A practical, visual resource for welding in the farm, home, blacksmith, auto, or school workshops.

Its comprehensive sections describe all the major types of welds before progressing into trickier methods. With this comprehensive guide, you’ll understand everything you need to know, from arc, TIG, MIG, and gas welding to plasma cutting, soldering, welding plastic, and more. Filled with helpful visuals and photography, detailed explanations, expert suggestions, and step-by-step directions, this go-to guide to welding also covers common pitfalls and mistakes, and how to avoid or correct them. The new, updated edition will include brand new chapters on general welding skills and understanding metals, expanded information on abrasives, and four new step-by-step projects and plans, including a fire pit, welding cart, and more.

Your comprehensive handbook to successful welding!

• Learn hands-on welding to start repairing and creating metal equipment and structures
• Over 400 step-by-step photos of welding processes and the differences between good and bad welds
• Detailed sections describing specific types of welds, equipment, common faults, troubleshooting, and more
• All major types of welds are covered, including arc, MIG, gas, TIG, and plasma cutting
• Avoid common mistakes and correct them, with welding problems laid out section by section along with solutions
• Tips and suggestions help beginners improve and intermediate operators broaden their technique
• Go beyond metal with advice that extends into the wider workshop such as on drills, cutting threads, and basic blacksmithing

The Mother Earth News Collector Series: Modern Homesteading isn’t just for the person living on a homestead. It’s for the person who wants to be more self-reliant, the gardener who wants to increase their harvest, the cook who wants to expand their recipes, and more. Inside this issue, you’ll read valuable information on raising ducks, bees, and other animals, growing seeds to make your own clothing, constructing a wind generator, installing garden fences, making homegrown olive oil, and more.

All the different aspects of homesteading can seem daunting, but with the expert advice and guidance found cover to cover this special issue, you’ll be able to take the next step toward a more independent lifestyle.

Articles include:

• Coppicing Trees for Sustainable Firewood – You can grow firewood in a fraction of the time it takes to raise a tree from seed.
• Want Milk? Get Goats – Dairy goats can supply your family with fresh milk inexpensively. The fun is just the bonus.
• Natural Insect Repellents – Don’t get bugged out! Follow these simple DIY recipes to keep pests at bay.
• Start a Quick and Easy Food Garden – This season-by-season planting plan for a no-dig, easy-care bag garden features 25 favorite crops.
• Brew Backyard Root Beer – With a little experimentation, you can learn how to make your own version of this historic, herb-infused soda using foraged ingredients.
• And more!