Using MIG

Master spot welding, brazing and welding different metals

The MIG welding process has never been so cheap or accessible. If you fancy buying a welding set at four o’clock on a Sunday afternoon, you can – and it’ll cost the equivalent of a couple of tanks of fuel. Even as a complete novice, you could have made your first bodywork repair by five o’clock. There’s no reason why it shouldn’t be perfectly strong and pretty.

MIG is also extremely adaptable, so if you’re ever only going to invest in just one process, it makes sense to buy a decent MIG set. In the past two issues of Practical

Classics we covered the basics of setting up your MIG set and welding perfect seams in various thickness of mild steel sheet. Now, we’re going to look at some of the other things you can do with your MIG set.

Spot and plug welding can be used to replicate the original construction of your car – and they’re useful in a diverse range of restoration situations. MIG welding aluminium and stainless steel are totally possible, but require special wire and a few differences in approach. You can also achieve quite decent copper brazing with a MIG set. MIG isn’t necessarily the best choice in every case, but good results can be achieved with a little practice.