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What wire do I buy for mig welding galvanized pipe? Or do I use the same wire as for mild steel? and put primer on the welds?

Kevin

Whatever you do, don't breath the fumes or you will get sick (not high, sick). They say you're not supposed to weld galvanized at all, but I did it anyway and held my breath during welds and took lots of breaks, and still got a headache and kinda queezy from it. I used the same wire as mild steel.


Steve

Yea I herd it will kill you. I just use plain old wire and set up a big fan. I have found that warming up the metal makes it stick better. I just use a mapp gas torch.
Some people say it doesnt help. I think it does. Just dont over heat

Hey Kev, want a half-mask?

Perhaps try to remove some of the zinc coating with a sanding disc. Don't breath that dust either.

Still, if you've got to weld it, use a fan, and open up the area to outside air. Cover your face with something like a painter's mask in addition to your welder's mask, which is good advice anyway.

Here is the deal. To weld galv. material grind off the galv. coating in the area to be welded. Then weld it just as you normally would. then you can buy cold galvanizing compound in a spray can. If your only welding a few joints you will be fine. I still don't like to breath the smoke though. You can get zinc poisoning if you breath to much.

I welded some galvinized pipes for my firewall support. I used a face mask under my welding helmet. You can actually see the burnt galvinize material floating in the air.

Not only does galvinizing produce bad fumes it also contaminates the weld. The weld usually turn out looking horrible and probably not too strong. At least with TIG.

Muratic acid will take galvinizing off. Grinding will work also but remember if you are welding pipe the galvinizing will still be on the insie and will also burn off and produce fumes.

If you do use muratic acid do it in a WELL VENTILATED area. This stuff is nasty. Cheap as dirt though. Wear a mask and gloves. It burns skin. And dip the part in SLOWLY. It bubbles as the zinc comes off. You can get it at a pool supply or even Home Depot.

One thing it works great for is stripping the zinc off of nuts and bolts that need to be welded.

Iz weldz galvonized still alz tha tymes ans I donts thanks itz hazs munch ove an efect on me. Otha tin tha ocansional twitch or drewl i seams to bee otay.