1
BASIC
EQUIPMENT
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
A GOOD helmet is right up there on the list of priorities, and like most things,
you get what you pay for. This is one piece not to skimp on, as anyone who
has suffered from welder’s flash will attest – you only get one set of eyes.
A separate helmet for TIG and MIG is also handy, as MIG tends to dirty
up lenses.
Fitted welding gloves, long sleeves, pants and enclosed boots are handy
for avoiding MIG spatter.
Wearing fitted gloves and long sleeves will also help you avoid being burnt
when TIG welding, but the real beauty of TIG is the lack of spatter, meaning
you can wear shorts and thongs like a true-blue Aussie.GAS
FOR MIG, use Migshield run at around
25-30. As mentioned above, it’s best to
avoid gasless set-ups. Gas is used to
shield the weld from oxygen and other crap
in the atmosphere for both MIG and TIG.
For TIG, straight argon run at around
10 is sufficient for mild steel. Setting up
post-flow for the gas will help protect the
tungsten while cooling, and larger cups
can be used for greater gas coverage.FOR MIG-welding 1mm sheet steel,
0.6-0.8 MIG wire is ideal. Thicker wire
will work, but when tacking, the wire will
not have enough time to properly melt,
leaving poor penetration. It’s highly
recommended to not use gasless wire on
automotive applications, in order to avoid
porous welds.With TIG filler rod, the thickness
will depend on the job, and if you’re
filling a gap, anything from a piece of 0.6
MIG wire to 1mm filler rod will work well
on 1mm sheet. Using a red-tipped tungsten
sharpened at around a 30-degree angle
will give you an accurate arc with
good penetration.WWI R E//F ILLL E R R OD & T UNNGSST E N