How to Use a Gasless MIG Welder

Video Transcript

"How to use a gasless MIG welder. I'm assuming if you're watching this you know what a gasless MIG welder is. If you don't, we'll explain it to you. MIG stands for metal inert gas, and it's a form of welding that replaces the old style of electrode or ARC welding with auto feed wire that comes through a nozzle, and you control the rate of flow of the electrode coming through the nozzle. MIG welding is usually done with a gas tank that sends pressurized gas through the nozzle and basically prevents oxygen from forming in the weld and creating imperfections. So to use gasless system, they have to create a situation in which there is a way for the oxygen to not build up. And that's usually through the electrode itself will create an oxygen free environment. So the difference... the biggest difference you're going to find in using a gasless MIG welder is that the electrode is constantly charged. So even if you're not pushing the button... usually in a gas system it doesn't... it's not charged until you pull the trigger, but gasless system... that electrode is always charged. So be careful that you don't put the electrode down where you don't want it. And you will find it more difficult to make a clean weld with a gasless system, but with a little bit of practice and working within its limitations, you can do pretty well. The advantages of the gasless system is that they're cheaper to buy because they're really just a small electric welder with wheels on it that you don't have to have a separate argon or CO2 tank. And it's a lot easier to travel around to a job site. So take a look at the options that are available to you."