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When you want to melt metal and join it together, you need to learn how to weld. This process heats metal until it becomes pliable. This makes it easy to join two separate pieces into one. While there are several methods available to you, not all of them are effective for each task you plan to undertake. That’s why you need to know the difference between MIG welding and arc welding.

When you first get started with welding, you might become easily intimidated. It’s scary dealing with a flame so hot and bright. You might be worried about injury. Don’t let the perceived complexity scare you away. Once you get started, you’ll find that it’s quite simple to get your jobs done. Over time, your pace will increase and you’ll make less of a mess. 

Before you learn how to weld, it’s crucial that you understand some commonly used terminology. This will help you accomplish your tasks better.

Table of Contents

Common Welding Terms

Flux core welders – thin wire electrode with chemical powder at the center. The powder also melts and flows over the weld to keep it safe from oxygen. This coating is referred to as slag when it hardens. After the weld cools, you can brush or chip it off.

MIG – wire feed welder which protects the weld from touching oxygen by covering it with an inert gas. Oxygen weakens a hot weld and makes it porous.

Oxy-acetylene welders– utilizes two tanks. One of them is filled with acetylene and the other with oxygen. Both of them flow through the hoses at a controlled pressure to ensure they mix and burn correctly.

Penetration – the welder doesn’t lay a bead of material on top of the joint, but actually melted some of the parent metal and fused it under the weld as well.

Sag – molten metal which flows out of the joint because of gravity. This occurs during horizontal, overhead and vertical welding.

SMAW – shielded metal arc welding

Stick welders – coated wire welding electrode.

TIG welders – utilize a torch that features a sharp tungsten tip. This creates a pool of molten metal by using an arc. You dab metal from a thin wire rod into the pool. You also operate with a simple foot pedal control. It requires more skill to learn how to use these welders, but they work great on aluminum and special metals.

Weaving – moving your arc from side to side to ensure penetration into both sides. Weaving patterns are also utilized to prevent sag on a vertical joint.

Wire feed welders – continuous wire electrode located on a spool.

Staying Safe While Welding

Before you start learning how to weld, it’s essential that you consider the safety guidelines first. This is true with all things related to power tools but especially true with welding because of the harmful chemicals and high heat. These will help you do the best job possible while keeping you protected.

Once you’ve read these steps, make sure you watch this comprehensive video that goes even further in depth about what you should do:

1. Purchase a Welding Helmet

You must invest in a high-quality helmet before you begin welding. The lights and sparks that come off your material will be bright. If not protected, you might harm your face and eyes. With an auto-darkening welding helmet, you keep yourself safe.

A manual mask requires that you jerk your head so the cover drops into position. Otherwise, you need to use a free hand. When you purchase the auto-darkening helmet, you’ll have both of your hands available which is a safer option.

2. Purchase Heavy-Duty Welding Gloves

Look for something made from pig or cowhide to protect your hands from heat, radiation and electrical shock. Not everyone goes for the heavy-duty gloves, but that’s not wise.

3. Buy a Leather Apron

When you wear a leather apron, you’re protected from the sparks that come off the welder. If these sparks touch our clothing, they could start a fire or burn you. Look for a non-flammable, durable apron to wear.

If you choose not to wear leathers, then wear cotton. Rayon and plastic fibers melt if they come in contact with molten metal. This puts you at risk for burns.

On top of that, you won’t want to wear open-toed shoes. Hot metal often falls on your feet and will burn them. Opt for leather boots or shoes if you plan to learn how to weld.

4. Work in a Ventilated Area

When you weld, you work with gases and vapors that are dangerous to inhale. That’s why you want to work with plenty of open doors and windows or in an open space while welding.

5. Inspect Your Equipment Before Welding

Make sure you inspect your welder before you start. You’ll want to check the connections, hoses and wires. If you notice any worn components or damage, you’ll want to replace them before use.

6. Don’t Ever Weld Galvanized Steel

Galvanized steel contains a zinc coating. When it’s burned, it produces a poisonous and carcinogenic gas. Exposure to this toxic gas results in heavy metal poisoning, otherwise known as welding shivers. These flu-like symptoms persist for days and might lead to permanent complaints.

7. Avoid Fires

When you weld, expect that molten metal will spit up to several feet away. The grinding sparks could be even more dangerous. If there are plastic bags, paper or sawdust near you, they can catch on fire. Make sure the area around you is free of debris.

