Tool Reviews

Heavy-duty stick welding is hard on leads. High current, long duty cycles, rough floors, sharp plate edges, and hot workpieces expose weak cables quickly. The best welding leads are not…

What “adjustable arc characteristics” means In stick welding, arc controls change how the machine responds when the electrode gap changes. The useful controls are usually arc force (also called dig),…

Emergency machinery repairs are rarely clean, comfortable jobs. You may be welding cracked brackets, broken farm implements, loader buckets, trailer frames, or worn hinge mounts outdoors, with limited power and…

Repairing steel hydraulic components is harder than ordinary farm or shop welding. A hydraulic cylinder clevis, mounting bracket, loader arm, or cracked manifold may carry high loads and see repeated…

Low-alloy steel is not difficult to stick-weld, but it is less forgiving than ordinary mild steel. The added manganese, chromium, nickel, or molybdenum can improve strength and wear resistance while…

Outdoor structural frames—gates, equipment stands, trailer repairs, brackets, and small steel buildings—often expose a welder to wind, dirt, long extension cords, and metal that is not perfectly clean. Stick welding…

Interpass temperature is the temperature of the weld and nearby base metal before you deposit the next pass. Controlling it matters most on stainless steel, nickel alloys, aluminum, and thick…

A tungsten inclusion is a piece of non-consumable tungsten electrode trapped in a TIG weld. It usually appears after the electrode touches the weld pool, the filler rod, or the…

Thick bridge-style steel brackets are a demanding stick-welding job. The parts are often made from 1/2-inch to 1-inch plate, with gussets, tabs, and tight inside corners that make access difficult.…

Choosing TIG welding current is less about memorizing a single amperage number and more about matching heat to the metal, joint, tungsten, and welding position. Too little current produces a…