Beginners, Create STRONG MIG welds in 10 easy steps!

Embarking on your journey into the world of MIG welding can be a thrilling yet daunting experience, especially if you're a beginner. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the essential steps for achieving perfect MIG welds on mild steel. From selecting the right equipment to honing your technique, this article is tailored for beginners in the Australian market, ensuring you're well-prepared to create strong, clean welds while prioritising safety at every turn.

MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding is an excellent starting point for beginners in the world of metal fabrication. To help you embark on your MIG welding journey with confidence, we've outlined the following ten comprehensive steps tailored to the Australian market. We'll provide detailed insights on equipment, safety, and material considerations, with a specific focus on welding mild steel, suitable welders, and gas choices relevant to Australia.

Step 1: Prioritize Safety

• Safety Gear: Equip yourself with a high-quality welding helmet with auto-darkening, heat-resistant gloves, safety glasses, and flame-resistant clothing, suitable for the Australian climate.

Step 2: Choose the Right Welder

• Welder Selection: Consider entry-level MIG welders available in the Australian market. Brands like Cigweld, Unimig, and Boswell offer suitable options with amperage and voltage settings tailored to mild steel welding with prices ranging from $300-$1200

Step 3: Prepare Your Workspace

• Work Area: Set up your welding station in a well-ventilated area, free from clutter, and away from flammable materials.

Step 4: Prepare Mild Steel

• Mild Steel: Ensure your mild steel is clean, rust-free, and well-prepped. Use a wire brush or grinder to remove rust and contaminants from the surfaces you intend to weld.

Step 5: Set Up Your Welder

• Welder Settings: Adjust your MIG welder settings based on the thickness of the mild steel you're working with. For thin steel (up to 3mm), start with 18-19 volts and 150-180 inches per minute (IPM) wire speed. For thicker steel, adjust accordingly.

Step 6: Practice Proper Technique

• Welding Technique: Master the correct hand and body positioning. Maintain a slight drag angle (10-20 degrees) and aim for a consistent travel speed. Practice on scrap mild steel to refine your technique.

Step 7: Select the Right Gas

• Gas Choice: In Australia, the commonly used shielding gas for mild steel MIG welding is a mixture of 82% Argon and 18% CO2 (Argon CO2 Mix). This combination provides excellent results for most applications in the Australian welding context.

Step 8: Start Welding

• Initial Welds: Begin with practice welds on scrap mild steel to get a feel for the process. Ensure you achieve good penetration without excessive spatter or visible defects.

Step 9: Inspect and Clean Your Welds

• Weld Inspection: After each weld, inspect for defects like cracks, porosity, or undercuts. Clean any slag or spatter from the weld surface to ensure smooth, clean welds.

Step 10: Maintain Your Equipment

• Welder Maintenance: Regularly clean and maintain your MIG welder by clearing any debris, inspecting cables and connections, and replacing consumables as needed, taking into account the specific climate conditions in Australia.
  
  
  

Weld Appearance

Your finished weld should exhibit specific characteristics that indicate a successful welding process:

• 1. Uniform Bead: A good weld should have a consistent, uniform bead width along its length. Irregularities in bead width may indicate variations in travel speed or improper technique.
     

  2. Smooth Ripples: In the case of a well-executed fillet or butt joint weld, the bead should display smooth, evenly spaced ripples. These ripples are a result of the molten metal's flow and deposition.

  3. No Undercuts or Overlaps: The edges of the weld bead should not have undercuts (grooves along the sides of the bead) or overlaps (excess metal spilling over the sides). These defects can weaken the weld
     

  4. Minimal Spatter: While some spatter is normal, excessive spatter indicates a need for better technique or adjustments to your welding parameters.
     

  5. Proper Fusion: The weld should exhibit proper fusion, where the base metal and the filler metal have completely merged. Insufficient fusion can lead to weak or defective welds.

  6. Clean Surface: After welding, the surface of the weld should be free from slag, spatter, and debris. Cleaning your welds contributes to their overall quality.

  Remember, achieving the desired weld appearance and quality takes practice and experience. Pay close attention to your technique, maintain the right stickout, and adjust your welding parameters as needed to ensure your welds meet the criteria mentioned above. As you gain experience, your ability to create strong, clean welds will improve, allowing you to tackle a wide range of welding projects effectively.

Conclusion

As a beginner MIG welder in Australia, these comprehensive steps provide you with a strong foundation for success. Safety, equipment selection, proper technique, and attention to detail are key. By following these guidelines and practicing regularly, you'll soon be creating high-quality welds on mild steel and taking on more complex projects, tailored to the Australian welding landscape.

Remember that welding is a skill that improves with practice, so be patient with yourself. Over time, your confidence and expertise will grow, and you'll become a skilled MIG welder. Best of luck on your welding journey in Australia!