[Shop-talk] MIG Welders

[Doug Braun]

One point about Flux-core vs Gas:  With the wire sizes
used by 120 volt welders, you can weld stuff only up
to about .100" thick.  To do thicker stuff, you will
have to switch over to flux-core.  So if you plan to
weld mostly things like angle iron and reasonably
heavy tubing, and not thinner sheet metal, you may use
the gas only a small part of the time.

Also, if you want gas, you should just buy a cylinder.

Also also, I have a good 120 volt welder, and for me,
there has been almost nothing that it was too small
for.  Make sure you have available a 120 volt outlet
on a 20-amp circuit, that is close to the main panel. 
If you must run a new 120-volt circuit a long distance
to the garage, consider upgrading to 10-gauge wire, to
minimize the voltage drop.

Doug


--- Jim Stone <jandkstone99 at msn.com> wrote:
 Stated differently,
> do I really need to go to
> the trouble of renting a gas cylinder for my
> occasional use?  It seems a shame
> to go to the expense of renting something that is
> going to sit unused 350 days
> a year.  I know shielding gas will give me a much
> cleaner weld (and also know
> what a crap job my current unit does).  Will I be
> unhappy with flux core
> regardless of how much I spend on the welder?