Welding and cutting equipment covers the machines, guns, torches and power sources that actually do the work. This category holds MIG and flux-cored welders, TIG power sources, stick welders, plasma cutters, engine-driven units for field work, and the guns, torches and accessories that connect them.
Choosing a process comes first. MIG (GMAW) is the fastest way to join mild steel and is the default for sheet metal, auto body and light fabrication. Flux-cored (FCAW) runs without shielding gas and handles wind and outdoor conditions that would blow MIG gas away. TIG (GTAW) gives the cleanest, most controlled arc and is the right choice for stainless, aluminium, thin gauge and anything that will be inspected. Stick (SMAW) still wins on dirty, rusty or heavy plate.
Two specifications decide whether a machine will survive your work. Duty cycle is the percentage of a ten-minute period a machine can run at a given amperage before it must cool — a 60% duty cycle at 200 A means 6 minutes welding and 4 minutes cooling. Output amperage must also match the thickness you intend to weld; cutting a machine's rated amperage to weld thicker metal than it was built for is the most common way hobby units fail early.
Pay attention to input power as well. Most light MIG and TIG units run on 120 V household circuits but are limited to roughly 90-140 A output. Anything above about 3/16 in steel generally needs a 240 V circuit. Engine-driven welders are a separate case — they combine a generator and a welding power source for jobs with no grid access.
Every machine here is listed with its rated output, duty cycle and input voltage so you can match it to the work before you buy. If you are unsure which process fits a specific job, the FAQ page covers the common cases in plain terms.
