Welding

Weld Consumables Estimator

Estimate the amount of welding wire, rod, or shielding gas required for a given joint.

Input Parameters

Units:

Welding Process

Joint Type

Weld Length

Leg Size

Number of Passes

Results

Enter weld parameters and click Calculate

What is a Weld Consumables Calculator?

A weld consumables calculator estimates the amount of filler metal, shielding gas, and electrodes needed for welding jobs based on joint geometry, weld size, and process efficiency.

Accurate estimates help with job costing, material ordering, and avoiding project delays from material shortages.

How to Use

Select your welding process (MIG, TIG, Stick, etc.)
Select the joint type (fillet, butt, lap, etc.)
Enter total weld length
Enter weld size (leg size for fillets)
Enter number of passes for multi-pass welds
Click Calculate for material requirements

FAQs

Deposit efficiency is the percentage of electrode/wire that becomes weld metal. MIG solid wire is 95%+ efficient. Stick electrodes are only 60-70% efficient due to flux coating, stub loss, and spatter. This significantly affects consumable requirements.

For multi-pass welds, the total fill isn't simply passes × first pass size. Root passes are smaller, fill passes larger. As a rough estimate, multiply single-pass volume by 0.8× number of passes for V-grooves, or calculate each pass individually for precision.

Gas flow rate (typically 25-45 CFH for MIG, 15-25 CFH for TIG) × arc-on time = total gas. Arc-on time is typically 20-40% of total time for manual welding. Add extra for windy conditions or if your regulator reads high. A 300 CF cylinder lasts 6-12 hours typically.

Common causes: excessive root gap, poor fit-up, too wide weave, overwelding (larger than needed), high spatter, and burn-through. Proper fit-up and technique can reduce consumption 15-25%. Use go/no-go gauges for fillet sizing.

Match wire size to material thickness: 0.023" for thin sheet, 0.030" for general fab, 0.035" for structural, 0.045" for heavy plate. Larger wire = higher deposition but needs more power and can cause burn-through on thin material.

Limitations

• Estimates are theoretical - add 10-15% for waste
• Does not account for poor fit-up or rework
• Gas consumption varies with technique and conditions
• Assumes standard joint geometries
• For critical jobs, verify with actual test welds