Welding guides
Parts, troubleshooting, equipment, and life in the trade. Browse by topic or search below.
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MIG Porosity Causes and Fixes
MIG porosity is gas trapped in the weld metal as it solidifies. It usually shows up as pinholes, worm tracks, or a rough weld surface. The main causes are shielding gas problems,…
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Spool Gun Wire Feed Problems
Spool gun wire feed problems usually come from drag, tension, poor setup, or damaged consumables. Aluminum wire is soft, so small resistance changes can stop feed, cause birdnesting, or make the arc…
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Push Pull Gun Birdnesting at the Drive Rolls
Birdnesting at the drive rolls in a push-pull aluminum setup means the wire is buckling before it enters the drive system or liner correctly. The cause is usually excess resistance, poor drive…
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MIG Contact Tip Keeps Burning Back
If a MIG contact tip keeps burning back, the problem is usually not the tip alone. Burnback happens when the wire melts back into the contact tip instead of feeding cleanly into…
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MIG Wire Not Feeding Smoothly
If your MIG wire is not feeding smoothly, the fault is usually in the feed path, not the power source. Start at the spool and work forward through the drive rolls, gun…
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Why Weld Beads Look Inconsistent
Inconsistent weld beads usually come from variation in heat input, travel speed, arc length, wire feed, shielding gas coverage, or joint preparation. The visible bead pattern is often the result of one…
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Exothermic Cutting Rod Will Not Stay Lit
If an exothermic cutting rod will not stay lit, start with oxygen delivery, rod condition, and starting technique. Most ignition problems come from inconsistent gas flow, a worn consumable, or a poor…
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Flap Disc Loading Up on Aluminum
Flap disc loading on aluminum is usually a material-transfer problem, not just a disc problem. Aluminum is soft, gummy, and prone to packing into the abrasive surface. Once the disc loads, cut…
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Grinding Disc Glazing Instead of Cutting
When a grinding disc glazes, it stops cutting freely and starts skidding, smearing, or heating the work. The problem is usually not the wheel alone. Check pressure, speed, contact angle, and whether…
