Which is best for your custom fab job: MIG, TIG, FCAW or Stick?

by Larry D. Walton

You don’t have to look very hard to find welds on your rig and probably don’t have to think long to remember the last time you needed some welding done on one of your custom projects. Welding is as much a part of owning a custom rig as polishing.

Many of us remember all the old stick welders you could find in practically every garage. Heck, some of my buddies are still using their dads’ old Lincoln arc welders around the farm to repair equipment or build trailers for some specialized purpose that has to do with spreading manure, hauling silage or other stinky job.

Stick welders are still available and work great for fixing farm equipment and making the occasional repair on one of your old trailers.

But for show-quality custom work using today’s alloys, it’s time to take a good look at the portable TIG and MIG welders. Affordable and relatively easy to learn, these new wire-feed welders can be a great addition to the home shop for the owner-operator.

Here’s a handy comparison chart to help you decide what type of welder is best for your application: