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Stick welding, also known as “Arc Welding” or SMAW, is very common among first time welders. Unlike MIG and TIG welding, no shielding gas is needed. This makes it relatively inexpensive to get into and makes it easy to weld in any environment. Whether you’re just learning how to stick weld or you’ve been welding for years, keep these five stick welding tips in mind next time you strike an arc.

Let’s face it. A new welder or plasma cutter isn’t cheap. It’s an investment. Taking care of your new purchase is important. If you’ve just received your new Power TIG welder or any other Everlast Power product, be sure to take care of it as you would with any other piece of electronic equipment. If you are using it regularly, you’ll want to open the unit up and clean it out on a monthly basis.

Depending upon where you live in the USA, your new Everlast Plasma cutter, MIG, TIG or stick welder will usually take no more than 6 or 7 days to reach you, unless it has been back ordered. Whatever the length of time it takes, follow your tracking number. Usually it will provide you an accurate date of delivery. You should be present to accept the delivery in person.

If you are like anyone else, you want to have a good warranty for anything you buy, particularly if it is more costly than a twenty dollar bill. Everlast (USA) does provide a 5 year parts and labor warranty with all its IGBT based inverter welder and plasma cutter products. We currently have two service centers and are investigating adding more. But we are committed to helping our customers should any problem arise with the welder.

At least a little should be said about purchasing additional accessories for the welder if you are contemplating purchasing a new TIG welder, or even if you’ve just ordered one and are waiting for it to arrive. The supplied TIG torch and foot pedal sent with your unit are not only decent in quality, but are designed to get you started TIG welding. However, they may not be the best choice for every individual or welding chore.

Even though Everlast Power i-TIG and Power TIG units come with a starter kit of consumables, these will not be enough and will likely limit the kind of TIG welding you desire to do. With this in mind, check out your local welding supply (lws) store. They will typically have a range of TIG welding consumables, all at very reasonable costs. To get several standard cups, collets and even collet bodies, you shouldn’t have to spend more than 20-25 dollars.

Everlast, as of this date, does not include tungsten with any TIG welder. With this in mind, you need to be sure to select the correct tungsten for your welder. I am often asked about what tungsten is required to operate the welder. I usually reply, anything but Zirconiated and Pure Tungsten (green). While that is generally a good starting point, it is really not all the story. You need to consider what you will be welding.

Once you’ve gotten a gas cylinder, you might want to think about what additional things you may need versus what you have already in regards to personal protective equipment. Proper gloves and safety glasses are fairly cheap to buy at your local welding supply store and are regular replacement items if they are used very much. So, don’t spend a lot on these items. Just get you a pair of gloves that you feel comfortable in which have decent dexterity. Safety glasses are no different.

If you have just bought your Everlast TIG welder, whether it is a Power i TIG 200, a Power TIG 255 EXT, or any of the Power TIG AC/DC TIG welders that we produce, you’ll probably want to make sure that you are ready to weld when your new welding machine lands on you doorstep. First, it’s a good idea to go and investigate your local welding stores. Unless you are completely isolated, there is one near you.

High Frequency starting problems have always plagued TIG welding machines, regardless of brand. HF is really hard to tame in a way and once you think you have it figured out, it comes back to bite you. At least this is how it appears from a user’s standpoint.