Guide: Estimating a Welding Job

1. Work out the weld metal

For fillet welds, enter leg size and total length in the Fillet Weld Calculator. You get the theoretical weight of weld metal. Real welds with convexity hold more, so treat it as a minimum.

2. Turn weld metal into wire to buy

Click "Estimate wire for this weld" to carry the result into the Wire Consumption Calculator. Enter the deposition efficiency from your wire's data sheet or your own test. Multiply the wire needed by your price per pound or kilogram.

3. Estimate gas

The Gas Cylinder Duration Calculator tells you how many hours of flow a cylinder gives. Compare that with the arc time from the cost calculator to see how much of a cylinder the job uses.

4. Put the job together

In the Welding Cost Calculator, enter weld length, passes and travel speed for arc time, then setup and cleanup time, your labor rate and the consumable and gas costs from steps 2 and 3. Add overhead and markup under Advanced options.

Calculation, estimate or requirement?

• Mathematical calculation: exact given the inputs, like fillet area or arc energy.
• Estimate: depends on inputs you're guessing, like travel speed or setup time.
• Manufacturer recommendation: values like deposition efficiency or flow rate come from your equipment or consumable maker.
• Code / WPS requirement: weld sizes, heat input limits and procedures come from your WPS and applicable codes. These calculators don't provide them.