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Starting with Welding:
- The average welder earns $42,000 a year. Most entry level welders start near $17 per hour. First, use reclaimed metals and learn basic techniques before moving on to more skill-demanding projects.
- Aluminium, silver, and pewter are soft and easy to manipulate.
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Welding Equipment and Safety:
- The most important factor when starting with welding is safety and suitability. If it doesn’t feel safe, you don’t have what you need.
- Safety gear like respirators and jackets should always be worn.
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Choosing a Welding Process:
- To choose the best welding process, consider factors such as metal thickness, production rate, precision needed, and outdoor or indoor setting.
Types of Welding Processes
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MIG Welding:
- Welders use a feed wire travelling through at a predetermined pace. MIG welds are fast but may splatter more than tidy TIG welds.
- Forney Easy Weld 271 is a good budget MIG welder. Lower voltage welders use home outlets, while higher voltage welders need 220V plugs.
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TIG Welding:
- TIG welding makes visually smooth, clean welds without cleanup. It requires skill to control heat and shield gas.
- TIG suits welding metals like titanium and copper but is harder to learn for novices.
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Flux-Cored Arc and Stick Welding:
- Flux-cored arc welding is similar to MIG welding. The wire feeds through the wand as the electrode and filler.
- Stick welding works outdoors and on rusty, dirty metal but may suffer in quality with cracks and porosity.
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Assessing Welding Type:
- Assessing experience and planned materials helps in selecting the best type of welding. Clean beads or larger welds factor into the choice.
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Harbor Freight Welders:
- Harbor Freight welders offer quality for beginners or experts without compromise. TIG welding is hardest to learn for novices.
- MIG joins 1000 parts daily in factories, while welders connect fewer pieces. Stick welding suits most jobs.