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What Is Welding?

Welding is a fabrication process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence. This is often done by melting the workpieces and adding a filler material to form a pool of molten material (the weld puddle) that cools to become a strong joint, with pressure sometimes used in conjunction with heat, or by itself, to produce the weld. This is in contrast with soldering and brazing, which involve melting a lower-melting-point material between the workpieces to form a bond between them, without melting the workpieces.

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Welding Tips

1) It is very important to get a good, solid work connection. This means you should thoroughly clean or grind the surface of the metal where attaching the work clamp and use a tightly attached work clamp so electricity can easily flow through the workpiece and back to the welder. Paint and rust are insulators. Remove them. This is a very common mistake to overlook.

2) Put the welder on a separate circuit breaker that is properly fused as stated in your Operators Manual. This is not another strand of Christmas lights. You are melting steel at around 5,000 degrees F. You cannot weld with inadequate input power. Don't even try.

3) Good fitup is a big plus. Weld joints are laps, fillets and butts. Avoid gaps whenever possible to minimize burnthrough problems. This is especially critical on thin sheet metal.

4) Keep the gun cable as straight as possible for smooth wire feeding. Don't sharply bend it.

5) Make sure the contact tip looks good(not elongated or melted) and it is tightened to the diffuser.

6) Cut the wire at an angle to a point before starting to weld for better starts.

7) Use correct electrode stickout and maintain it as well as proper welding procedures.

8) Make sure the driverolls feed smoothly with proper tension.

9) Relax and try to hold the gun as steady and smooth as possible.

10) Make sure you observe and follow all welding safety precautions as specified in your Operators Manual. Pay special attention to the potential for electric shock, arc rays that can burn skin and eyes, fire and explosion, and proper ventilation. For more details, consult ANSI Z 49.1.

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