Galvanized or Black Steel finish?

Should I order my Steel in Galvanized or Black Steel finish?

This question is quite common to our team!
Usually it will follow by us asking you a few questions eg. Where is your project going to be? (Outside in the weather or inside a building), Are you fabricating it?, What look do you want to achieve?

Most steel can be supplied with a galvanized finish which is great for most general purpose situations. The galvanized finish gives your steel an excellent level of corrosion resistance, which is advantageous for many applications.

The black steel finish is easier to weld and should also be your choice if your project is being hot-dip galvanized later down the line.

For any extra advice, simply ask our Team!

I’m confused by pipe sizes. How do they work?

Pipe sizes can be pretty confusing. That’s because sometimes people talk about the outside diameter (OD) while others talk about the inside diameter (ID). To overcome this confusion, the manufacturers introduced a sizing system that gives each size a name instead of a measurement. So pipes are given a ‘Nominal Bore’ size (NB). Here’s how it works – every NB size gives you only a rough idea of the inside measurement. It’s only rough because it depends on the wall thickness – it’s the OD that stays constant.
For example, pipe that was once called 1″ is now called 25NB. This size will always have an OD of 33.7mm, and comes in a range of different wall thicknesses (WT). If it has a ‘Medium’ WT (3.2mm), then the actual ID will be 33.7 – 3.2 – 3.2 = 27.3mm
If you want to know more, check out this video clip below.

If you still need help working out what size you need, get in touch with us through our Contact page and we’ll be happy to chat.

Ping Pong Training!

Social Justice

Did you know that there are an estimated 35.8 million people held in slavery today? Human trafficking and exploitation is still an awful reality for many people around the globe. Men, women and children are trapped in bonded labour, sexual slavery and other abuses of power. Here at Ezimetal we want to make a contribution to the fight against these terrible problems in our world. That’s why we’ve participated in Australia’s Ping-Pong-A-Thon over the last few years. We’re raising money to support a number of charities who fight against various types of exploitation in South East Asia.

The 2017 Ping-Pong-A-Thon is on 6 & 7 October, and we’re putting a team in again this year. We’ll be sweating it out for a three hour time slot (3am to 6am!!) on Saturday morning 7 October. But we need your help. Will you get on board and help us reach our target? Click here to go to our team page and DONATE ONLINE.

Here’s our dedicated team getting ready to make a difference!

Click here to find out more about the charities that the Pong supports: More Info

 

Workers wearing industrial uniforms and Welded Iron Mask

MIG, TIG & Stick Welding

 

MIG, TIG, and Stick welding each have their benefits and values but they may not all be suitable for your job. Here is our guide to these three types of welding options.

Stick Welding 

Stick welding uses an electric current and an electrode, and it is good for common metal gauges. This is the DIYer’s preferred type of welding. Stick welders can be used just about anywhere. They can be AC or DC, with AC being the cheaper option. The most common use for this welder is home repairs, hobbies like metal sculpting, and similar roles using heavy gauge metals.

MIG Welding

MIG welders are used by trade professionals for a range of roles. The process for MIG welding is pretty straight forward, making it easier to learn than stick welding.

MIG welders incorporate a wire welding electrode which is fed through the welder at a regulated rate. In this case, the arc is made by an electrical current between metal and wire. The current heats the wire and bonds it to the metal. This produces a clean weld, making MIG welders popular for high precision work and presentation.  MIG welding can also be used on thinner gauges than stick welding, including plate metals.

TIG Welding

TIG welding is a more complex process, which uses plasma to heat and bond metals. TIG welding is most commonly used to weld thin metals, including stainless steel and non-ferrous metals. This type of welding also requires a high level of proficiency and some patience because the welding process can be slower than other types of welding. TIG welding provides strong bonds, making it useful in all situations where other welders can’t perform.

The Welders and Their Work

If you’re in the metal sector, you’ll know that welding also relates directly to workflow efficiency, costs, and time.

This makes it essential to select the most appropriate option:

  • Good welds are essential: All metal tradespeople will tell you that an inferior quality weld is simply not an option. Cheap welding is structurally problematic and dangerous.
  • Welds must be adequate for the metals involved: If you’re manufacturing or designing a product, you need to crunch some numbers about metal gauges, types of metal, and product stress. This can get pretty technical, but the bottom line is that you need to factor welding into your cost and timeframes.

Here are some situations when you should use MIG, TIG or Stick welding:

  • Steel: MIG, TIG, Stick
  • Aluminium and alloys: MIG, TIG
  • Metal plate: MIG
  • Steel pipe: MIG, TIG, Stick
  • Rectangular steel tube: MIG, TIG, Stick
  • Round steel tube: MIG, TIG, Stick
  • Aluminium pipe: MIG, TIG
  • Cast iron: Stick
  • Copper: TIG
  • Brass: TIG

Using the right welder saves time, ensures weld quality, and saves money due to more efficient welding.

 

Trying to Source Metal for Your Business in Newcastle or Sydney?

If you’re looking for top quality metal in Newcastle or Sydney, talk to Ezimetal. We’re happy to assist and provide any support or guidance you need for metal selection. Contact us online or call us on 02 4987 4210 for all the help you need.

Steel bar kept on one another on white background

5 Uses for Steel in Construction

Steel is the basis of modern civilisations. It is used for just about every structural purpose, from houses to machines, tools to roofing. In the construction role, steel is the basis of design for skyscrapers and modern housing.

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Rolls of aluminum sheet kept in a warehouse

What Are The Most Common Uses for Aluminium?

If you’re talking about consumer and industrial products, aluminium can be used for anything and everything. Aluminium is one of the most versatile of all the metals, used in everything from housing to aircrafts to cars and a vast range of different electrical products.

Aluminium isn’t just used for almost any product; it can be used for almost any design criteria, too. Aluminium is a truly useful design material that offers a wide range of values for all types of product design.

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Why Choose Australian Made Products for RHS Tubes

RHS (rectangular hollow steel) tubing is used for a wide variety of construction and fabrication purposes. This tubing is extremely popular for the construction of furniture, frames, and all sorts of load bearing uses.

RHS is preferred in situations where its flat sides allow it to fit against surface facings and is more appropriate than round tubing in many design environments. RHS tubes are also easier to work with during the fabrication process because straight edges can be fitted to the flat side more readily.

RHS can be used for so many different types of metal fabrication. With the huge range of sizes and thicknesses available, it can be used in countless different ways. No wonder it’s the ideal choice for both light and heavy jobs.

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