You’ll also want to keep a fire extinguisher handy in your workshop. CO2 extinguishers are the best to have while welding. A water extinguisher shouldn’t be used because you’ll likely be near lots of power tools.

Preparing to Weld

Before you set out to do any welding, it’s critical that you get prepared. You started by getting the best safety gear together.

Now, you want to scrape off any rust or paint on the metal before you begin. Then, utilize 80-grit sandpaper, an angle grinder, or wire brush to go over the metal surface. Make sure you get all the rust and paint off until the metal is shiny and metallic looking again.

If you choose to work with an angle grinder, make sure you don’t distort the thin metal surface. If you are working with thicker metal, bevel your edges with the angle grinder so the weld can fully penetrate.

If you leave any rust or paint on the surface, you inhibit the ability of the weld to create the electrical connection it requires.

Once you’ve cleared the surface, wipe it down with acetone. This removes all the debris, dirt and dust to ensure a high-quality weld. Saturate your cloth in acetone and wipe it over the entire metal surface. This removes all contaminants that stand in the way of doing your best job.

Then, dry your metal with a rag making sure you get all the acetone off. Let the metal dry completely before you begin welding.

How to Weld Aluminum

Even if you are experienced, welding aluminum sometimes poses a challenge. The low melting point and higher thermal conductivity of aluminum alloys leads to burn through unless welders follow the right procedures.

Feeding aluminum welding wire while performing gas-metal-arc-welding is also difficult due to the wire being softer than steel. It also contains a lower column strength and tangles at its drive roll. To work past this, operators must follow the guidelines to a tee.

If you prefer to learn visually, there’s also a great video on how to weld aluminum:

Base-Metal Preparation

When welding aluminum, operators need to clean the material properly. This removes all hydrocarbon and aluminum oxide contamination from the cutting solvents and oils. Because aluminum oxide melts at 3,700-degrees Fahrenheit while the base-material melts at 1,200-degrees Fahrenheit, you face inhibited penetration because of the filler metal.

To ensure it all gets removed, use a bristle brush made from stainless steel. You could also use etching solutions or solvents. When brushing, don’t move in more than one direction and never brush roughly. This could embed your oxides further into the piece instead of removing them.

Make sure you also never use the brush on carbon or stainless steel. It should only be utilized on your aluminum workpieces. It’s also wise to use a degreaser for removal of the solvents and oils that prohibit the weld. Just make sure your degreaser doesn’t contain hydrocarbons.

Preheating

By preheating your aluminum workpiece, you ensure that cracking doesn’t occur. Don’t allow your preheating temperature to exceed 230-degrees Fahrenheit and always make sure you employ a temperature indicator to prevent further overheating.

You’ll also want to place tack welds at the end and beginning of your area to aid your preheating efforts. Consider also preheating a thicker piece of aluminum if you plan to weld it to a thinner piece. If cold lapping happens, then use run-off and run-on tabs.

Push Technique

When working with aluminum, you’ll want to push your gun away from the weld puddle instead of pulling it. This provides a cleaner action, improves the shielding-gas coverage and reduces your weld contamination.

Travel Speed

You want all aluminum welding to be done fast and hot. Unlike working with steel, the higher thermal conductivity of aluminum requires that the voltage and amperage be set high which forces you to travel faster. If your speeds are low, you risk burn through, especially when working with thinner gauges.

Shielding Gas

Argon features a nice penetration profile and good cleaning action. That’s what makes it the most popular choice when learning how to weld aluminum. Use the shielding gas mixture that combines helium with a 75% maximum to minimize the magnesium oxide formation.

Welding Wire

Choose a filler wire with a melting temperature close to your base material. The closer you can narrow down your melting range, the easier you’ll find welding to be. Look for wire with a 3/64 or 1/16-inch diameter. If you go larger, the feed is easier. If you must weld a thinner-gauge material, then you’ll want the 0.035-inch wire plus you’ll combine it with a pulsed-welding procedure while working at lower wire feed speeds for the best results.

Convex-Shaped Welds

When you weld aluminum, failures occur mainly because of crater cracking. This cracking comes from the higher rate of thermal expansion that aluminum has and the contractions which happen as the weld cools.

You’ll find as you learn how to weld that the cracking risk is higher with a concave crater. That’s because the surface of the crater tears and contracts while cooling. The best way to handle this is by building up craters so they form a mound or convex shape. This way, throughout the cooling process, the bent shape compensates for the contractions.

