I have a 110v mig welder that I use for sheet metal only. But I was thinking the other day as I stick welded a catalytic converter back together since the 02 bung pulled out from cheap brazing... I didn't burn it up and I was running 7014 1\8" at 100 amps. The only dry rod I had and totally the wrong one for the job.
Is it possible to arc weld body sheet metal with 6013 3/32 on a low amp setting. I have found that if the tip of the rod is red, it will arc without striking.. Just thinking.
I haven't held a stick welder in years, and I am sure there are super highly skilled guys with one. But I am thinking forget about and stick with the MIG, you have one, why drift?
well, I have both, so I was just thinking is all, I use the stick on structural welds, and the MIG on bodywork. I probably won't ever change that routine unless I get a TIG and learn to use it. The MIG didn't have the penetration to go into the sensor bung on the cat, so I had to stick weld it. I thought for sure I was just gonna burn holes but it came out quite ugly, but leak free and solid.. Beat having to buy a new cat pipe to the tune of $400.
Shopfloortalk.com would be the place to ask that question. I have wondered the same and think a inverter dc output welder would be the best platform to try body panel welding. The output is dc which is good and a inverter will have the lowest amp setting and lowest amp increment. I haven't tried inverter welding and don't want to be the test case.
I would think that an inverter welder would be about the best as far as an arc welder is concerned... it almost seems tho that if you were gonna buy one of them, you could buy a $250 110v MIG, and add a bottle of gas for another $100... some different than the person who picks up the $80 A/C 'buzz box'
Since the vintage ( probably late 60's ) A/C 225 Tombstone is all I have ever used, I kinda forgot about the D/C and inverter units
I used 6013 3/32" to fill trim holes and it worked OK with some practice no warpage issues,would have to play with the settings and my Clarke 95e has a better dial control rather that only a few choices like most 110 volt stick welders,it is made in Italy instead of China.
In the 50's some welding suppliers had boxes labeled fender rod and bumper rod. fender rod was small diameter 6013 to use AC.. the fender rod 6013 coating had iron powder in the mix for better fill and it was recomended that you weld on the back side of the split in a fender. The bumper rod was a stainless or nickle rod for chrome steel bumper splits , and a copper back up usually helps, scraps of copper pipe can be hammered into the shape you need
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