that MIG gun to go.

By Michael Sherman (***)

Date 08-29-2002 22:42

There are many of us who learned to weld with SMAW and we sometimes wrongly consider anyone who is not proficient in it to be somewhat inferior. However, this does not change the fact that GMAW is a terrific process and is capable of doing almost anything that a SMAW machine can do with the exception of the previously mentioned deficiencies. I have changed over everything in my shop to either GMAW or FCAW. The only time we use SMAW is on the mobile trucks and then only when it is physically impossible to get there with an LN-25. (High pressure pipe and gas lines are still mostly SMAW.) My thinking when I look at a job to bid is "what wire will I use to do this job the best that I possibly can and the fastest". We have no trouble qualifying welds with either process when it is properly applied. If you are a hobbiest and intend to keep the machine in the shop, I would without hesitation recomend the GMAW machine. A single phase 220 volt machine like a Miller 250 or Lincoln 255 with a spool gun will weld just about anything a hobbiest will ever fit into his garage. I hope this helps more than it confuses. Have fun and enjoy whatever you finally decide upon. For what it is worth, my first two machines (way back when) were SMAW machines, but that changed the first time I welded mig.

Respectfully,
Mike Sherman
Shermans Welding

By oldkid

Date 08-29-2002 23:13

Thanks for all the info and belive it or not, I did not get confused. about 20 years ago when I got my first welder it was a Miller SMAW machine. I bought a little 110VAC MIG unit a few years ago to do real light guage projects with and I am now ready to move on to some heavy duty stuff and just wanted to make sure getting a good MIG unit wasnt shooting myself in the foot and have to sit around wondering "Why didnt you just get another SMAW unit like you had before" GMAW is so easy and fast and I think anyone who hasnt done SMAW is inferior....

Just Kidding, anyone who welds is ok in my book.

Thanks again

Mark

By John H. Date 09-01-2002 16:02

Stick gives you a really pretty weld if you are careful with it. It doesn't sound all that important but head to head these processes achieve fairly similar results so simple things then come into play. I find that with the MIG set I get a standard fillet of smooth metal, but on stick it has a nice finish to it. Another thing, stick also allows better control of penetration and general weld progression, since you can't adjust the wire speed mid weld with MIG. When most people make welds with MIG they run them quickly and end up with little heat penetration and just a blob on the metal.

I made this point to my co-worker and he even made fun of some guy across the road from us for his welds being way too cold with MIG. But then he told me I was running mine way too hot and turned the set down. This means you end up with a lump on the work and spatter going everywhere.

I've ripped into MIG above but in reality I love it. So many people say it's for untrained chimps but that simply seals their stamp as ignorant for me. There is no way on Earth most of the things we take for granted could be produced, A.) As cheaply or B.) As quickly as they are due to MIG. Show me the uber on a Stick welder who can run welds as fast as the MIG welder. You can't. After 15cm of travel the stick needs changing. Great if you need to frequently change fillers, but you usually don't.

MIG is a great process for a hobbyist or commercial application. For the hobbyist it allows lots more time planning your projects and working out if it's going together right, rather than spending hours of your time sticking it. MIG can be done by novice welders but the weld will be a novice weld. I maintain that it's just as tricky to set up a MIG set correctly as it is to work a Stick welder. I picked up a stick set 6 - 8 weeks ago for the first time and learnt how to run good strong welds in less time than it took me on the MIG. I then bought a Thermal Arc 400 amp stick set since I found a guy selling one who didn't know what it was! :-) My only advice when buying a MIG set is get one with a good high ampage. I would say that if I could get £50 back for my cheap import thing then I would. About 200 amps will be great for a hobbyist. We use about 200 - 250 amps on 10mm flat bar when we make gates and it welds them fine. Those 100 - 140amp things don't really work that well though. Great on pipe, nothing else.

Go for MIG, or... erm... GMAW as you guys would call it. :-)

By DGXL

Date 09-01-2002 17:02

One more note on the GMAW. When changing for different materials, there is usually a change in gas ($). While SMAW may be less productive, it is more versatile as noted above. Switching electrodes or process (GTAW) is relatively quick.

I personally would buy a stick welder and get 2 processes for the price of [less than] one GMAW unit. You also can weld a much wider range of thicknesses with the 2 processes. I've never liked the way the small GMAW power sources' (<150 amps) perform.