Every welder needs tools and equipment to get the job done. Welders have a variety of techniques to join materials and mold them into the right shapes and angles to strengthen structures. Whether you’re already a welder or a welder-in-training, here’s a list of every welder’s must-have equipment.
- Safety Gear
Because welders use high-power tools that produce extreme heat for melting materials, every welder should have the proper safety gear when doing welding. Thick gloves that protect you from heat are a must. You should also consider getting safety goggles or a heat resistant welding mask. Sometimes welding causes exposure to harsh chemicals, so it never hurts to get a respirator or dust mask to go under your safety helmet to prevent breathing in harsh chemicals and toxins.
- Welding Clamps
When welding materials together, you want tight joints and exact angles. Welding clamps allow you to do higher-quality work because it keeps your materials standing upright, allowing you to create tighter joints and more exact angles. For precision and accuracy, welding clamps are a must.
- A Metal Cutter
While welders are concerned with joining metals and other materials, they are often also the ones working with metals in other ways too. A metal cutter allows you to cut metals to specification and weld pieces together.
- Angle Grinder
An angle grinder is a power tool used to cut materials and remove excess materials. Angle grinders are a must for any welder because they include different discs for different functions. Most notably, an angle grinder allows you to clean your work efficiently and quickly.
- Welding Bench or Table
A workbench is always an essential part of your workspace. Without a work bench, you’ll be working on the floor or standing up, which can be unsafe and will also not allow you to produce your best work.
- A Welding Power Tool
It may seem like a given, but every good welder needs the power to actually join metals. There are different kinds of welding power tools. Some welders use an open flame, but those should only be used by the most skilled and highly trained professionals. Other welders use an arc welder, which uses electricity to join materials. Some welding tools even use energy sources from friction and lasers to produce enough heat to join materials together. Whatever the tool you use, make sure you have enough practice and skill to use it successfully.