Power-Source Selection

Before you choose a power source, you’ll want to give thought to the method of transfer. You’ll either use pulse or spray-arc. Both the constant-voltage or constant-current machine work well for spray-arc welding. It utilizes a molten metal stream and then sprays it across the arc to the base material from the electrode wires. If you’re working with thicker aluminum materials, you’ll want to opt for the constant-current machine to produce the best results.

When welding with pulse transfer, you’ll probably use an inverter power supply. The newer models come with built-in pulsing procedures. These are based on the diameter and filler-wire type. Through pulsed GMAW, the filler metal droplet transfers to your workpiece from the electrode every time it pulses. This process has faster speeds and fewer spatters than with spray-transfer procedures. While welding aluminum, you’ll find that this has better control over the heat input and gives the operator more ability to weld thin-gauge metal.

Wire Feeder

When feeding the soft aluminum wire for long distances, the preferred method would be push-pull. This utilizes an enclosed wire-feed cabinet which protects your wire from the surroundings. Inside the cabinet, there’s a variable-speed, constant-torque motor that pushes and guides your wire through your gun at a constant speed and force.

Some shops prefer to use these wire feeders to deliver both the aluminum and steel wire. When this occurs, you’ll want to also use a Teflon or plastic liner to produce a consistent and smooth feeding. You can also use incoming and outgoing plastic tubes to help support your wire near the drive rolls. This keeps your wire from getting tangled.

As you weld, make sure you maintain a straight gun cable to minimize the resistance. You must have proper alignment through your drive rolls and the guide tube to eliminate aluminum shaving.

It’s also critical that you use drive rolls that are specifically designed for welding aluminum. Then, set the drive-roll tension so it delivers an even rate. If you have excessive pressure, the wire might deform and lead to erratic, rough feeding. Having not enough tension also ends up producing uneven feeding. Both of these will cause weld porosity and an unstable arc.

Welding Guns

Make sure you use a separate line when you learn how to weld aluminum. In addition, you’ll want to restrain both liner ends so the gaps are eliminated. Having gaps between the gas diffuser and liner leads to wire chafing.

You’ll also want to change your liners often. This minimizes the chance of aluminum oxide causing issues with your feed. With a contact tip of 0.015-inch bigger than your filter metal diameter, you leave enough space for expansion during heating. If you plan to weld with currents larger than 200 A, you’ll want a water-cooled gun instead. This reduces your wire-feeding concerns and minimizes any heat buildup.

How to Weld Cast Iron

Most people weld with mild steel, but there might be times when you need to know how to weld with cast iron. Its structure is much different than steel, so you need to follow different guidelines. Learning to weld with cast iron teaches you very quickly that the one weld will bind perfectly, but the other can become very brittle.

This causes many people to quit early on and leads to lots of frustration. Thankfully, there are some ways to get around this. One of the easiest methods is to pound with gentle force on both sides of your weld. Do this until the weld cools enough to hold with your bare hand. Another option you have is to preheat your weld and then cover it up with heated sand so it cools slower.

If you prefer to see a visual on these instructions, there’s a great series on how to weld cast iron on YouTube:

How to Weld Stainless Steel

After you’ve prepared yourself with the best protective gear, you are ready to learn how to weld stainless steel.

1. Use Argon-Carbon Dioxide Shielding Gas

Make sure its compatible with your project. Most require the use of 2% carbon dioxide mixed with 98% argon. You can find this online or at many home improvement stores. With MIG welding, you’ll find that a 2.5% carbon dioxide, 7.5% argon and 90% helium mixture works better.

2. Identify Your Base Steel

Begin your work by identifying what base steel you’re working with. Just look for the three-digit number that’s printed on your steel. Most times, it’s located on the flat part of your metal. If you can’t find it, then you must test the metal with a bench grinder and magnet. Just match up the spark with a test chart image.

A common type is an austenitic steel. It’s labeled in the 300s and features a high percentage of chromium with some nickel. This means it’s not magnetic.

Martensitic steel is found for many wear-resistant applications. This magnetic steel produces white sparks that feature a few forks.

Ferritic steel is also common and usually labels 409 or 439. The higher carbon content leads it to be magnetic. When tested, you’ll see red or white sparks with only a few forks.

3. Choose a Filler Metal that Matches the Base

You’ll find that the filler metals are also sold with the same number labels, just like steel. This helps you to identify the composition. For the best weld, you’ll want a filler material that is close to the base metal composition.

