It's not the gas. You can use Argon for TIG or MIG and the MIG is still harder. It's not the wire. You can use MIG wire as filler for TIG and the weld is still softer with TIG. My understanding... it's because of how the weld pool is generated. MIG has electrically charged filler wire which actually touches abd creates the puddle. TIG uses an arc where the tungsten should not touch the puddle. You add filler wire which is not charged to the puddle. Just what I have been told by "smart" folks who do it for a living and have for decades.
. Remember.. you asked. 😉 After talking to "pros" who have been TIG welding for decades, this is MY understanding as to "why" it is softer: TIG welding heats the metal with an arc to melt it. The electrode (tungsten) never touches the metal (or shouldn't). The process is more like oxy/acet. Once the weld puddle is created you either do a fusion weld or add filler wire to the leading edge of the puddle. MIG uses the electricity that is going through the welding wire to generate a puddle. The filler wire (always charged when trigger is pushed) is added to the puddle as it is fed out. This electrical charge is what makes (through some "magic") the weld harder and therefore more brittle if you try to hammer it smooth. The gas itself isn't the magic.because you can MIG using Argon (Fitzee does) and the weld is just as hard. Pre and post flow is more for the health of the tungsten and start/stop points of the weld so they don't get oxidized. This is from Joe Doucette. Thank you
@@faroironandcustoms6577 I nade a mistake in that post in that Fitzee uses CO2 not straight Argon. I tried Argon and the results were not good. I'm not sure how anyone would use it for MIG. Thanks to Stephen Parkes for correcting me. That's how we learn.
@@Joe.Doucette I run Unimix its 75/20 argon and CO2. Supposedly you can.t run straight up argon for MIG welding. I've never tried it. I found Tony's video very interesting yesterday that the flux core was harder than MIG. Again thank you for the input.
@@faroironandcustoms6577 Yes, I expect that his video was really informative to many. I met Tony once, years ago. He seems the exact same in person as he comes across on video. Nice guy. I'd rather use a panel bond adhesive than flux core to stick two pieces of light gauge together. However, I keep a roll of flux core sealed up and ready just in case I run out of solid wire in the middle of a job and the store is out or closed. Anything 14 gauge or thicker it's fine though. I'm starting to go through your videos now. :) Have a good one.
I don't think anyone has. I have heard and seen allot of people say that mig is a harder weld. And since it is people in the trade, I have no reason to disagree with them and don't. I just want to know the why and I can't seem to find the why. Thanks for stopping by, as always.
Another thing to consider. Make some test coupons and have them run thru a Rockwell hardness test. Important point is to use the same technique as you do when performing repairs
Thank you for your comments. I'm coming up with a test as I type. It may take a bit of time to work out the particulars. I have a set of HRC files, I don't think that will be accurate enough. I think the lowest they go is 40 on the C scale. Still don't know if they are any better than saying hey this steel is hard. LOL. Interested in what your engineer friend has to say.
I can say for sure that Mig welds cannot be hammered much as the weld will not stretch nicely and will crack if trying too hard. The Mig welds also cannot be file finished with a body file as the file will just not dig in. However, Tig welds can be hammered, stretched and file finished, almost the same as oxy acetylene welds. So now are Mig welds harder? I will say yes. Even if using Mig wire as filler for Tig welds, the difference is very noticeable.
Thank you for the comment. It will give me some things to test when and if I get to the point of being able to do an accurate experiment. I'm not quite there so far as running a bead on sheet metal myself but I am working on it. Thank you again!
Other than people speaking from personal experience, I haven't gotten a good answer. Maybe a talk about the Rockwell scales in a future video is in order. Someone said oxy is the softest. I will probably follow up later. Thank you for watching!!!
My Experience - as evidenced in Grinding - MIG is Much Harder. TIG welds Grind Much Easier. I think Because TIG heat is Much Less and More concentrated, vs MIG which takes High Holy Heat to Melt it all together.
I think it has to do with the shielding gas, the fact that the MIG is zap let it cool, zap again let it cool, etc... I want to do an experiment in the future. Just need to get set up for it. Thank you for the comment!!
It's not the gas. You can use Argon for TIG or MIG and the MIG is still harder.
It's not the wire. You can use MIG wire as filler for TIG and the weld is still softer with TIG.
My understanding... it's because of how the weld pool is generated.
