You may be wondering if your welding or fabrication job really calls for the services of a professional welder. Your alternatives are shops that handle basic welding work along with other fabrication or repair jobs. The other alternative might be a self-employed welder or even a repair person with a portable welder. Any of those three options might be okay for many jobs. However, professional welder services bring a high level of training and expertise to any job. They will be able to handle larger fabrication jobs and smaller on-site jobs.
We can give you several reasons to look for welding near me in the greater Nashville area. Not only can welding shops handle any job professionally, but many also offer mobile welding services for work that needs to be performed at your location. Machine shops offer a range of other services, whether mobile or in-house. So a machine shop near Lebanon, TN will be fully equipped to take care of any simple or complex job.
4 Important Reasons to Hire a Full-Service Welding Shop
Most of the welding work a business is likely to need takes a good deal of skill to complete accurately and safely. In short, that is the best reason for hiring a full-service welding shop. Here is why paying for expert welding is a good idea.
- Superior training – Welding might look simple enough, but creating good welds requires lots of practice, supervision, and formal training. A welding business will have certified welders experienced with a range of tools and materials.
- Better weld quality – A certified and experienced welder will know how to prepare the working area and do a proper weld that will have maximum strength and durability.
- Superior equipment – Any professional will use high-quality tools and take good care of them. Better tools help make for better welds.
- Expert Knowledge – An experienced welder can inspect the working material and surroundings, and spot any issues that could compromise the durability and strength of the fabrication work.
Find a machine shop in Lebanon, TN to take care of your on-site or off-site welding and repair work, rather than doing things yourself.
5 Reasons Why DIY Welding Might be a Bad Idea
Hobbyists and amateurs can take on some welding jobs if they have the right equipment. However, this is a specialized skill. It takes a little experience to weld badly and lots of training and experience to create solid, long-lasting welds. This is one of several reasons to pay for professional welder services, rather than doing things yourself. Four more reasons to hire a pro include:
- Safety concerns – Anything that can melt metal and alloys is going to be a little bit dangerous to handle. There is always a small risk of personal injury or property damage.
- Health hazards – The smoke and vapors produced by some welding are potential health hazards. Heat can also become a hazard, due to the protective gear you need to wear.
- High precision required – You can learn basic stick welding easily enough, but executing the welds properly is not so easy. Basic instruction via online videos or a written guide may leave you unprepared to identify problems with the working material or with your welds.
- Physical demands – Wearing hot, heavy, and expensive safety equipment, climbing around or lying down, or crouching for long periods can become a health hazard if you aren’t in decent physical fitness.
- Experience required – Welding two pieces of steel together can seem easy, but that’s not always true. Certain metals and alloys, complex welds, and outdoor welding all need specialized experience to create.
Beginners and hobbyists often make a variety of mistakes that can compromise the quality of their welds or the integrity of the pieces they welded together. Here are a few common mistakes:
Not cleaning the workpiece properly – Rust, oil, paint, and more can compromise the weld’s integrity even if the work is done right otherwise. An inexperienced welder may leave too much contamination in place without knowing how “clean” is clean enough.
Using the wrong welding gun, voltage, stick, or wires – Picking the right tools and supplies for a specialized job isn’t always easy. Welding is the same.
Going too fast – Creating a good weld takes time, even when you are a seasoned pro but the difference between a quick weld and a good weld can be hard to detect.
Inadequate safety equipment – You should be using a full-face shield, gloves, steel-toed boots, hearing protection, and (sometimes) a respirator when welding. This is true even if you are doing a little stick welding job.
A few other mistakes arguably fall into the categories above. So, in short, you’re going be better off relying on a search of “professional welding near me,” even if you can theoretically do the work yourself.
Trust Your Welding Needs to a Machine Shop in Lebanon, TN
Expert welder services bring experience, training, and professional-quality equipment to any welding or fabrication job. Some shops even offer mobile welding for jobs that have to be done on-site. When you look for “welding near me” around the greater Nashville area, look for Hamilton Machine. We have the expert technicians and equipment for the job. Contact Us to learn more and discuss your needs.
