Whether you’re interested in welding as a career or as a hobby, you’re probably wondering how you can get started without breaking the bank then review our welding tools list. You might have heard that getting into welding is extremely expensive, but the truth is that there are only a couple of essential welding tools that you’ll use regularly. Surely, there are plenty of other accessories on the market and more advanced professional tools used by dedicated welding shops, but you can start melting metal by equipping your shop with just these starting items.
Our goal with this guide is to present you with the top 10 essential welding tools that should not be missing from any shop. In coming up with the list, we used our own experience and consulted with fellow welders and we think that this list is comprehensive enough to get you started. From safety equipment to basic tools and essential accessories, you have everything needed here.
Welding Tools List
1. A welding table or a workbench
Welding on the ground is impractical, uncomfortable, and may even put your safety at risk. Before you start a welding project, you need to find a solid surface to work on. Whether that’s a traditional workbench or a dedicated welding table, that’s up to you, but don’t skimp on this.
Even if you’re away at a client and you can’t work in your shop where you have everything set up, there are plenty of small and portable workbenches that can be purchased for a nominal price. Invest in one of those and carry it with you, as it will make your job significantly easier.
2. An auto-dimming helmet
Every Welding Tools List Should Start with an Auto Dimming Welding Helmet
Probably the first item that pops into your mind when you think of welding is the helmet that all welders wear. Without one, you simply can’t start welding, so investing in a good quality one that will hold you for years to come is a wise decision.
Trust us when we say that it’s totally worth it to pay a little more and purchase an auto-dimming helmet. An auto-dark helmet will dim the shield only when detecting a bright light, and not all the time like older models of helmets. This way you can see the workpieces and tools more clearly before starting the project, increasing your accuracy and reducing the risk of mistakes. Review our welding helmet shade charts for the best match between helmet and welding process.
3. Welding Gloves
When it comes to welding, your safety is paramount so always invest in specialized equipment. Don’t go looking for general safety gloves, but purchase specialized welding gloves, ideal for the type of welding you perform. Since the temperature of the arc when welding will reach 10,000 degrees, welding gloves are usually really thick, but you’ll still feel some heat coming off.
You can also use them to pick hot metal for a few seconds when needed, but don’t make a habit out of this as it will ruin them faster.
4. Safety Glasses
When you weld or when you use angle grinders, sparks and other small pieces of metal fly everywhere, including under your helmet. Invest in a pair of safety glasses and always use them before putting on the helmet. The helmet will protect you must of the times, but don’t let that lure you into a false sense of security. It’s enough for one rouge spark to fly under the helmet and you’re done for.
5. An Angle Grinder
Welding Angle Grinder
Angle Grinders are so versatile that you can’t get complete a welding project without using one. Whether you need them for grinding, for smoothing the weld or cutting a piece of metal, you’ll definitively feel handicapped if you try to work without one.
Although we always recommend investing in quality tools and angle grinders are no exception, you can also purchase one for as low as $15 from some lower quality brands if you are on a budget.
6. Welding Clamps
Welding clamps are essential for keeping your work pieces together so you can weld properly. You’ll need plenty of them, depending on how many pieces your project needs, but it’s not unheard of to use as many as 10 welding clamps for more complicated projects. Once you cut your pieces and fit them together, that’s when you use the welding clamps to hold them together so you can tack weld.
7. A couple of C Clamps
Even when you use a workbench or a welding table, you still need to secure your workpiece down to the table, and that’s being done by using C Clamps. Working on an unsecured project, whether that’s welding or cutting runs the risk of having your entire project ruined.
C Clamps come in various shapes and sizes and we recommend buying a couple of them to keep around your workshop, as they come useful in a variety of situations.
8. Measuring Tools
When it comes to welding, every measurement needs to be precise and that requires using dedicated measuring tools. Depending on your project and your preference, this usually means anything from measuring tape, calipers, framing squares or metal rulers. I personally prefer to use a digital caliper whenever possible since I find it the easiest and most precise measuring too, but anything else that fits the mantra of “measure twice, cut (or weld in this case) once” is a good option
9. MIG Pliers
MIG Welding Pliers
If you’re into MIG welding, which is the most recommended welding process for beginners, then you’ll need a pair of MIG Pliers to assist you. Like most of the tools we recommended so far, they are essential because of their versatility.
Whether you need them to remove a hot nozzle, a contact tip, or clip your wire, these cheap and effective tools will save you plenty of frustrating moments.
10. A metal file
Once your project is finished, after so much cutting and welding you’ll see plenty of metal burrs and imperfections that you want to smooth out. While you can use the angle grinder we mentioned before for the big ones, for the small stuff a metal file is a tool you need.
A metal file will allow you to work on smaller pieces and smooth the finer details more precisely and they are very cheap, to begin with.
Welding can be an extremely satisfying hobby or career for a beginners or experienced welders who can take on more complex projects. If you’re interested in getting started there’s no better way than investing in a couple of essential tools and see how your first project turns out. If you find a passion for it, then you can upgrade to more advanced and expensive welding tools.