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To see the difference, we fired up our MIG and TIG machines for a side-by-side comparison. The MIG welder is so easy to use, it's almost a no-brainer. We had to set the voltage and wire speed, but some machines can detect the thickness of the work and lock in the correct settings automatically. A MIG weld looks much more fluid and rope-like than a gas-welded joint. Some machines have a pulsed voltage supply that will give you the fish-scales look to your weld bead, but most welders designed for home use do not. Notice how each stop and start of the bead leaves a distinct (and some may say sloppy) break in the bead. That is characteristic of a MIG bead and can only be avoided by performing a continuous bead, something that may be difficult to do if you need to change hand or body positions as you travel along the joint. Also notice that the heat-affected zone, indicated by the color change around the bead, stays consistent along the joint. This is because MIG welding is also done very quickly and therefore doesn't allow much time to heat the metal up in the area surrounding the joint. View Related Article
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