MIG has electrically charged filler wire which actually touches abd creates the puddle.
TIG uses an arc where the tungsten should not touch the puddle. You add filler wire which is not charged to the puddle.
Just what I have been told by "smart" folks who do it for a living and have for decades.
Thanks again. I was about to move your comment from Fitzee's page.
. Remember.. you asked. 😉
After talking to "pros" who have been TIG welding for decades, this is MY understanding as to "why" it is softer:
TIG welding heats the metal with an arc to melt it. The electrode (tungsten) never touches the metal (or shouldn't). The process is more like oxy/acet. Once the weld puddle is created you either do a fusion weld or add filler wire to the leading edge of the puddle.
MIG uses the electricity that is going through the welding wire to generate a puddle. The filler wire (always charged when trigger is pushed) is added to the puddle as it is fed out. This electrical charge is what makes (through some "magic") the weld harder and therefore more brittle if you try to hammer it smooth.
The gas itself isn't the magic.because you can MIG using Argon (Fitzee does) and the weld is just as hard.
Pre and post flow is more for the health of the tungsten and start/stop points of the weld so they don't get oxidized. This is from Joe Doucette. Thank you
@@faroironandcustoms6577 I nade a mistake in that post in that Fitzee uses CO2 not straight Argon. I tried Argon and the results were not good. I'm not sure how anyone would use it for MIG. Thanks to Stephen Parkes for correcting me. That's how we learn.
@@Joe.Doucette I run Unimix its 75/20 argon and CO2. Supposedly you can.t run straight up argon for MIG welding. I've never tried it. I found Tony's video very interesting yesterday that the flux core was harder than MIG. Again thank you for the input.
@@faroironandcustoms6577 Yes, I expect that his video was really informative to many. I met Tony once, years ago. He seems the exact same in person as he comes across on video. Nice guy.
I'd rather use a panel bond adhesive than flux core to stick two pieces of light gauge together.
However, I keep a roll of flux core sealed up and ready just in case I run out of solid wire in the middle of a job and the store is out or closed.
Anything 14 gauge or thicker it's fine though.
I'm starting to go through your videos now. :)
Have a good one.
Not too sure, never been part of the debate like this about TIG welding or MIG welding.
I don't think anyone has. I have heard and seen allot of people say that mig is a harder weld. And since it is people in the trade, I have no reason to disagree with them and don't. I just want to know the why and I can't seem to find the why. Thanks for stopping by, as always.
Another thing to consider. Make some test coupons and have them run thru a Rockwell hardness test. Important point is to use the same technique as you do when performing repairs
Thank you for your comments. I'm coming up with a test as I type. It may take a bit of time to work out the particulars. I have a set of HRC files, I don't think that will be accurate enough. I think the lowest they go is 40 on the C scale. Still don't know if they are any better than saying hey this steel is hard. LOL. Interested in what your engineer friend has to say.
Thank you for watching!! Leave a comment below!!
Depends on the filler wire, gas mix(mig). Softest weld is gas. Let me ask a welding engineer friend his opinion
I can say for sure that Mig welds cannot be hammered much as the weld will not stretch nicely and will crack if trying too hard.
The Mig welds also cannot be file finished with a body file as the file will just not dig in.
However, Tig welds can be hammered, stretched and file finished, almost the same as oxy acetylene welds.
So now are Mig welds harder? I will say yes. Even if using Mig wire as filler for Tig welds, the difference is very noticeable.
Thank you for the comment. It will give me some things to test when and if I get to the point of being able to do an accurate experiment. I'm not quite there so far as running a bead on sheet metal myself but I am working on it. Thank you again!
I have no idea on this one, sorry. Rockwell hardness test might be interesting on both. What about oxy acetylene?
Other than people speaking from personal experience, I haven't gotten a good answer. Maybe a talk about the Rockwell scales in a future video is in order. Someone said oxy is the softest. I will probably follow up later. Thank you for watching!!!
My Experience - as evidenced in Grinding - MIG is Much Harder. TIG welds Grind Much Easier. I think Because TIG heat is Much Less and More concentrated, vs MIG which takes High Holy Heat to Melt it all together.
I think it has to do with the shielding gas, the fact that the MIG is zap let it cool, zap again let it cool, etc... I want to do an experiment in the future. Just need to get set up for it. Thank you for the comment!!