Whether you’re just starting out, or you have melted a bunch of metal before, there are a few things that everybody needs to have on hand when welding. From the machine itself to the right safety gear, we’ve put together a list of the most indispensable welding tools and accessories you should have when you plan to join some metal together.
Welding Masks / Welding Helmets
No matter your skill level, a decent welding helmet is crucial to safe and comfortable welding - you can cause some severe and permanent damage to your eyes without one. Auto tinting helmets are by far the best choice, allowing you to stop and start as required, without worrying about flipping your face shield up in order to see what you’re doing between welds.
If you do gas welding, brazing or cutting then you can use goggles in place of a full helmet, although auto adjusting helmets are able to be set up to suit these jobs too. Be sure to wear safety goggles under your welding helmet, so that you still have eye protection when your helmet is raised, and to give you that extra layer in case of intense sparks or spatter.
Welding Gloves
Gloves are essential to use when welding, not just to protect you from the extreme heat, but also the harmful UV rays that are generated. Be sure to use gloves of an appropriate length to prevent red-hot welding spatter from contacting the fabric of your sleeves, and make sure that you replace your gloves if you damage them or wear them out. TIG welding gloves are generally thinner, to provide the right sort of dexterity, whereas Arc and MIG welding gloves are usually far thicker and longer - make sure you use the proper gloves for the right job! Also consider wearing a proper welding jacket or flame-retardant overalls when welding, in order to prevent your favourite t-shirt from getting a bunch of tiny pinholes melted into it.
Welding Clamps & Welding Magnetic Supports
Second only to a dedicated helper, welding clamps and magnetic supports are incredibly useful to have on hand when you are trying to join two bits of metal - no matter how large or small. They are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and can be used to secure two parts of a workpiece as well as holding your work in place when you are welding on a bench or in an awkward situation. Magnetic supports are great for use with panel steel, and again, they come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes - meaning that there are countless ways to use them to make your job that much safer and easier.
Welding Chipping Hammer
When ARC welding, your hard scale or slag will build up on your beads. A proper chipping hammer can be used to handily tidy up your welding job, and get rid of the slag. They are also useful for MIG welding - particularly gasless MIG - since the wide edge of the hammer can be used to scrape away welding spatter.
Welding Wire, Electrodes & Gas
Wire and electrodes are the most commonly depleted consumables when you are welding, so be sure to stock up on them. It’s worthwhile keeping a variety of different gauge wire, and various types of electrodes to suit the different types of welding you are likely to carry out. Gas is another consumable that always likes to run out at the most inopportune time, so be sure to check your supply before you get into any big jobs, and refill or swap your cylinder before you begin.
Welding Nozzles, Tips & Cleaning Tools
Always keep a few spare nozzles and tips for your MIG welder, since over time they can become damaged or clogged up by spatter - particularly during gasless welding. It’s also a great idea to hold onto a selection of different sized tips, so that you can switch them out to suit the sizing of your wire, if you need to change it to suit different jobs. If your nozzles get clogged with spatter, then a dedicated cleaning tool can help to scrape out the rubbish and get your nozzle back in shape.
Welding Scriber & Marker
It can be hard to see where to weld, particularly through your helmet - so help yourself out by using a proper scriber or weld-through soapstone marker to guide your welds.
Welding Trolley
Dragging your welding machine around your workshop is terrible for your machine, and bad for your back, so do yourself a favour and invest in a decent welding trolley. Welding trolleys come with all the room you’ll need for your machine, as well as your accessories and consumables
Metal Work Bench
A decent metal workbench can help with comfort when you are welding smaller projects at the correct height for you with plenty of room to use magnets and clamps. Building one yourself can be a great way to learn the ropes too!
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