How to Start Welding UK: MIG, TIG & Stick Guide
- Start with MIG welding. It is the easiest process to learn, and a 120A flux-core MIG welder costs under £200
- Safety gear is non-negotiable: auto-darkening helmet, leather gloves, and a flame-resistant apron before you strike your first arc
- Flux-core wire needs no gas bottle, making it the simplest setup for garage and garden workshops
- Practice on 1.5mm mild steel coupons. You only need a few quid worth of scrap metal to build confidence
MIG welding is the process every beginner should learn first. It is the fastest way to go from zero experience to joining metal, and a basic flux-core MIG setup costs less than a decent cordless drill kit. This guide walks you through choosing a process, buying safety gear, setting up your first welder, and making your first welds.
Why Learn to Weld
Welding lets you build things that woodworking and 3D printing cannot. Metal gates, workshop brackets, custom furniture frames, car repairs, garden sculptures. A welded steel frame will outlast a screwed-together wooden one by a factor of five, and materials are cheap.. Modern inverter welders have brought the cost and complexity down dramatically. You no longer need a three-phase supply or a dedicated workshop to start.
Which Welding Process to Start With
There are three main processes for steel. Here is the honest breakdown.
MIG Welding (GMAW)
MIG uses a solid wire electrode fed through a torch, with shielding gas protecting the weld pool. It is the easiest process because the machine handles wire feed speed and voltage automatically. You point the torch, pull the trigger, and move. Most people lay a usable bead within their first hour.
Best for: Beginners, general fabrication, body panels, furniture frames. The go-to process for 90% of home projects.
Flux-Core MIG (FCAW)
Flux-core uses a hollow wire filled with flux that creates its own shielding gas when burned. No gas bottle needed. This makes setup simpler and works outdoors or in drafty spaces. The trade-off is more spatter and a rougher-looking weld. For a beginner in a garage or garden, flux-core is often the practical first choice.
Best for: Outdoor work, beginners without a gas supply, structural welds where appearance does not matter.
Stick Welding (SMAW)
Stick is the oldest and most versatile process. A consumable electrode melts into the weld, and the flux coating protects the pool. It works on rusty, dirty, painted metal that would ruin a MIG weld. The downside is that it requires more skill to produce consistent beads, and you need to change electrodes frequently.
Best for: Repair work, outdoor fabrication, thicker steel. Learn this second.
TIG Welding (GTAW)
TIG produces the cleanest, most precise welds, but it is the hardest process to learn. You control heat with a foot pedal, feed filler rod with your other hand, and manage the torch with your dominant hand. Save TIG for after you have hundreds of hours on MIG.
Best for: Aluminium, stainless steel, thin sheet, cosmetic welds. Not a beginner process.
Safety Gear You Need Before Your First Weld
Welding produces ultraviolet radiation that can burn your eyes and skin in seconds. The arc temperature reaches 3,000-20,000 degrees Celsius. Sparks fly in every direction. You need proper protection every single time.
Welding gloves: Regular work gloves are not enough. You need leather welding gauntlets that cover your wrists and forearms. The Silverline Welders Apron paired with proper gauntlet gloves keeps sparks off your skin.
Flame-resistant clothing: Wear cotton or wool, not synthetic fabrics. Polyester and nylon melt onto skin when hit by sparks. A leather welding apron protects your torso and legs. Long sleeves and closed-toe boots are mandatory.
Ventilation: Welding produces fumes containing manganese and hexavalent chromium. Open your garage door fully. Never weld galvanised steel indoors. The zinc fumes cause metal fume fever. This is the one safety rule that catches beginners out.
Your First Welding Setup
For a home workshop, a 120A flux-core MIG welder is the sweet spot. It handles mild steel from 0.8mm to 6mm, runs off a standard 13A plug, and costs £150-300. The YesRight 120A 3-in-1 MIG Welder covers flux-core MIG, lift TIG, and stick welding in one unit.
You also need consumables. A 1kg spool of 0.8mm flux-core welding wire costs around £15 and lasts for dozens of practice sessions. Buy mild steel offcuts or scrap from a local steel stockist. Most will sell you a handful of 25mm box section or flat bar for a few pounds.
For your workspace, you need a flat, non-flammable surface. A steel welding table is ideal but a concrete floor works fine for learning. Keep a fire extinguisher within reach. Clear the area of cardboard, wood shavings, and anything that could catch a spark. Welding spatter can travel two metres, so give yourself room.
Your First Weld: A Simple T-Joint
The best first weld is a T-joint, where two pieces of steel meet at a right angle. Cut two pieces of 3mm flat bar about 100mm long. Clamp them in a T-shape on your work surface. Set your welder to the manufacturer's recommended settings for 3mm steel.
Hold the torch at a 15-20 degree angle pointing along the joint. Pull the trigger and move steadily along the seam at about 150-200mm per minute. When you finish, let it cool, then chip off the slag with a chipping hammer or wire brush. Underneath you should see a raised bead of fused metal connecting both pieces.
Your first welds will look rough. That is normal. The arc will sputter and the bead will be lumpy. Every welder went through this stage. The fix is repetition. Do ten T-joints, then ten lap joints, then ten butt joints. By the time you have done thirty practice welds, your hand will have learned the rhythm.
Common Beginner Mistakes
Wrong wire speed: Too slow and the wire stubs into the workpiece. Too fast and the arc sputters. Start with the middle setting and adjust by ear. Smooth crackling means the speed is right.
Dirty metal: Welding over rust, paint, or oil produces weak welds. Spend two minutes wire-brushing the joint clean before you start. This single step improves weld quality more than any technique adjustment.
Skipping PPE: A five-second tack weld produces the same UV radiation as a five-minute bead. Helmet on, gloves on, every time.
Too thick too soon: Start with 2-3mm mild steel. Thicker material needs higher amperage and multiple passes.
Where to Go From Here
Once you can run consistent beads on flat steel, the natural next steps are learning to choose a more capable MIG welder, exploring stick welding for outdoor repair work, and building your first actual project. A welding table, magnetic clamps, and an angle grinder are the tools that turn welding from a skill into a hobby.
Two weekends of practice will take you from "what does this button do" to "I just built a garden gate." The investment is low, skills are permanent., and the projects are limited only by what you can imagine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Verdict
Welding is one of most useful skills a maker can add. The startup cost is lower than most people expect, the learning curve is shorter than woodworking, and the projects are permanent. Start with a flux-core MIG welder, proper safety gear, and a pile of mild steel scrap. Spend two weekends running beads and building simple joints. By the time you finish, you will know whether this hobby deserves more investment.
Products Mentioned in This Guide
- YesRight 120A 3-in-1 MIG Welder, Best all-rounder for beginners, ~£180
- MIG Welder 120A 4-in-1, Budget starter, ~£150
- Auto-Darkening Welding Helmet, Essential safety, ~£35
- FEIFANKE Flux Core Wire 0.8mm 1KG, Practice consumable, ~£15
- Silverline Welders Apron, Flame-resistant protection, ~£25
James writes about power tools, hand tools and workshop setup for MakerUK. He has used and broken enough drills and saws to know which specs matter.
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Last reviewed: August 30, 2026 · Evidence-based content · Contains affiliate links