What to buy with new MIG welder?

Buy the Lincoln 175SP+, which in MHO is a better machine.

Build your own cart. Learn that you can make this stuff and save lots of dough.

I am wondering what you would

Depends on what you will be welding. Use different sizes for different things.

I will mostly be

I would recommend learning solid core wire inside and out before getting into any cored wires.

75-25 Arcon CO2 mix.

He didn't

Start your collection of hand tools. Buy a good chop saw and a good grinder right away. Add on ViseGrip 11R hand clamps, C-clamps, measuring devices, tri-square, bevel square, and anything else you find you need.

I figured I

That is right. Lots of different things to buy according to your needs.

Have fun. Steve

Unless you're planning to weld thin sheetmetal the .030 wire is good general purpose wire. It's what I use. For sheetmetal you need the .024 and it'll work for other things but I like the .030 for most uses. Your best bet may be to buy a small spool of both and try them before buying a larger spool of the one you like best. Run a few welds will both and then take them out a put them away for later. That way you'll have a small spool of your favorite as a backup when you run out on a Sunday afternoon and a small spool of the other wire for the odd job where you need it. :-)

I like 75% argon / 25% CO2 for the gas mix but I haven't tried anything else.

Antispatter spray is a must have. Spray it into the nozzle before your first weld and it will keep the nozzle and tip much cleaner and help them last longer. It's also handy to spray onto your workpiece before you weld it. Then the spatter beads will pretty much wipe right off. Saves a lot of cleanup work. :-)

I also use an assortment of magnetic holders quite a bit. I think the larger ones are on sale for $1.99 at the Harbor Freight stores right now:

Apparently they're not on sale on their site though. :-(

MIG Pliers are probably nice to have but I just use a set of side cutters to clip off extra wire as needed:

A wire brush is handy:

I also have a cheap set of round "bottle" brushes for cleaning out the nozzle from time to time.

You can never have too many clamps but since you're not new to welding I assume you already know that. :-)

Best Regards, Keith Marshall snipped-for-privacy@progressivelogic.com

There are three of us who share a welding set (Murex Tradesmig 185). All the metal-bashing kit lives in one guy's workshop, the woodwork stuff is at mine. Two of us are (slightly) trained, the guy who owns the welder isn't. We all have regular arguments about the crappy

0.6mm wire and how much nicer 0.8mm is to use instead. One of us (guess which) can;t believe there's a difference.

That said though, I'd go with the thin stuff. Swapping wire is a pain, and thin wire will do thick sheet a lot better than thick wire will work on thin.

For general fabrication (mainly furniture) we just use the cheapest and simplest around - Bostrand LW1 wire and Argoshield Light as the gas.

One thing I'd suggest you buy is an automatic helmet. Wonderful things ! Other than that, and as many clamps as you can find, then there's little else that you ought to buy straight off.

You'll want a welding table, especially if you're doing fabrication work. This is easily made, so long as you get the top cut for you. Make sure it's flat, square, and well supported, so you can use it as a jig. I'd make a frame up out of 1" box or angle, then just rest or maybe bolt the top to it.

Another useful gadget is a big L square, made from 1" x 2" box with a thin diagonal brace. The limbs should be 2 or 3 feet long and made accurately square. You can use this thing as a jig to clamp work to when welding corners.

A cheap bandsaw for cutting stock to length is useful (quicker than a hacksaw, more accurate than a disk).

Another thing you can build easily is a steel stock storage rack.

Argoshield Light? What is that besides marketing BS.

Hello Roger, Argoshield Light. 5% CO2 2% O2 the rest argon. Argoshield Universal 12% CO2 2% O2 the rest argon Argoshield Heavy 20% CO2 2% O2 the rest argon

As for marketing bullshit, I do not know. I have never had the opportunity to test the difference between the different blends for myself by having three bottles handy at the same time. That is a bit too expensive for me as a hobbyist.

I have been using Argoshield light as it is recommended for thin sheet metal. Just recently, I have access to a bottle of Argoshield Heavy, so I will make a direct comparison and see if I, as a hobbyist, notice a difference or not. I am sure the professional welders here on this group will be able to tell you if the different Argoshield blends are bullshit or not better than I could.

Roger, have you had a bad experience with BOC gases? They seem to be have become very ruthless business wise with rapid price rises, with rude unhelpful manners recently.

Regards, John Crighton Sydney

I've used them together a couple of times. Didn't notice a difference on 1/4" plate, but did on thin sheet. OTOH, I've also heard some people use Heavy for thin sheet, if you have a welder that does pulsed (I don't).

Who hasn't ! However they're also a monopoly in most areas, so you have to swallow it.

I would have to travel thousands of miles to buy BOC gases. I'll bet O2 is the same here, there and everywhare if sold by BOC or Dr.Suess. Marketing world wide use thousands of names for the same gas mixes. None of those names make it apparent what gases are in the mix.

Nick,

I run an older Lincoln Mig with gas and 220. I do mostly rusty sheet metal on my 1931 Model A.

I have both .035 and .024 wire. I will not even consider welding without my auto helmet as it makes life so much easier. Thin welding gloves, and this low cost green to cover my arms and an apron.

You will also need a 4" grinder and I recently tried this sandpaper flapper disc instead of a grinding wheel. The flapper disk has a lot of control for fine work.

Oh and safety glasses, you would not believe how many time I have had a hot thing get behind the helmet.

I recently got an old TIG and it is great for sheet metal, heat control out the wazoo.

Good luck,

Kevin

Amen to that! My helmet has plenty of "trails" in the *inside* where little balls of metal have found there way in.

Fortunately none of them have touched skin but I'd hate to think of them bouncing into an eye.

-- you can contact me via

And don't forget some earplugs. I like the ones on that are on a horseshoe shaped spring. Nothing will mess up your life like a hot dingleberry perforating an eardrum.

Steve

I hate those. They cut external noise out, but if you catch the horseshoe on something they're deafening.

Whatever you like. Just wear ear protection.

Steve