Wielding a Welding Torch

When you are a company named ShapeMaster, you want to make sure you have the tools available so you can live up to that name. It is a huge responsibility, but we are more than happy to take on the challenge!

A few newsletters ago, we showed you how we have the tools and skills to weld plastic to plastic. Before we could begin, we needed to determine what type of work we wanted to accomplish and apply our welding capabilities. Having a solid plan in place allowed us to make the best decisions as to what specific type of equipment we needed to purchase.

We made the decision to apply our skills to do light fabrication and repair work which would include the metals steel, aluminum, and stainless steel. Just as there are different types of metals and thicknesses of metals, there are different types of welding equipment to fit those specific metallurgical situations.

We employ two welders that do the majority of our welding work. The first one is known as a TIG welder. TIG is an acronym for Tungsten Inert Gas. The device you hold in one hand is called the torch and the very tip of that torch is made of tungsten. In your other hand, you hold a consumable rod that used to create the weld. The inert gas, usually argon, is used to protect the weld area from water vapor and other impurities that could compromise the weld. We use this welder for lighter gauge material and aluminum.

Our second welder is a MIG style of welder which stands for Metal Inert Gas. It is a similar principle to the TIG, but instead of a rod to create the weld, a metal wire is fed through the end of the torch to create the arc that makes the weld. Like the TIG welder, an inert gas, most likely argon, protects the weld area from water vapor and impurities.

The main difference between the MIG and TIG is we use the TIG welder for thinner materials, and the MIG welder is very useful when joining thicker gauge metals.

Another tool we want to share with you is our Hypertherm Plasma Cutter. Our plasma cutter has the ability to cut most metals up to 5/8.  The plasma cutter operates in a similar process as the welders do. An arc is created but instead of joining material together, it burns right through it.

We are ready and willing to do your next welding project.