5 Tips for Novice Welders

If you are new to welding, know that you need to learn to use the welding machine the right way or it can cause an injury to you. The welding process involves some risk but if you invest a bit of effort and employ the right techniques, you can take care of any project without suffering from an injury. Given below are 6 things you need to know if you are just getting started.

1. Safety

Before you get started, make sure you have bought the required safety gear, such as welding helmet, gloves, glasses, and a good fire resistant jacket. Lately, you can buy a variety of quality helmets.

Ideally, you may want to opt for an auto-darkening one. Also, you should have enough ventilation. Alternatively, you can use a strong fume extraction system.

It’s not a good idea to work beside the objects that can catch fire quickly. You may want to choose a location that is safe.

2. MIG, TIG And stick flux-cored

Although these terms look scary, you don’t have to worry. We will explain them in this article.

In the case of wire welding, spools of wire are fed via a gun. This can help you minimize the starts and stops. This way you can easily create proper joints. Also, it’s faster and inexpensive, especially if you want to work on thin sheets of metal.

Wire welding is of two types: flux-cored and MIG. The second type depends upon the shielding gas for protection against contamination. The only drawback of this type of welding is that you can’t do it outdoors due to the wind.

On the other hand, flux-cored welding makes use of a special wire that you can work on with or without gas.

For repair work, Stick welding is the best choice. As a matter of fact, this is the first process that is recommended for beginners. As the name suggests, stick welding involves a stick electrode. There is no need to use a wire feeder.

TIG welding is a good choice for automotive or architectural work. Also, it’s a better option if you want to work on thin sheets of metal for a seamless look.

3. Input Voltage

Generally, lower input voltages are enough if you want to work on thinner materials. On the other hand, high voltages are needed to work on thicker materials. If you are a beginner, you may want to use a machine that allows you to switch between 110v and 220v.

4. User Interface

It won’t be easier for you to configure the welding settings as a beginner. Therefore, we suggest that you opt for a welding machine that has an easy to understand interface. Based on the project type, you can set the right voltage.

5. Consumables

Based on the welding process, make sure you opt for the right consumables. As you get better at your job, you can easily recognize different types of consumables. This can help you opt for the right brand.

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