If you have to choose a different filler metal composition, then you’ll want to pick something that’s less likely to crack. If you can’t figure out the materials, opt instead for something all-purpose such as a 309L or 312. These tend to work well in most applications.

4. Clean Your Base Metal

Use acetone and a wire brush to clean your base metal. You’ll want to ensure that the brush you choose is designed to work on stainless steel. Then, remove impurities by brushing along the grain. Once you’re finished, simply wipe it with an acetone coated rag to remove the debris.

When you remove the impurities, slag and scale, you’re guaranteed a better weld. That’s why you also want to wear gloves and prevent any oils from transferring to the steel.

If you need to clean further, you might require the use of sandpaper, saws or angle grinders.

5. Choose Your Joint Type

The type of weld you expect depends on how you decide to join together the metal pieces. Each joint has options on how to strengthen the bond. Start by considering the metal thickness and the joint accessibility.

If your sheets are thinner, you’ll want a shallow, wide weld. If they are harder to reach, then you might need to have more melted metal flowing.

• Butt joints – form from sheets lying flat over each other while you weld together the edges. Melt your metal around the joint in order to fill it.
• Corner joints (or T-joints) – connect the sides together. Since these are harder to access, you’ll need to melt the metal above the joint to fill it.
• Lap joints (or edge joints) – connect the edges together. Consider utilizing a filler road in order to fill gaps between your steel.

6. Secure Your Metal to Bench

Before moving on, you need to ensure that your metal is secured to the welding bench. You do this with the help of jigs and fixtures. Simply place your stainless steel piece on the work surface. Arrange the pieces together.

Make sure you have access to the place where you plan on welding. Because these pieces will easily slip out of position, you’ll want to pin them to the table firmly.

Most modern welding tables already have jigs or fixtures which help hold your metal pieces in place. If you don’t have that, just purchase some vices and clamps to get the job done.

You could hold them together while welding, but the smallest mistake could weaken the welded joint. On top of that, if you are TIG welding, both your hands are already busy.

How to Weld Steel with a MIG Torch

You might choose to learn how to weld steel with a MIG torch, especially if you plan to join thick pieces of metal together. MIG welding takes less time and requires less experience than TIG welding. Because the MIG torch comes with filler wire already inside, you can perform the task with one hand. The joints also cool quickly, but this causes them to become slightly brittle.

Next, you’ll want to feed your filler wire through the MIG torch and then turn on your gas. Don’t force the wire through.

Hold your torch at a 30-degree angle just above the edge of your joint. It won’t matter which end you begin on. Allow the flame tip to hit the edges of your metal pieces. Wait for it to heat up enough that the pieces form into a bead of liquid metal at the joint.

If your metal begins to splatter, there’s isn’t enough power. Simply turn up the heat. With that said, you don’t want to use an overabundance of power either, or you’ll burn right through your steel. Adjust your temperatures as needed.

As you fill your joint, you’ll want to move the torch in a forward motion. Make sure it moves slowly and remains at a steady angle. While pushing it forward, your flame also pushes the bead along your joint. It might also melt some of the surrounding metal slightly. Just ensure that the joint is properly filled evenly and smoothly before you go forward.

If you move too fast, the steel won’t melt enough. This leads to breakage and flimsy steel. If you leave the flame on for too long, you’ll melt too much. It’s a delicate balance when learning how to weld.

Before you move your torch and weld, make sure they are both cool. The MIG weld cools down pretty fast, so it doesn’t take long until your joint is secure. Once there’s no more heat on the metal, you can handle it. Until then, make sure everything is in a safe location.

Make sure you also turn off the gas when you are finished.

Watch this video for more instructions:

How to Weld Steel with a TIG Welder

TIG welding is a little complicated for beginner users, but it’s the best way for learning how to weld thin metals. You’ll also need to move slower and use your other hand to dip the filler rod into liquid metal.

Start by inserting your tungsten rod into your torch. Make sure it’s sharpened and then turn the gas on. Position your tungsten rod into the center of a metal cylinder. Adjust your rod so it comes out from the nozzle about 1/4-inch.

Switch your welder to the DC setting. You don’t want to use the AC unless you are trying to learn how to weld aluminum.

Once your torch is on, position it over the joint. Hold it about an inch above, starting at either end. Make sure you hold it at a 75-degree angle. You’ll want to maintain this position the entire time.

