# I need a welding maven

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-welding-maven/37200>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 17, 2000, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-welding-maven/37200 "2000-10-17T00:59:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-welding-maven/37200/1 "2000-10-17T00:59:30Z")

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I’ve decided to use a small windfall to buy myself a proper welding machine, I’m stepping up to TIG. I was considering the hobby machines made by Hobart and Lincoln but will probably get the Miller Synchrowave 180SD, a scaled down industrial machine. It probably does everything I need it to as it has DC and squarewave AC for aluminum. It lacks pulse control. What **can’t** I do without pulse mode? I doubt if I’ll ever need to weld exotic metals like titanium but what does the pulse control really do?

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**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-welding-maven/37200/2 "2000-10-17T02:06:19Z")

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My understanding is all that a hand or foot-operated pulse control allows you to do is respond more rapidly to changes in metal thickness, material, and/or consistancy, instead of just always having a continuous arc (which would lead to burn through or a poor weld, or stopping in mid-seam to readjust).

That is, so if the metal thickness changes, you can adjust for it on the fly. If you plan on always welding pretty uniform thickness, homogeneous material, you can do fine without it.