Running flux core welds can sometimes leave behind those frustrating worm tracks — little surface trails that make a bead look messy and weak. Many welders confuse it with poor arc control, but the real issue often comes down to…
I had to fix a leaking HVAC copper pipe on a jobsite without using traditional soldering—it threw me off at first. I’d spent years running beads with stick, MIG, and TIG on everything from stainless to mild steel, but brazing…
When I first started running beads with a stick welder, one of the biggest questions that threw me off was, “should you push or pull stick welding?” What seemed like a small detail quickly proved to be a make-or-break factor…
Thin sheet warps fast and blows through even faster. With the right rod, polarity, and travel, stick welding thin metal is not only doable—it’s practical for field repairs and small shops. To stick weld thin sheet metal, use small-diameter E6013…
When I first stepped onto an oil rig as a welder, I remember staring at the thick steel plates, TIG torch in hand, and wondering, “Just how much does a rig welder make an hour?” After years of wrestling with…
First time I tried to weld stainless steel with a stick welder — I was confident, but the reality hit fast. The arc kept running too hot, my bead looked messy, and the stainless warped more than I expected. That’s…
One of my early shop days took a sharp turn when I nearly tripped over a poorly stored oxygen cylinder while moving my MIG rig across the floor. At the time, my head was buried in figuring out arc control,…
I burned through a thin sheet of stainless because I didn’t fully understand how gauge thickness worked. I had my MIG dialed in, filler wire ready, but the arc control was all over the place — and that one mistake…
I struggled to weld a thin piece of stainless steel using my MIG setup—no matter how carefully I adjusted the settings, the arc just kept burning through the metal. That’s when I realized why so many pros turn to Gas…
Working on an oil rig as a welder is no joke—thick steel plates, tricky stainless joints, and the constant need for clean, strong welds can test even experienced hands. I’ve seen plenty of welders get stuck deciding between MIG and…