Welding Supplies Blog

Nowadays, everything can be connected to your smartphone. It can run your Netflix, your AC, your house lights—heck, some smartphones can even talk to your mom on her birthday while you sit back and...

Transport yourself back almost 30 years ago. It’s the 80s and early 90s. MTV still plays music videos; gas is a dollar per gallon and auto-darkening helmets are becoming accessible to the average A...

So, you need to cut some metal. Maybe you’re fitting some joints together on your latest welding project. Or that piece of sheet metal is just a few inches too long. No matter the reason, welding o...

For most welders who work out in the field, a welder/generator is the heart of their equipment. Why isn’t it the brain, especially with how smart these machines have gotten? Well, that’s because so...

Whoever says size matters has never seen two things: a Tasmanian Devil amped up on Red Bull mixed with beaver steroids—and the ESAB Miniarc Rogue ES 180i. The good things that come in this small pa...

“Sports tires are sick,” the mechanic said. “They’re the ones I’d go with.” My stupid 17-year-old self was just dumb enough to take his word for it. Within two months, our streets were covered in i...

In a previous month, we covered portability while welding out in the field. However, there are many of you that weld in a workshop or your garage. This doesn’t mean portability isn’t important to y...

The $1.4 billion stealth bomber pulled out onto the runway of Guam’s airforce base. The wet, humid air was foreign to the silent behemoth, which had largely been developed in the dry deserts of the...

Power requirements have never been demonstrated better than 1989’s Christmas Vacation. As Clark Griswald excitedly goes to plug in his elaborate Christmas lights display, his joy turns to dread as ...

Have you ever gone camping? For some people, it’s a nightmare. You’re cold, hungry and have to sleep on rocks—then a raccoon tries to snuggle with you halfway through the night. You end up having a...

A crack like a gunshot rang out as the baseball connected with the bat. Moving as a blur, the ball sped through the air, going higher and higher. The batter watched it out of the corner of his eye ...

“Shake the house”—that was the original term for “spring cleaning” over 3,000 years ago. As the first spring cleaners, the ancient Persians believed that clearing out their houses after winter prev...

“A fire pit! A FIRE PIT?!” We can hear you skeptics yelling at the top of your lungs. “Cavemen have been making fire pits for hundreds of thousands of years, how hard could it be?!” While your most...

MIG welding is one of the most user-friendly welding processes for someone looking to get into metal work. Although it’s often described as “a metal hot glue gun,” MIG is still an incredibly deep p...

Close your eyes. Imagine a grizzled man wearing a thick apron. In his hand, he holds a thick tree branch, which he jabs at a piece of metal, trying to produce an arc. For your average person, that’...

The holidays hopefully mean a little bit of extra cash for you… or a lot of extra fruit cake. Investing in your welding equipment is one of the smartest things you can do when heading into a new ye...

For the first time in the last couple years, the holidays aren’t crippled with serious supply chain issues. This presents one of the biggest opportunities to find the perfect welding gift. With man...

Flux-core is the Hunchback of welding processes. Like Quasimodo of Notre Dame, flux-cored welding is sometimes cast away because of its hideous appearance. But with a little bit of love and a grind...

While army knives and sketchy bank accounts might be the most well known contributions the Swiss have made to the world, a third item should be added to that list: Optrel helmets—more specifically,...

1878—The world’s largest flour mill was basked in the late spring afternoon sunlight as the day workers’ shift came to an end. 14 night workers would continue to maintain the monstrous structure th...

The Lincoln Power MIG 210 MP was considered the best Lincoln multi-process welder and a favorite among the welding community. Renowned for its dependability and versatility, it was a favorite among...

For the past few years, supply chain issues meant demand for welding machines and equipment was way higher than manufacturer’s could supply. Because of this, almost every manufacturer pulled their ...

Welding might be one of the world’s greatest passions, but it doesn’t hurt to get paid for your skills. A capable welder can be incredibly sought after, and some jobs can pay quite an astonishing a...

Whether you power your welding machine from a generator or use an engine-driven welding machine, a generator is an important piece of equipment for any welder. Chances are, you’ll want to make sure...

