Specials Click here

WELDING EQUIPMENT SELECTION PAGE mig welders, gasless mig welders, wire feed welders, tig  welders, arc welders, plasma cutters and plasma cutting systems

WHICH ONE DO I WANT???

  ARC WELDING IS THE FUSING OF TWO OR MORE PIECES OF METAL TOGETHER BY MEANS OF AN ELECTRIC CURRENT FLOWING DIRECTLY ACROSS THE GAP BETWEEN THE METAL BEING WELDED AND AN ARC WELDING ROD.    THE ELECTRIC CURRENT CAUSES A PORTION OF THE WORKPIECE TO MELT FORMING A MOLTEN POOL OF METAL.  THE FLUX COATED ROD IS MELTED SIMULTANEOUSLY AND IS ADDED TO THE MOLTEN POOL OF MATERIAL.  THIS MIXTURE FORMS THE WELD.  THE WELDING ROD IS COATED WITH FLUX TO PREVENT THE MOLTEN MATERIAL FROM REACTING WITH THE AIR, AND TO FACILITATE THE STABILITY OF THE ARC.    AC ARC WELDERS DO NOT MAKE USE OF COMPLICATED ELECTRONICS WHICH MEANS THAT THEY ARE REASONABLY PRICED, RELIABLE AND UNCOMPLICATED, HOWEVER, THEY DO HAVE A FEW LIMITATIONS, SUCH AS BEING RESTRICTED TO WELDING STEELS,  THE WELD REQUIRES SOME CLEANING AND PRACTICE IS SUGGESTED IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE BEST RESULTS.    ARC WELDERS ARE EXCELLENT FOR WELDING THICK STEEL,  THIN METALS CAN ALSO BE WELDED WITH THE USE OF AN OPTIONAL BRAZING KIT.  THIS INCREASES THE VERSATILITY OF THIS TYPE OF PRODUCT SUBSTANTIALLY INCLUDING ITS CAPACITY TO WELD COPPER AND BRASS.

WHAT IS MIG WELDING?

MIG STANDS FOR METAL INERT GAS AND ALTHOUGH THE PRINCIPAL IS SIMILAR TO THAT IN ARC WELDING THE METHOD IS MORE SOPHISTICATED.    A TRANSFORMER BY MAKING USE OF SILICONE DIODES PRODUCES A DIRECT CURRENT.  THIS CURRENT IS PASSED TO A WELDING TORCH WHICH HAS A CONTINUOUS METAL WIRE THROUGH IT.  AN ARC IS GENERATED, CAUSING THE WIRE TO MELT, SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE METAL WORKPIECE.  THE PRODUCES A MOLTEN POOL WHICH CREATES THE WELD.    GAS IS FED TO THE TORCH DURING THE ENTIRE PROCESS TO ACT AS THE FLUXING AGENT, THUS PREVENTING THE METAL FORM OXIDIZING.     THERE ARE TWO MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MIG AND ARC WELDING.  THE FIRST IS THAT INSTEAD OF A ROD, MIG WELDING USES CONTINUOUSLY FED WIRE FROM A REEL.   THEREFORE NO STOPING IS REQUIRED.  IN ADDITION NO READJUSTMENT BETWEEN THE WIRE AND THE  WORKPIECE IS NECESSARY AS IT IT BEING CONSUMED.       THE SECOND MAJOR DIFFERENCE IS THAT INSTEAD OF HAVING A COATED ROD, GAS IS USED TO PROTECT THE WELD FROM THE ATMOSPHERE, LEAVING NO RESIDUE.     MIG WELDING IS MORE SOPHISTICATED EASIER AND CLEANER, BUT MORE EXPENSIVE THAN ARC.  IT IS PARTICULARLY SUITABLE FOR WELDING VERY THIN SHEET METALS SUCH AS CAR BODY PANELS AND ENABLES THE WELDING OF MILD STEEL, ALUMINUM AND   STAINLESS STEEL.

WHAT IS GASLESS WELDING?

GASLESS WIRE FEED WELDING COMBINES THE FEATURES FROM BOTH ARC AND MIG WELDING TO PRODUCE VERY SIMPLE CLEAN NO NONSENSE RESULTS.       THIS TYPE OF WELDER IS SIMILAR TO A MIG UNIT IN AS MUCH AS IT UTILIZES CONTINUOUSLY FED WIRE THROUGH THE TORCH AS THE ELECTRODE OR ROD, TO HELP CREATE THE MOLTEN POOL.    HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF EMPLOYING A GAS AS A FLUXING AGENT, THE WIRE USED IS CORED WITH A SOLID FLUX SIMILAR IN PRINCIPAL TO AS ARC UNIT.     THIS COMBINATION PRODUCES A HYBRID THAT IS VERY SIMPLE TO USE, FAIRLY INEXPENSIVE AND IS IDEAL FOR USE OUTSIDE IN WINDY CONDITIONS.  THIN SHEET CAN BE SATISFACTORILY TACKLED AND THERE IS NO NEED TO KEEP THE CUSTOMARY MIG GAS SUPPLY.   THE WELD REQUIRES SOME CLEANING HOWEVER, AND ONLY MILD STEEL CAN BE JOINED.     A DUAL PURPOSE OR COMBINATION WELDER MIG AND GASLESS MACHINE INCORPORATES BOTH SYSTEMS.

WHAT IS PLASMA CUTTING?

PLASMA CUTTING IS REVOLUTIONIZING THE CUTTING OF METALS, REPLACING OXYGEN ACETYLENE AND MANY OTHER CUTTING DEVICES, USE TO ITS EASE OF USE.  THIS METHOD OF CUTTING FOCUSES AN INTENSE BEAM OF IONIZED AIR PRODUCED BY AN ELECTRIC ARC WHICH MELTS THE MATERIAL TO BE CUT.  ALMOST LIKE A LASER CUTTER.     AIR IS USED BOTH FOR CREATING THE IONIZED STREAM KNOWN AS PLASMA, AND ALSO FOR COOLING.  IT IS OBTAINED FROM A STANDARD 2 HORSEPOWER OR MORE AIR COMPRESSOR.    PLASMA CUTTERS CAN CUT AUTOBODY PANELS AND ARE IDEAL FOR CUTTING MILD AND STAINLESS STEEL, ALUMINUM, BRASS AND COPPER.  VIRTUALLY NO HEAT SPREAD IS GIVEN WHICH MEANS ALMOST NO DISTORTION OR DISCOLORATION TO THE MATERIAL BEING CUT.    PLASMA CUTTING MACHINES ARE RAPIDLY BECOMING INDISPENSABLE IN SHEET METAL FABRICATION WORKS  AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHIPS, MAINTENANCE UNITS, MANUFACTURING PLANTS, THE HEATING AND VENTILATION INDUSTRY, THE LIT IS ENDLESS.  IF YOU ARE GOING TO CUT METAL THIS IS THE EASIEST AND CLEANEST WAY TO DO IT.