Author: norfas

Finding the Right Welding Stud Gun for Your Everyday Welding Needs

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It’s true that anyone can become a welder with the right training and dedication, but learning how to select the correct stud-welding equipment for the job takes time and experience. Specifically, selecting a welding stud gun that suits your needs for each individual project or weld can make a major difference in your welding success. At Northland Fastening Systems (NFS), we provide rentals and purchasing options for welders just starting out as well as veteran welders who know exactly what they’re looking for.

Selecting Your Welding Stud Gun Depends On Several Factors

Practicality—Of course, the first factor you have to consider when choosing your stud-welding equipment is whether or not it’s practical for the job. For welding stud guns, this means considering whether you’ll be working on flat or varied surfaces, the types of pins you’ll be utilizing, the materials involved, and weld-quality factors such as splatter and marking. Welding stud guns come in different varieties to suit different weld needs. Choosing without thought can leave your welds lacking or incomplete.

Price—This is a big issue for companies and individuals with a small budget. Buying multiple types of stud-welding equipment can be expensive, and even more so if you don’t purchase the correct type of equipment for the job. Rather than leaving your choice to chance, new welders can utilize rental services such as NFS stud-welding equipment rentals, and can connect with welding professionals to get support and guidance on what they need to procure.

Personal Preference—There are many welding stud guns for every job, which means at the end of day, your decision will likely come down to personal preference. Ask yourself which gun feels most natural in your hand, is easiest to handle for long periods of time, or produces the least amount of marking. The best stud-welding equipment in the world might not do you much good if you hate using it. Instead, figure out your welding style and choose a welding stud gun that really suits you.

The stud-welding professionals with NFS can help you explore your welding stud gun options. Our experts are available for consultations, rental support, and sales at (651) 730-7770. Welders can also check out our website to find out more about our welding service options.

Food-Grade Welding with Sanitary Practices

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Ensuring that your fabrications satisfy the requirements of food-grade welding is as much a matter of quality welding as it is a matter of safety. Food-grade welding is, understandably, an incredibly strict area of production. While all welding comes with a level of risk, sanitary welding, when done improperly, has the potential to make a lot of people very ill. At Northland Fastening Systems (NFS), we take safety seriously and can help you find the tools, techniques, and materials you need to create truly safe machinery with food-grade welding.

Food-Grade Welding Designs

No matter how skilled or precise your welding may be, if a planned design is poorly suited for sanitation, there’s a good chance the final product will never be approved for food-grade production. Understanding the type of designs that lend themselves to food-grade welding is the first step to creating safe and consistent fabrications.

A key aspect of sanitary welding design is ensuring that no fastening or part of the machine has the potential to catch or trap food debris. Designs featuring many sharp angles, divots, or nooks and crannies can become a hotbed of bacterial growth that can quickly lead to illness. This is true in every type of food-grade fabrication from single machines intended for school use to wide-scale factory conveyors. In fact, every step of food-grade welding must be checked and double checked to ensure that it lives up to the strict requirements by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Welding Materials

And similarly, a perfectly designed machine will never be a sanitary weld without the correct materials. Porous materials or materials that are prone to corrosion can become health hazards when placed in a food-oriented environment. Sanitary welding materials such as stainless steel are well suited to such projects, but in order to ensure that they stay safe, materials must have a smooth surface and zero risk of flaking and coming into contact with food.

A combination of highly skilled welding and high-quality materials can facilitate such fabrications, and NFS can assist with both. If you’re working on food-grade welding projects and are in need of high-quality materials, tools, and support, we’ve got your back. Keep your food safe and your machines sanitary by calling us today at (651) 730-7770 or visiting our website for more information.

 

Proper Welding Protective Gear Stops Welder’s Flash before It Happens

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Your eyes are one of the strongest tools in your repertoire as a professional welder, but without proper precautions, it’s all too easy to end up with temporary or permanent vision damage while on the job. Welding injuries can happen on any site, large or small, which is why Northland Fastening Systems (NFS) urges all welders, professionals and hobbyists, to always wear their welding protective gear.

Welding Protective Gear Protects Your Eyes

 Welder’s flash, arc eye, and flash burn are all names for the same welding injury that occurs when a burst of UV light emitted from a weld burns your eyes. It only takes a moment of exposure without welding protective gear for this type of burn to occur, and depending on the severity, you can be left without vision for minutes, hours, or longer.

Along with being painful, welder’s flash can suddenly hinder your vision, which can in turn, lead to further injury. When you’re on a job site, a single welding injury can create a sort of domino effect. Welder’s flash is especially dangerous because it leaves you vulnerable in a high-heat, high-risk environment mid-weld.

