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Which welder do you need? Flux core or MIG? Granted, for small budget operations, Flux Core does make an appealing case. There’s less equipment to buy to keep up with and a lower initial purchase cost for a flux core only welder. That’s really appealing to most customers. Flux core welders of this caliber are usually 120V as well.

Whenever your root (first) pass doesn't go just as it should, a hot pass may be in order. A person that is afraid of welding too hot with the root pass and blowing out the bottom of the key hole, the tendency is to run too cold and a convex weld will result. The toes will be incompletely fused or slag may be trapped in the sides of the weld.

Part of welding is a fit-up. A Fit-up requires a special skill set that includes cutting joints precisely and holding them squarely (or at a precise angle) together long enough to be welded. In short it is part of the fabrication process. When fitting, precision and accuracy are required. The very same squares, and angle finders commonly used in the carpentry trade are also used in the welding trade.

For the beginner or the pro, periodic weld inspection should be routine. But for the beginner, the best way to learn is to watch as their welds are put under pressure and deformed until the weak spot is found. This is known as destructive testing. In destructive testing, test “coupons” are made out of the same material that eventually be welded and then put through a guided bend test that uses a hydraulic or pneumatic device that has two rollers on either side of the ram portion of the cylinder that the plate rests upon. The weld is centered under the ram as it comes down.

Locking pliers are common throughout most welding shops. Just as with C and Bar clamps, the types of locking pliers are numerous. Each one has a specific purpose or application. The misconception is that these are just mechanics’ tools. These “over center pliers” can be used for anything, including the welding trade. In fact, companies like Irwin tools have specialized these “grips” for many different applications…most of them are welding related.

So, you've got a welder. Now what? How do you get started welding? What else are you going to need? Clamps. Lots of them too. You’ll never outgrow your need for welding clamps, vises, or locking pliers if you are going to be doing any regular welding. The problem is that a good quality clamp is going to cost you, and a whole collection of clamps will probably cost more than your welder.

Any discussion of stick welding electrodes requires a quick rundown and review of the most common stick welding electrodes and their properties. The E6010 is a rod that has a forceful, sharp arc with deep penetration. It’s typically used in the pipe welding and pressure vessel industry. It’s typically used to weld the first pass, especially when it is open root. It can be used in any position. The cellulose based slag is minimal, and difficult to remove. Rather than a weave, a slight whipping or stepping motion is required because of the fast freezing puddle.

Stick Electrode selection in stick welding is a commonly discussed topic. However, one of the biggest things to remember is that whatever stick electrode you choose, proper storage and handling of them is important. Keeping them from excess humidity is important. Keeping a stick electrode on a nice dry shelf is fine for some, for others, more tedious storage requirements are required, such as rod ovens which not only drive the moisture from the rod, but keep the rods heated. Keeping it simple when starting off is important.

If you have purchased a transformer based welder, you had few options to choose from. You bought it, and used it, and that’s pretty much it. But with a welding inverter, they can be loaded with features, that require some knowledge to improve weldability. An inverter can turn out a good weld, exceeding that of a transformer if all the features are employed correctly. One of the common features that welding inverters employ is the use of arc force control.

Having a well versed friend close by to give pointers and stick welding techniques tips is invaluable to learning to weld. So many self-taught welders develop bad habits right from the start that haunt and plague them the rest of their lives. Having someone to offer corrective advice is invaluable, but sometimes impossible to find. In the absence of an on the ground expert, many good online resources exist in the form of writings and videos. However, a few pointers are still in order.