MIG Welding Wire

MIG Welding Wire Selection — Quick Reference

AIMS stocks MIG WELDING WIRE from BOSSWELD + GEMINI + CIGWELD. Solid wire + flux-cored wire + stainless + aluminium + specialty. Match wire AWS classification + diameter + spool size to job.

Critical: Match WIRE TYPE + DIAMETER + DRIVE ROLLER + LINER + CONTACT TIP to job. Use ARGON-CO2 mix for steel solid wire; argon for aluminium + stainless. Compliance: AS/NZS 1554. Brands: Bossweld, Gemini, CIGweld. Companion: welding, welding drive rollers, MIG welding guide.

MIG Welding Wire

AIMS Industrial sells MIG welding wire from Bossweld, Safra, Gemini, BT and Inefil — covering mild steel solid wire, stainless steel solid wire, gasless flux-core wire and hardfacing wire in a range of diameters and spool sizes. Whether you’re production welding mild steel or restoring worn components with hardfacing, AIMS has the wire grade for the job.

MIG Wire Types

• Mild Steel ER70S-6 (Gas-Shielded): The most common MIG wire grade. ER70S-6 is a copper-coated solid wire for welding mild and low-alloy steel with CO₂ or Argon/CO₂ mixed gas shielding. Excellent arc stability and weld pool fluidity. Available from Bossweld, Safra, Gemini and Inefil.
• Stainless Steel MIG Wire: ER316LSi grade for welding 316 and 316L stainless steel components. Used in food processing, marine, chemical and architectural applications where corrosion resistance is paramount. Available from Bossweld.
• Gasless Flux-Core Wire: Self-shielded flux-core wire requires no external shielding gas — the flux within the wire core generates its own shielding. Ideal for site work, outdoor welding and portable MIG applications. Available from Bossweld.
• Hardfacing Wire: Specialised alloy wire for depositing a hard, wear-resistant weld overlay on components subject to abrasion, impact or metal-to-metal wear. Used in mining, quarrying, agriculture and plant maintenance. Available from Bossweld.

Key Products

• Bossweld 70S-6 Mild Steel MIG Welding Wire — ER70S-6 copper-coated mild steel MIG wire in various diameters and spool sizes.
• Bossweld 316LSi Stainless Steel MIG Wire — for welding 316 and 316L stainless steel with Argon-based shielding gas.
• Bossweld GLX Hardfacing Gasless MIG Wire — self-shielded hardfacing wire for wear surface overlay applications in mining and heavy industry.
• Bossweld Gasless GS MIG Wire — general-purpose self-shielded flux-core wire for outdoor and site welding without a gas bottle.

Selecting the Right Wire Diameter

• 0.8 mm: Suitable for thin sheet metal (1–3 mm). Common in automotive, HVAC and light fabrication.
• 0.9 mm: General-purpose diameter for structural steel and medium plate (3–8 mm). The most widely used MIG wire diameter.
• 1.2 mm: Heavier plate and structural welding. Higher deposition rates for production environments.

Typical Applications

• Structural steel fabrication and general metalworking
• Automotive body repair and restoration
• Stainless steel fabrication for food, marine and chemical industries
• Maintenance and repair welding on mining and agricultural equipment
• Hardfacing for buckets, blades, wear plates and crusher components

Expert Support: Need help buying the right product for your application? Contact our team for application-specific advice or request a quote.

Australian Business, Local Supply: AIMS Industrial has supplied Australian welding workshops and industrial businesses since 1988.

Also see our welding accessories, welding safety products and welding consumables ranges.

People Also Ask — MIG Welding Wires

Q: What MIG welding wires does AIMS stock?

Mild steel solid wire (ER70S-2, ER70S-6 — workshop standard for general fabrication), stainless steel wire (ER308LSi for 304, ER316LSi for 316), aluminium wire (ER4043 general, ER5356 marine/structural), flux core (gasless) wire (E71T-11 self-shielded for site work), and specialty wires for hard-facing and dissimilar metals. Common spool sizes: 1kg, 5kg, 15kg, plus bulk industrial spools. Common wire diameters: 0.6mm, 0.8mm, 0.9mm, 1.0mm, 1.2mm. Match wire to parent metal AND wire diameter to material thickness.

Q: What wire diameter for which material thickness?

Thin material (1-2mm sheet): 0.6mm or 0.8mm wire. Light fabrication (2-4mm): 0.8mm or 0.9mm. General workshop (4-8mm): 0.9mm or 1.0mm — workshop standard. Heavy fabrication (8mm+): 1.0mm or 1.2mm. Larger wire diameter requires higher amperage and deposits more material per pass. Match wire diameter to welding machine capacity — small workshop welders may not handle 1.2mm wire. See [MIG Welding Guide](/blogs/product-guides/mig-welding-guide).

Q: ER70S-2 vs ER70S-6 mild steel wire?

ER70S-2: triple-deoxidised, suits TIG and MIG, excellent for pipe and pressure vessel welding (code-compliance). Tolerates mild contamination of parent metal. ER70S-6: workshop MIG standard, higher silicon/manganese for aggressive deoxidisation, slightly more porous than S-2 on clean welds. For workshop daily MIG mild steel: either works. For pressure vessel or code-spec work: ER70S-2 may be specified. ER70S-6 is the more common workshop wire.

Q: Solid wire or flux core?

Solid wire (requires shielding gas — typically 80/20 Argon-CO2 mix for mild steel, pure Argon for aluminium): cleaner welds, less spatter, indoor workshop use. Gasless flux core (E71T-11 self-shielded): no gas required, works outdoors in wind, more spatter and slag. Best for site work where gas cylinder isn't practical. For workshop indoor use: solid wire with gas. For site and mobile work: flux core. Workshop kit benefits from both.

Q: How long does a MIG wire spool last?

Depends on usage. Workshop occasional use: 1kg spool may last 6-12 months. Workshop daily use (typical fabricator): 5kg spool every 2-4 weeks. Production fabrication: 15kg spool weekly. Match spool size to your consumption — smaller spools waste wire when partly used and stored. For workshop kit, 5kg spools are workshop standard. Store opened spools in dry conditions to prevent surface rust.