Which MIG for thin

[faex]

What properties of a mig welder are needed to weld thin mild steel (around 1mm)? Minimum ampage needed? Are certain models different voltages etc? There are lots of cheaper mig machines out there; the cheaper ones are not as adjustable as the expensive, but the more expensive adjustable ones have larger current that I will not need.

[MicroZone]

Any of the 110v GMAW will do the job - Clarke, Hobart, Lincoln, Miller. Take your pick, fire one up and get to stitching. Although something that thin, I would probably solder or braze it. Really - 1mm ?
What are you working on that is that thin?

[ZTFab]

TIG welding would be better suited for that thin of material.

..or soldering or brazing.

You can also try Silicon Bronze filler in either MIG or TIG. It requires less heat but still has 50k tensile strength.

- Paul

[MAC702]

That's about 19 or 20-ga.

If that's the material I was dedicating a machine to, I'd have a 120V Hobart or Miller and DEFINITELY set it up with a C-25 argon mix.

[faex]

Yeah I generally braze thin stuff, but I want to just do a quick tack up job before brazing. Mainly want to use for exhaust materials and sheet metal jobs. I can get lucky tacking up 0.6-1mm with an arc welder if I only clean the area the arc should go, but wandering arc often ruins christmas.

[maxyedor]

Faex, I've done lots of work with 22ga sheet wich is thinner than what you're using and welding with my Lincoln weldpack HD mig has been no problem using .025" wire. I set it to it's lowest amperage and "pulse" weld. Basicly lay down several tacks about 1.5" away from each other and grind them down so they are barely there, then start at one end of the seam and lay down a serries of tacks touching eachother, lay down about 10-15, then let the peice cool a little. I know that this is not the strongest way to wled, but the occaisions where I've done it the client wanted lightweight steel stands to hold small parts for a tradeshow, and wanted the welds to look beefy, wich they do. I have taken 2 peices welded in this way and tried to break them apart and the bead holds up fine.

[faex]

Good advice maxyedor. Ill try find models with a pulse function. Sounds exactly like what I want to do.

[ZTFab]

I don't think any 110V welders will offer a pulse function.

Just manually pulse the weld.

[MAC702]

Right, YOU pulse the trigger to make a series of spots that touch each other. There is no question about strength here because these spots will have plenty of penetration compared to the thickness of the weldment.

The .025" wire and a C-25 gas mix are what make this job easy.

[faex]

Thanks again.