Why Gear Matters

 Eye protection while welding isn’t just a suggestion; it’s a necessity. And it’s important to remember that welding protective gear isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation. The type and style of protective gear you wear should be directly related to the weld you’re working on. If you’re wearing goggles or glasses that aren’t equipped with the right kind of lens you can find yourself blinded at the least opportune moment.

Welder’s flash is one of many types of burns or welding injuries you can sustain on the job. Even if a welding injury seems minor at first, your body may not be able to recover if the same type of injury keeps recurring. If you’re invested in welding for the long run, proper welding protective gear is your ticket to a long life of clear vision and safe welds.

If you’re in need of welding gear, NFS can help. Welders can reach out at (651) 730-7770 or contact us for more information on our welding protective gear and other welding accessories.

Stud Welding Cables in Your Welding Gear Arsenal

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Just about every welding project going on today is carried on the back of high-quality cables. Cables that run across job sites, up several stories, down into the recesses of new builds, and beyond. The best welder in the world can’t do much without heat, and stud welding cables are the key that transfers all that power into your workspace. At Northland Fastening Systems (NFS), we provide stud welding cables that get the job done.

Protecting Your Stud Welding Cables

 Just like any other vital piece of welding gear in your toolbox, taking proper care of your cables can make or break your welding experience. Stud welding cables should be housed somewhere safe when not in use and checked carefully for faults, cuts, or tangles prior to and after being rolled out. Welders also need to verify that they’re using the correct gauge and ampacity for the job at hand, and that the output matches the cable’s intended capacity. Irregularities such as power failures or surges can be tied to a damaged cable, and can also be a major safety hazard.

Protecting Yourself

 Cables don’t just magically end up where they need to go of their own volition, so it is vital that you place cables carefully and manage how they’re situated across your job site. Stud welding cables should be placed in such a way that they aren’t impeding walkways or could be at risk for damage in the middle of active welding. Despite their unassuming appearance, cables are a type of welding gear like any other. That means they should be treated as potentially dangerous and handled professionally to prevent unnecessary risk to welders and other workers.

Cables carry a lot of weight in the world of welding, and unexpected cable failure can be a major inconvenience while on the job. NFS provides replacement stud welding cables for rent or purchase and for jobs of any size. If you need some new welding gear, or are looking for repairs for your current kit, our experts are here to help. Reach out at (651) 730-7770 or visit our website to see our cable options and beyond.

Fastening Systems that Lead to Stud Welding

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Even before humankind started building large structures to house and transport people, fastening systems were being used. In fact, the practice of soldering and connecting fine metals can be traced back to the Bronze Age. In the 1800s, gas welding became more popularized and refined, and finally by the 1900s, the American Welding Society (AWS) was founded. Northland Fastening Systems (NFS) was founded 87 years after the AWS came to be, and has been providing stud-welding equipment and fastening solutions to prospective and professional welders ever since.

Early Fastening Systems in the 1930s

In the 1930s, an early iteration of stud welding was being used to construct ships, and “the rest,” as they say, “is history.” Large constructions were needed for military operations, transport, and rising industries. For each emerging challenge, stud welding proved to be a sturdy and effective solution. As far back as these historical landmarks occurred, they still hold a relevance to stud welding today: specifically, that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Refinement of Systems

The intricacies of modern stud welding have become more refined, and our technology has continued to advance rapidly in the 21st century, but the staying power of stud welding persists. This is, in part, due to the fact that, at its core, stud welding is a relatively simple fastening system. Bolting, drilling, tapping, and other potential fastening systems had their heyday, but the simple and powerful bonds created by stud welding are difficult to surpass. With centuries of evidence boasting its effectiveness, stud welding is consistently the solution to whatever type of construction called for.

NFS is proud to provide tools, gear, equipment, and logistical support for a fastening system that has shaped our world. Professional welders looking to take their welding into the future can reach out to us at (651) 730-7770 or visit our website for more information on our stud welding services.

Stud Welding Mistakes that Can Trip Up Novices and Veterans Alike

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Once you’ve been welding for a while, it’s easy to get into a familiar rhythm. Maybe you’ve been a welder for ten-plus years, and the process feels as natural as lacing up your boots. Maybe you’ve been welding for ten months and finally feel like you can take a breath now that you’re no longer a newbie. No matter how long you’ve been stud welding nor what kind of projects you work on, there are still some issues that can trip up the best of the best in the field. Northland Fastening Systems (NFS) always recommends being present and intentional in your welds, and if your equipment is the factor holding you back, we can help.

