costs of various welding processes

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I'm wondering about the cost of consumables for building simple brackets,etc.out of 1/8 to 1/4 angle using stick,mig or flux core.Can someone tell me (roughly)how the three processes compare in cost of rod,wire and gas?Miller a/c-d/c Thunderbolt XLMillermatic 180 Purox O/ASmith Littletorch O/AHobart Champion Elite
Reply:If you want to dig through it, there's a lot of information in this ESAB ESTIMATING AND COMPARING WELD METAL COSTS lesson.http://www.esabna.com/EUWeb/AWTC/Lesson9_2.htm"USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:ARC/stick has no consumables.MIG/wire feed has minimal consumables and is the most common choice of welders.TIG has the most and highest price consumables, takes lots of learning time to get right and doesn't like quick dirty bracket work.
Reply:Originally Posted by VPTARC/stick has no consumables.
Reply:Are you considering the filler metal a consumable? I don't, pretty much ALL welding needs a filler, that part of it is null.
Reply:Originally Posted by VPTAre you considering the filler metal a consumable? I don't, pretty much ALL welding needs a filler, that part of it is null.
Reply:Originally Posted by jpump5I'm wondering about the cost of consumables for building simple brackets,etc.out of 1/8 to 1/4 angle using stick,mig or flux core.Can someone tell me (roughly)how the three processes compare in cost of rod,wire and gas?
Reply:In my opinion........considering everything,(my list is to long) I would mig the brackets.I think it's fast and very little spatter to clean off.Miller 252Miller Bobcat 225Lincoln MigPak 1801959 Hyster forkliftHarris OA torch
Reply:I should have been more specific.Brackets for industrial facility.Appearance not critical(assuming nobird crap/grape bunches).Cost of rod ,wire and gas only.Miller a/c-d/c Thunderbolt XLMillermatic 180 Purox O/ASmith Littletorch O/AHobart Champion Elite
Reply:Originally Posted by jpump5I should have been more specific.Brackets for industrial facility.Appearance not critical(assuming nobird crap/grape bunches).Cost of rod ,wire and gas only.
Reply:Originally Posted by OldendumIf you want to dig through it, there's a lot of information in this ESAB ESTIMATING AND COMPARING WELD METAL COSTS lesson.http://www.esabna.com/EUWeb/AWTC/Lesson9_2.htm
Reply:I guess I have a different idea of what a consumable is.To me the filler isn't a consumable since every welder uses a filler, without filler you aren't welding with the exception of autogenous welds.Consumables to me are: MIG: gas, contact tips, cups, and possibly the liner and rollers (liner and rollers are a stretch).TIG: Gas, tungsten, gas lens/air nozzles, cups, and collets.Stick: uses no gas, uses no copper wear out parts (unless you consider the stinger a wear out item). It burns up filler rod just like every other welder and thats it.Filler metal pound for pound type for type is about the same price for every process you use.
Reply:Originally Posted by BoostinjdmFor an industrial setting, time is money.  Mig will be the fastest, so it's also the cheapest.
Reply:Originally Posted by VPTI guess I have a different idea of what a consumable is.To me the filler isn't a consumable since every welder uses a filler, without filler you aren't welding with the exception of autogenous welds.Consumables to me are: MIG: gas, contact tips, cups, and possibly the liner and rollers (liner and rollers are a stretch).TIG: Gas, tungsten, gas lens/air nozzles, cups, and collets.Stick: uses no gas, uses no copper wear out parts (unless you consider the stinger a wear out item). It burns up filler rod just like every other welder and thats it.Filler metal pound for pound type for type is about the same price for every process you use.
Reply:When it comes to welding, a consumable is pretty much everything but the machine itself.  Everything else gets used up or wears out quickly compared to the machine.  I'd even lump grinders, gloves, glasses, etc into the consumable category.My name's not Jim....
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaDaveIf a job requires 100 lbs of electrodes, are you going to ignore the cost?Dave J.
Reply:Originally Posted by VPTIts the same for every welder for the same job. 100lbs of sticks, wire, or TIG filler. What I would be looking at for "consumables" is how many tanks of gas I will be going threw, how many tungsten sticks, collets, contact tips, gas lenses, etc. The filler is just a given for EVERY welder.  ...
