MIG vs Stick on thick boiler tube - which one actually holds up better over time?

I've been running stick on girth welds for years and swear by the penetration, but my new guy swears MIG is faster and just as strong with the right wire. Last month we had a 1/2" tube joint fail on a 10 year old MIG job and I'm wondering if anyone else has seen that kind of thing happen.

2 comments

2 Comments

williamhill11d ago

Thick boiler tube and MIG, that's like me trying to use a butter knife on a ribeye steak - technically possible but you're gonna have a bad time. Ten year old joint failing on MIG tells me more about the wire choice and gas coverage than the process itself though. Stick's slag system gives it that forgiving nature for dirty or thick stuff, while MIG needs everything clean and perfect to match it. Bet that old failure was porosity or lack of fusion from a windy day or cheap gas. Had my own share of MIG birds nests on heavy wall that made me question my life choices, so I stick to 7018 on anything over 3/8 inch now.

james_singh711d ago

Used to swear by MIG on everything. Your point about slag forgiveness on dirty thick stuff makes a lot of sense now. Might have to give 7018 another shot on heavy wall.