Mig welding machines: for DIY and trade users

Let's start by looking at one of the smaller mig welding machines.

The photo below shows a very basic and simple DIY or HOBBY type mig welding machine. This sized would be ideal for light gauge welding on metal like, car panels, box trailers and general light fabrication work.

There are four main parts to any MIG welding machine, and they are:

1. Power supply
2. Torch or gun
3. Consumables
4. Earth clamp or ground clamp

1. Power supply

The power supply is an electrical transformer that is inside the mig welding machineAs the name suggests its job is to transform the power. In this case it transforms it into a useable power source that is suitable for mig welding.Most power points at home and in industrial sheds are usually 110volt, 240volt or 415volts.When you plug the lead for the mig welder into the power point, the electricity will flow into the transformer and be "transformed" into a stable and useable welding current.

Your welding torch or mig welding gun is the most distinctive item that makes the mig welder a mig welder.As soon as you see the mig welding torch or mig welding gun you know that what you are looking at is a mig welder.The welding torch is what you hang onto when you are welding. It's like a big long black hose that comes out of the front from the mig welder. On the end is the welding torch.There is a trigger on the torch that you press with your fingers to start the welding process. When you press the trigger it will allow the welding wire to feed out, the shielding gas to flow (if your welder is equipped with gas) and allow the welding current to pass as well.

Mig welding machines also use consumables. A consumable is anything that is "used up". Just like in a printer the ink cartridges are used up and therefore they are consumables.The same is true here except that you will consume, mig welding wire, contact tips and gas nozzles (shrouds)..Mig welding wire is a consumable. It is consumed in the welding process. The wire is continuously fed into the welding arc and is continuously burned up.There are many different types, grades and sizes of mig welding wire.This particular mig welding wire shown here in this picture is a gasless mig wireThat means you can weld with just this wire alone and do not have to use a shielding gas.

The earth clamp is what is "clamped" to the work that you are welding. It is there to complete the electrical circuit that is needed for you to be able to mig weld.A good ground clamp will be nice and big with a very strong spring holding it closed. The bigger and stronger the spring holding it shut, the better and more sound the earth connecting will be.So in a nut shell, to mig weld all you have to do is plug it in, and turn on the mig welding machine. Clamp the earth to the work. Make sure you have wire ready to go, point the gun at the metal to be welded and pull the trigger.

Next see: Mig welder power requirements.