MIG Tips

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

Doing a TAFE course on MIG welding, after owning one for close enough to 20 years I thought I'd learn how to use it properly
Any 1st thing I found that I was doing wrong was turning on the gas with the Regulator set, this "pops" the regulator diaphragm and eventually destroys it. The proper way is to back off the Reg, turn on the gas then set the Reg.

Second, something I never really paid attention to before, but it is recommended that your welding direction is away from (not towards) the earth/ground clamp.

Hope that helps someone 

[mickusmickus]

Gday Stinky,

Been thinking about doing one of these courses myself for a while........If you don't mind me asking, how much was the course and how long does it run for?

MICK

[Bob_FC_Ute]

I also started a course yesterday at Ultimo Tech in Sydney. It covers Mig & Oxy welding, hand and machine forming repair sections. Last night we used a guillotine, rollers and English Wheel to form a bonnet section. Also began with a flat section of mild steel which will be formed into a dome shape.

The course fees are $428 for a 34 week course, 4 hours per night 5.30 to 9.30. You also get a lot of "hands on" experience. The teacher also mentioned that we would be shown how to form section with the bare minimum of tools eg hammer and dolly.

We haven't done any welding yet but that will come.
Hope this helps. Bob

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

Bob's course sounds better than mine  Mine is through Elizabeth TAFE $86 for 8 weeks, we are doing heavy duty welding though. The course is part of the curriculum to gain a welding certification.

[customFC]

Hey Stinky
Sounds like a good course.
I, like you have owned a mig for many years and taught myself through trial and error (mostly error)
I wish I had the time to do what your doing, though I suspect if I wasn't so lazy I would find the time.
Any tips you can pass on would be helpful.....even the basics can make a whole lot of difference.
Hey Bob
I did the course you are doing now, many years ago, very enjoyable.
It is amazing what you can turn sheet metal into with basic tools and knowledge.
If your teacher is as cruel as mine, if you finish that dome quickly and he needs the class to catch up, he will take to it with a cold chisel after grading it and tell you to go and fix it. 
Regards
Alex

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

another tip, watch the flow rate, it should be around 12 litres per minute.
If it is too fast it creates a vortex and you get oxygen in the weld anyway.

[greyone]

buy your self a can of anti splatter helps keep the shroud around the tip clean also agreat investment is an auto helmet I don,t know how I survived without it lost count how many flashes I,ve had and yeah they hurt
regards mal

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

buy your self a can of anti splatter helps keep the shroud around the tip clean

They won't let us use anti-spatter at TAFE because OH&S say it is flammable  they obviously haven't noticed the wooden skirting boards in the welding bays 

[NosFEratu]

Hi Stinky

John did the TAFE course around 1986 - he gave it up when got to 10mm plate cos he figured he wasn't ever gonna build a battleship! 

Kathi