It is not uncommon for beginners, who are just starting out welding, to get overwhelmed by all the tools they will need and the things they need to know. Starting a new hobby or learning a new skill can be quite expensive at times because you need to invest in the material that will help you master the skill. Welding is no different.
To help you through the tough process of figuring out what you need in order to start welding without spending money on extra tools, we have prepared a detailed list of the 10 must-have welding tools for beginners. This list includes the basic tools, safety materials, and other welding essentials that will prepare you for learning and practicing welding.
A Welding Machine
This is perhaps the most important welding tool, as it directly serves the welding process, which would be impossible without it. As the name suggests, a welding machine is a device that provides power and heat for welding, resulting in the melting of metals to be combined together.
When these melted metals cool down, they are attached together. If you are not sure which welder to purchase, you can consider this review of Eastwood Welder to help you make a decision.
Welding Magnets
These magnets are specifically designed to be used in a welding process and serve a versatile range of functions. Welding magnets can be used to hold metal parts or pieces together. You can also create 90-degree angles with a lot of ease if you have welding magnets.
These magnets come in various different shapes and sizes. The size of a welding magnet to be used depends on the size of your welding project and the metal you are trying to alter. It is always safe to buy welding magnets in abundance because they always come in handy and ease the welding process. You may need several magnets for just one project; for instance, a square frame will require four magnets on each corner of the working metal.
Welding Helmet
You cannot start welding without a welding helmet. This is perhaps the most important safety equipment you will need before you start welding. You can find different kinds of welding helmets, but it is best that you get an auto-darkening helmet.
This is because not all welding helmets have the same performance and ensure safety; however, some are designed to be superior. You need a user-friendly welding helmet because if they cause irritability, it can affect your performance and the results as well. This is why we suggest getting auto-darkening welding helmets because they allow you to see through the helmet easily while providing maximum protection to your eyes and face.
Speed Square
You may feel like a speed square is not that important but trust us when we say that it is quite useful. It is extremely useful when it comes to marking, but it also leaves a small 90-degree cut to start you off. Moreover, you can angle your cuts easily using a speed square.
Metal File
Metal files are a versatile tool that also happens to be very useful in welding projects. We have all probably used this tool to file fingers and toenails at some point in our lives. But you can also use them to smooth out and finish off a welding project. Basically, welding is not a seamless process, and it leaves several metal burrs. You can get rid of these by evening them out using a metal file. However, you can use a grinder for bigger welding projects.
Welding Gloves
These are a must-have for obvious reasons. Welding is a dangerous job and can result in permanent nerve damage on your fingers and palms if not protected by thick welding gloves. These gloves are so tough that you can even pick up hot metal pieces for brief moments.
Safety Glasses
These are important when using angle grinders because the sparks that fly off the grinding disk can hit your eyes, causing serious damage. These sparks are essentially tiny metal particles that are extremely dangerous and can cause deep cuts, so safety glasses are a must-have.
Metal Brush
This is useful for welding techniques like stick welding or flux-core welding that produce slag. A metal brush is used to clean the slag off the finished product.
Sheet Metal Gauge
A sheet metal gauge tells you the thickness of your metal. Knowing the thickness is important because it determines the welding technique you will have to employ. It also helps you determine the power or voltage settings on your welding machine.
Welding Clamps
You need these in abundance. It is safe to say that you will need at least 10 welding clamps for a project. They hold the metal pieces in place, so you can weld them without throwing the pieces off the welding square.