MIG welding is a technique that uses wire as an electrode to supply the heat and power for welding.

MIG stands for inert metal gas and refers to the shielding gas mix used in this type of weld. Here we will show you how to MIG weld without gas, so if you don’t have any on hand or just want to try something new, read on!

How to MIG Weld Without Gas

MIG welding is one of the most popular ways to join pieces of metal together. While it’s not as common in a home or garage setting, MIG welding has been around for a very long time and is still used by many professionals today to produce parts that require high levels of detail and precision. Here are the 7 steps that you need to follow in order to MIG weld without gas:

Step one: Purchase the right equipment

The first thing you need to do is purchase the right equipment. This includes a mig welder, wire feeder machine, regulator and hose, argon/CO² tank with gas solenoid valve, welding helmet or mask (optional), gloves for protection against spatter burns (highly recommended) as well as coveralls if you are planning on working in tight spaces where hot metal chips can fall down your shirt.

Step two: Prepare the work piece

You will need to make sure that both pieces of metal are clean before starting this process because any dirt particles may become molten during the welding process and contaminate it.

A grinder works great for removing paint from steel while aluminum oxide discs should be used to remove rust or mill scale off of steel surfaces prior to welding.

Step three: Setup the work piece

You will need to position both pieces of metal at a 90-degree angle from each other and ensure that they are flush against one another because gaps between surfaces may cause it to warp while the weld is being made.

There should be no slag sticking out either, which can get in your way during this process and make for poor seams compared to MIG welding without gas.

Step four: Set up wire feeder machine parameters

Next, you will want to set your wire feeder machine’s voltage and amperage control dials according to what type of metal you are working on as well as its thickness (determined by how many inches thick it is).

If you are working with steel, the dials should be positioned between 18 and 28. Aluminum is suited for wire feeder machines that range from 20 to 32 volts while stainless steel requires anywhere from 24 to 35 volts on your machine’s dial setting in order to work properly.

Step five: Turn on power

After all of this preparation has been made, it’s time to turn on the MIG welder by flipping its switch button near where you plug it into a wall socket or extension cord outlet.

Once there is electricity flowing through it, adjust both of your control settings until they read zero then slowly increase them over an inch at a time until getting some sort of reaction out of metal being welded together (it will look a bit like a wave).

Step six: Turn on wire feeder machine

Now it’s time to turn your wire feeder machine on. You can do this by pulling its trigger switch all the way down and holding it there until you have reached high amperage flow (which will look like yellow sparks coming out of where weld metal is being laid against base plate material).

Keep in mind that if you are using flux-cored wire, gasless MIG welding may be possible with some adjustments to your equipment parameters.

Step seven: Practice makes perfect

Finally, practice makes perfect when learning how to MIG weld without gas so don’t be discouraged if you aren’t an expert right away because even the most experienced professionals started off not being able to do it.

You can also watch this video to know more:

You must follow many steps to MIG weld without gas, and this blog post is here to simplify the process for you. Also, don’t forget to check our post on how to clean MIG welder tip and how to tell a good weld from a bad one.