Welding & Metalwork Trivia

Whether it's a blacksmith hammering steel or a fabricator running a MIG gun, joining metal has always been part science, part craft, and part not getting burned.

Picking Your Arc

Modern welders choose between several processes depending on the job. MIG welding feeds a continuous consumable wire through the gun under a shielding gas, making it fast and beginner-friendly, while TIG welding uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode for slower, more precise work on thinner or more delicate metals. Stick welding, technically called Shielded Metal Arc Welding, relies on a flux-coated rod and remains popular for rugged outdoor or repair jobs.

Metal Chemistry Matters

• Stainless steel resists rust thanks to added chromium, which forms a thin, self-healing oxide layer.
• Bronze is copper alloyed with tin; brass swaps in zinc instead.
• Welding galvanized steel without ventilation can release zinc fumes, causing a flu-like illness nicknamed "metal fume fever."

Older Than the Arc

Long before electricity, blacksmiths practiced forge welding — heating two pieces of metal until they were pliable, then hammering them together into one. Quenching hot steel in water or oil hardens it, a trick that also produced legendary patterned steels like Damascus blades.