Most of the bikes that grace these pages that have had some welding done on them, somewhere. If you’re building your own custom bike?or even if you just like fiddling in your garage?welding is an invaluable skill to have.
It?s also a slightly intimidating prospect for the initiated, so this is a two-part guide. This week, we?ll dig into the theory, explain the different types of welding, and help you figure out which machine to get.

What is welding" In a nutshell, welding can be defined as the fusion of two pieces of material. I say ‘material’ because we can weld plastic as well as metal (for this article, we’ll focus on metal).
Welding technology has progressed to the point where high quality welding machines are now affordable for small shops, farmers, artists and hobbyists. Creating items from a pile of metal with the aid of welding is surprisingly satisfying. But don?t expect to pick up a welding torch and lay down a perfect bead first time?like any new skill, it takes practice to create joints as strong and attractive as you’d find on a factory frame.
Benefits of welding Welding is obviously a permanent process, compared to bolting parts together. If two parts are made of the same material, they can be welded. It allows you to make a complex shape, like a motorcycle frame?a whole bunch of tubes and plates, assembled into a strong and durable structure.
We can split welding into two categories: Fusion welding is common on our mot...