I had to calculate fillet weld strength for a project — staring at a t-joint with uneven metal thickness, wondering if my MIG welds would actually hold under load. Fillet welds might look simple, but getting their strength right is…
A stick welder not arcing can stop a project in its tracks, and I’ve faced that headache more than once in the shop. Everything looks ready—metal cleaned, rods lined up, machine buzzing—but instead of a smooth strike, the electrode just…
One of the biggest frustrations I’ve faced in the shop is pulling out a piece of steel, excited to start welding, only to find it covered in stubborn rust. Anyone who’s worked with filler rods, compared MIG vs TIG, or…
When you first look at an acetylene tank, it’s easy to assume it’s just a solid cylinder of compressed gas like an argon or CO₂ bottle. But any welder who’s spent time cutting steel plate, prepping joints for MIG vs…
One of the first challenges I ran into as a new welder was figuring out the maximum fillet weld size for plate thickness. I once laid down a heavy bead on 1/4″ plate, thinking more filler metal meant a stronger…
When my stick welder refused to strike an arc, I quickly realized how fast a simple job can turn into pure frustration. You’ve got the metal cleaned up, the filler rods ready, and the machine powered on, yet the electrode…
One of the toughest challenges in the shop is bonding aluminum to steel—different metals, different expansion rates, and very different welding requirements. That’s why so many welders turn to JB Weld Aluminum to Steel for repairs when firing up a…
One of the biggest lessons I picked up early in the shop was realizing that a weld can look perfect on the surface yet fail the moment real stress is applied. That’s where understanding how to calculate weld strength becomes…
When I first tackled MIG welding galvanized steel, I quickly realized it wasn’t as straightforward as running a bead on plain carbon steel. The zinc coating burned off under the arc, throwing up clouds of fumes, spatter, and leaving behind…
When I first picked up a no gas MIG welder, I’ll admit—I was a bit overwhelmed. The idea of welding without shielding gas made me wonder if I could still get clean, strong welds on steel, stainless, or even thin…