The Joys of Welding

There are many who are afraid of welding. It spits fire and smoke, curling skyward. It's hot, dirty. It's also a hell of a lot of fun. How often do you get to melt steel with electricity? Join disparate hunks of steel into a single homogenous form. It is a key skill for the maker, even though it is something that takes time to learn.

The biggest mistake I've seen people make while learning to weld stick(SMAW, as it is more formally known), is fearing the arc. They want to keep their hands well away from it, and in doing so, lose control. Granted, keeping your hands closer to the arc burns gloves more quickly. In my experience, a pair of welding gloves lasts about two weeks. Do yourself a favour, don't buy gloves from the hardware store! Go to a specialty welding supplier. Canadian Tire sells Lincoln branded welding gloves for $20 a pair. At Praxair, I can buy higher quality welding gloves for $5 a pair. Hold the rod closer to the end. If both your hands are back at the stinger, the tip of the rod will wobble everywhere. This makes it impossible to produce a good weld.