While welding is considered to be quite a multi-faceted skill, most of the tasks it consists of are not technically challenging, while the smaller jobs are not equipment intensive either, which means that you can complete them from your home garage with no problem. Some of the most commonly used handyman services Huntsville AL tools in both big and small jobs are the oxygen/acetylene welder, which is quite the multitasker. Then there’s the smaller wire-feed MIG welder which is really a 110-volt arc-welder and an essential tool for any welder.
This equipment is quite easy to use and you can learn to use it in literally one afternoon. It’s also not expensive, and is a recommended purchase for the self-sufficient DIYer as most of the tools usually start at $120.
How Does it Work
That basic principle behind welding consists of one basic activity, and that is to combine steel through a melting process. This is where tools like the oxygen-acetylene welder come in, as it’s able to generate enough heat to melt any type of steel, while the MIG welder uses the electric heat emanating from its wire to do the same thing. handyman Mobile AL use these tools to smoothly and accurately melt the metal together while preventing it from sticking to the surface. This is what is known as ‘good technique’, and it only takes a short amount of time to learn.
Protective Gear
Welding requires that you wear protective gear such as dark goggles or a full-face mask to protect your eyes and face from getting sprayed by the metal, which often splashes around while you’re melting it. Exposure to it may lead to lethal eye damage. Professional handyman services Mobile AL also recommend that you remove all flammable materials from the area you’ll be working from to prevent them from activating due to the heat.
Types of Welding
There are three different types of welding, namely; MIG welding, oxygen-acetylene welding, and arc welding.
MIG Welding – It involves using a welding gun to melt the metal through gas-generated heat. There are certain MIG welding techniques where gas isn’t used, but they often lead to weak and fragile welds due to the high level of oxidation. Perhaps the most important aspect of the MIG welding technique is the wire size, which must always be the same as the tip, although thicker metal may sometimes require the purchase of a larger wire.
Oxygen-Acetylene Welding – Learning this welding technique will give you a good base to build upon for all the others. The equipment used with oxy-acetylene welding includes two big tanks; one with acetylene and the other with oxygen. A couple of hoses protrude from each of these tanks, which are connected to the regulators that are used to handle the torch you’ll be using for welding jobs. Operating the tanks involves closing both of the valves placed on the torch handle, after which you should open the bigger valves which are situated at the top.
Thereafter, you open each of the torch handle valves halfway and then fasten the regulator nut while waiting for the line pressure to change its reading to 5psi. The key here is to apply heat moderately by adjusting the torch according to the thickness of the metal you’re working with, or sticking to a lower flame in the beginning while you’re getting used to the process.
Arc Welding – Similarly to gas handyman services Mobile AL, arc welding requires that you set the heat by shifting the welder’s setting. You can do this by changing the dial, with the recommended amps for 1/8 inch material being 75, whereas ¼ inch thick metal will melt better at 100 amps. What sets arc welding apart is the fact that it requires you to create an arc and use it to melt the metal and the rod at the same time, after which you place the rod onto the metal. If you’re wondering how an arc is created, all you need to do is to hold the tip at a close distance to the metal and then pull the trigger.