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MIG Welding Tips For Home Builders Help

13 Jan 2020

MIG Welding Tips For Housebuilders

MIG welding is one of the popular welding processes, and its popularity is hugely because it’s easy to learn

The Top Mig Welders in the market are simple to use, and even beginners usually have an easy time mastering how to weld using them.

But don’t get me wrong here, there’s more to learning to run the beads on MIG welding, and in this article, I shall share with you some of the MIG welding tips for home builders.

Safety

First things first, you need to consider your safety before welding.

Welding, in general, is a risky endeavor, and it comes with an inherent safety hazard.

And so, we always advise our readers to take the necessary safety precaution before welding; this means getting yourself a welding helmet to prevent the damaging UV arc, welding boots, and welding jackets from preventing the splatter, and welding gloves to avoid the damaging heat and sparks.

Clean the Metal Surface

MIG welding is generally considered tolerant of dirt, but the biggest mistake we see with wannabe welders is working on a dirty, oily and painted surface.

Doing only asks for porosity as the trapped contaminants often result in holes in your weld that resemble a sponge.

If you’re looking forward to a superior and polished weld, always ensure that you thoroughly prepare the metal before welding, and this includes grinding or sanding to remove dust, rust, paint, and any other visible or invisible contaminant.

Get a Good Working Surface

Another mistake we see with a welder is working on poor ground.

See, you weld is as good as the ground you’re working on.

See, your welding machine cares less on your working condition, and will keep on pumping the welding wire, regardless of whether the gun is stuttering.

So, you need to find a good working surface, where the welding arc will get a smooth flow of electricity with less resistance. Ideally, you should clamp the metal in a close position to the arc for superior output.

Shorten the Stickout

As a rule of thumb, maintain the distance the wire sticks out of the gun and the contact surface between ¼ to 3/8 inches for superior performance.

Use Both Hand When Welding

This cannot be overemphasized further than this; always use both hands when welding.

One hand should hold the gun neck and the other the part of the trigger.

This way, you’ll achieve the much-needed stability for a superior weld.

Listen

This might be quite challenging for the beginners, but for the veteran welders, you can assess the overall performance of your welding machine through the noise it generates.

You should be attentive to the noises that your welder produces as they speak volumes about the overall performance.

For instance, a steady hiss is an indicator of a high voltage setting, while a crackling sound indicates a high amperage setting.

On the other hand, a loud and raspy noise from the welder could be an indicator that the voltage is too low.

These aren’t the only cues that you should look out for, but in case you notice your welder acting abnormally, you should consider making some adjustments.

Keep The Arc Up Front

If you want better penetration for your welder, always keep the arc at the leading section of the puddle.

However, this is only applicable to dense metals. In any case, when working in a thin sheet of metals, the reverse is true. In this case, you’ll need to keep the arc back farther to prevent burning through the sheet of metal.

MIG Welding tips for home builders Conclusion

Now you have a list of the top tips that you should follow while welding. And as you can see, they’re quite simple, but failure to adhere to them can be quite disastrous.

Comments on this guide to MIG Welding Tips For Home Builders advice article are welcome.