10 Essential Welding Tools For Every Welder

Beginners might find it intimidating to dive right into welding. The hazards may seem overwhelming because they require many welding tools, and you'll work with so much heat and pressurized components.

But there's nothing to be afraid of; here is a list of the top welding tools for newcomers to use while they safely and effectively learn the trade.

10 Essential Welding Tools For Every Welder

1. Auto-Dimming Helmet

The welding helmet is both a staple of the trade and a necessity for safety. Among all welding tool, it is the most fundamental and recognizable. Any welding helmet's main goal is to keep sparks and flames from leaving burn scars on your face as you work. It also shields your skin and eyes from heat damage.

The additional benefit of auto-darkening helmets is that they shield your eyes from the glaring lights produced by other welding instruments and the heated metal. You can see without harming your eyes because the glass above your eyes is shaded to only let a specific amount of light through at a time.

2. Welding Gloves

Gloves pretty much explain themselves. Welding gloves are made of multiple layers of durable materials and insulation to shield users from heat and flying sparks. It's simple to purchase welding gloves anywhere that sells gloves, but they're necessary for any welding you might undertake.

Typically, there are two types to be aware of:

• MIG Welding Gloves – These are often thicker and contain padding on the back of the hand to protect your resting hand while bracing the dominant hand during a weld. The loose-fitting shape makes it simple to remove the glove if it gets too hot.
• TIG Welding Gloves – These are softer and thinner and are used when accuracy is crucial. When TIG welding, skill is essential, and the gloves will fit more snugly to enable accurate movement while holding the rod and flame.

Ensure you are wearing the appropriate gloves for the task.

3. Welding Pliers

MIG pliers are easily accessible online and in the majority of hardware stores. They are not specialized items and are reasonably priced, considering all they can accomplish.

There are many things they can be used for, including:

• Taking the nozzle out of the MIG gun – They have circular clamps ideal for taking nozzles out of MIG guns. It will be necessary to loosen often and tighten the contact tip as it wears out.
• Save time by cutting 1/4" of the stick-out rather than using a separate wire cutter.
• Remove Weld Spatter – Using the pliers' tips to clean the inside of the nozzle of the spatter is easy. 

4. C Clamp

C clamps are clamps with a C-shaped appearance. They are widely used for several hardware jobs, not just welding, and can simultaneously exert pressure from above and below. In addition, C clamps permit more pressure than pinch clamps or even some welding clamps, enabling a far more stable grasp of whatever needs to be clamped.

5. Welding Boots

One of the most frequent and little-discussed workplace mishaps is foot injuries. Foot injuries sustained at work account for 25% of all disability applications, according to estimates. When welding, you must take precautions to protect your feet from the hot metal and bulky tools you use.

Any set of welding boots needs to be as durable as possible. Strong leather and steel-toe shoes are essential. The idea is to shield your feet from falling molten metal.

6. Metal File

The main function of a metal file is to remove burrs and jagged edges from the metal you cut, much like an angular grinder. You have certainly used metal files at some point in the past; they are also frequently used for various other metalworking projects. The purpose of files is to finish and give a product a pleasing appearance, while the purpose of angular grinders is to remove offensive materials.

7. Angle Grinder

An angle grinder can be a very useful cutting tool to have in your toolbox if you routinely weld. It can cut metal, to start. You'll need to chop down some metal stock at some point. You can cut anything, from sheet metal to bar stock, with a cutting wheel with surprising simplicity.

Angle grinders can also be used to prepare metal for welding. It would help if you cleaned the base metal to prevent flaws like porosity and cracking. You can use a wire brush to accomplish this, but an angle grinder will save you a lot of time.

8. Safety Glasses

It is only sometimes necessary to wear a welding helmet; occasionally, it is overkill. A trustworthy pair of safety glasses is ideal in situations like this. Safety glasses are composed of sturdy plastic and prevent sparks from flying into your eyes from things like an angle grinder.

9. Welding Magnets

A welding magnet is one of the most useful items in your toolbox. They are quite helpful during welding because of this. Metal components can easily stay in place without clamps using a welding magnet.

They also let you attach metal parts and weld them to one another at an angle. In essence, they enable sheet metal welding in ways that clamps would not. These will have more uses when you use them more frequently.

10. Speed Square

A speed square might be what you use the most out of everything on this list. Using your speed square, you may measure any piece perpendicular to another for a 90-degree cut or at any other angle.

A speed square is an angular measuring tool with a right triangular shape that enables multiple measurements at various angles. This is the welding tool you will use most frequently out of all those you have available. If you can't measure, you can't do much.

CONCLUSION