Skipping Safety Procedures When Stud Welding

Safety is a big issue, especially on large jobs that have tight deadlines. Once you’re confident in your stud welding, it can be all too easy to skimp a little on the safety checks to save time. But slacking off on eye and ear protection or not checking your surroundings effectively can be the difference between a simple, streamlined job and life-changing injuries. Most of the biggest welding mistakes are errors you can only make once.

Stud Welding with Faulty Equipment 

While it might seem like a big money-saver to work with your “old-reliable” tools, there is a point where all stud welding equipment has passed its peak point of effectiveness. This could be the welders themselves or the power supplies, wire feeders, and beyond. A welding mistake that is all too easy to make is to stick with older equipment just because it’s what you’re familiar with. Welding technology is always improving. When it’s time to upgrade, NFS has you covered.

Not Properly Storing Stud Welding Equipment

Finally, between job sites or projects it’s vital to store your equipment, materials, and filler metals in a way that prevents corrosion and contamination. If you don’t want to end up with porous, faulty welds, you have to make sure every single component is in the best condition possible. Keeping all of your stud welding goods in dry, clean, temperature-controlled locations is the best way to make sure they’ll stand up to the initial welding process as well as the test of time that follows.

Summary

 Stud welders of all experience levels can make welding mistakes because, at the end of the day, it’s humans doing precise work with a lot of variables. The important fact to remember is that prevention is always easier than making on-the-spot fixes or needing first aid. For welders in need of up-to-date, high-quality materials and stud welding equipment, the welding professionals at NFS can provide their expertise and rentals to welders in need.

Stud welding professionals interested in new equipment or welding mistake prevention can reach out to NFS at (651) 730-7770 or visit our website to find out more.

Repair Services for All of Your Essential Welding Gear

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Maintaining your welding gear is a vital part of the professional welding process, but in some cases, you might hit a snag that requires more than some basic TLC. At Northland Fastening Systems (NFS), we provide comprehensive repair services for a wide variety of stud welder brands and models so you can meet your deadlines even if your equipment falters.

Repair Services for Welding Gear

Noticing early warning signs of failing gear can prevent faults during live welding. Sometimes the signs that your welding equipment might be in need of some repair can be almost subtle. Power supplies can start running too warm, welding guns can develop loose connections, and even the most basic regulator can suffer from pressure cracks and valve issues. These problems can be mitigated by some additional cleaning, attention, and careful use. The risk of total failure increases with each instance of utilizing a weakening part or piece of equipment. Rather than leaving your welds to the risk of problems and poor welds, you should instead rely on professional repair services that can extend the life of current equipment and make it safer to use.

Experts Evaluate Condition

Our gear experts can evaluate the condition of your current gear and help you decide if repairs are necessary and/or possible. Our repair services keep gear running longer, but only if we’re able to restore it to a high-quality, workable state. For equipment that’s too far-gone to repair, NFS provides replacements and even rentals that will bridge the gap until you get the new welding gear you need.

If you’re looking for a welding support team that can provide everything from new gear to thorough repairs, look no farther than NFS. Welding professionals can reach out to us at (651) 730-7770 or visit our website to find out more about our repair services, rentals, and new welding gear available for purchase.

Food Grade Welding Has Steep Standards

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Precision is the name of the game when it comes to sanitary welding. Every single bond needs to take the potential for contamination into account, and that means smooth, ridgeless surfaces, and clean connections with zero room for error. Northland Fastening Systems (NFS) provides high-quality, precise tools that allow welders to create safe and long-lasting food-grade welding products. With our expertise, we can help support new welders looking into reaching the incredibly steep standards that sanitary welding demands.

Food Grade Welding

Working with food grade welding means that you’re holding lives in your hand with every weld. Whether the products you’re manufacturing are going into school stoves, biopharmaceutical tools, or surgical instruments, you have to be able to guarantee quality and cleanliness every time. Any error in the weld could lead to a buildup of bacteria or other byproducts that could, in turn, result in injury or illness. In order to prevent this error from happening, your job as a sanitary welder is to stay on top of potential failure points throughout the food-grade welding process.

Installation of Piping in Sanitary Welding

A common application of food grade welding is the installation of piping. Piping represents the perfect sample size of everything you’ll need to master throughout the sanitary-welding process. Preventing burrs, ensuring smooth steel bonds, and implementing regular checks to prevent irregularities are all part of the complete piping package. A steady hand will only do so much. The secret of meeting sanitary-welding standards is checking, double-checking, and even triple-checking your work from piping and beyond.

