Tool Reviews

Copper can be TIG welded, but it is less forgiving than mild steel. It conducts heat away from the joint quickly, so a welder that works well on thin stainless…

What matters for stainless exhaust headers Header tubing is usually thin enough that a capable TIG welder is less important than steady low-amp control, a torch that fits tight joints,…

Thin titanium tubing is unforgiving, but the welder is only one part of the setup. You need a stable DC TIG arc, accurate low-amperage control, high-frequency starts, and enough gas…

Why brass is difficult to TIG weld Brass is a copper-zinc alloy, not a routine TIG-welding material. Its zinc can boil off at temperatures well below the heat needed to…

Steel sign frames and mounting brackets are usually simple MIG welding jobs, but they punish poor setup. Most material is 1/8-inch wall tubing, angle iron, flat bar, or 10- to…

Thin steel panels are easy to burn through and hard to keep straight. For home-shop repair and fabrication, the best MIG welder is usually a 120-volt machine with a stable…

What wheelbarrow and cart repairs require Most steel wheelbarrow and utility-cart repairs are short welds on thin sheet, small brackets, handles, or tubing. The hard part is controlling heat, not…

What heavy-frame work demands Equipment frames see vibration, impact, and repeated loading. That makes joint design, fit-up, and procedure as important as the welder. A machine that can run a…

What matters for short-run sheet metal For brackets, panels, repair patches and small batches of enclosures, a MIG welder needs to do more than advertise a high maximum amperage. Low-end…

Aluminum toolboxes are thin, broad panels with corners, seams and lids that need to stay square. That makes the welder choice less about maximum output and more about stable low-heat…