Tool Reviews

Aluminum MIG welding is much less forgiving of wire-feeding problems than steel welding. Aluminum wire is soft, easily kinked, and prone to bird-nesting between the drive rolls and gun. The…

What matters in field welding For field work, the choice between an inverter and transformer stick welder comes down to power, portability, reliability and the type of repairs you expect…

The short answer For mixed-metal shop work, an AC/DC TIG welder is usually the most useful choice. It welds steel, stainless steel, and most nickel alloys on DC, then switches…

Choosing a Process for Thin-Wall Stainless For thin-wall stainless tubing, TIG is usually the better process. It gives you precise control over heat, lets you add filler separately, and produces…

Repeating small TIG welds is where a basic rotary positioner can save more time than a larger welder. If you are welding brackets, tabs, fittings, rings, tube joints, or small…

Outdoor steel equipment—trailers, gates, mower decks, brackets, racks, and farm implements—often has one problem in common: the steel is dirty, rusty, painted, or exposed to wind. That makes the welder…

Sheet metal moves easily during tack-up. Heat pulls the joint out of alignment, a small gap can close before the first tack cools, and a clamp with too much pressure…

Choosing the Right Welding Magnet Welding magnets are useful for holding square tube, angle iron, sheet, and flat bar while you tack a joint. They are not precision fixtures, though.…

Shared welding bays need more than a visual divider. A suitable curtain limits arc flash, reduces ultraviolet exposure to nearby workers, contains sparks, and gives each welder a defined work…

Welding respirators are not a substitute for fume extraction, but they are an important second line of defense when metalwork creates smoke faster than your ventilation can remove it. MIG,…