TIG and MIG welding are both an electronic arc welding process. In MIG welding wire is fed through a machine at a preset amperage and voltage. The wire is then fed through a whip (rubber insulated hose) with a gun that the operator holds, and is deposited to the welding surface with the push of a trigger. Once the trigger is pulled and the MIG welding process begins the operator can no longer change the heat or wire speed of the weld. This welding process is used in the production industry where quantity overshadows quality. MIG welds contain much more oxygen and porosity, making them far more vulnerable to cracking and failure.

        The TIG welding process utilizes a power source that supplies electricity to a small hand held torch that contains a tungsten electrode, that is shielded from oxygen and contaminates by a shielding gas once the arc has been established. The operator uses a foot peddle to establish the arc, and to increase or decrease voltage and current while welding. The filler material(wire rod that is the same material as the metal being welded) is deposited by hand into the puddle of molten metal as it is needed. This gives the operator superior control of the welding process, by allowing changes in heat to be made on the fly. This is crucial to welding Stainless steel and Aluminum, as too much heat will warp the metal or cause oxygen impregnate the molten metal and ruin it. It takes almost twice as long to TIG weld a product compared to MIG welding, but it is almost twice as strong! NASA utilizes the TIG welding process exclusively for these reasons, and you should too! If you look at the welds on a bicycle, 95% of bicycle manufactures use the TIG welding process for strength appearance and safety. Everything we build is carefully TIG welded by hand to hold up to a lifetime of use and abuse.