How to Weld With a Lincoln MIG
Lincoln manufactures a wide variety of metal-working products, including a series of MIG (metal inert gas) welders. These welders are designed to be used with a shielded gas (typically a carbon dioxide/argon mix) that helps reduce spatter and focuses the heat on the welded surface. MIG welding is one of the most basic welding processes. Learning to weld with a Lincoln MIG welder will take some practice, but after making a few passes with the welder you should be able to get the hang of it.
Things You'll Need
- Steel
- Sheet metal gauge
- Wire brush
- Welding helmet
- Welding gloves
- Long-sleeve nonflammable shirt
- Side-cutting pliers
Instructions
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1
Place the two pieces of steel that you wish to weld next to each other in the position you need to join them. Scrub the edges of the steel where you'll be welding with the wire brush so that they are clean and free of any residue that could foul the weld, including paint. Insert the edge of the sheet metal gauge onto the metal to determine the thickness of the metal pieces.
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2
Open up the side of the Lincoln welder and look on the inside for the sheet metal chart that lists the suggested settings for that steel. Adjust the setting knobs on the front of the welder to the appropriate setting. Open up the welding bottle and use the knob on the gas regulator to adjust the gas flow to between 25 and 30 lbs. of pressure.
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3
Attach the ground clamp on the welder to one of the pieces of steel. Put on the nonflammable long-sleeve shirt, the welding gloves and the welding helmet. Position yourself so that you're comfortable, you can freely move the welding torch (which is the trigger on the end of the welder) and the cording for the welder isn't bunched up. Turn on the welder and pull the trigger until about 1/8 inch of wire is coming out of the end of the tip of the welder. Cut off any excess wire using the side-cutting pliers if necessary.
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4
Touch the welding wire on the torch to the spot you wish to weld. Pull the trigger and look through the welding helmet to see a small ball of weld forming on the metal. Work the ball of weld by moving the tip of the welder in counterclockwise circles, so that the ball goes approximately halfway onto one piece of metal and halfway onto the other. Continue to work the ball until you reach the end of the surface you want to weld and then release the trigger.
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Tips & Warnings
It takes a lot of time and practice to become a good MIG welder. Have plenty of scrap steel handy so that you can practice your techniques until you find something that works well for you.
Always keep a fire extinguisher handy. MIG welders shoot out sparks.
