Welding

[Geilt]

When assembling kits what type of welding is most commonly used and what kind of equipment would one need to do the job properly?

[glimmerman]

tig welder

[cimmaronkid]

You can use a mig welder, tig welder or a spot welder. The buzz boxes can also work if you are extremely good but cause a lot of splatter. Mig welding should be done with the gas instead of the flux wire for the same reason. You are only welding the trunion to the receiver, but do it right and you won't have any problems.

[bubbamauser]

I did mine with stick and it was a pain in the ass but it will work i'm about 200 rds into it

[rustypirate]

When welding material as thin as the cocking tube, the control of the TIG is preferred, otherwise it is too easy to get burn-through.

The most important thing is to get good penetration, and not too hot or it will cause cracking around the welds.

[Geilt]

If I were to get a low end TIG/MIG welder and wanted to practice, ok learn, welding that would be applicable to gunsmithing, what types of metal would be best to work with?

Sheet steel to block?

Keep in mind I have never so much as held a welding torch.

[Army Boy]

I have done 4 G3s with a very basic mig welder using gas. I have to say that it has worked great for me. the best practice you could get is by first lining welding beads on a thick piece of steel, once you could get them nice and clean the move to thick sheet metal to make sure you learn about burning thru, and then start joining pieces of sheet metal.