Category
Welders & Plasma
Mig, tig, stick, flux core and plasma machines explained and compared on rated output, duty cycle at a stated amperage, and what they draw from the wall.
-
Spot welder: three different machines share the name. Which one you mean
A spot welder can be resistance tongs, a battery tab welder or an arc gun for a stick welder. What each does, with resistance welder specs from the manuals.
-
Welders for auto body sheet metal: how low each machine goes
For body panels, read the bottom of the mig range and the thinnest gauge the maker rates. Of six welders checked, two publish a 24 gauge rating.
-
Choosing a welding machine: four questions, in the order that matters
Shopping for a welding machine? Decide in this order: your outlet, your metal, the process, then the full kit cost. Each step links to the page that answers it.
-
Multiprocess welders: what one machine really gets you
What mig, stick and tig in one power source actually means, what you still have to buy for each process, and the specs that differ between them.
-
Best plasma cutters for a home shop, by clean cut, air and circuit
LOTOS, PrimeWeld, Bestarc, YesWelder and ArcCaptain plasma cutters compared on published clean cut, air flow at a stated pressure, input amps and breaker.
-
PrimeWeld TIG225X vs ARCCAPTAIN TIG200P AC/DC: circuit, arc time and support
Two budget AC/DC tig welders for aluminum, compared on published input current, breaker, duty cycle and who pays shipping on a warranty claim.
-
Best mig welders, ranked by what your circuit can actually feed
Five gas-capable mig welders compared on published duty cycle, input amps and breaker. Two are rated for a 20 amp circuit. Three ask for 50.
-
Best multiprocess welders, ranked by what they need from the wall
Six dual voltage multiprocess welders compared on published duty cycle, input amps and breaker. Most list 35 to 46 amps of input on a 120 volt outlet.
-
Best welder for beginners: start with the outlet you have
Five beginner welders compared on what they need from your outlet. Only one is rated for a 20 amp household circuit. Plus what else you must buy to start.
-
Flux core welders explained: the no-gas way to start
What a flux core welder is, how gasless wire shields a weld, what it suits and where it struggles, and what to check on a listing before buying one.
-
Mig welders explained: what the specs mean and what to check
What a mig welder is, how to read its amps, duty cycle and input current, what gas and wire it needs, and where to go next to pick one.
-
Plasma cutters explained: rated cut, sever cut and the air behind them
What a plasma cutter is, why the thickness on the listing is not the thickness you can cut cleanly, and the compressed air and power it needs.
-
Stick welders explained: simple machines, real limits
What a stick welder is, how rods and amperage relate, why it suits outdoor and heavy repairs, and the specs to check before buying one.
-
Tig welders explained: AC, DC, and what the extras are for
What a tig welder is, why aluminum needs AC, what high frequency start, lift tig and a foot pedal do, and the specs to check before buying.
-
Welder comparison table: duty cycle, input amps and breaker by model
Eleven welders side by side on published rated output, minutes of arc per ten, input amps and required circuit. Every figure sourced and dated.