Welding Supplies Blog

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....

Look, there’s no point in beating around the bush: CNC (or any type of automated anything) tends to be pretty controversial. CNC supporters make it sound like a one-size-fits-all solution, while an...

With almost 200 articles, our blog is one of the most comprehensive welding resources on the internet. In this guide, we’ve put together a list of recent articles categorized by welding machines, c...

After one of the most bizarre winters in recent US history, summer is finally here. And unfortunately, experts are predicting that it’s going to be quite hot. That means increased risk of heat stro...

Darkness. An engulfing, black void like you’ve never experienced before. Beyond your small headlight, the world is simply gone: No shapes, no faint colors, just emptiness. Everything feels so empty...

With increasing welding equipment costs, finding an affordable ESAB stick/TIG welder under $1,000 is a great value. The Rogue series machines offer versatility with their ability to operate in both...

It’s both magic and unsettling at the same time to watch a 3D printer at work. Its movements are cold, calculated and unnatural. Where a person would approach a project from multiple angles, the pr...

Before you drop a comment so full of expletives that even a sailor would blush, it’s important to understand who decides when Miller’s prices increase and why. We’ll explain what exactly is going o...

Up until a few years ago, only mass-manufactured products tended to be planned out beyond a simple sketch and some rough dimension estimations. Recently, there's been a huge influx in easy-to-use, ...

Did you know welding helmets are not interchangeable between MIG and TIG welders? MIG welding helmets have features better suited to MIG welders and vice-versa with TIG welding helmets. Most welder...

Ultimately, the cutting equipment you pick should be determined by how deep you need to go. It doesn’t matter what other fancy features it has, if it can’t get the job done. To help you make the ri...

There’s a lot (and we mean a lot) of really bad, cheap welding machines out there. The truth is, it’s not really saving you money if your brand new welder breaks after a few months. You don’t have ...

For a beginner, even figuring out what equipment you need for welding can feel like a daunting task. Many first-timers get all set up, thinking they have everything, only to realize there are still...

Over the past two decades, the plasma cutting scene has exploded with some of the best machines in the history of the industry. Along with that, Lincoln has created their own line of plasma cutters...

With heavy hitters like the ESAB Rebel EMP 215ic or the Rebel EMP 205ic, the ESAB Miniarc Rogue ES 180I has managed to slip by a lot of welders’ radars. It’s a new machine that manages to hit an ar...

As the winds whirled about and the seas rocked their boat with a chorus of thunder, sailors used to watch the top of their ship’s mast. They hoped to see a strange glowing light above, a good omen ...