Methodology & Editorial Standards

Last updated: October 6, 2026

How the calculator works

Welding sizing on the thickness calculator uses the published approximations already stated there. TIG: about 1 amp per 0.001 inch of mild steel. Stainless uses that rule times 0.9. Aluminum at 1/8 inch uses Miller’s GTAW section 8-3 butt start, 90–120 A. Other aluminum thicknesses use a published Lincoln row, or the nearest published row, with no interpolated amps. Stick: rod diameter is about half the base-metal thickness, then the amperage window for that rod. MIG: wire size follows thickness (0.023" under 3/32", 0.030" through 3/16", 0.035" above), and wire speed scales with amps. Duty cycle is rated percent times (rated amps divided by actual amps) squared, capped at 100, over a 10-minute window.

It is a planning estimate, not a measured result — confirm every setting on scrap first. These are planning tools, not professional advice. They are not a welding procedure specification, a code qualification, or a substitute for a joint that has to carry a load. Always confirm with a licensed professional for final sizing.

Where the numbers come from

Each guide links the government, extension, or manufacturer page it uses. Solid-wire MIG starting points follow Miller Electric, MIG Welding: Setting the Correct Parameters: 1 amp per .001 inch of steel, and the wire-speed multipliers.

The welder duty cycle and amperage chart copies each cell from the linked manufacturer sheet. The chart is 32 rows from 11 source documents, accessed October 6, 2026. Where a sheet does not rate a process, that process is not a row. The chart does not estimate a duty cycle, and it does not fill a blank with a guess. A missing value says "not listed".

How pages are written

Page text is drafted with AI agents (Cursor and local models) from those sources. Built and owned by Jeremy Panasuk, New Auburn, Wisconsin. Jeremy is a data/software person, not a licensed certified welding inspector or welding engineer.

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Corrections

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Corrections log

• Oct 6, 2026: aluminum TIG uses a published chart row or the nearest published row, not a 1.5× steel factor.

Compiled with AI assistance from the sources below. Spot an error? Email [email protected].