Tool Reviews

Why spatter builds up in a MIG nozzle MIG welding spatter sticks to the inside of the nozzle when molten droplets hit the cooler metal and fuse there. A little…

A MIG welder’s contact tip is a small, consumable part, but it directly affects arc stability, wire feeding and weld quality. It transfers welding current to the wire while allowing…

A welding ground clamp is a small part, but it carries the full welding current back to the machine. A weak connection can cause arc instability, excessive heat, poor penetration,…

Welding heat input is the amount of arc energy delivered to a joint for a given length of weld. It affects penetration, bead size, cooling rate, distortion, and the properties…

A MIG welder’s duty cycle tells you how long it can weld before it needs to cool down. It is one of the most useful specifications when comparing machines, but…

Burn-through happens when the weld puddle stays hot for too long and melts completely through the sheet. Thin steel, stainless, and aluminum have little thermal mass, so a setting that…

Why Cable Size Matters on Long Welding Leads Long welding leads create two problems: voltage drop and heat. A cable that works perfectly at 25 feet can make an arc…

Mill scale is the hard, dark oxide layer left on carbon steel after hot rolling. It looks clean enough to weld, but it is not a reliable welding surface. The…

Welding a flat steel panel often produces a panel that is no longer flat. Heat expands the steel, the weld and nearby metal cool and shrink, and that shrinkage pulls…

Grinding a weld joint flat is not a race to remove every visible line. The goal is to remove excess weld metal and blend the joint while leaving the surrounding…