Category: General Tech Info

Weld Distortion and defects are an annoying, but unavoidable part of welding. But they can be mitigated! Porosity Porosity is where Holes/Bubbles appear in the weld. This is created when gas becomes trapped in the weld pool as it solidifies. Causes include: Lack of shielding gas – (Mig/Mag & Tig Welding) INCREASE GAS FLOW. Too […]

The correct Gas Pressures are important. Incorrect pressure can increase the risk of Flashback and make Flame Adjustment difficult. The following Guides should help you Lightweight & Heavy Duty Swagged Oxy/Acet Gas Welding Nozzles Lightweight include DH type Oxy Acetylene Nozzles (not pictured) Heavy Duty includes type 3, 4 & 5 Torches Nozzle Size – […]

What is Synergic Mig? The Dictionary definition of “Synergic” is: “Working Together Towards a Common End”. A Synergic Mig Welder where Welding Power (Voltage) and Wire Feed Speed are adjusted together, rather than separately, via a single Control. Most commonly, you pre program the machine with the size Mig Welding Wire being used, the type […]

For most things in Life, preparation is important, Weld Preparation is no exception. There are some fairly obvious weld preparations Make sure the metal to be welded is free from grease or paint. Make sure the metal to be welded is free from rust or other corrosion. Try to place your Work Return (Earth) Clamp […]

I get asked “Can I weld with a Propane Torch”, a lot. Sadly, the simple answer is NO, you need Oxygen and Acetylene to Fusion Weld. Its not about heat because you can melt steel with Oxy/Propane A lot of companies are now offering Propylene as an alternative to Acetylene. Oxy/Propylene is a lot hotter […]

Simply put, NO, you can’t Tig weld without Gas! Gas is required to protect both the Tungsten Electrode and the weld pool from Oxygen. Most Tig Welder torches are also cooled by the gas, so not using gas would risk burning out the Torch. It’s theoretically possible to use a Flux, in the same way […]

I get asked “can you use the same gas for Mig and Tig” a LOT! Sadly, the answer is NO. Gas for Mig Welding Both Mig and Tig Welding require gas to protect the weld pool from Oxygen and often to cool the Torch but these are not the only functions it performs with Mig […]

What is the best gas for Mig welding mild steel is a frequent question I get asked on the phone. Unfortunately, there’s not a simple, straightforward answer as it rather depends on a number of factors! The three key factors are: What’s your budget Do you want to use Disposable or Refillable Gas Cylinders What […]

I’ve already written an article Titled Can I use Propane or Propylene Instead of Acetylene so I won’t go over that ground again here. Instead I want to concentrate on the equipment differences and what you need to change when swapping from Oxy Acetylene to Oxy Propane or Propylene. Gas Welding Equipment OK, so you […]

Setting up Oxy Acetylene Kit is not rocket science, but it is important to do it correctly. Setting up Oxy Acetylene Kit – the basics Oxy Acetylene fittings consist of a concave Female sealing face on one component and a Male ball shaped sealing face on the other.  A Nut clamps these faces together to […]

Welding Stainless Steel is no big deal.  As long as you use a suitable welding rod or wire for the type of Stainless Steel you intend welding, all should be pretty straight forward. Welding Stainless Steel is not vastly different to welding Mild Steel, which is why I say it’s no big deal, however, there […]

Welding Cast Iron has quite a few potential pitfalls, but if done correctly, it’s not difficult. Why is Welding Cast Iron problematic The key reason why welding cast iron can be problematic is the high carbon content.  During the welding process, this carbon migrates into the weld metal and/or the heat affected zone adjacent to […]

This is a common question.  Essentially, Duty Cycle is a measure of how long a welder will operate for before it overheats and cuts out. If you’re more of a Watcher than a Reader, you may prefer a Video Explanation There are 3 key bits of data to Duty Cycle figures: Amps, a Percentage Figure […]

If you prefer to watch video than read, the following link will take you to a video we’ve produced that explains Duty Cycle. Understanding Duty Cycle “Duty Cycle” is probably the least understood of the specification data published for any type of Mig Welder, Tig Welder or Plasma Cutter.  Essentially it’s a set of figures […]

Mig Welding Gas is required because it’s essential to keep Oxygen from the weld pool. Shielding gas does this by replacing the Oxygen containing air that’s all around the weld pool. Categories of Mig Welding Gas Mig Welding Gas falls into two basic categories, “Inert” & “Active”. Inert means the gas has no effect on the […]