When to MIG when to TIG

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Hey all. Just wondering how everyone gauges when to MIG or TIG aside from the obvious things that need to be TIG welded, Im talking about stuff that can be welded with either process. Now that I have a TIG welder, I cant believe how much fun it is. I love the control of the heat input and the speed of the torch and filler wire. I feel like Im probably not going to MIG weld too often anymore. The only time I will have to MIG weld is when my TIG cant reach because I only have one 220 outlet in my garage and my mig is 120 so it can kind of go anywhere. So my question to you all with both processes is when and how do you decide which process to use?
Reply:Tacking expanded metal for sure gets MIG in my book.  Also, anything overhead or left handed for now gets MIG.Syncrowave 210HH140Victor O/A
Reply:MIG is a lot more tolerant of dirty metal. Not nearly as much as a stick welder but a lot more than TIG at least in my novice opinion.
Reply:This is a good question. I am interested in what a PRO says about this. As a hobby welder, I often find myself TIGing just for practice, when MIG would be more efficient. Some projects are more obvious than others. I built some sign frames and used TIG, but I built a huge rolling display cart and did MIG almost exclusively. I tend to TIG if appearance and minimum heat input are important.In fact I'm working on a little project now, and have been considering whether to MIG or TIG.Burt _____________________Miller Syncrowave 250Millermatic 211Miller 375 Plasma Cutter Hobart Handler 12010FtDrillBit.com
Reply:Tig is nice when you want a really clean finished product , no spatter. I think you can make a nicer tight small weld with tig. Tig is great for stainless fusion welding. Mig is fast, not bad for spatter using 75/25 , and could be better for filling a poor fit up. A quick efficient process that almost anyone can learn to do. Great for art work too.
Reply:I use TIG as much as possible. That being said, you need stable air (not outdoors) and everything has to be very clean: placing patch panels on old cars can be almost impossible
Reply:Originally Posted by Steffan... and everything has to be very clean: placing patch panels on old cars can be almost impossible
Reply:I use pulse spray mig when I need a fair amount of metal, say 1/4" fillet or more, if less than that, it's almost always tig. We do mostly architectural stuff that needs nice surface appearance, tigs mean no grinding after welding. Anything structural gets dual shield or stick. Mig is more sensitive to wind, I can tig in a breeze that mig cannot. Sheet metal is back to short circuit mig.Ian TannerKawasaki KX450 and many other fine tools
Reply:i rely heavy on my mig for doing pretty much everything overhead vert etc its faster puts less heat distortion and you can set it up to do a really fancy weld. The only things i tig are if a code or customer request it or its something fancey and needs to look fanceyHigh Octane Welding
Reply:I watched a youtube video recently, I think it was done by "Mr. Tig" and he said TIG was better for car body panels because the MIG welds were harder, and thus harder to grind down. I don't know whether that's true or not, just passing it along.
Reply:Originally Posted by KelvinI watched a youtube video recently, I think it was done by "Mr. Tig" and he said TIG was better for car body panels because the MIG welds were harder, and thus harder to grind down. I don't know whether that's true or not, just passing it along.
Reply:When I am building a project (always for myself), I usually will use whatever process is faster and capable of getting the job done, so it's usually MIG.  I even use it for thin to thick welds like adding a drain bung to a gas tank. (which I do fairly often).   Even most aluminum jobs I will hit it real quick with the 30A spool.  For me, TIG is too slow unless I absolutely need the weld to look pretty.Miller Syncrowave 350Millermatic 252/ 30A spoolgunMiller Bobcat 225g w/ 3545 spoolgunLincoln PowerArc4000Lincoln 175 Mig  Lincoln 135 Mig Everlast 250EX TigCentury ac/dc 230 amp stickVictor O/AHypertherm 1000 plasma
Reply:I use the tig for nice stuff.I use the mig for the dirty get'er done stuff.Pretty simple.12v battery, jumper cables, and a 6013.I only have a facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/VPT/244788508917829
Reply:Originally Posted by VPTI use the tig for nice stuff.I use the mig for the dirty get'er done stuff.Pretty simple.
Reply:Thanks for all the responses guys. I am mostly a hobby welder so time isnt really a factor for me. TIG is definitely my process of choice now. In fact I was looking into getting a real MIG, like a brand name and 220, right now I have a northern tool MIG 135 which has been great and has handled everything Ive thrown at it so far, but I dont know if Ill even spend the money at this point.
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaDave+1And stick for even dirtier or heavier stuff(Or just when I'm bored or just want to use stick because I haven't for a while )
Reply:Originally Posted by KelvinI watched a youtube video recently, I think it was done by "Mr. Tig" and he said TIG was better for car body panels because the MIG welds were harder, and thus harder to grind down. I don't know whether that's true or not, just passing it along.
Reply:I have found MIG creates less warpage than TIG on body panels.12v battery, jumper cables, and a 6013.I only have a facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/VPT/244788508917829
Reply:All things being equal, speed. Done properly they are both capable processes. One just take much longer per inch of weld.
Reply:Wow!How you been!...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Good, you? Still plugging away building Alaska. LOLHad a good year last year and now it looks like with the price of oil in the tank we'll go backwards some. Oh well. Still nicer on this side of the dirt.
Reply:MIG for moneyTIG for the HoneysHF 98233 Stick/TigHF  95136 PlasmaEastwood TIG200Eastwood MIG250Damn, I cut it twice already and it's still too short!
Reply:Mig everything i can,  Mig speeds and cost per inch of weld gets more out the door.   Tig is only for things that NEED it.     but then again im not a fancy instagram tig only shop like instagram.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:I TIG weld when required but MIG weld to get stuff out the door. The key is figuring out how to make your MIG welds looks good, while they are never as good, you can make some pretty good looking MIG welds if you take the time to learn the proper technique. I used to TIG everything because I could make better looking TIG welds but it took too much time. When I opened a shop, not just messing around on my own projects, and started taking work in I realized that you can't make money TIG'ing everything. I focused on not only making sure the MIG welds are made using the proper parameters to insure fusion but also to make them look good. I don't really care what process I use but if I need to put down some serious metal I either use MIG, Dual Shield, or Stick.