MIG Welding vs. Arc Welding – Which Welder When?

Kevin answers a YouTube viewer’s question about when to use a MIG welder and when to use an arc welder. Kevin explains the difference between SMAW (Shielded Metal Arc Welding), or arc welding (also called “stick welding”) and GWAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding), or MIG welding, then explains why he tends to use his MIG welder more. Still, he explains, the arc welder is great for thick metal and to use outside or in windy conditions, while the MIG is handy for long production runs because of its spool of wire, tacking and thinner metal. With its electrodes, arc tends to be messier and requires more clean up than the MIG, too.