Just curious why most Thais use stick welders. I've never seen them use a Mig setup. I tried stick, either it was hard to arc, increase temp and burn holes in thin metal.

I've heard that Mig welding is much easier. Any thoughts?

I welded as a kid, but much thicker steel. Back then I could run a bead OK, now I suck.

Adjust your rod size and amperage and technique.

MIG welding is quite easy; with proper preparation and practice, you can lay down some nice beads with a MIG welder. Stick is a PITA.

I would also say that stick welding is cheaper than MIG welding.

Most welding, other than factories, is done outside where the shielding gas can be lost.

MIG has to have cleaner surfaces.......can they be ar*** to prep properly?

No gas bottles.

Stick is quick, simple, versatile......but you are right re the holes.

Our outside kitchen can't survive much longer looking at the welds....555

Amusing to watch them slip on a pair of cheap sungalsses.

Most Thais stick weld because it is cheaper. That said, it is also more portable and much more versatile.

It does take more practice. At the plant, I could have a line welder trained on MIG in a day. Not so with stick.

It just takes practice.

Get some heavy material, watch some videos, and start running horizontal beads.

As Nova indicated, you have to have the right size rod and the correct amperage, but don't practice on thin material, it is much less forgiving, and don't practice on product, practice on scrap.

Along with the correct size, make sure you have the correct grade rods, and that they are fresh.

Watch a video, get practicing, do some reading, practice more repeat

It is not that difficult,

If you want strong pretty welds use MIG or TIG. If you just need to "stick sh!t together", stick welding works.

MIG and TIG are satisfying to use because of the quality and aesthetics of the results but that usually isn't the first consideration in Thailand. They are also not easily portable or cost-effective because of the gas bottles.

On 9/18/2026 at 10:08 AM, EVENKEEL said:

Just curious why most Thais use stick welders. I've never seen them use a Mig setup. I tried stick, either it was hard to arc, increase temp and burn holes in thin metal.

I've heard that Mig welding is much easier. Any thoughts?

I welded as a kid, but much thicker steel. Back then I could run a bead OK, now I suck.

Eyesight is key to welding and as we age... As a trainee my flux used to peel up as I welded but not anymore. On thin metal Thais tack,tack,tack a crude form of stitch welding but it works after a fashion.

Local stainless gate/fence installers use pulsed TIG.

Edited 9 hours ago9 hr by VocalNeal

14 minutes ago, IsaanT said:

If you want strong pretty welds use MIG or TIG. If you just need to "stick sh!t together", stick welding works.

MIG and TIG are satisfying to use because of the quality and aesthetics of the results but that usually isn't the first consideration in Thailand. They are also not easily portable or cost-effective because of the gas bottles.

If you want strong pretty welds, you could also just learn how to stick weld.

For production welding, MIG is much cheaper than stick, but it is not "better".

4 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

If you want strong pretty welds, you could also just learn how to stick weld.

For production welding, MIG is much cheaper than stick, but it is not "better".

You appear to know more about welding than me. My son makes stainless steel exhaust pipes for sports cars, amongst other things, and he's shown me how he does it and let me play on some scrap. When he lays down "a line of dimes" with his TIG equipment it is a thing of beauty, especially as it's accompanied with the rainbow of colours either side of it. I much prefer TIG/MIG to stick but I do appreciate that a stick weld with good technique can be as strong, and sometimes stronger, than TIG/MIG. It's just the somewhat spotty inconsistent appearance of most stick welds that puts me off.

Edited 4 hours ago4 hr by IsaanT

1 hour ago, IsaanT said:

You appear to know more about welding than me. My son makes stainless steel exhaust pipes for sports cars, amongst other things, and he's shown me how he does it and let me play on some scrap. When he lays down "a line of dimes" with his TIG equipment it is a thing of beauty, especially as it's accompanied with the rainbow of colours either side of it. I much prefer TIG/MIG to stick but I do appreciate that a stick weld with good technique can be as strong, and sometimes stronger, than TIG/MIG. It's just the somewhat spotty inconsistent appearance of most stick welds that puts me off.

The "somewhat spotty, inconsistent appearance of stick welds, is not due to the process, but to the operator, and to a lesser degree the quality of the machine. A good welder, with a decent machine and the right rod looks every bit as good as a MIG weld, but yes, a low-skilled welder can lay a much nicer weld with MIG than they can with stick.

TIG most always looks better than either, but TIG is not low-skill.

Welding shows in the US most always have a cutting contest and a TIG contest. The cutting is usually an oxyacetylene torch cutting off an 8" round bar the fastest. The TIG is usually welding cut beer cans back together air-tight the fastest.

Is that your car?

26 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

Is that your car?

No, one of my son's customers, fitted with one of his exhausts.

stick is agrcultural and course ,Mig is more precise.

stick blows holes in material and imprecise.

artists building models seem to like stick

ship builders welding large plates seem to use stick