MIG amps vs. TIG amps for same metal

Technically , the same, however the 2 processes are used differently. TIG is more often a single pass process, unless welding heavy walled pipe.

MIG is more often a multi pass process.

For a full penetration single pass butt weld, the amperage would be pretty close on MIG or TIG, but in multi-pass welds everything changes.

Of course both processes are often operating at different voltages, which makes the idea of the same amps kind of moot.

It would be more accurate to compare Watts. Another wrench in the works is the filler deposition rate. The filler eats up some heat so it must be counted in.

And the last bit is travel speed.

Try calculating all that and when you find the answer let me know. I would love to know.

sounds good Ernie, thanks

with that being said, what would be the max. metal thickness you would attempt to weld (TIG) ? say with maxstar 150 mild steel ? , stainless?

syncrowave 180 mild steel ? stainless?

also even the maxstar150 being DC only , would it be possible to weld aluminum (non critical parts) and have it come out looking good? example: motorcycle, ATV exhaust ( yes, aluminum ) what max. thickness ?

thanks

Single pass - 5/32" Multi pass - 5/16"

Single pass - 3/16" Multi pass - 3/8"

Single pass - 3/16" Multi pass - 3/8"

Single pass - 1/4" Multi pass - 7/16"

Yes the Maxstar 150 can do a nice job on aluminum, but here you are limited by the tungsten size, not the machine.

Your tungsten needs to be at least as thick as your base metal when running in DCEP, and the largest tungsten you can fit in a #2 series torch is 1/8", and in a #3 series torch 5/32".

So in reality 1/8" is your comfortable limit .

Now you must also keep in mind that Miller made it MUCH harder to do DCEP TIG with the MAxstar 150 by feeding the gas through the Negative power connector (DINSE connector).

This means that to do DCEP TIG with it you have to use a Torch with it's own gas valve and not feed the gas through the machine.

The Maxstar 140 was much simpler and therefore easier to swap polarity on.

The Maxstar 200 is also easier since the gas has it's own connector serperate from the power connectors.

I'd like to mention that Stick SMAW mode in DCEP was running on my Sync 180 SD yesterday and I liked the results I got in HRS Hot Rolled Steel. It was a test of some new sticks I got :-) - and they worked well.

I think I'll build a small oven and once in hold temp from condition temp I'll put the sticks in a "Seal-a-meal" bag to keep out moisture.

Don't forget the stick option when jobs other than Tig exist or the job is to large.

Guess I'll have to make something now that I got the stick up and running. :-)

Martin

new sticks

This bit...

put the sticks

Believe this is true to say...

Only dry basic-coated rods - the xx18's. These are often known as "low hydrogen" rods.

Cellulosics and rutile stick rely on moisture in their coating for shielding. Absence of shield brings far worse consequences, including nitrogen pick-up which makes the steel brittle.

A bit of hydrogen has no consequence for most welding applications. It only starts to be a problem in major engineering structures where the plate steel thicknesses are large, with these two consequences: you get large "frozen-in" stresses (rather than distortion); the hydrogen will stay there for a long time as it takes time to escape the thick section.

The basics / xx18's have calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in the coating, which decomposes to CaO (a good flux) and CO2 (a shield against access of the atmosphere). That's why you can bake them dry - they generate a shield of their own without needing moisture.

MIG-FCW (flux-cored-wire) is different - the shielding gas does the shielding and the flux, including rutile, can be baked down to a very low hydrogen level.

Hope I've got all this right. Anybody stand me corrected on anything?

Richard Smith

new sticks

put the sticks

Thanks good information. I've seen xx14 and xx18 need Recondition and Store and I noticed that the BLACK NI* sticks seem to absorb as well, but not as common to have.

The 7014's are like sponges.

I take the Rutile stick is pink / red in color - like the mineral.

But then I live in a Redwood Forest - rain forest that is (or Fog) and low RH isn't seen. Normally in the summer we would get some really dry days but that depends on the year. A normal rain year is at or above 100" and a drought is 30".

Martin