Vol. XXVI · No. 04 • Workshop Almanac
— The Everyday Handyman —
Est. MMXIX
Vol. XXVI · No. 04 • Workshop Almanac
Est. MMXIX
MIG, TIG, stick, or flux-core — the right welder depends on the metal you join, its thickness, and your experience. This buying guide covers welding processes, amperage and duty cycle, input voltage, and shielding gas, so you can weld mild steel, stainless, or aluminum for repairs, fabrication, or auto body work with strong, clean beads.
§ II — Reader’s Manual
Welders are sold on amperage and process names that mean little until you match them to your metal and your garage power. Buy the wrong process and every job fights you. Here are the six things we weigh before recommending any welder in this guide.
MIG (wire-feed) is the easiest to learn and fast for mild steel and fabrication. Flux-core MIG welds outdoors without shielding gas. TIG gives the cleanest, most precise beads for stainless and aluminum but has the steepest learning curve. Stick (arc) welding is rugged, cheap, and great for thick steel and dirty or outdoor work.
Output amperage sets how thick you can weld in a single pass — roughly 30 amps per 1/32 inch of steel as a rule of thumb. Thin auto-body sheet needs fine low-amp control; quarter-inch plate and up needs serious output. Buy for the thickest metal you will regularly join, with headroom.
Duty cycle is the minutes out of ten you can weld at a given amperage before the machine must cool. A 20% duty cycle at high amps means long waits on big jobs. Production and thick-metal work want a higher duty cycle; occasional repairs can live with less.
Many welders run on standard 120V household power for light work; heavier machines need a 240V circuit. Dual-voltage (120V/240V) welders offer the most flexibility between a home garage and a shop. Check what your outlets can supply before you buy amperage you cannot power.
MIG with solid wire needs a shielding gas cylinder — typically C25 (argon/CO2) for steel, pure argon for aluminum. Flux-core wire is self-shielding for windy outdoor work. TIG needs argon and filler rod. Factor the cost of gas, regulators, and consumables into the real price of the welder.
Welding demands an auto-darkening helmet, flame-resistant gloves and jacket, and good ventilation — budget for the gear, not just the machine. Choose a welder from a brand with available consumables, a solid warranty, and parts you can source. The cheapest welder with no support is the costliest to own.
Read the guide. Then close the tab, walk away, and come back to it tomorrow. The tools that still feel right after a night’s sleep are usually the right ones to buy.
§ II — Specimen Pages
§ II — Specimen Pages
Every recommendation here is also a set of welders we left off. Below are the kinds of welders we have stopped recommending — not to fault one brand, but because the type tends to disappoint at the bench.
A small household-voltage welder cannot lay a sound bead on thick plate and leaves cold, weak joints. Match amperage and voltage to the metal; step up to 240V for heavy work.
A flux-core-only machine with no gas capability limits you to rougher, spattery welds. If you want clean steel welds, buy a MIG that also runs shielding gas.
A big amperage number with a tiny duty cycle means more waiting than welding. Read the duty cycle before trusting the peak-amp headline.
Cheap TIG units with no pedal, poor arc start, and unobtainable consumables make a hard process harder. Buy a TIG welder with real support and controls.
A dark fixed-shade hood you must flip up ruins your setup and your eyes. Skip the freebie for a proper auto-darkening welding helmet.
A welder with no safety certification and questionable wiring is a shock and fire hazard. Choose a machine with proper certification and thermal overload protection.
§ IV — Directory
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