Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), also called Stick welding, is the most common type of arc welding. Charles L. Coffin patented SMAW in 1889 and it has been a widely popular process among welders ever since. It can be used both in the production and manufacture of new products and for repairing older ones. What…
Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding, also known as gas metal arc welding (GMAW), is widely considered to be one of the easiest welding processes to learn. The process was patented in 1949 primarily for welding aluminum. It has now expanded and is used for almost all types of metals such as stainless steel, copper and…
Archaeologists have discovered evidence that welding existed at least as far back as 3300 B.C. during the Bronze Age. Small golden boxes from that era were uncovered in Egypt with the handles apparently welded on. It is thought that the welding process consisted of heating two pieces of metal and hammering them together. Fast-forward to…
Cold welding is not a new concept. Archaeologists have discovered tools dating back to the Bronze Age that were joined using cold welding. In the 1940s, the process took hold for use in modern times. Although the process is not for all types of metal, it certainly has its place in the current world of…
Understanding polarity is critical to being a good welder. Whether the project has the quality and strength of a good weld depends on the polarity selected. Polarity can be either AC or DC. AC means alternating current, which flows half the time in one direction and the other half in the other direction. It changes…
Flux core welding is a process used for almost every type of welding, from simple home repair projects to heavy fabrication. If you are just learning how to weld, flux core welding is a good process to begin with. It is less expensive than other types of welding and easier to learn. Some projects work…
Titanium is Earth’s ninth most abundant element. Small amounts are found in almost every kind of rock there is. The element is used in many products people use every day, including things like mobile phones, scissors, and bicycle frames. It is also used in surgical instruments, metal implants used to help repair bone injuries, tennis…
Welding, when done properly, has endless potential. It’s a craft that is full of purpose and requires great skill. Within the field of welding there are various materials and machinery used and it is of utmost importance to make sure proper steps are observed. There are an estimated 404,800 welders in the United States alone,…
The seemingly fragile nature of cast iron often makes people wonder whether it can be welded effectively. Its near-steel hardness lends confidence to the notion it can be mended and joined. But the fact that cast iron often fails to handle hard impacts gives welders pause. If you are considering welding cast iron, the following…
Phoenix, AZ, Oct. 26, 2021 — Vern Lewis made his name in the welding industry by starting the company, Vern Lewis Welding Supply in 1969. Now, his legacy will live on forever at the newly opened Vernon F. Lewis Welding Lab at the very same high school that he attended in the early 1950s. “This…
