Tool Reviews

DC TIG is the right process for stainless steel when you need clean welds, controlled heat, and a finished joint that will not be hidden under paint. Stainless is less…

Aluminum MIG wire is soft, springy, and easy to damage. A liner that works well with steel wire can create bird nests, inconsistent feeding, and frequent burnback when used with…

Humping is the repeating ridge-and-valley pattern that can form in a high-speed MIG weld. Instead of producing a smooth bead, the arc leaves a series of lumps, often with narrow…

What MIG Polarity Means Polarity determines which welding lead is positive and which is negative. On a MIG welder, that choice affects arc stability, penetration, spatter, bead shape, and whether…

Why Contact Tip Recess Matters In spray-transfer MIG welding, the contact tip position affects arc stability, shielding-gas coverage, heat at the gun, and the useful life of the tip. The…

What Cold Lap Looks Like at the Toe Cold lap is a fusion failure at the edge, or toe, of a weld. The bead appears to sit on top of…

A continuous MIG seam around a steel box is mainly a heat-control problem. The goal is a sealed joint without warping the box, burning through corners, or trapping gaps that…

Aluminum MIG welding is much easier when the wire has only a few inches to travel. A spool gun puts the wire spool at the gun, avoiding the long, flexible…

Porosity is one of the most common defects in flux-core welds. It appears as small holes or cavities in the bead, either on the surface or hidden inside the joint.…

A T-joint joins the edge of one piece of steel to the face of another at 90 degrees. On 1/8-inch mild steel, it is a common MIG welding exercise and…