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Picking the Right Welding Gear

Sunday, July 1, 2012
Whether you need welding gear for a DIY project or for a larger professional job, it is equally important to make sure you choose the correct equipment. Getting the right welding gear will allow you to complete a high quality job in as little time as possible, while also taking into consideration other vital factors such as the safety of you and others around you when you are undertaking the job.

Welding generally requires you to make use of a very hot flame and it does require a certain amount of skill, which just goes to show how important it is to choose the correct equipment. For example, if you are just starting out in welding or you want equipment that will be fairly easy to transport, oxyacetylene welding equipment could be something for you to consider.

This is based on a technique that used to be used in jewellery making in the 19th century. However, back then a combination of oxygen and hydrogen was used to weld metal. Now, a mix of acetylene and oxygen is used and it can create flames up to 6000 degrees Fahrenheit. One thing to note with this sort of welding equipment is that it is typically only suitable for thin sheets of metal - if you need to join thicker sheets then you might like to consider a different type of welding machine that will do the job more successfully.

Another benefit of this type of welding equipment is that it is cost efficient and can be used on the vast majority of metals, meaning that it is very versatile and suitable for a range of applications. However, it is not the only type of welding equipment available and so if you don't think it will meet your needs you could consider the other options.

For example, arc welding (sometimes known as stick welding) is also a popular solution, although this does require you to have considerably more welding skill than the oxyacetylene alternatives. One of the benefits of this type of welding equipment is that you can use it on thicker sheets of metal, as well as on surfaces that are rougher and unsuitable for welding with oxyacetylene equipment. Stainless steel is a material that is commonly welded using arc welding, which also involves a flux that is melted to create the join between the pieces of metal.

From all of this, we can identify some crucial elements that you need to consider when choosing which type of welding equipment to go with as there is no 'one size fits all' solution. This means you need to think about factors such as the type of metal you will be welding, how thick it is, where the weld will be, the roughness of the material and how long you have got available to spend on your welding.

If you are unsure which type of welding equipment to use, it is always best to seek professional advice to make sure you get the right equipment. This will help you ensure a high quality finish every time, as well as equipment that you should be able to work without too much difficulty.

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