Category Archives: MIG / GMAW Welding

As Seen On Instagram April 2015

Arc-Zone April Product Spotlight

We did a write up on the EZ Wipes earlier this month. These are one of our favorite products in our Ultimate Weld Shop. They are easy to use, convenient, environmentally friendly, safe–they won’t put dangerous fumes into the air, and you can re-use them!

EZ Wipes--clean your base metal
After being off the market for a very long time, Aquasol’s EZ Wipes are finally back due to high demand and we just started carrying them! EZ Wipes make weld prep a whole lot easier, but more importantly, they remove contaminants without acetone or other harmful solvents to achieve pure welds. Its simple, yet effective design incorporates a two-sided saturated cleaning sheet. One side is tough and abrasive for loosening and removing dried contaminants on the surface while the other, smoother side, completes the process by removing remaining particles to reveal a clean and polished surface. For 10 Bucks you get 10 EZ Wipe packs, an Arc-Zone sticker pack, a re-sealable plastic bag to preserve your open EZ wipe packet, and last but not least, shipping’s included! Check out the promo link on our profile page for more details. #weldlikeapro #arczone #arczoneproductspotlight

PROMO runs through the end of April 2015.

Most Liked Post (about welding)

Actually the post about the Razor Blade challenge from last month is still our Most Liked Post… but this one showcasing this most excellent weave is second most liked post.

TIG Welding at its finestIt’s called #WeaveWednesday for a reason. Guys like @tool_and_die_welder are the epitome of this. You might wanna look at this now and come back later just to look again at how awesome this #weave is. #killallfiller #weldlikeapro #tigaesthetics #TIG #GTAW #arczone #arctime #weldporn #welding

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Now I’m not sure but I’m going to guess that this welder uses a quality TIG torch and makes sure his base metal is clean and his set up is dialed in to Weld Like a PRO.  If you want to Weld Like a PRO check out the Arc-Zone Learning Center’s articles about TIG Welding.

Most Commented Post

Again, the Razor Blade Challenge was the actual most commented post, but here’s the second most commented post….  and I bet you can just imagine the kind of comments!  Training wheels for your TIG Torch! I guess if you’re what we used to call a “Shaky Jake” this could come in Continue reading →

10 Great Gifts for Welders for Under $50

Stocking Stuffer Gift Ideas for Welders

Arc-Zone has some not-so-expensive gifts for welders, some small enough to fit in your favorite welder’s stocking!

ArcTime All Purpose Hybrid Tungsten ElectrodesArcTime All Purpose Hybrid tungsten electrodes

Our ArcTime Tungsten for TIG welding  is one of our best sellers. No matter what kind of material you’re welding, and no matter what kind of machine you’re using, this tungsten is the best.

ArcTime™ brand electrodes are packaged in our exclusive clear plastic tubes with black vinyl removable cap and includes our trademark “wood strip” to minimize moisture contamination and prolong electrode storage life.

Arc-Zone.com’s® High-Quality ArcTime™ brand tungsten electrodes meet or exceed ISO 6848 and AWS A5.12 standards.

MIG Gun holder with accessory plate

MIG Gun Holder
Place this MIG torch holder at any point on your welding table–it’s strong and has a magnetic base.  It’s fully enclosed base makes clean up of metal fuzz a breeze. And check it out:  the handy accessory plate features a slot for MIG Pliers and a nozzle gel canister.

The MIG gun holder may not fit in a stocking, but it sure is a handy tool for a MIG welder!

Continue reading →

Back to Welding School!

BSX Xtreme MIG welding glove from Revco!As summer winds down, and Labor Day approaches, we at Arc-Zone always think of Back to School.    If you’re just starting out, you’ll probably first sign up for basic MIG and Stick welding classes, so you won’t need anything fancy. And you won’t want to invest a lot money if you’re not even sure if you like welding. With these recommended personal protection equipment (PPE) products, you’ll protect yourself without dropping a lot of coin:  We recommend some basic personal protection equipment (PPE) such as welding gloves, a jacket, a helmet, and a respirator.

