Are you trying to level up your welding career? Well, start with learning the world of Welding. Just like any other crucial technical craft, Welding comprises of several different aspects. There are various tools for each technique, and with time, each tool has been upgraded. This article is all about those tools and accessories that are necessary for welders.
Welding machines to wrenches, there is a long list of items. Without knowing all of them, struggling in the welding industry will be very difficult. Imagine entering an industry and there being introduced to a tool you do not know. It can be risky for your job. No one wants to be a lame person when they are ready to follow their passion.
Let us see each tool one by one. Do not worry; we will not explain each of them in detail; it is a simple and quick guide for revising all the Welding fundamentals before starting a new job.
Here is the List of Welding tools and equipment and Their Uses.
Welding machines
Imagining Welding without a welding machine is impossible. Many people believe the welding machine is only a tool to melt the metals and then combine. It is altogether wrong. The welding machines give out an alloy of metal that will work as a metal gluing material. A melted electric arc is built to melt the metal and feed the gap between the two targeted metals.
Types of welding machines
Do you really know what type of welding machine are you going to do? Worry not. We will give you a brief introduction to each welding machine type.
- TIG welding machine.
Tungsten inert welding machine is the one with the tungsten electrode. The best part about this welding machine is the non-consumable electrode. It is a clean and hassle-free welding machine, ideal for novice welders.
- MiG welding machines.
This one is an all-rounder welding machine. Suitable for a wide range of metals. The long arc time is the most favorite feature, as it speeds up the working.
- Thyristor control welding machine.
The safest and controllable welding machine is here. It works fine for mild steel and other steel alloys.
- Spot welding machines
Joining metal sheets is the easiest thing with this welding machine. It can combine almost 3mm thick metal sheets.
Welding gloves
Welding is quite tricky. It’s a complicated process having both fire and electricity. To become an adept welder, you must first learn about the safety measures. Welding gloves are quite different from ordinary gloves. They are fire-resistant so that the welder may not burn their hand.
They are double-layered to provide maximum protection. Most of the welding gloves are multi-purpose like yes, who does not want to use a heat resistant thing to bake their favorite cookies. All welding gloves are made up of leather, but there are varieties of welding gloves. MIG and TIG Welding always buy thicker leather, such as the pigskin and goatskin leather.
Safety glasses
Welding is an explicit chemical reaction. No one wants to blind their eyes while performing the most crucial part of Welding. Chemical reactions, also known as photokeratitis, are inevitable, and the only way to keep the work going with maximum safety is by wearing safety welding glasses.
These glasses are made up of polycarbonate shades; the shade three or shade five lenses are the most prevalent shade types for these glasses. The higher the shade, the better the safety glasses are. Just like welding gloves, safety glasses can also be sued for various purposes, but it is always better to buy the exact glasses. A general-purpose one can damage your eyes.
You need to check the following things while buying safety glasses for welders.
- The glasses must be polarized, with UV protection.
- A larger viewing area must be more than 3 inches, at least.
- Must fix appropriately on your face.
Welding helmets
These are the most suitable protection gears. Specially designed for those welders who work like horses. Welding helmets are all in one, but most people prefer having an extra pair of safety glasses with the helmet.
Now the welding helmet is quite modified. They are automated to protect the face, eyes, head, and neck area of the welder. They come with auto-darkening passive filters to darken the shades whenever necessary.
For heavy-duty work, nothing can beat the safety and protection of the welding helmets. The best thing is welders can adjust the welding helmets according to the welding machines for a perfectly synchronized experience.
Welding boots
Welding boots are also a safety tool to protect the bare feet of the welders. Welding is an altogether challenging and risky activity. Without covering your feet and hand properly, the most exposed area of your body, the chances of accidents can increase.
The following features need to be on the top of the list while purchasing a pair of welding boots.
- They must be fire-resistant.
- Steel tiptoe.
- Made up of leather with a high top.
Welding jackets
Do you think your ordinary clothes can bear the heat and UV radiations arising during the welding processes? I know you are aware of their capacity. So, to keep your body protected. You need a bodice material such as the welding jackets.
The welding jackets are made up of double cloth lines. Some of them are made up of brushed cotton or nylon. The best welding jackets come with an easy to use, long-lasting feature. Wear them as much as you want, and a single wash can clean them.
Most of the welding jackets are water-resistant. They may cost a bit but are the most reliable body covering for heavy-duty work.
Welding apron
No one wants to destroy their cloth just because of the tiny welding sparks. They seem to be very little, but they can burn down an entire factory when the welder’s clothes are inflammable.
These are leather aprons, unlike the regular plastic-covered aprons. They are cut resistant, so you cannot easily cut the double-stitched aprons. The leather used to make welding aprons are heat resistant and reliable for several other tasks that require heat or electricity.
The best welding aprons will come with the following features.
- Leather material.
- Double-stitched.
- Heat resistant and cut resistant.
- Easy to wear.
- It contains pockets to keep tools.
Welding table
Have you ever wondered why the surface you use to weld and mold materials do not melt? Well, the answer to this very question lies in the quality of the welding tables. These are specially designed surfaces that are inflammable. They will not catch fire and are made up of heat and fire-resistant materials.
For those who need to weld for longer hours, or all day long. Bending on knees will be dangerous as they may get tired. Sitting on the floor and weld all day can also be tiresome. For the perfect welding results and to increase the work efficiency, the welding tables are essential.
When it is time to buy the welding tables, check for the following features.
- Adjustable height.
- Greater load capacity.
- The larger size to keep larger pieces of metal on it.
- Must contain hangers/drawers.
Ear protection
Technical tasks like Welding require a lot of concentration. You cannot be distracted while you are spending a lot of electricity, metals, and can deform the original piece with a little negligence. To keep you concentrated throughout the complicated welding process, you should use the Welding Ear protection.
These are to keep you calm and focus. These are the noise cancellation equipment. Not only for the work but the general health of your eardrum, these are essential. The noise is quite natural during the welding process, and constant exposure to that noise can damage the sense of hearing.
Some welders prefer having earplugs that will completely stop any noise coming from the process or otherwise. The earplugs are usually made up of foam or silicon. They are safe to use and are non-allergic for most of the welders.
Pliers for Welding
A pair of pliers is one of the primary tools for Welding. Of course, a welder will not be holding or turning a sheet of metal with his hand. Pliers are required to keep the metal piece in place. Not only this, but to cut the wires, and to feed them.
Without proper direction, the entire welding process can go wrong. It would not be wise to skip an essential tool to perform Welding’s complex and challenging tasks.
While buying a welding cutter. Users must ensure the following features for perfect outcomes and use.
- They must come with a sharp cutter.
- Must be comfortable to hold, with rubberized holders.
- Contain anti-rust surfaces for prolonged and reliable usage.
- Longer in length.
Soapstone for Welding
Welding is a magical process. Deforming metal is one thing but marking down the area you do not need to deform is just like a magical experience. The soapstone is the ingredient to carry out those mystical movements properly. You must have seen tailors mark the cloth before cutting and stitching it. They use wax or chalks to demark the fabric. In Welding, we use soapstone.
Marketing metals with chalk will be futile as the complex welding process will make them fade away. The only reliable option in this regard will be soapstone. These are made up of materials that are heat specific. Thus, it makes them bear the heat of Welding. They are the low conductor of electricity, and above all, these are non-absorbent.
Wire brush for Welding
Welding is not a clean process, and the gas and metal reactions can create a lot of mess. The wire brushes are the special equipment used to clean the metal surfaces before and after the welding processes.
The wire brushes are also made up of metal wires, and the handle is usually wooden. The most common use of the welding wire brush is to clean the aluminum oxide’s last remains. During the welding process, a thin coating of aluminum oxide usually covers up the welded metal. Wire brushes are used to clean the surfaces. The wire brushes are the best tool to clean any contamination, soot, to make the welded material look great and polished.
Welding magnets
We all know that magnets are to stick the metal in place. To perform accurate welding techniques, keeping the metal in place is essential. Welding clamps sometimes fail to hold the metal sheets in place. To accomplish this crucial task, welding magnets are used instead.
The welding magnets are square-shaped. You can buy them in different forms, but the only multi-functional welding magnet has square shapes. The welding magnets are made up of two sides, magnets attached on either side. In the middle of those two magnets, you can easily place the article to be welded.
