Tool Reviews

Lack of fusion is a welding defect in which the weld metal does not properly bond to the base metal, the previous weld pass, or both. The bead may look…

A fillet weld gauge is a small inspection tool used to check the size and shape of a weld joining two pieces at an angle. It is especially useful on…

Consistent tack welds are less about making small welds quickly and more about controlling fit-up, heat and sequence. A tack that is too short can crack or pull apart during…

Travel speed is the rate at which you move the electrode along the joint. With stick welding, it controls how much heat and filler metal go into each inch of…

Striking a stick welding arc is simple in theory: touch the electrode to the work, then lift it a fraction of an inch. In practice, a slow lift, a stuck…

Hot start is the brief increase in welding current at the moment an inverter stick welder detects that you are striking an arc. It helps the electrode start without sticking,…

Arc force, sometimes called dig or arc control, changes how a stick welder responds when the electrode gets close to the workpiece. A higher setting increases welding current briefly during…

Why Slag Removal Goes Wrong Slag is the glassy layer left by a flux-coated stick electrode. It protects the cooling weld pool from contamination, but it must be removed before…

Start With the Welding Process For mild steel plate, “welding electrode” usually means a stick welding rod, although MIG and TIG also use consumable electrodes or filler wire. If you…

A V-groove joint gives the arc access to the root of a butt joint, making full penetration possible on plate that is too thick for a square groove. The groove…