For welding in such areas as floor pans, trunk pans, wheel wells, quarter panels, firewall patches, or the panels below the doors, what type of welding is better, MIG or TIG ?

I think TIG is better if you are a good TIG welder. It has very little spatter and very small, tight, strong welds. However it is harder to do, the equipment is more $$, takes lots more practice etc etc...

MIG is much easier, less $$, and if done with a quality machine a great overall choice for a hobbyist.

For all practical purposes, go with a mig. You're going to grind down the welds anyways, right? So what bother what they look like? (No offense Bus). TIG welds (from what they tell me, I've never done a strength test) are stronger then the MIG welds.

-Todd

thanks guys, it was either buy a MIG welder or rent a TIG ...cuz TIG welders are about 3x as much...but yes i am going to grind down the welds on both the outside and inside... and then they will be painted over when I move on to that step of the body work. The strength of the MIG welds should be just fine for the quarters and wheel wells and whatnot, the floors have braces under them so its not like its just the welds holding them up, unless I am mistaken, But thanks again.

Tractor Supply Center has the Hobart 140's for $419. I'm going to pick one up one of these days.

I have a Hobart 135 with a short bottle of gas. I am a advancedbeginner. So far I have welded gokarts, lawn mowers and start thefloors on a friends 65. :)

A decent TIG welder will cost you about $1500, plus tank; a MIG welder will be 1/3 of that and require a LOT less expertise to operate. MIG welding also puts less heat in the sheet metal which means less distortion that you need to deal with.

Tom

Im going to get one of Lincoln Electric's Mig welders at home depot...I just need to find a place near me that sells bottles of Argon gas.

TIG welders can be had at good prices if you haunt a few auctions (not Ebay, too much market exposure drives the prices up).

I bought my Miller Syncrowave 250 for $550!

Actually, TIG welding is supposed to put less heat into the metal, allowing for less distortion and thinner materials. One of TIG's claims to fame is that it can weld almost anything, including all metals and very thin substrates.

TIG welding is slower but prettier, also.

If you are torn between buying MIG and renting TIG buy the MIG. You will always have the need for a welder, so buying makes more sense than welding. Besides, the learning curve on the TIG is such that you'll have to return it before you get good at it!

My friend bought the Lincoln, and likes it very much. You can also go with flux-cored wire to avoid the Argon hastle, but I find it splatters way more. BTW, Argon doesn't work well in any MIG I've used, it splatters like crazy. Autoweld is what Praxair sells me for MIG work, it's Argon mixed with something else. Pure Argon is what I use for TIG.

My $.02

After researching a lot of MIGs before ordering mine last week, I found that the Hobarts, while very cost attractive, have one major lacking that I didn't like at all - only 4 voltage settings! The Lincoln 135T series also only has 4 voltage settings, but I believe the Plus series has infinite control. I decided to save another week and spring the extra 100-115 for a millermatic 135, since I have welded with one before and I know they are a high quality unit that will do everything I need it to no questions asked. If I wasn't so unsure about where I will be in 2 years, I would've spent another 100 and gotten the 180amp 220volt model, since it also does a good job welding sheet metal, but I don't want a 220 welder and only 110 outlets!

Im going to get one of Lincoln Electric's Mig welders at home depot...I just need to find a place near me that sells bottles of Argon gas.

Dont buy a Home Depot bottle go to the welding supply house and buy one from them. and up size to a 20ci I think (I'd have to look)its a pretty big bottle but it lasts for a complete 11lb spool of wire,I use cardon doxide works fine and its 14.00 to fill.

LateNite: I agree. To start out, go with Mig for sure. Tig is better, but so much more up front to be able to beat a mig that it's not worth it. Get a Mig and be working on something tonight after 1-2 hours of practice, or get a tig and be working next month after 3-4 solid weeks of practice (and more $$ spent).

With a little practice you can do anything on a passenger car with a good quality small Mig, thats what I want to get when the time comes.

I completed my 70. rear 1/4 skins, inner & out wheel housing, trunk panel and filled in all the trim holes with a Lincoln 135 plus. I taught my self and was pleased with the results. Get one, practice, and go for it.