Tool Reviews

Why aluminum sheet is demanding Aluminum is easy to cut with a plasma cutter in the sense that it conducts electricity and melts readily. Getting a clean edge is less…

What matters for tubing and angle iron Cutting steel tubing and angle iron is where a plasma cutter earns its keep. Unlike flat plate, you are cutting thin walls, corners,…

What matters when cutting aluminum plate Aluminum is easy to cut with a plasma cutter, but plate thickness, power supply and air quality determine whether the cut is useful or…

What matters when beveling plate by hand A handheld plasma cutter can make a weld-prep bevel, but it takes more control than cutting plate straight through. The torch has to…

What a pilot arc does on rusty steel A pilot arc is a small arc the cutter starts inside the torch before transferring to the workpiece. On many machines, that…

Cutting stainless steel pipe is a job where fit-up matters as much as speed. A plasma cutter can make clean, narrow cuts without the heat distortion of a slow abrasive…

Choosing a stick welder for outdoor stair railings Outdoor railing work often means welding steel posts, pickets, brackets, and handrail sections in place, where wind and nearby surfaces make shielding-gas…

What a 14-gauge sheet needs from a plasma cutter Fourteen-gauge mild steel is about 0.075 inch thick. That is thin enough for nearly any small air plasma cutter to sever,…

Conveyor repairs are rarely tidy shop jobs. You may be working beside a moving production line, reaching around rollers, or repairing a bracket that takes repeated vibration. For that work,…

Choosing a stick welder for 6013 and steel plate For welding steel plate with 6013 electrodes, a compact DC inverter is usually the best fit for home and small-shop work.…