Friday, March 26, 2010

Tools of the trade

As a welder you will be using a variety of tools and materials. The three main types of welding are: MIG, TIG, and Arc. MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding is used for basic welding such as car body work and other broad metal projects. This is one of the simplest types of welding but is very limited on what metals it can be used on. TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) uses heat to bind two metals together and additional metal is added by hand if needed. This kind of welding can be used on almost any kind of metal but can not be used on vertical of overhead positions. Arc welding is used by creating a electric arc and melting metal on two other metal surfaces binding them together. This kind of welding is very useful for pressurized tanks and repairing torn or damaged metals but can only be used by skillful and experienced welders. As a welder u will also use a variety of metal cutting and shaping equipment. The most important thing to have is a welding mask. looking at a burning weld for even just 1 second can burn your retina and blind you. So now your ready to go be a welder right?