I finally checked how much my MIG gun costs per arc minute and it ruined my day

Was sitting in the shop last Thursday during lunch, bored out of my mind, and decided to do the math on my Miller MIG gun. I got it secondhand for $300 and figured it was a steal. But after figuring in tips, liners, and contact tips I burn through on a heavy job, it came out to like $0.45 per minute of actual welding. That's $27 an hour just on the gun. The welder itself costs more, but still, that number hit me different. Makes me want to baby the thing way more now. Anyone else ever calculate a tool cost like that and regret it?

3 comments

3 Comments

emery2901mo ago

Saw an interview with a old time welder once who said he kept his MIG gun in a padded case when not using it. Thought he was crazy until I did the numbers like you did. The math on consumables always stings worse than the big purchases because you pay it a little at a time and it adds up. A buddy of mine tracks every foot of wire and every tip against his job quotes now so he knows exactly what his overhead is. Makes me wonder how many guys are actually losing money on jobs when you factor in the wear on their gear.

daniel_gonzalez1mo ago

Better to bust a tip mid job than waste time babying a tool that's meant to take abuse, @emery290.

phoenix_bailey1mo ago

Wait, you're telling me that thing costs you $27 an hour just to run? That's wild, man. I mean I knew tips and liners added up but I never broke it down like that. I'd probably start crying if I actually tracked every penny on my stuff. Feels like one of those things where ignorance really is bliss because now you can't unsee that number. I bet your buddy who tracks every foot of wire is probably making bank though, that's next level hustle.