Boxing plates, are you tig welding or mig welding them?

I have been welding boxing plates in the 32 frame for it seems like weeks. I have been "tigging" mine. Just wondering if I am going about this the hard way.......

I can appreciate why ch***is are expensive now. This one would have to bring about $250K for me to part with it at this point........

 

I think you are goin about it the hard way.....and maybe not the best way.....

TIG is slow...= more heat=slow to fill=...more distortion

mig is fast = more filler laid in quicker=less heat=less distortion

 

Yup Root, you are inflicting a lot of pain on yourself...for me MIG is the only way to go.

 

I hear you, tig takes alot more time then mig.
I feel that "migging" is perfectly adequate, to box a frame.
The "overheating" issue seems to happen with tig welding more.

 

I use an ARC welder. Set it up right and it works like a charm. Cheap and Quick too.

 

mig unless you want to make a career of it!

 

Whats this TIG you speak of? Mig is just fine Root.

 

I just liked not having to grind so much. Maybe I'll start migging it.........I need to get this pig out of the jig.

 

MIG is probably better, but nothing gets a reaction quite like seeing a perfect "row of nickels".

 

Migging a frame for me. Tac...s***ch...fill...done!!!!

 

Practice makes perfect...or close to it........step away from the wire fed snot welder......In reality both works...But I prefer the tig everytime but it does take your time....Littleman

 

I tig step boxed rails, mig "corner to corner" fit

 

I agree with that...if your going to corner to corner fit and grind it to look as one..mig......if you ever grind your welds you must make sure you have prepped all your edges properly...I see alot of people welding w/ no bevels on **** welds then the grind it away..it looks good but then I show them that fine line crack thats their but you really have to look hard to see it....Littleman...I still prefer tig....only because I hope to be good at it one day.....never happy.

You should prep your metal properly no matter what you weld with....

 

That's what I was going to say...it's a good time to hone your skills with the tig.

Either will work, but I'm with Dave....I'll take the tig everytime.

 

I love my tig. That's probably why I don't use the mig much. I have a small gap between the rails and boxing plates. Maybe .025", I hope that will aid in the grinding part. Maybe I won't grind all of my weld away. I didn't intend on there being a gap. It just ended up that way.

 

Tig here,, but then again,, I dont have a mig so its not like I have a choice!

 

Ive tigged the last two sets in, and honestly dont feel i could go back to mig, BUT while you are hunched over a frame jig ,trying to get in position in a near impossible corner..the MIg sitting silently across the workshop, with a wry grin on its face is rather annoying..
just keep thinking "i dont have to grind later, i dont have to grind later. . . "

 

Tig weld 3/32 rod, Jump around. Its the only way to go, to get the proper penetration. You have to burn it in good!!
Jimmy White

 

whats with all the grinding on mig welds? If you know what you're doing, prep your metal right, grinding should be almost a non-issue.

 

Yeah. Set it up corner to corner, and the bead will form a nice radius.

And be stronger than any v'ed overlap you can find.

 

tig it. penatration is everything

 

fluxcore with C02 would have the most penetration and leave a nice smooth weld.

 

way more control with the tig.....i havent used my mig since i bought the tig

 

Stick, mig, or tig, will do the job fine in the hands of a qualified welder.
If I would choose just one, I would choose Tig.
Listen to the master, Littleman.

 

I bet I have welded 150 ft of boxing plates so far. I think this frame is way bigger than I measured. It must be a 32 Ford Semi.

 

Mig, corner to corner, and skip all over. The bead will form a nice radius.

 

Some people are use to a welding practice and are proficint at it.I was taught to tig first and mig later in life.I bought a tig 18 years ago and never looked back.I take in projects that leave you no way but to become a better welder.Boat gas tanks are a good example,better than 7 foot long and 4 foot wide in alluminum.Something like 30 feet of continious weld.Takes me about 2-3 hours to complete after tacking(which your going to do with any project).Didnt start out that way but it comes in time.If time is a concern,think of the time you save not grinding.Like i have read here before,nothing looks better than a well done tig weld its out there for god and everybody to see.Tig it make every project a learning exp.

 

Guess i'm just plumb out of it. I use my mig for tacks on heavier material, ie frames or anything over 1/8th, then break out the stick. Gas weld lighter stuff using heat dams. Grinding is usually just a p*** or two with a flap wheel. Don't even own a tig and probably never will. Us Dinosaurs reley on skill not the latest and greatest tool.

 

I think (hope) your kidding, cause I didn't realize the tig required no skill!

Dont think I've ever seen a stick weld look like this, either

 

keep going the end result is what your after!