Checks in Food Grade Welding

Comprehensive checks in welding start at the top of the process and must continue deliberately until the final bond is in place. Verifying weld parameters such as speed, equipment condition, and voltage should be done intentionally before any formal welds are completed. Even with decades of experience, triple-checking for potential faults is too important to overlook when manufacturing sanitary parts or machines.

If you’re looking for high-precision welding tools that you can trust to live up to food-grade welding’s rigid requirements, look no farther than NFS. Our welding equipment is reliable and accessible to welders of all levels. The road to high-quality sanitary welding may be steep, but with the right gear on your side you, can be prepared to start the climb today. Call at (651) 730-7770 or visit our website for more information on how we can support your welding journey.

Construction Welding Strategies for Large-Scale Industrial Projects

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Stud welding, when done right, is one of the safest options in the world of modern construction welding. Strong bonds, quick applications, and consistent results are all hallmarks of well-managed stud-welding projects. It is still possible to fall into common welding pitfalls if you slack off on preparation. Northland Fastening Systems (NFS) provides support, materials, and all the tools you need to see every construction welding project through to the end in the safest way possible.

Know Your Site for Construction Welding

First and foremost, it’s important to become familiar with your work area. Be sure to assess what kind of foot traffic and equipment you will be working around, where grounding will be housed, and what clearance you’ll have. General hazards of a live construction zone should also be noted. Once you get down to business, nothing about the space surrounding you should come as a surprise. You also need to keep your worksite clear of shrapnel, spatter, or anything that might redirect the weld in a way that you’re not expecting.

Know Your Equipment When Construction Welding

If you have your own stud-welding gear, it is vital that you know the quirks behind every piece. Calibration needs and settings are the basics. Even if you work with the same tools every day, you should be checking them for irregularities before starting each job and verifying that they’re in good condition. In the event that any of your stud-welding tools aren’t behaving as they should, getting replacements from trusted providers is essential. Our construction welding experts can help set you up with replacements perfectly suited to the task at hand.

Know Whom to Call

Prioritizing safety means making an effort to stay on top of construction-welding trends, implementing innovations in safer equipment, and incorporating industry changes into your job sites as they become available. At NFS, we handle the hard parts of stud welding for you. All of our equipment and construction-welding professionals are well versed on current and evolving standards. We can help you find the equipment you need, replace faulty stud-welding tools, and select the fasteners required for jobs of all sizes.

NFS always makes safety a major priority, and the quality of our inventory reflects that. If you are working on a construction-welding project and are looking for peace of mind throughout the job, our professional team can help. Call us at (651) 730-7770 or visit our website to find out more.

 

Stud Welding Project – Why Weld Tests Matter

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Brand-new equipment, a clean environment, space to work, and a highly experienced welder all working in conjunction may seem as though will result in a perfect weld every time. But regardless whether all of the conditions are ideal for a clean, strong bond, weld tests are still a vital part of the stud-welding process. Northland Fastening Systems (NFS) encourages all welders, professionals and freelancers alike, to never underestimate the power of a comprehensive weld test.

Visual Stud Welding Test

Completing a visual weld test might seem straightforward enough—you’re looking for anything that seems strange. This could come in the form of spatter, stringers, undercutting, or anything that disrupts the clean line of a good stud weld. But a visual test can be twofold.

Though safety and strength are the obvious concerns, you should also be checking for visual weld consistency and aesthetics. This is especially true for stud-elding builds in which the joints may be visible to the clients. If your weld tests look sloppy and this carries on to the final product, it will reflect upon the entire quality of the build. Lay people might see sloppy work and think they’re dealing with a structure that didn’t receive adequate care or attention during the building process.

Structural Weld Tests

 Structural weld tests are the hands-on accompaniment of your visual checks. Your weld should be able to withstand a 30-degree bend test without cracking or becoming deformed. Additional tests that verify tensile strength and torque resistance become even more necessary if the materials in question are unique or nonapproved.

Regardless of the type of weld test you’re engaging with, the goal is always to replicate the conditions you’ll be working with during the live build as accurately as possible to eliminate the risk of unexpected stud-weld failures.

If you’re finding that your stud-welding equipment or strategies aren’t passing the pre-project weld tests, it might be time to update your gear. Independent and team welders in need of new equipment can reach out to NFS at (651) 730-7770 or by visiting our website. Don’t accept subpar welds, and never skimp on the weld tests before hitting the “big leagues.”