Aside from your primary welding tools such as the welder and your safety equipment, there are lots of other small tools that will help you out when welding. To get the best results you’ll want to have tools that can help hold your metal in place while you weld, and mark the metal you’re using. If you’re creating slag you’ll also need tools to clean it up afterwards. Here’s our list of useful welding tools that will help you and are good to have around the workshop.
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1. MIG Pliers
When MIG welding some MIG pliers will really come in handy. Pliers are great for cleaning the splatter out of the nozzle to help ensure a smooth gas flow. You’ll need to trim the wire at times so these will enable you to do that and you can also use them to remove the nozzle. These MIG pliers are reasonably priced and are as high quality as any other MIG pliers out on the market. These are they’re comfy, springy and durable, they’re multi-functional so you can remove spatter from nozzles (inside and out), clean nozzle ends, draw/cut wire and remove/install tips and nozzles.
2. Sheet Metal Gauge
When you choose your welder settings, you’ll want to know what thickness your work piece metal is. This sheet metal gauge is the perfect tool, you just need to slide your metal into the groove where it fits tightly to find out the thickness of your metal to help you choose best welder settings quickly and accurately.
3. Welding Magnets
Welding magnets are designed to hold your different pieces of metal in place while you weld them. They allow you to work more safely and freely with both hands, and make life a lot easier! With this you can easily create 45, 90 and 135 degree angles on your welding projects. These magnets are also made of stainless steel and are very durable. These are great if you’re making items with lots of 90 degree angles.
4. Tip Cleaner
Once you finish using your Oxy-Acetylene tips, you’ll need to clean them. A must have to maintain and clean your welding tips is using a tip cleaner. Tip cleaners come with several welding files and a flat file to clean out residue from your welding tips. This set comes with a small and large size tip cleaner. This set is great for cleaning any size of welding tip
5. Speed Square
This useful tool often comes in handy when measuring up. It’s good for 45 or 90 degrees. It’s not expensive and it’s worth having in the workshop as measuring angles is done all the time when working with steel if you’re looking for accurate results.
6. Chipping Hammer
If you’re using a welding process that generates slag such as stick welding or flux cored then you’ll need to clean up the weld afterwards by removing the slag coating that covers it. If there is a lot of slag you’ll need a chipping hammer to chip away at the slag and reveal the weld underneath.
7. Metal Wire Brush
Once you’ve chipped off most of the layer of slag, you can further clean up the weld with a wire brush. The slag is created as a shield to the weld to protect is from contamination, but should be cleared off once the weld is complete. Scrub the area around the weld with a wire brush to remove all the slag and make it smoother.
8. Welding Clamps
Welding clamps are useful where you need to secure metal tightly in place before welding. If you’re welding sheet metal then you’ll need these. I like these because they all versatile with 3 different designs that allow for many configurations. The quick lock release on these clamps makes them easy to handle, and they’re made from durable steel.
9.Round Soapstone Marker
Soapstone markets are great for drawing line lines on metal to help you with work. If you’re cutting then you’ll want something you’ll be able to see clearly. Soapstone is a great tool that you can mark directly on the metal. This come with seven round soapstone pens so more bang for your buck. The round soapstone pens are perfect marking metal.
10.Flat Soapstone Marker
Not a fan of round soapstone, try flat soapstone instead. This flat soapstone holder comes with seven flat soapstone pens. It will last you a while before you need to buy more. Flat soapstone is perfect for making straight thick visible lines on metal.
11. MIG Nozzle Gel
MIG welding gel is great for protecting your MIG gun. apply some of the gel to the nozzle and tip of your gun to prevent spatter from sticking to it. If you get spatter on your nozzle it can prevent gas flow and reduce the quality of your welds. By applying just a little bit of gel you can help maintain the quality of your gun and your welds. This tub will last you a long time, too.
12. Flint Striker
Having a reliable flint striker to light your welding torches is crucial to any project. Luckily. striking sparks from this flint striker is reliable and consistent as they come. Plus, this flint striker come with a total of nine triple rotatable flints. That’s a total of 27 flints which will last you a while.
13. Welding Gauges
This welding fillet gauge is an easy to use tool to check if your fillet weld has the proper leg length and throat thickness. This handy tool comes a long way to ensure proper quality welds. Keep this welding fillet gauge in your kit, it’ll save you time and a huge headache down the road.
14. Automatic Center Punches
If you need to punch, scribe, indent, or mark metal then an automatic center punch comes in handy. These center punches are spring activated and one hand operated. No hammer is required. This set comes with a 6-inch and 5-inch automatic center punch. The 5-inch center punch has a ball end that allows you to grasp the center punch in a comfortable position. The 6-inch creates larger indents and ideal for heavy duty projects.
15 . Automatic Center Punch Set
Want to buy multiple automatic center punches for your shop? Or do you want to keep multiples of the same center punch in your workshop? This 3 piece heavy duty center punch set is perfect for you. These center punches make large indents and features a Chrome Vanadium body preventing rust and corrosion.
