A welding machine, like any other tool, has its own specific purpose and area of ​​application. The most common in everyday life and in production is manual arc welding with a stick electrode and semiautomatic - welding wire in a protective gas environment. Manual arc welding is usually called MMA (Manual Metal Arc) device, and semiautomatic - MIG / MAG (Metal Inert / Active Gas). Paradoxically, the abbreviation MIG is more common, although MAG welding is most often used. Both MIG and MAG are the same semiautomatic, the only difference is what kind of protective gas is used - active or inert. The most common inert gas is Argon (Ar), and the active gas is Carbon dioxide (CO2). It is also worth noting that there are mixtures of these and other gases, but they are not so popular. In order to make a choice, you need to know and imagine the area of ​​application, advantages and disadvantages of the tool you will have to work with. Let's start with manual arc welding. Its main advantage is simplicity and mobility. Modern MMA machines have a small weight and dimensions, which greatly facilitates transportation, operation at least in the workshop, at height, and even in the most inaccessible places. And the final, important, advantage of arc welding machines is the price! In today's reality, it is possible to buy a good welding machine for reasonable money, which will become not only an assistant in everyday life but also a source of honest, stable money. The main disadvantage of manual arc welding, compared to a semiautomatic machine, is the low productivity of the welding process. This is due to the need to remove slag formations, frequently change electrodes and clean welds. Both an advantage and a disadvantage can be considered a significant heat input of the weld. In other words, you will not be able to weld a tin can with arc welding, but for rough metal it is just right. Thus, this is more a determining factor in the area of ​​​​application than a disadvantage. Of course, there is no ideal tool and MIG/MAG welding machines also have their drawbacks. Compared to manual arc welding, these are the weight and dimensions. It is worth noting that today, craftsmen from China produce very compact semiautomatic welding machines. But as practice has shown, this is a disposable tool that does not correspond to the declared characteristics at all. If we are talking about a full-fledged two-hundred-ampere semiautomatic welding machine, and this is the current needed to cover all household and most industrial needs, with honest declared characteristics and a high duty cycle (DCR%), then such a welding machine, a priori, cannot be pocket-sized. The main advantage of a semiautomatic welding machine is the high productivity of the welding process and a simply huge range of work performed. This type of welding is distinguished by a particularly clean weld, a minimum amount of scale and a low probability of pore formation. And most importantly, there is no need to beat off the slag, since it simply does not form with MIG/MAG welding. If earlier semiautomatic welding machines were labeled as welding only for tin, then modern, absolutely mobile semiautomatic welding machines can operate in a very wide range of welding currents and weld both tin and rough metal. It follows that the scope of application of a semiautomatic welding machine is much wider than conventional manual arc welding. You need to have both on the farm. The power unit of the welding machine is not only removable, it is completely autonomous! If there is no need to use a semiautomatic machine, you can easily remove the power unit and go weld a fence, a gate, a gazebo - everything you need! You can select a welding machine specifically for your needs, as well as get qualified advice from a specialist at this link https://izmail-invertor.com.ua/ . https://izmail-invertor.com.ua/blog/k... - link to the article. https://izmail-invertor.com.ua/svaroc... - PATON PROMIG200-15-2 Izmail Inverter https://izmail-invertor.com.ua/svaroc... - PATON VDI-200E DC MMA Izmail Inverter https://izmail-invertor.com.ua/benzo-... - SOLAR PANEL 550W Izmail Inverter https://izmail-invertor.com.ua/benzo-... - MPPT INVERTER 5000 W + BATTERY 48 V 100 Ah (SET) Izmail Inverter