Mig Welding Wire Size Guide

How do i know which sized contact tip to select for my mig welder.

Mig welding wire size guide.

Vertical horizontal and overhead welds use the smallest wire diameter possible and keep you weld pool small. If you are having feeding problems one thing you can try is a contact tip that is one size bigger than your wire. The most common wire type is er4043 for all purpose work. Check with your machine manufacturer for any information that may pertain to your welding system.

The mig process the mig process is an arc welding process which joins metals together by heating them with an electric arc formed between a wire electrode and the workpiece. Small diameter welding wires 023 in. To maximize the performance of your mig equipment choose the correct liner size for the wire being used. Through 045 in have relatively low columnar strength which when paired with an oversized liner can cause the wire to wander or drift within the liner.

For example you would choose a 0 023 contact tip for a 0 023 wire. When using a mig welder you have 3 different sizes of wire to choose from. Common mistakes in choosing mig wire and how to avoid them the most common types of mig wire for welding mild steel are er70s 3 and er70s 6. Read his detailed breakdown below to find out why you want to consider using thicker wire even when welding thinner materials.

This mig welding guide will teach you everything you need to know to start mig welding. And as more companies move to robotics a quality mig wire will provide accuracy in wire placement and consistency in the weld making rework less of an issue. Er5356 is a stiffer wire easier to feed and is used when more rigid higher strength weld properties are needed. Only use a push gun technique when welding aluminum.

One of the many things to choose in mig welding is the size of mig wire you want to use. My friend pete will show you the most used and overall wire size recommended for m. There is a widely accepted point of view that thin metal should be welded with small diameter wire. Double click on chart to view quick guide for selecting mig wire size and welder amperage for your application.

Direct your wire at the leading edge of your weld pool for the most control of your weld bead. There are certain situations where it is an advantage to either oversize or undersize a contact tip.