A Buying Guide for Welders

If you are shopping around and looking at different types and brands of welders trying to decide which one is right for you, maybe a little more information about welders would come in handy!

Sometimes it is better to start on the ground floor and work your way up, so let's begin by taking a look at what welders actually do.

What is Welding?

Welding is a process that joins or fastens two pieces of similar metals, called workpieces, by a process of melting and fusing:

(a) The base metals that are being joined
 b) the filler metal that was applied

In most cases, the workpieces are welded by melting both of them and then adding more molten metal or plastic that forms a pool. Once this cools, it forms a strong joint. The energy used to form this joint between two metal workpieces usually comes from a flame such as oxy-acetylene or sometimes an electric arc. Welding normally uses ferrous-based metals like steel and stainless steel. Welding usually encompasses a temperature range of  between 1500º F - 3000º F.

Contrary to what some people might think, a welded joint is usually as strong or even stronger than the base metals that were joined.

The Difference Between Soldering and Welding

Soldering uses solder, which is a material with a lower melting point, whereas welding uses enough heat to melt the materials being joined and literally fuse them.

Welding Processes

There are four basic types of welding processes:

• Oxyacetylene Welding -This type of welding uses a torch that burns a mixture of acetylene gas and oxygen. The heat from this torch is a whopping is 6,300° Fahrenheit. An oxyacetylene torch might be used to braze, solder or weld. It may also be used to cut steel, although not aluminum or even stainless steel. The welding principles of high heat used with a flame torch apply to other types of welding, too.
• Stick/Arc Welding - Also called SMAW, in this type of welding electricity is run through a stick electrode that is most commonly made of steel, aluminum or stainless steel to create an arc with the material that is intended to be welded. The stick electrode melts, and thus provides filler material for the weld. Arc welding is considered to be one of the most difficult types of welding for beginners to learn.
• Mig Welding - Also known as Wire feed  or GMAW. Mig welding systems use a wire electrode that is fed through a gun to form a puddle of meld. The majority of Mig Welding systems give you the option of using either flux cored wire or alternatively, a shielding gas. Mig Welding is believed by many to be the easiest type of welding to learn. In fact, most DIY enthusiasts can purchase a Mig welder and be making great welds in just a few hours.
• Tig Welding - Also called Heli-Arc  or GTAW. The Tig welding systems use an electrode that is shielded inside an inert gas to make a weld puddle. A welding rod is stuck into the arc and it forms the weld bead. Tig is considered high end welding. Tig welds are usually neater and stronger than those of the other welding processes.

Before buying, be sure to check the power requirements of the welder and make sure you can supply what it needs to operate. Some welders have built-in generators that run them so that working in remote areas is possible. This is a nice feature if you will be working somewhere without electricity. If you are a novice welder, it might be prudent to start small and work your way up to more advanced welders and welding projects.

Welders have many uses and applications in professional construction and for the DIY enthusiast!