How to Spray Weld

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Things You'll Need

  • Safety Glasses

  • Welding Gloves

  • Welding Helmet

  • Chipping Hammer

  • Wire Brush

  • Ground clamp

Shield the arc from view of others while welding.

Spray welding is a form of Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding, or as it's also known, Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW). Spray welding uses a welder with a wire feeder and regulated inert gas that is a mixture of argon and carbon dioxide. Spray welding is for transferring lots of weld at once in the flat and horizontal positions. This type of welding can only be done in the flat and horizontal positions because the puddle of molten metal is too hot and liquid to control in vertical or overhead positions.

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Step 1

Put on your personal protective equipment, such as earplugs, safety glasses and work gloves to protect yourself from any sparks, debris or cuts that can occur from preparation of the base metal or welding itself.

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Step 2

Prepare the base metal you will be welding on by removing any slag, paint, oil or dirt with your wire brush and chipping hammer so that you get the best possible penetration. Penetration is the distance below the surface that the metals being welded are fused together. Place your ground clamp somewhere on the base metal so that it gets a good connection.

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Step 3

Turn on your welding machine and adjust the wire feed speed and the voltage based on the size of the wire you are using to weld with. The larger the diameter of the welding wire, the higher your voltage must be. On newer machines, a chart is usually located on the inside door of the welding machine indicating which settings you should use.

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Step 4

Turn on your regulator and set it based on the suggested settings for the material you are welding and the type of welding you are doing.

Step 5

Hold the MIG welding gun at an angle so that the tip of the welding nozzle leads the top of the welding nozzle. This is so that the gas flow is always going in the direction you are welding. This shields the weld from the atmosphere to ensure a quality weld.

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