Tool Reviews

Outdoor structural brackets need more than a weld that looks tidy. The joint has to suit the bracket’s load, the steel thickness, and the conditions at the site. Stick welding…

Choosing a welder for bucket repairs Excavator buckets are hard on welds. A repair has to cope with impact, abrasion, vibration and thick sections that may be cold or contaminated.…

Weak shielding gas is one of the first things to check when a TIG weld turns gray, sooty, porous, or erratic. But those signs can also come from dirty metal,…

Thin tabs, wire brackets, small stainless fittings and miniature assemblies can go from sound to warped in seconds. The fix is not simply turning the TIG machine down: a low…

A TIG collet and collet body are small parts, but they control tungsten position, shielding gas flow, and how easily you can reach a joint. Choosing the wrong size can…

A TIG torch switch lets you start and stop the arc from the torch instead of moving a foot pedal. It is useful when you’re welding on a bench with…

Stainless steel pipe can look sound on the outside while the weld root is badly oxidized inside. That damage, commonly called sugaring, leaves a rough, porous surface that traps contamination…

A contaminated TIG tungsten usually doesn’t need replacing. If the electrode touched the puddle or filler rod, you can often remove the damaged section and grind a fresh point. The…

Arc length is the gap between the tungsten electrode and the workpiece. In TIG welding, a change of just a millimeter can alter bead width, penetration, and heat input. A…

TIG welding two aluminum alloys is not just a matter of choosing a filler rod and turning up the amperage. The alloys may differ in strength, crack sensitivity, heat treatment…