Welding Tips and Tricks

Howdy,

I'm a rigger/automation technician at Cirque du Soleil from Arizona. Not a lot of welding at work, primarily SMAW/GMAW either welding tent stakes or repairing equipment racks whenever I get the chance. Been welding for 20 years off an on, and spend most of my tour breaks helping my parents at their ranch in Southern Arizona, mostly welding projects from my sainted mother's to-do list.

Home shop is a little Everlast machine dedicated to FCAW and stick since it's mostly used outside around the ranch, and a Lincoln 210MP for everything else in the shop.

Eventually I'd like to pick up either an older pipeline machine or maybe the new Ranger with the fancy bits because I make poor financial decisions when it comes to toys.

Welcome! If your going to make a bad financial decision then I’d recommend considering a Miller gas machine that has the fully modulating throttle. That puts you into a 300 + amp machine that’s quiet until you need full power. There real good on fuel use at low loads.