best overall process?

[BrokenBiker]

this may have been asked many many times before, but I am going to ask again anyway,

which would you consider the best process for welding mild steel in a shop or shed set up for welding (ventilation, good lighting, plenty of space, good bench etc...)

I have mig (sealy mightymig converted to gas), arc (parweld xti160) and dc tig by way of a tig kit for the dc stick welder. also have oxy acetylene now and oxy propane (not for welding but good for brazing)

so that covers mig, tig, arc and oxy fuel. I like using all of them for various applications, but keep getting asked by people I do jobs for why I have so many different processes, so, if you could only pick one and had to stick to it, which would it be?

 

[chevy2]

I have access to all the processes,
Arc, ac/dc tig, mig and oxy/acetylene,

I mostly use arc for mobile site work,
Tig in the workshop and sometimes site,
Mig in the workshop mostly for railing/gate type work,
And oxy/acetylene mostly on site for heating/cutting but rarely for gas welding unless lack of power available,

If I had to put it percentage of my overall use nowadays its about 85% tig, 10% arc and 5% mig,

If had

 

[piman]

Hello Brokenbiker,

I have DC Tig/arc and oxy/acetylene and if I were restricted to one process it would be oxyacetylene for it's versatility, that said there would then be a few jobs I couldn't tackle very well on the welding side so that's why I have different types of welders.

Alec

 

[BrokenBiker]

I find that most of the jobs I do can be done with arc, but its just easier to use mig when on the bench as its all right there, where as the arc is either in the van or packed away in its box.

tig rarely gets used unless im welding stainless, and that's usually only stainless hinges to mild box or angle and the oxy acetylene and propane only really get used for cutting and brazing at the moment

 

[mike 109444]

this may have been asked many many times before, but I am going to ask again anyway,

which would you consider the best process for welding mild steel in a shop or shed set up for welding (ventilation, good lighting, plenty of space, good bench etc...)

I have mig (sealy mightymig converted to gas), arc (parweld xti160) and dc tig by way of a tig kit for the dc stick welder. also have oxy acetylene now and oxy propane (not for welding but good for brazing)

so that covers mig, tig, arc and oxy fuel. I like using all of them for various applications, but keep getting asked by people I do jobs for why I have so many different processes, so, if youd only pick one and had to stick to it, which would it be?

Ask them why they have 3 different sizes of spoon in there cutlery draw or even several different types of knife in said draw

 

[Fazerruss]

You missed one... Plasma. I also have all of them and wouldn't be without any. With each job you do its horses for courses. These are all for my hobby use and not even for business!

 

[BrokenBiker]

mine aren't really for business, although I do a few touch up jobs on gates and fences, a few bits for bikes and occasionally a few stainless bits for caravans and so on.

haven't got a plasma cutter as I cant justify the price of one when I have the oxy fuel set ups and also against the amount of cutting I need to do with them. usually use the grinder for most things