When the material is 18 gauge and thicker you may be able to use a 030 inch wire.
Wire size for welding 20 ga sheet metal.
Holding the tip too far from the surface will cause the wire to have to come out too far to touch the metal.
Each wire size offers a substantial operating range and overlap considerably.
Wire size amperage range.
To weld mild steel choose an american welding society classification wire such as er70s 6 which has a weld puddle that wets out nicely.
For thinner gauge sheet metal like 18 or 20 gauge we suggest 023 6mm wire in your mig welder.
Gas metal arc welding gmaw is an effective method for joining light gauge metals such as carbon steel and austenitic stainless steel.
Make sure to use an electrode wire that is thinner as it uses lesser heat and prevents blowing holes on to the sheet metal.
So if you are welding 12 gauge mild steel with a thickness of 0 100 you would set the machine at 100 amps.
Try welding with a scrap sheet metal piece and practice many times until you start working on more important projects.
It is recommended that a welder should use 023 or 024 inch wire for light gauge sheet metal work.
This may help you standardize on one or 2 wire sizes for most of your work.
Try going for a wire of 023 inches when welding sheet metal.
It s recommended to use a 023 or 024 inch wire for most light gauge sheet metal work.
However if you are dealing with materials that are 18 gauge or thicker one should be able to use 030 inch welding wire.
Keep the stick out short stickout of your mig wire is important when welding any type of metal but especially sheet metal.