There is one mistake you can make when buying a welder that can make your new welder either your favorite tool or your least favorite tool. Though it is true that welding takes a lot of skill and practice in order to do it well, this one factor can determine whether or not you can make the kind of strong weld that your project requires.
This single most important factor is the power of your welding machine.
Buying a Welder Machine with Too Much Power
A welder with too much power won’t be able to weld thin metal effectively. You could burn through the metal or end up with too much spatter or material in the weld joint. Though most welders in online forums suggest choosing a welder with enough power to get the job done, you may not need to spend thousands of dollars if you’re doing small fabrication jobs or welding small projects at home.
Buying a Welder Machine with Too Little Power
Though it can be a problem to have a welder with too much power, the greater issue is choosing a welder without the juice necessary to handle the projects you have. Without enough power or features, your weld may not achieve sufficient penetration into the metal work piece or create a neat weld. Pushing a low power welder too hard beyond its duty cycle will even burn it out.
While the lower priced welders may seem appealing, consider what you imagine working on in the years to come. If a welder is a long term investment, you’ll want to choose a welder that can handle everything you could possibly work on in the future. This is especially true if you’re opening a welding shop.
However, what’s more important than a lot of power is having the right kind of power. If you’re doing fine, high quality welds with a TIG welding machine, you may not need the most power, but you should look into getting a welder with the right features such as pulsing, so that you can control your heat input, and a high quality foot pedal.
Buy Two Welders
If having too much or two little power is a concern, there are a few options available. For starters, you can pick up a simple low end stick welder for small jobs or an inexpensive, portable TIG welder and then invest in a larger unit for your big jobs. This ensures that you’ll always have the right welder handy no matter what kind of job comes along.
Buying a Welder with Two Power Options
The other solution is to pick up a welder with both power options. These welders have interchangeable plugs or alternate cords that you can switch depending on the kind of job you’re working on. You can always ensure you’ll have the right kind of power available with a unit that provides these options.
A welder with two power options can be used in any location since it works with 110V power. If you plan on moving to a location that provides 220V power in a garage or work shop, these welders are ideal.
Welding is about providing the right kind of heat in order to effectively fuse metal together. If you don’t have enough power or if you use too much power, the quality of your weld will suffer.
Learn More about Welders with Multiple Power Options: View Welders at Baker’s Gas and Welding
