Although safety should always be a top priority when you’re on the job, it’s especially important when you’re welding. Burns, crush injuries, exposure to toxic fumes, electric shock, and more are just a few of the potential hazards welders need to worry about. According to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, welders are up to 100 times more likely to be injured on the job than other workers, so safety protocol is more than just a good idea. It should form the foundation of every choice a welder makes while working with the tools of the trade. Here’s a closer look at what you need ..read more

It is important for both novice and experienced welding professionals to understand the various components required for successful welding operations. One of the most common pieces of welding equipment is the welding electrode. If you are looking to learn more about welding electrodes, or just want a refresher on some terminology, then this is the overview for you. What are Welding Electrodes? Simply put, a welding electrode is a coated metal wire. These welding electrodes are connected to a welding machine to create an electric current, or arc. The current passes through the wire to generate ..read more

Located off of 21st Avenue and McDowell Road, this is your go to store for welding supplies in the central Phoenix area. This location features one of the biggest showrooms in the state of Arizona (per square foot) and customers are impressed when they walk in and see how much product our store has. Our highly trained and knowledge staff pride themselves on offering top notch customer service to local area welders. Stop by the store today and we can help you find the right products for your next welding project! Most Common Customers Our most common customers are “mom and pops ..read more

Vern Lewis is Arizona’s leader in welding supplies and we have 8 locations throughout Arizona. Our Deer Valley store is located in South Phoenix and offers welding products to hobbyists and professionals alike. Our trained staff is ready to assist local Phoenix residents with any questions they have about welding. Business at this location continues to grow and walk in customers have almost doubled. What use to be 40 – 50 invoices per day is now between 50 – 80, with the biggest day being 97! Brenda Warner, spouse of Kurt Warner, started a metal art shop, called Metal Art By B and donates the ..read more

Archeologists report that forge welding was first used by Egyptians as far back as 4000 B.C. In about 3000 B.C., during the Bronze Age, it appears that people were building cities, learning to write, and using forge welding to join pieces of metal, primarily copper and bronze. Evidence of this was found in an Egyptian tomb of a pharaoh where a gold bowl was discovered with a handle welded to its wall. A gold goblet was also found that had a fillet brazed on the outside. By 2000 B.C., people were using forge welding to make cooking utensils, jewelry and weapons. They were also making small gold ..read more

Submerged Arc welding or (SAW) is a method of welding where “base metals are joined by forming an electric arc between the workpiece and an electrode”. In Submerged Arc Welding, heat is supplied for the weld through an electric arc that passes between a wire electrode and the pieces to be welded together. The welding arc is obscured, or submerged, under a blanket of powdered flux. The flux protects the weld from spatter and sparks. No shielding gas is required and no water is involved. One thing to note about the SAW process is how it is able to protect the weld from contaminants in the atmosp ..read more

Our Peoria location offers the highest quality welding products and is our only store that provides welding training. Some interesting facts about this store is that it use to be our corporate office and all of the electric equipment in the warehouse is explosion proof. This location features a state of the art training facility where we offer group welding classes every Friday. Customizable private sessions are also available on Saturdays. If you are a business looking to offer welding training to your employees our Level Up Partnership Training Program is for you. As part of the program, we ..read more

If you are in the Avondale area and are looking for a welding supply store Vern Lewis has you covered! Our store in Avondale is very unique as it used to be an old gas station/travel stop. We are located at 742 E Main St and have a large amount of walk-in business. This location is extremely busy and is getting busier and busier every year. This is currently our cylinder distribution center, so we have a lot going on at this location. Between the fill plant, the customers coming into our store, the bulk gas deliveries, freight trucks, our own route trucks, and Vern driving around on a fo ..read more

A career as a welder offers opportunities for specialization and good pay with the creative element of the work being an added bonus. For those who prefer a career that is hands on and requires a specific skillset, a career in welding may be the perfect fit. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), welders earn an annual median income of  $47,101. The BLS also reported that 10 percent of welders earned more than $63,660 and ten percent earned less than $31,350. The BLS information for welders was last updated in May 2021 but it does not tell the whole s ..read more

On May 10, 1869 in Promontory Summit, Utah, more than 1,000 people gathered to watch the president of the Central Pacific Railroad Company of California, Leland Standford, drive the Golden Spike. This was the last spike needed to complete the track for the transcontinental railroad, opening the railroad for business. Across the country, there were celebrations and parades to commemorate the accomplishment of this cross-country feat. Prior to the completion of the transcontinental railroad, connecting the East Coast to the West Coast of the U.S., it took months of overland travel in often dange ..read more