Reply:were is the work being done? if its at your shop then mig or stick . If its at there place its  stick no question. thats my .2cents
Reply:Originally Posted by VPTIts the same for every welder for the same job. 100lbs of sticks, wire, or TIG filler. What I would be looking at for "consumables" is how many tanks of gas I will be going threw, how many tungsten sticks, collets, contact tips, gas lenses, etc. The filler is just a given for EVERY welder.If you want to look at filler may as well look at electricity used too because every welder uses electricity.As far as the filler metal it is the same for every welder, that is why it is null, it does not matter.What does matter is TIG and MIG will use up a gas where stick won't, THAT is an added cost. The TIG will use up tungsten where the MIG doesn't THAT is another added cost over the MIG machine. These are the things that make a difference between one machine and another.
Reply:Originally Posted by Broccoli1If you are breaking it down as far as collets, tungsten, tips then you should be considering the cost of electricity also. You really can't break it down only part way.On a very simple comparison for a shade tree welder a stick machine is the least costly. Cheap machine and relatively cheap electrodes. Labor doesn't come in to the cost.But once you move into production then labor is such a major cost of the production deposition rate really matters. Wire feeders rule. Of course there a re exceptions due to post weld clean up where another process would make better sense.But in the, example given by the OP- mig welding wins.
Reply:Originally Posted by VPTIts the same for every welder for the same job. 100lbs of sticks, wire, or TIG filler. What I would be looking at for "consumables" is how many tanks of gas I will be going threw, how many tungsten sticks, collets, contact tips, gas lenses, etc. The filler is just a given for EVERY welder.If you want to look at filler may as well look at electricity used too because every welder uses electricity.As far as the filler metal it is the same for every welder, that is why it is null, it does not matter.What does matter is TIG and MIG will use up a gas where stick won't, THAT is an added cost. The TIG will use up tungsten where the MIG doesn't THAT is another added cost over the MIG machine. These are the things that make a difference between one machine and another.
Reply:Originally Posted by VPTI guess I have a different idea of what a consumable is.To me the filler isn't a consumable since every welder uses a filler, without filler you aren't welding with the exception of autogenous welds.Consumables to me are: MIG: gas, contact tips, cups, and possibly the liner and rollers (liner and rollers are a stretch).TIG: Gas, tungsten, gas lens/air nozzles, cups, and collets.Stick: uses no gas, uses no copper wear out parts (unless you consider the stinger a wear out item). It burns up filler rod just like every other welder and thats it.Filler metal pound for pound type for type is about the same price for every process you use.
Reply:10# of common 6013: http://www.amazon.com/Forney-30410-8.../dp/B000CFPUDU10# of common ER70 MIG wire: http://www.amazon.com/INEFIL-ER70S-6...lding+MIG+wireLooks pretty close to me.
Reply:[QUOTE=MinnesotaDave;2488701]I dislike saying this to WW members, but you are incorrect if your position is that 100 lbs of welding sticks, wire and tig rod all cost the same.You will find costs from $2 per pound up to $8.50 per pound for welding mild steel for sticks, solid mig wire and flux core wire.^Broccoli states that for production, labor is the big number - which I agree with.  I also like mig for production on light steel.Dave J.[/QUOTEI agree with you, but the OPs post is a little light on info. As far as mild steel welding filler goes, normal 70ksi fillers for the processes in question can be had for pretty near the same price. Without knowing more info about the part being made it cant be determined whether or not a special rod at twice the price might be needed. So I think it is fair, in this instance to lump them together.
Reply:Originally Posted by VPT10# of common 6013: http://www.amazon.com/Forney-30410-8.../dp/B000CFPUDU10# of common ER70 MIG wire: http://www.amazon.com/INEFIL-ER70S-6...lding+MIG+wireLooks pretty close to me.When you get done burning that stick rod, you might have 7-8 lbs of weld on the part, If you run the wire, you should have 9.5 lbs+.  You will have to buy 20% more SMAW electrode just to get the job done. With the stick rod, you gotta remove slag, with the wire, maybe have to get some silicon off.  Depending on how good your SMAW goes, the slag might fall off, or you might have to chop for a while with a slag hammer.  Etc. Etc.In general, wire will whip the tar out of stick in a production setting, if you look at all of the costs.If you use a bottle of gas in 4hr, you need to get a bigger bottle or turn the flow down a bunch.Experience is something you get right after you need it
Reply:Originally Posted by jpump5I'm wondering about the cost of consumables for building simple brackets,etc.out of 1/8 to 1/4 angle using stick,mig or flux core.Can someone tell me (roughly)how the three processes compare in cost of rod,wire and gas?I should have been more specific.Brackets for industrial facility.Appearance not critical(assuming nobird crap/grape bunches).Cost of rod ,wire and gas only.