Press down your foot pedal to start the heating process. Hold your torch still until that metal begins to melt and fill up the joint. You don’t want the metal to splatter. If you experience this, you need to turn up your amperage for more power. Of course, you can use too much which will cause you to melt too much of the metal. Learning how to weld steel is a delicate process.

As you fill your joint, remember to dab your filler rod into the liquid. Then, push that liquid along your joint. Do this every few seconds as needed. Make sure you keep the torch completely still when you melt the filler. If you get clumps, then you’re melting too much filler at once.

Before you move the torch or metal, make sure it’s completely cool. Store the torch upright until it’s safe to touch.

Here’s a video for you:

How to Weld Plastic

Many people don’t know how to weld plastic, but the process isn’t that difficult. Start by preheating your welding gun for a minimum of 20 minutes. It’s also important that you clean your plastic material with detergent or mild soap before you proceed. Then, dry it completely with a clean cloth.

Your next stop is to sand your plastic. Use 80-grit sandpaper until everything is smooth. Determine where you want to join the plastic and secure it with some foil tape. You want the joints to be secure and tight; in the exact position you plan to weld them.

You could then use a soldering gun as a way to tack it in place. You’ll want your soldering gun to be hot enough that it melts the plastic, but not too hot that it produces smoke. For the perfect amount of heat, use a soldering gun with heat adjustments.

Once you’re ready to weld plastic, insert your welding rod into the preheated gun. Move the welding gun tip slowly over the joint or edge where you desire the weld to be. The plastic will begin to melt and form a seal. As you work, move your gun closer and further away from the area to create a steady and even weld.

Once you’re finished, you’ll want to the plastic materials to cool for a minimum of five minutes before moving on. Then, sand the joint with 150-grit sandpaper until it’s completely smooth. Once you’ve finished, you’ll want to coat your plastic material with some water-based solvent.

Cover the entire plastic component with a water-based solvent.

You can also watch this handy video on learning how to weld plastic:

Using a MIG Welder

When you want to learn how to weld, the natural place to begin is with a MIG welder. MIG stands for Metal Inert Gas, but many people call it Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) now. Either one, most people will know what you’re referring to.

MIG welding is a useful skill because it’s versatile and works with many metals. You can learn how to weld carbon steel, aluminum, stainless steel, copper, magnesium, silicon bronze, nickel and many other alloys as well.

Make sure you also watch this video on MIG welding basics:

Advantages of MIG Welding

There are many reasons beginners choose to learn how to weld with a MIG welder. Here are some of the biggest benefits to MIG welding.

• Join together a vast selection of materials with various thicknesses
• Capable of welding in all positions
• Creates a good weld bead
• There’s minimal weld splatter
• The process is simple to learn and easy to perform
• No previous experience or training is required to get started
• Machines tend to be less expensive to purchase or rent

Disadvantages of MIG Welding

With all the benefits of learning how to weld with a MIG unit, there are also some disadvantages to keep in mind.

• MIG welding is best for thin to medium thickness materials
• Using inert gas means this isn’t a very portable option
• Less controlled when compared with TIG welding
• Sloppier outcome in comparison to TIG welding

Learn How To Weld – MIG

If you decide that you want to learn how to weld with a MIG machine, we’ve got you covered. Of course, the steps might differ slightly depending on what type of material you are using, but this is the general way to handle MIG welding.

You want to ensure that your MIG welder is set up correctly. The wire should be on the spool and the tip needs to be examined. Also, make sure you attach your shielding gas canisters properly.

Take your ground clamp and attach it to the table. This keeps you from getting electrocuted if you touch the table. Then, hold your gun with both of your hands and rest one on your table. This will help to control the gun’s direction while you weld. Your other hand should be firmly on the gun and your index finger rests on the trigger.

You want to weld at a 20-degree angle for maximum penetration of the metal. This is what experts refer to as the push position. Make sure you move your gun slowly to get the weld you desire. The tip of your welding gun should press lightly against your material. You should also see sparks, which is why you wear eye protection. Allow the gun to sit in a single spot for a couple of seconds before you move it down your piece of metal.

As you weld, move your gun in tiny circles. The hot metal will begin to pool behind the gun’s tip. Once you get to the end, let off the trigger and turn off your machine. Allow everything to cool before cleaning up.

If you move too slowly, you’ll end up with holes in your metal. If you move too fast, your weld will become too thin because it won’t melt enough.