Welding clamps
Welding clamps are one of the essential tools for welders. Welding clamps are adjustable tools to hold the metal sheets in place. The material used to manufacture welding clamps is heat resistant and durable.
They usually contain wide jaws to place the heavy metal objects in between them. Once fixed, the welders can easily combine the target metal pieces. There are different types of welding clamps available in the market. The most common ones are:
- C/G clamp.
- F clamp.
- Locking clamps.
- Quick clamps.
- Two-axis clamps.
- Vice grip.
Sheet metal gauge welding
Sheet metals are the most common type of metal article used in Welding. To measure its length and density, the sheet metal gauge is used. It is essential to get the exact measurement and the size of the metal sheet to initiate the welding work.
After purchasing the sheet metal gauge, welders will have to learn the proper method to read it. The higher the gauge number, the thinner the metal sheet will be. For each metal, there is a different sheet chart. These charts are essential to adjust the welding machines accordingly.
Speed square welding
A speed square is a measurement tool. Every welder wants to be accurate as the precise measurements are crucial for the perfect welded products. As the speed square would be used to measure heated metal, that is why these speed squares are made up of heat resistant materials. Unlike the regular iron/ steel speed squares, these are made up of hardened aluminum metal. It will not bend and will stay firm.
You need to check the following features before buying a speed square welding tool.
- It must have all the required measurements etched on it.
- It must be affordable.
- Try to buy some packages with speed squares of different sizes.
- Easy to use and read.
Angle grinder for Welding
You must have seen this widespread tool used by welders. A fast-revolving disc is attached at the bottom of a handy machine. On the other side, there is a handle with a few buttons to operate the machine.
These tools are used to carve the excess metal. To give the end product a polished and refined look. Most of the angle grinders and angle disks are customizable. You can add a wire brush to it and clean the soot or aluminum oxide films off the metal pieces. There are different angle grinders; some of them work on batteries and are best for fieldwork.
Before purchasing a metal, angle grinder makes sure to check these features.
- Greater torque.
- Longer handle.
- Heavy-duty.
- Comfortable grip/handle.
- An appropriate size to power ratio.
Welding nozzle gel
The sticking can be very annoying when you want a clean and polished welded product. The gel is used to keep the nozzle clean. Welders are supposed to dip the welding nozzle in the gel. These sprays contain active ingredients.
The welding nozzle gels are petroleum-based ingredients. The gel-like consistency and its stickiness will keep the spatter stuck. These are affordable, and beginners can use them for the sake of cleaner work. The most beneficial thing about the welding nozzle gel is the stickiness that will reduce the mess. It is an ideal welding accessory to perform heavy-duty welding tasks.
Metal file for Welding
After an arduous and tiresome welding task, every welder wishes for a clean and polished product. The term file says it all. A filer is a crafting tool to clean all the imperfections of a welded metal.
A metal filer is designed for smaller products. You can clean the sharp edges without spending any heavy-duty cleaning and polishing items like the grinder. The metal file looks like a chisel, a metal/steel/aluminum sheet just like the nail file.
Squares for the metalwork
It is a common tool used for both metals and woodwork. To measure and mark larger metal objects before Welding can be difficult. Using the soapstone for them can be risky as you would not mark them correctly or miss the exact measurement.
The squares are a type of measuring instrument. Its end is a labeled scale, also known as the square’s blade, while the other one is a handle. The etched scale is made up of stainless steel, and the handle is constructed with plastic or wood.
Tape measure
Using general tools for Welding can be risky. The welding needs are quite specific, and being a welder, you need to check a few features before buying even the simplest tool. The tape measure is also a simple measuring tool to calculate the length and width of metal articles.
Before purchasing a tape measure, every welder must check for the following features. All these features will add up to the tape measure’s value while making your metal welded product a reliable and well-measured article.
- It must come with industrial length.
- It should have different scales on it.
- Must have the grip clamps at its edge.
- The lock feature to stick the tape wherever needed.
- Manufactured with reliable material and long-lasting, no one wants to buy a tape measure every few days.