Your welding gloves should fit well for optimal dexterity.  One of our favorites is the Revco BSX Xtreme Stick/ MIG glove.  It’s constructed with top quality thin cut kidskin leather, with pig skin palms for the best in protection and the ultimate in flexibility.  And be sure to save your welding gloves for welding and use more rugged metal worker gloves for your prep and finish work.  Continue reading →

Gas Cylinders and Welding Safety

Welding Cylinder Bottle Caddy for welding safetyWelding safety is always a concern in a manufacturing facility, or even a small shop.  But not just about the hot metal, the welding fumes, or the sharp objects. Those are the obvious welding safety concerns.  But did you know that according to the U.S. Department of Labor, back injuries are the number one workplace safety problem.  And you know, in a welding shop, there’s always something that needs to be lifted and moved.

Arc-Zone Grand Opening of Retail Showroom

Not too long ago when we had our Open House (for our Ultimate Showroom) we asked Scott to move some gas cylinders out of the way.  Now Scott’s a pretty big strong guy (bearded dude in the black shirt, pictured here) and he says “I nearly destroyed myself bear-hugging and lifting them onto a cart.”  Sound familiar? Continue reading →

Procon Pumps For Your Welding Water Cooler

Everything you need to know about Pumps for your Welding Water Cooler

Procon Coolant pump for welding water coolersYou probably know that Procon(R) coolant pumps are pretty much the industry standard for welding water coolers.  But a quick search for “coolant pump” or even “Procon pump” on google, or eBay and you’ll soon be overwhelmed with choices.  And in fact, you may be tempted to buy an inexpensive pump – but beware.  That inexpensive pump on eBay could in fact be a beverage dispenser pump with a default setting of 250 PSI. Which can blow out the small passages in your TIG torch.  And it won’t be the best pump for your welding needs for other reasons…

Arc-Zone sells Procon pumps that are new, refurbished, and engineered for welding applications.  The pumps include an inlet strainer that keeps particles out of the pump and out of the TIG torch – particles that can clog up passages in your TIG torch that allow water to flow through and cool your torch.  The Procon pumps for welding applications also come preset at 60 PSI, the standard for MIG welding.  NOTE:  the recommended setting  for TIG welding is 50 PSI.  Arc-Zone also ships new and professionally refurbished Procon pumps with all the parts you need to get your welding cooler back up and running:  v-band mounting clamp, tang shaft drive, and set up instructions.

Check out this video we did a while back explaining all of this:

Another reason to buy from Arc-Zone.com is our Core Exchange program. You can send in your used Procon pump and get a $25 credit towards you replacement pump! (You may be able to get credit for your Plasma Arc Welding torch, foot pedals, and diamond grinding wheels as well!)

MIG vs TIG WELDING

MIG vs TIG Welding

Brief History

Tungsten inert gas (TIG / GTAW) and metal inert gas (MIG / GMAW) welding are both welding techniques developed in the early 1940’s in response to increased demand for weaponry. TIG was primarily developed for the aircraft industry while MIG was developed to increase the speed of weapon production.

Basics

TIG welding uses a tungsten electrode that is not consumed during the welding process. TIG welding uses argon, a mix of argon and hydrogen, or an argon and helium gas mix to provide shielding. TIG welding is recommended for materials such as magnesium, aluminum and copper alloys, and thin pieces of stainless steel.

On the other hand, MIG welding works well on steels because it is one of the fastest types of welding processes available. MIG welding uses a metal electrode that doubles as filler material for the weld and is consumed during the process. In MIG welding, argon gas is used alone or in combination with oxygen, carbon dioxide, or helium.

Benefits of TIG Welding

  • Produces better quality welds
  • Welder has precise control of the heat of the electrode, which causes fewer distortions
  • No splatter produced
  • Welds can be made with or without filler metal
  • Has a lower deposition rate

Benefits of MIG Welding

  • Longer welds without stops and starts increase productivity
  • Cheaper welders
  • Easier to learn and good for home use
  • Less cleanup required 

Considerations

Overall, TIG welding is more difficult than MIG welding because tighter tolerances have to be maintained between the electrode, the filler rod, and the work piece.  Although MIG welding may be less complicated, TIG welding produces superior quality welds. At the end of the day, it depends what kind of welding job you need done.

Find out more information at Arc-Zone.com on:

*MIG Guns

*TIG Torches

*Gas Mixers

What are your thoughts on MIG vs TIG welding? Is there something you want to add? Share your thoughts with us below!