Troubleshooting Common Problems with MIG Welding

Welding reliably isn’t something you just know how to do; it takes practice. Every time you try to learn how to weld, you’ll find that you get slightly better at it. That’s why we’ve included some of the top problems you might face while MIG welding and how to fix them.

Keep this as a resource to get out of jams while learning how to weld.

Burned hole through the material – If you weld with too much power, this will occur. It’s a common mistake when learning how to weld. Just turn down your voltage and give it another try.

Splatter – If you notice little balls of metal splattering from your work, then there might not be enough shielding gas. The splatter will turn green and brown. The simple fix is to turn up the gas pressure and resume welding again.

Weld is weak – If your weld doesn’t fully join your pieces of metal together, it’s weak and will need to be redone.

Too much metal in the pool – If your weld comes out gloppy, you’ve allowed too much of the wire to come out of your gun. Just slow down the wire speed to correct this problem.

Welding gun spits – If you can’t maintain a constant weld, it might mean your gun is located too far away from your weld. The tip should always be between 1/4- and 1/2-inch away from your material.

Using a Stick Welder

If you want to learn how to weld with a stick welder, the steps are slightly different. Set your welding machine to DC positive. The DC positive setting provides lots of penetration and is great for beginner users. If you need less penetration for thin sheets of metal, you might prefer the DC negative setting instead. The AC setting is only used if your power supply has an AC output.

Set your amperage based on the user manual. If your rods offer a range, then go in between. Make sure you ground the machine to whatever surface you’re working on.

Place the rod inside the welding gun. Some welders feature a clamp while others utilize the traditional looking gun. Hold the gun with two hands to weld straighter and improve the accuracy. You’ll want to place your dominant hand on top of the other so your weaker hand provides some additional support.

Then, strike the rod against your metal. You’ll want to tap the rod lightly until sparks form. Think of your rod as a match. Once you see those sparks, you are ready to weld. Move in a straight line and watch for a pool to form behind the rod. The right bead will be about 1/2-inch thick.

You’ll want to touch your rod to the metal for about two seconds for the best results. When you’ve finished, you’ll notice some metal forming over the weld. This shell is referred to as slag and you could break it off with a hammer. Don’t touch it because it’s very hot. Then, clean it with a wire brush until there’s no more debris left over.

Watch this video for more basics on learning how to weld with a stick welder:

Learning How to Weld with a TIG Machine

TIG welding stands for Tungsten inert gas. This isn’t the kind of task you want to utilize when just learning how to weld because it takes more skill. It’s also more labor intensive than MIG welding. With that said, advanced users wat to learn how to weld with TIG because of the precise finishes it provides. You can use it to weld alloys and aluminum.

TIG welding is much like MIG but there’s no consumable wire. Instead, the electrode is a tungsten metal rod located in your welding gun. You hold the gun with one hand and feed your filler rod with your other hand.

The arc makes a puddle of the two pieces and the heat of this puddle then melts your filler rod. This causes all three to mix together and form your weld. Just like MIG welding, using a TIG gun requires shielding gas to protect your new work.

The other major difference is that you’ll use a foot pedal while welding. This adjusts the current that runs through your electrical circuit between the tungsten electrode and metal piece. You can use this to decrease or increase the heat as needed. This additional control helps you to prevent the brittle outcome normally caused by thermal shock.

Check out this video for more basics on learning how to weld with a TIG machine:

Flux-Cored Welding

There’s one other type of welding you might want to know about. Flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) isn’t your typical place to start when learning how to weld, but it’s worth mentioning. This form of welding utilizes a continuous feed electrode tube instead of the wire used while MIG welding.

This metal tube features a fluxing agent inside. While this melts, it creates gas and a liquid slag combination that shields your weld from any contaminants. This offers superior protection in comparison to MIG welding shielding gas. Many people use this when working where there’s a strong breeze that would otherwise dissipate the shielding gas.

The downside to this method is that there’s often more spatter. So, you’ll have more to clean up when the job is done.

If you want more information on this, there’s a handy video available:

Conclusion

If you plan to learn how to weld, the key is to inform yourself as much as possible. Watch some online videos and take in as many instructions as you can. Also, make sure you protect yourself with the top safety equipment. You don’t want to end up with burns or eye injuries because you didn’t take your safety seriously.

It won’t take long before you learn how to weld and become a pro at it! Just think of all the tasks you’ll be able to accomplish once you’ve perfected the skill of learning how to weld. We can’t wait to see what you achieve.