Chipping hammer
A chipping hammer is a chiseled shape thick, pointed hammer to clean the metal surfaces. The tough stains of aluminum oxide and other metal alloys can damage the look of the metal. The other cleaning tools are not designed to clean the heavier metal dirt.
For a reliable purchase, always cross-check for the following features.
- Easy to handle, with a fine grip. The holding handle must be made up of a reliable and heat resistant cover.
- It must be stainless and should not get rust.
- Longer life durability.
- Must be chiseled and pointed.
Metal cutting saw
To cut thicker metals using the metal grinder or other saws will not be a good idea. Only a heavy-duty metal cutting saw can help in such situations. The metal cutting saw is an electronic device to cut the thick metal pieces in desired shapes and sizes.
Other metal cutting devices can be complicated to use when cutting in pieces a thick metal object. The metal cutting saw can speed up the cutting process and help you save a lot of time.
Before you buy a metal cutting saw, make sure to check for the features mentioned below.
- Portable and easy to use.
- High speed with a higher no-load speed.
- Must not cause any mess. There are some advanced metal cutting saws with mess collecting chambers at their top.
- Affordable and reliable. Long-lasting metal cutting saw.
Fire extinguisher
Do you remember that in schools and other buildings, there were red cylinders? These red cylinders are the most needed at places where there is a welding operation going on. Certainly, Welding is a precarious task; even slight negligence can result in serious accidents.
For a welder, a portable fire extinguisher will be the best, especially when traveling to work at different places. The best fire extinguisher for welders is the one that can combat the fire D and fire B; moreover, electrical fires are also a common threat in Welding. You may choose the carbon dioxide fire extinguishers or powder fire extinguishers to minimize the risks of any accidents during Welding.
Adjustable wrenches
Welding and other metal works require particular types of wrenches that can lose or tight any nuts types. A kit of adjustable wrenches can save a lot of time and is easy to handle. Instead of buying many wrenches, it is better to buy one and adjust it whenever needed.
Before purchasing an adjustable wrench, buyers must check for the following features.
- It must be stainless.
- Easy to handle with quality grip.
- For welders, its handle must be of wood plastic or any other insulating material.
- It must be hardened and tempered.
Frequently asked questions
Now when you have learned about all the tools and accessories required for perfect Welding. It is time to answer some questions that may have arisen in your mind.
What are the first must-have tools for beginners in Welding?
It is a very subjective question. But we will try to answer it while imagining a beginner who is mediocre and wants to earn some money through the welding skill.
- Safety glasses
Compromising on safety can be really dangerous, especially when you are a novice welder. The safety glasses will keep your eyes safe, even during the most challenging welding session.
- gloves
Of course, your hands will be involved even with the most advanced welding machines. So, it is better to buy the best welding gloves.
- Welding machine
For a beginner, it is better to buy a MiG welding machine initially. Once he becomes an apt welder, he may shift to more advanced welding machines.
- clamps
To hold the metal pieces in place, welding clamps are essential. A beginner may find it difficult to handle heavy metal objects to help a welding clamp.
- Tape measure
To measure accurately, the most inexpensive measuring tool is the tape measure.
- Soapstone
Demarking the metal is essential for fine and reliable work. Soapstone can be the first choice for beginner welders.
What accessories do I need to start Welding?
To start a welding career, you need to buy the following Welding tools.
- The welding machines. MIG or Tig welding machines are the best in this regard.
- Welding helmets. So that you may not hurt yourself.
- Welding table, if you are thinking of doing it on a commercial scale.
- Angle grinder to cut the metal accurately.
- Sheet metal gauge to measure the size of each metal article properly.
- Fire extinguisher to avoid any accident and mishaps.
- Chipping hammer to clear the rough and tough metal stains.
Conclusion
Welding is an inspiring activity, but it can be quite difficult and nearly impossible without all the necessary tools. Some of the welding accessories are the pre-requisite for becoming a welder, only a few are those that can be neglected, but instead of them, we are bound to use their alternatives. Welding accessories can be classified into three categories: the safety tools, the polishing tools, and the measuring tools.
To become a reliable welder, it is essential to learn about each welding tool. An adept welder is the one who knows about each welding accessory and its use. So, for fast and reliable welding sessions learning about each welding equipment is crucial.
