MIG welder size amperage question

"jroncallo roncallo @snet.net>" lots of it. In TIG mode 3/16" is about all its good for. In stick mode I

A 200 amp machine or better. A machine with less power could weld 1/4" steel but be restricted by duty cycle. Millermatic 210 or comparable light industrial welder should handle the job easily.

JFD

Hi John,

I too have the Lincoln Squarewave TIG 175 and have complemented it with the MIG 180. It's rated up to 1/2" on a single pass but that's optimistic I think. 3/16 or 1/4 is no problem but I have only done a full day of welding (3/16) once - no tripping! If this is for production use you may want to go a little bigger, but I wanted a welder I could still carry around. The PowerMig 180 fit the bill nicely - 220v but still portable.

You can check out the post in this group on "Welder Cart v 4.0" to see what I've been up to or just surf over to

tom

"john wrote: (clip) Flux cored would also be a nice option (I hate buying gas). (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I don't have enough information to run the numbers, but you may not save. A spool of flux core contains less metal than solid, and costs several times as much. Of course, there are other reasons for using flux core: 1.) the polarity puts more heat into the weld. 2.) You don't have to drag a tank with you if you are moving around. 3.) No problem with breezes if you're working outdoors.