You may need a welder only for a small project but that does not mean you should compromise on quality. Careful welder selection can mean the difference between a product that guarantees safety and one that does not.
Welding is a field of its own and needs welders to be certified and licensed. It's that specialized. Falling under metal fabrication, it's no wonder clients take the pains to choose only the best welder they can find even if the job to be performed is small volume and not high priority.
So, you need a welder and after a cursory search you find that there are quite a few local services. Which to pick? All claim to offer excellent results and pricing too is competitive. Not to worry as certain factors still determine the best from the rest.
To narrow the list, stick to welders that offer the service you need. For instance, if your project requires components to be gas welded, it will not do choose one that only has arc welding services. Similarly, if your project relates to the construction industry, the components to be joined will be of specific types so services that cater exclusively to the mining industry, for instance, will not be of much help.
Now that you've narrowed down the choices, it's time to find out whether services make use of the latest or most trusted technologies. As with other professional services, there have been advances in welding so firms that employ the latest or the best practices and equipment will be able to produce better results.
Unless you have knowledge of what the latest welding equipments are, you'll have to ask services outright what they use. For example, digital controlled power sources have gained popularity so you might want to consider a service that employs the same. Of course, not all advanced technologies are dependable so it's important that you do research into those that are used by leading welding companies.
The next area to examine is environment. Because welding is such a prerequisite job subject to numerous variables, a lot can go wrong. The welding area should, therefore, be devoid of contaminants and elements that threaten the precision and quality of work.
License and certification is next and is one of the most important factors that should influence your decision. This is because welding is such a specialized and potentially dangerous job that someone without adequate knowledge may end up injuring himself or costing you a lot of money as production hits a block.
Every state has its own welding licensing requirements. Find out what it is in your state before settling on a welder and confirm that the same has been obtained by the company you select. This is even more important if the products to be welded are to be used in applications where strength and durability are extremely important.
When looking for a welder, you actually have to shop for one. A list containing at least three names will help make the selection easier. A quick way of going about it is to consult someone you know who's had a need of a welding service. This way, you get all the information that you require such as rates, quality of work, etc. and you can also get a firsthand look at a project he has taken on.