Arc Welding vs. Gas welding

[jccampbe2001]

Wow, this is the mose exaustive answer I have ever gotten,, And HIGHLY appreciate all the feedback. After reading all the posts I believe I am going to get a GAS (oky-acetylene) setup and then later on once I see I need a more versatle welder I will get a TIG setup since there is a ART to it and I have always been in to teaching myself to do something new.

I see the apparatus for the gas is a little over a $100, how much do I expect to spend on the two gas tanks? Can the tanks be rented? how does it all work?

[jmortensen]

Gas is going to be pretty useless for car restoration IMO. Back in the day lots of bodywork was done with brazing because brass melts at a lower temp than steel, and if you get a panel hot enough to weld you'll warp the crap out of it. Using dissimilar metals for bodywork leaves you with the potential for galvanic corrosion, which means your painstakingly brazed panels are now more likely to rust.

The real problem is that you can't localize the heat like you can with MIG or TIG. With a MIG or TIG you can take your patch panel, fit it, and then use 100s of small tack welds, allowing time in between so you never put so much heat in the panel so as to warp it. You can weld thicker stuff like exhaust systems with gas, but it takes forever compared to MIG, and it takes more skill.

I've heard bad things about cheap torches, but haven't actually used them so can't speak to that directly.

Edited November 21, 2011 by jmortensen

[John Coffey]

Gas welding takes more skill then MIG, TIG, or Stock welding. Good luck...

[grantf]

I am not a professional welder, That is why I use a Mig wire feed. Does that make sense?

[5thhorsemann]

The difference between gas and TIG is technology. A skilled gas welder with a high end torch can do just as good a job as an equally skilled TIG guy. The fact that it takes two hands to form the welds in these methods, and the skill required to control the heat, makes them very challenging to master, but the end results, on any material are superior to the other disciplines

[John Coffey]

Given the current levels of technology in TIG and MIG processes there's no appreciable difference in the strength of proper welds in carbon steel and aluminum. Where TIG has advantages is in stainless steel, nickel steel, titanium, magnesium, berylium, and other more exotic alloys. But for anything on a 40+ year old Datsun MIG and TIG are equal.

[jccampbe2001]

Most of my experience is with gas welding anyway so because of that and the fact that I can use the gas welding for other things besides car work would be why I would by that to begin. Curious though.. the Arc welding that I did 25 years ago was with what I think you all called a idiot stick. Is wire feed MIG technology easier to use?

Ok, quick question, I am in need to put a piece of pipe on my exaust now, however I will not be getting a welding set for at least a month. I do however have one of those butane torch things. Is it possible to weld anything with that. I am sure the answer is a big ol' NO. But would like to know

[5thhorsemann]

BIG NO to butain or propane, nowhere near hot enough. Go MIG, you can be proficent in one day of practice with sheetmetal and exhaust tubing. PS, don't weld galvanized tubing without grind off the galvinize, it can kill you.

[cozye]

I'm not really sure how you can come away from this thread ready to gas weld on a car. Everyone is saying Mig is the easiest most cost affective way to weld on car, or any steel project for that matter. Tig would be a possibility but is much more difficult to master. Mig makes very nice welds.

I mean this in the nicest possible way, but if you take a torch to weld on that car you are going to F&*k it up, guaranteed. It's way to hot, no one on the planet does this, and for good reason. If you have limited funds and just want an oxy-acetyline setup for some other reason, then use pop rivets and epoxy on the car. A mig is cheap, and there probably isn't anything you are wanting to do for any kind of welding project that you can do with mig.

The first time you hit the quarter panel with a torch for more than 5 milliseconds, its going to warp the **** out of the panel and thats if you get lucky and don't burn a hole through it. Even with a mig, shielding gas, and an air hose to keep it cool you still have to do series of tack welds spaced apart to keep the surrounding metal cool. Trying to run a bead even .5" long will warp it instantly on 22 gauge sheet metal.

Do a youtube search for "welding sheet metal", you will find 99% of the time they are using a MIG and many examples to show the process.

[newtonhubcap]

Gas welding is old school compared to what migs and tigs can accomplish. The new welder settimgs get you in the ball park and minimze blow holes.

I have a miller 252 with spool gun for aluminum and the mig gun for steel. Look at the millermatic 212. Migs make every weld like a pro and worth the investment.

[grantf]

Really for working on you're car you should use mig (correct me if I am wrong MIG=Metal Inert Gas) So when we say use gas we meen use Mig gas for shielding with a wire feed unit, Not use an Oxy Acetylene torch, They are great for cutting and you can weld with them but for sheet metal you will most likely warp the steel to much. I have welded pieces of steel together with an O/C torch in the past and it was not nearly as easy as a wire feed.