Wire welding question

Thanks for enlightening me
Bill

Shielding gas primarily does create a gaseous atmosphere around the arc that protects the weld deposit from the atmospheric gases present in the air we breathe. That is the single most important contributor to sound weld metal properties.

In addition to that, the shielding gas also stabilizes the arc, aids dramatically in bead appearance, transfers generated heat from the arc to the work piece, and provides significant root penetration. Shielding gases also transform the type of arc from one mode to the other as is unique to wire welding processes.
Steve

as for the gas MIG, CO2 is cheap and works very good for mild steel, if you are welding aluminum or stainless, the CO2 is not adequate and you will need a mixture which is a little more expensive. If your welder can be equipped with a gas kit, you might want to try it sometime, it works great. I buy a bottle of gas for $18.00 and it last for a year. I use it a couple times a week.

The Oxy/Acetylene flame creates an oxygen free(sort of) zone around the weld. That's why no shielding gas is needed. If you want to see some poor(and ugly) welds, try using solid wire in your Mig unit with the gas turned off...Al English