[AT] Mig welders for antique tractor sheet metal work??

[K7jdj at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/1/2004 8:52:41 PM Pacific Standard Time,  
deanvp at att.net writes:
About every 6 months I fall into lust attack for a MIG  welder


What are you planning on welding? I don't have a MIG but have borrowed and  
used one.
Now I am not a great welder (have no formal training) but have  welded with 
"stick" for 35 years.  Have fabricated and repaired trailers  and many parts 
that I or others have broken, on all sorts of equipment. Welding  with stick on 
anything but "tin" has held up well.  
Have made some cast  repairs with mixed results.  But on thin sheet metal I 
am a bust.
When I  used the MIG welder I either burn up the metal I'm trying to weld or 
just don't  get enough penetration.  Same is true with stick on light metal.  
I do  OK with gas especially on exhaust and tail pipes.  I know some of the 
issue  is clean metal (whatever that is).  Until recently I did not have a 
welder  with good low range adjustment.  I now have a Lincoln Ranger 8 but have not 
 tried it on tin.  I believe TIG is better for light metal but is more  
dollars than
MIG.  

So what I'm trying to say is that for me  stick has been better than MIG and 
is cheaper.
MIG is better in tight places  though.  I do have access to a MIG if needed.  
I would like to 
try  a TIG.  Probably I would do OK, if I would spend more time cleaning the  
metal.

Gary
Renton, WA.