Metalworking

Metalworking tools & metal fabrication products

Engweld stocks a broad range of metalworking equipment, metalworking machines and metal fabrication products. Our all-encompassing range includes abrasives, cutting discs, grinding discs, abrasive sheets, abrasive belts, magnetic drill machines, angle grinders, die grinders, metal cutters, countersinks and much more.

With over 60 years of trading behind us, coupled with our network of 10 sales and distribution centres, along with our 6 gas manufacturing facilities spanning the Midlands, Northern England and Cambridgeshire, we excel at providing a local service, over a wide geographical area.

Each of our sales and distribution centres stocks a broad range of metalworking machines, metalworking equipment, supplies and metal fabrication products, which are available for same-day collection, or free next-day delivery using our own fleet of delivery vehicles.

Unsure where your nearest distribution centre is located? Find it now using our handy Store Locator.

What is metalworking?

Metalworking is the process in which objects, tools, parts, pieces and structures are formed and shaped, using metals. Put very simply, it is the process of working with metal, either shaping or reshaping.

It covers a broad spectrum of work, across multiple sectors and industries. As it is so diverse, it will often be divided into the following categories: cutting, forming and joining. Then, each category will have a variety of techniques, or methods, used within it, depending on the metal being worked with, and the desired outcome.

Cutting

Throughout the metalworking process, often the first step when building structures or crafting tools, is cutting and separating metals. This can either be done using simple, handheld tools, or more advanced metalworking machines.

• Milling - Milling involves removing very precise amounts of material from larger pieces using a rotating cutting tool. Milling allows the user to achieve excellent precision, repeatability and accuracy when working. 
• Turning - Using turning, material can be removed from both the width and depth of the piece being worked on, this cutting tool moves linearly while the metal being worked on rotates. 
• Grinding - Grinding uses Abrasives to remove stock from the workpiece, usually towards the finishing stage of the metal, although some grinding techniques are also used to prepare items, as they remove large amounts of material. 
• Drilling - This creates precise, smooth and accurate holes in metal using Drills.

Forming 

Forming metals refers to reshaping them, or manipulating them. This can be done either when a metal is hot or cold, but the type of process used will depend on metalwork supplies and the metalworking equipment you have available.

• Forging - Of all the metalworking processes, forging is one of the oldest. The metals are superheated in a forge, before being hammered and bent into the shape desired by the blacksmith. 
• Roll forming - This process uses a roll forming mill to continuously bend long strips of room temperature metal. 
• Rolling - Rolling can be done either using hot or cold metals and is typically used to either reduce the thickness of the metal or in order to ensure that the thickness is uniform. Cold rolling is particularly effective on smaller objects, as it not only increases the strength of the material but also improves the finish on the surface, meaning less finishing is required. 

Joining

In order to join metals, either heat or pressure, or a combination of the two, must be applied, in order to create a larger structure or begin to expand on a smaller piece.

• Welding - A metal fabrication process which utilises pressure and heat to join two or more sections of metals. There are multiple types of welding, some of which use filler metals, and the type used will vary by application and the metals being welded. You can find more information on the different types of welding, and their uses in our blog section. 
• Soldering - Soldering is another metalworking process which joins metals, although soldering exclusively uses filler metals to join the metals together, while also creating a reliable electrical bridge. 
• Riveting - Riveting is the oldest method of joining metals, and was commonplace before welding and soldering techniques were developed. They are permanent mechanical fasteners which reinforce the structural integrity of larger objects.

If you are unsure which of our metal fabrication products or metalworking machines is required for your particular project, do not hesitate to Contact Us.

What is the difference between metalworking and welding?

Metalworking refers to the general process of using metalworking equipment, machines or metal fabrication products to manipulate metal in order to create a product or add desirable qualities to the base metal.

Whereas welding is a specific metalworking method, which heats, pressure and sometimes filler metals in order to permanently bond two or more pieces of metal. There are several different welding methods, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages.

What types of metalworking and metal fabrication products do we stock?

If you’re looking for metalwork supplies, metalworking products, or just general metal fabrication equipment, you’re in the right place!

We stock everything from welding machines, to angle grinders and abrasive products.  

If you would like any further information on our metalworking products, supplies, machines or equipment, or about metalworking in general, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Contact us if you can't find the items you're looking for.