Overview And History Of Welders

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• The location of the welding job

• The experience of the welder

• The type of metal that will be joined

• The quality of the weld expected

• The amount of money that will be spent.

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Below is an overview of welder Types And What Jobs They're Typically Used For:

(also some fascinating history)

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Safety First!

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Let's Start With What The Various Welder Types Are:

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Stick Welders

For those looking for versatility and simplicity, the shielded metal arc welding system (SMAW) may be the best choice. Also known as MMA (manual metal arc welding) or stick welding, this process uses a consumable electrode with a covering of flux to lay a manual weld. This type of welder uses either alternating current or direct current as a power supply. Due to the simplicity of the required equipment, stick welding is a popular type of welding worldwide. It's commonly used in construction and industry welding iron and steel.

Those that are ready to compare welders of this type will want to consider the Lincoln AC-225 compact stick welder (pictured above, click image to view on Amazon).

Offering ease of operation this welder will create a uniform arc with each weld that can be used in conjunction with cast iron, carbon based materials, low alloy and stainless steels.

While it's not recommended in wet or cramped areas, it does come with an enticing price of only $350.00 at the time of this review writing.

Comparable Stick Welder

(Thermal Arc 95S Series)

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In comparison, Thermal Arc offers the 95 S- stick welder package for under $300.00. This is a great welder for the intermediate or beginning welder. It is an affordable option that that offers a lightweight and reliable welder for maintenance and repair.

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GMAW

(Gas Metal Arc Welding)

Welders/Welding

Another commonly used form of welding is the Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) also known as MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding. In contrast to SMAW, MIG welding is a semi-automatic to a fully automatic form of welding.

During this process, a consumable wire electrode with a shielding gas is continuously fed through the welding gun. It was initially used to weld aluminum but due to the decreased welding time, it offered it has been further developed to successfully weld steel. The general technique is simple where the operator guides the welding gun along as they are being welded. MIG welding is most often seen in the automotive industry.

Again, when one is ready to compare welders the leading companies are a good place to start. Hobart offers the Handler 187 (pictured above, click image to view on Amazon) with small running gear and cylinder rack. It's able to weld a variety of metals including aluminum, stainless steel and other mild steels. In addition, for those jobs that are in areas of volatile air movement, this version offers the flux cored self-shielding option.

Starting at just over $700.00, this welder creates an arc that matches metal thickness and requires little clean up.

Lincoln offers a comparable version that is also priced just under $800.00.

The Power MIG 180C with combination wire feeder and MIG/Flux-Cored Welder offer many of the same options as the Handler.

If you are searching for the non-consumable forms of welders then the Gas Tungsten Arc Welder is the best fit.

Other Great Articles/Reviews I Wrote On Specific Welders