New TIG welder--WOW!

[Frenchie461]

Can I get an opinion about how tig compares to stick/wire welding?

[JamesCH95]

Originally Posted by Frenchie461

Can I get an opinion about how tig compares to stick/wire welding?

TIG:
-Can weld anything if it can be welded (steel, cast iron, aluminum, titanium, super alloys, etc)
-Cleanest process of the three
-Requires highest operator skill
-Slowest of the three processes
-Needs good shielding gases
-Easiest to control when welding dissimilar thicknesses and/or materials

MIG:
-Fastest welding process
-Can weld most materials (steel, aluminum, titanium if you have the right wave-form)
-Requires expensive equipment for premium welds, pulsed waveforms, etc
-Easy to use
-Possibility of spatter
-Can weld flux-cored without shielding gas outside

Stick:
-Easily welds outside in high winds w/ flux
-Faster than TIG I believe, but not as fast as MIG can be
-Relatively cheap equipment
-Can do steel and aluminum, not sure what other materials it can do though

I prefer TIG because of it's versatility and neat welds even though it's slow and needs to be done in a shop typically. I can go from steel to aluminum to titanium in many thicknesses without changing much equipment, if any. You can't beat MIG for thick materials and quick jobs. I'm sure pipe welders wouldn't do anything but stick for outside environment out-of-position welds.