Capacities Of A 100 Amp Mig???

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I was reading a thread about a Hobart 125 mig. After reading this posed a question.With proper fit up and multiple passes can one weld 1/4" metal with a 100 amp mig???
Reply:Im no expert or anything nor do I try to act like one but in my opinion with the right prepwork, passes, patience, etc you probably could weld quite a bit thicker than a machine is rated for.If you do a goood prep, fitup and pre heat and multipass I "think" u could do it. Will it be "full fusion" and pass a test? who knows. will it do the job probably. Mind you dont risk doing it if its structural or if it does fail will risk someones life.How ever I have seen people build things to thick for a machine and u know its not full penettation but for the application didnt need to be.Example: know someone who welded (awefully) galvanized fence pipe. No bevel, no removel of galv. Just butt welded together with Campbell Hausfiel 90amp fluxcore unit (.030 forney) welds looked like crap, bird turds and woorm holes gallore. Probably say he did a 100ft length and put it in the ground with wifi antenna on top. damn things still standing after 5 years. good news his property is 8 acres and his house is probably 100 yards away so if and when she breaks off it wont hit anything or anyone.Last edited by Br@ndoM@n; 05-04-2014 at 07:02 PM.HH140---------------------------https://www.facebook.com/brandon.pike.9
Reply:Good prep will help, but you really don't have enough power to get decent fusion with a machine that small. Will it stick stuff together, YES. Is it suitable for critical work on 1/4", NO.In the real world, you max out a 180 amp class mig doing 1/4".Bevels, multipass welds and so on don't do anything to stop the fact that the material will just suck up too much heat from the bead to give you good fusion. Preheat might help, but there's more to preheat than just pointing a torch at a piece and making it hot before you weld. You really have to understand what is going on and what the benefits and disadvantages are before going that route.Long and short of it, as has been mentioned many times here before, there's no substitute for horsepower. A small mig is 1/8" max at best. Anything more than that, you need a bigger machine, not ways to try and stretch it's capabilities..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Originally Posted by rahtreelimbsI was reading a thread about a Hobart 125 mig. After reading this posed a question.With proper fit up and multiple passes can one weld 1/4" metal with a 100 amp mig???