Home Tips What’s the Difference Between Stick and MIG Welding

What’s the Difference Between Stick and MIG Welding

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Img source: pexels.com

A lot of people learn how to weld because they can cash that in and they can do fixes around their home. But there are different types of welding and two common ways are:

  • Stick
  • MIG

While they both do the same job of connecting and securing two pieces together, there are differences between them that can be considered depending on what your current project is, or what are you trying to do in the long run. There are factors that determine some good and some bad things between them, and that is basically what will make you choose one over the other.

In this article, we are going to talk about the difference between the stick and MIG welding techniques.

Stick Welding

Img source: unimig.com.au

This is the option that has been used for a long time before the other one. Because of that, many people know how to use this technique better, and that is why they say that it is better than the other. However, like any other technique, it has things that are good for, and things that are bad, so it is up to you to choose when you will be using this method.

The way it works is with a box that produces electricity, and it has a stick connected to it so when you touch the metal, it melts both mediums and it causes a seal. Because of the fact that you can use different sticks, you will be able to work on many metals that are appropriate with them. However, changing them often will result in a disruptive workflow because you will have to stop with the process, to change an electrode when it gets used completely.

The thing that you should consider is the melted particles that fall down, and you will have to be careful where you work because you can burn things that are under you, so you will have to gather that fast before it causes damage.

MIG Welding

Img source: instructables.com

This is a newer technique that is easier to learn, and it has other benefits and disadvantages compared to the option from above. However, you will need to learn how to operate the MIG welders. It works in a similar way, where you carry a box that produces electricity, however, you are not using sticks to have contact with the metal, but you have a pistol that uses gases to heat up the metal and seal it up.

This method is easier to learn because you only have to understand how the machine works, and how to adjust it. Also, you will have to know which gases are compatible with a different material. Other than that, it is really easy. You will not have to clean after working, and you can work in a more constant flow because you don’t have to change anything on it.

Moreover, you will have to be careful whether there is wind outside because it can disrupt the gasses you are using. Unlike the previous option, you will have to clean up the metal first before working, because you will not do the job properly otherwise.