For welders, makers & the home workshop
Welding guides, equipment notes and metalworking topics.
Making extra cash welding on the side is something a lot of welders think about once they get comfortable burning rod and laying down consistent beads. After spending years dialing…
Continue reading: How to Make Money Welding on the SideSetting up a MIG welder without gas is something I’ve had to do plenty of times when working outdoors, on quick repairs, or in shops where hauling a shielding gas…
Continue reading: How to Set Up a MIG Welder Without GasMIG welding aluminum with a spool gun can be both a game-changer and a challenge, even for experienced welders. Aluminum behaves nothing like mild steel—its fast heat transfer, sensitive metal…
Continue reading: MIG Welding Aluminum with a Spool Gun: Real Shop LessonsAfter spending years burning rods topside and talking shop with commercial divers, one question keeps coming up whenever underwater welding is mentioned: what’s the real deep sea underwater welder salary?…
Continue reading: Deep Sea Underwater Welder Salary – What I Really EarnedIf your Lincoln welder wire feed motor isn’t working, it’s one of the most common issues welders run into, whether you’re using a hobby machine or a shop-grade MIG setup.…
Continue reading: Lincoln Welder Wire Feed Motor Not WorkingOne of the biggest lessons learned in the shop was how much welding rod size and amperage really control the outcome of a weld. Early on, it was easy to…
Continue reading: Welding Rod Size and Amperage: Real Tips for Clean WeldsWhen I first started working with thin-gauge steel, MIG welding without burning through felt like a constant battle. I’d get a bead going, think everything was dialed in, and then…
Continue reading: How To MIG Weld Thin Metal Without Burning ThroughA flux-cored aluminum brazing rod is not automatically a gasless MIG welding consumable. “Aluminum welding rod” is often used loosely in sales descriptions. Establish the actual process from the manufacturer’s…
Continue reading: Flux-Cored Aluminum Brazing Rods: What They Are and Their LimitsPlan a beginner welding workspace with equipment, layout and ventilation considerations.
Continue reading: Home Welding Setup for BeginnersOne question that comes up again and again in the shop is how much does a stick welder make, and it’s one I’ve personally had to figure out along the…
Continue reading: How Much Does a Stick Welder Make?