It doesn’t matter if you weld so well that the mere sight of one of your beads makes grown men weep for joy—if you don’t protect it, your welds are basically worthless. That might seem a little har...

There’s nothing wrong with a beginner learning how to weld. But no one wants to be making amateur mistakes, especially if you’ve been welding for a while. Here’s a list of the top 5 mistakes that’l...

Are you sick of being tethered to walls? It’s a frustrating experience to be limited based on the location of the nearest electric socket. Ultimate freedom comes from being able to weld anything, a...

You wanna know what’s different about this summer? For the first time in a long time, people are finally able to hang out in groups again. Whether it’s friends or family (or both if you’re Domonic ...

The day was perfect, with only a calm breeze. As the behemoth of a ship was cast off, its dual gun decks were an astonishing sight. Every inch of the ship was finely decorated in honor of the king,...

Following our in-depth review of the ESAB Sentinel last month, we wanted to take a fresh look at some of the new improvements Miller has been adding to their helmets. In particular, their ClearLigh...

For years, it’s been rumored that ESAB based the initial design of the Sentinel A50 helmet on the popular video game, Halo. While ESAB has never confirmed or denied this, the A50’s unique, sleek de...

If welding had unlockable achievements, porosity would be on everyone’s list. It’s just part of the welding learning curve. In fact, it’s not uncommon to see welders with years of experience whose ...

Welding in TV shows and movies always leaves a weird taste in our mouths. Some guy flips his hood down and presto, he’s built a 747 in an afternoon. Even many of the popular home or auto DIY shows ...

Two years ago, the world’s shipping systems got flipped on their head. What this meant was that welding manufacturers couldn’t get the parts they needed to build new welders. Realizing their invent...

While the icy cold grip of winter still has a strong hold on most of the country, Summer is coming soon. And what better way to dream away the snow than the tangy, juicy flavor of homemade BBQ cook...

Everyone likes super teams, right? The Avengers, the Rock and Kevin Hart, the Lakers… Well, maybe not every super team. But one super team that no one can doubt is Miller’s lineup of industrial equ...

It was 1960 and the US/Soviet arms race had become a full-blown marathon. Just off the east coast, the USS Barbel cut through the waves on its way to a training exercise. The sub’s massive 219’ hul...

For years, Miller had a perpetual promotion known as “Build with Blue” that featured new rebates every quarter. With COVID backhanding the global supply chains into a near-unrecognizable state, Bui...

With 2021 coming to a close, we’d like to pull back the curtain a bit and share with you what were the most popular machines and helmets purchased at Welding Supplies from IOC. In the end, you shou...

Last year was one heck of a crazy winter: cold where it wasn’t supposed to be, warmer where it was. It’s like Jack Frost had a midlife crisis and just did whatever he wanted. While we’re hoping thi...

With the news warning that inventory on hot holiday items will be selling out fast, there’s never been a better year to make your gifts. Personalized presents you weld yourself really hit people in...

Whether you’re shopping for the welder in your life or just looking for a smart way to use that holiday gift money you got, we’ve put together an excellent gift guide based on several pricing tiers...

A few years ago, ESAB introduced a huge breakthrough for their multiprocess machines. For the first time ever, a multiprocess machine could TIG weld aluminum. As with any new tech, some welders cou...

Stainless steel sounds like the world’s greatest weld metal, but the more you weld it, the more it quickly becomes a living nightmare. While many welders can weld stainless steel, they often end up...

September 2021 Like Lincoln, Miller welders are made in various parts of the world, but as U.S.-based companies with a long history, the rivalry between these welding machines is especially heated ...

September 2021 Multiprocess machines have come a significant way, and a lot of the information comparing them against dedicated machines is often wrong or out of date. The truth is, both multiproce...

A good helmet can make you a great welder and should last a long time (if you take care of it). But most welders don’t realize how to get the most out of their helmets and what options they have to...

We’re often blown away by the photos that we receive of welding projects you’re all working on: Classic car restorations, furniture, fire pits, vehicle modifications—all sorts of incredible pieces....