Tool Reviews

What the digital voltage display tells you A digital voltage display shows the voltage setting selected on the welder. That makes it easier to return to a known setup than…

Match the welder to the job For welding reinforcing bar and flat stock, the right MIG welder depends less on the word “MIG” than on the steel, joint, and location.…

Thermal overload protection is one of the most useful safety features on a MIG welder, especially in a busy shop. It does not make a welder immune to overheating, and…

What matters for thin-steel MIG welding Thin steel exposes the limits of a MIG welder quickly. Too much heat or a wire feed that is too fast can burn through…

What 1/8-inch angle iron requires For ordinary mild-steel angle iron with 1/8-inch-thick legs, you do not need a large industrial welder. A 120-volt MIG machine can make sound joints, provided…

Low-volume fabrication shops usually do not need a 300-amp production welder. They need a MIG machine that starts reliably, produces a stable arc at lower settings, and can handle occasional…

Choosing a MIG Welder for Trailer-Rack Fabrication A utility trailer rack looks simple, but its joints see vibration, bumps and shifting loads. The welder needs to make consistent welds on…

Weathering steel, often sold under names such as COR-TEN, forms a protective-looking rust patina only under suitable conditions. A MIG welder can join it, but the weld metal, joint design…

Round steel tube is easy to weld badly. The curved surface changes your torch angle, the fit-up often leaves a gap, and thin wall tubing burns through before you notice…

Choosing a MIG Welder for Truck Bed Repairs Repairing a steel truck bed usually calls for a compact MIG welder rather than a large fabrication machine. Bed floors and side…