Mig/Mag welder

[Brianstick]

I know what a mig welder is, but I see a lot of the cheaper welders advertised as a mig/mag welder. What does this mean?

[tanglediver]

Somebody got all bent over the fact that CO2 is not entirely inert, so they call it active.

[Black Wolf]

M.I.G. = Metal Inert Gas - Argon or one of the Noble Gases

M.A.G. = Metal Active Gas - C02, Oxygen etc

Gases are classified as either inert or active. Saying that a gas "is not entirely inert" just muddles up the situation.

[weldrwomn]

Oh come on

Since we are getting all picky here, the process is more accurately called GMAW or Gas Metal Arc Welding

[Brianstick]

Thanks all for making that clear. Years ago I went to school for welding and we learned all of the proper terms of welding and MAG was not one of them so I knew something funny was going on.

[Black Wolf]

I wasn't getting picky (Sorry Danny) just giving the O.P. the answer to his question.

I myself do not care for using the terms Mig and Tig etc, but Good Luck getting anyone to use GMAW, GTAW, FCAW, or SMAW.... let alone use them properly.

Yeah... It's a pet peeve of mine.

I won't even answer a question from my apprentice when he calls a weld "vertical up"... He wants to learn to be a professional welder, so I require that he use the proper terminology . There is a bit of a difference between a 3G and a 3F.

Anyways, Have a Good Evening.

[tanglediver]

No worries mate. You shoulda heard my tig instructor when I called it "the gas pedal"!
I thought he blew a head gasket...