Most cost effective? Mig or Stick

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Just wanted to know if anyone has any information on a cost analysis between Mig and stick. 1) Mig - Gas, wear / tear on machine etc...2) Stick - 6013 rod and thats about it.Project - Multiple ornamental gates and stair railings - mostly tack welds / small welds to hold on vertical 5/16 square rods - examples can be seen at:http://www.kingmetals.com/customer/k...e/fences1.htmlI appreciate your input.Thank you.Kell
Reply:From my experience, in shop...MIG wins every day. In the field, flux core edges out stick for fences and ornamental ...but just barely.
Reply:Mig wire is cheaper and has no waste.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:looking at the pics I would say mig would be better cost wise and quicker Creative metal Creative metal Facebook
Reply:Stick reigns supreme for cheaper equipment costs and rugged field conditions and the ability to run very specialized sticks for some jobs.GMAW/FCAW will win in a production environment everytime that I can readily think of.
Reply:I do a bit of orny and I'm switching to TIG from MIG for areas that tend to draw the eye (basically everything on top or at "focal points" or ends or areas that would face the user and be obvious to the eye).  Takes longer to prep and weld but I'm hoping to save a lot of time for the finishing.For a really nice piece, it really looks a lot better if it's not obvious that it's made of separate parts with welds holding it all together and the look I shoot for is to make it look like it was somehow always one piece of metal.  I'm not exactly making car bodies yet  but that's sort of the idea -- connect all the pieces together, finish and when you're done nobody looks at it and says to themselves it was made of separate pieces.For areas that are not "focal points" or where some bead build up doesn't detract, I use MIG and so does everyone I know who does orny nearby and I plan to keep using it for that.
Reply:GMAW and a flap-disk run at two right angles will create a one-piece mirror where a corner joint bead used to be.True GMAW should require no more post-weld finishing than GTAW in this kind of work.
Reply:Originally Posted by MAC702True GMAW should require no more post-weld finishing than GTAW in this kind of work.
Reply:Originally Posted by MAC702Stick reigns supreme for cheaper equipment costs and rugged field conditions and the ability to run very specialized sticks for some jobs.GMAW/FCAW will win in a production environment everytime that I can readily think of.
Reply:Thanks for all the input!!  I will take it all into consideration and formulate my approach from there.Kell
Reply:I do a lot ornamental stuff.  I hate mig.  However, I couldn't see building a ornamental rail without Mig.  A square picket (balusters) has 4 sides that is 8 edges to be welded at the top and bottom.  A small rail job of 20 feet would have approximately 60 pickets.  That is possibly 480 stop and starts with a stick welder and a whole lot of slag that must be removed completely.  If you are good you might make it in 240 stops with still a whole lot of slag to chip off.I have built rails with stick welders before--It just create a whole lot of unnecessary cleanup.  Even person doing your sandblasting won't like you.If you decide to use stick, then build every thing out of heavy guage or solid material.    I couldn't even imagine tig welding a rail unless there was some specific request.  In eight years I have only tig welded one project.  I install with a thermoarc 80amp inverter.
Reply:I'm don't know much about welding, but take into consideration the worth of your time--particularly if this is a business.  If one will save you considerable time, then the cost of consumables becomes rather moot.  How much rod, wire, gas, etc... can you buy with a couple of hours worth of your labor?Somebody mentioned that he thought mig would come out ahead in production. Another mentioned extra cleanup with stick.  Sounds like mig might give you the advantage in terms of labor saved.
Reply:If you are going solely on a cost basis then the stick I think will be cheaper by the time you factor in equipment prices, gas, tank leases, and consumables.  If you figure time in the equation then the mig is the way to go.  However I will ask,  will you build these in a shop or outside.  If its outside I say go with a stick,  The mig with a gas bottle isn't real portable, and the wind will kill ya.  As far as apperance goes a 6013 bead run right will rival most any mig weld, and would will beat any self sheilded flux core wire I have ever seen.  I have done lots of ornamental outside with a 6013 with great results.  For the guys who really know how to stick weld the 6013 is no problem to clean.  In most cases the flux peels up behind the arc as you go along.  Just my 2 cents.  JacksonI'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......