Things You'll Need:
- MIG welder safety helmet, preferably auto-darkening scrap metal welding gloves
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Step 1
Wear your personal protective equipment, such as welding gloves and helmet. Sparks from a MIG welder can easily burn you or blind you instantly. The light alone that comes from the welding is dangerous to look at without protection. If possible, get a helmet that automatically darkens when the MIG welder is operating. It frees up one hand for better and safer operation.
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Step 2
Adjust the tip voltage to the proper setting. The tip voltage determines how deep your welding will penetrate the surface you are working on. If your setting is too low, you will only create melting on the surface. If the setting is too high, you might put a hole in your material.
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Step 3
Set the feed rate of the MIG welder. The feed rate controls how much gas you let the welder expunge. Depending on the material you are working with, the feed rate may need to be adjusted higher or lower. The higher the feed rate, the longer the flame.
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Step 4
Practice moving the MIG welder tip in a zigzag pattern on other scrap metal. Zigzag patterns are the best way to create a good weld because they do not allow the arc to stay in one place too long. If it does, the arc can destroy your material rather than weld it.
