Written by: Emily Joswiak • January 28, 2021• Safety

Essential Supplies You Need for Welding

From PPE to cleaning supplies, welders need this the essential gear to complete any task while prioritizing their safety and the quality of the final product.

Professional welders use a wide array of methods and equipment. While some variables differ, there is some gear all welders need at all times. Read through these essentials supplies you need for welding to confirm you’re tackling each project with a focus on safety and quality assurance.

PPE

Having the right personal protective equipment for welding will help you avoid accidents, from burns to eye injuries and beyond. The truth is that welding can be very dangerous. Luckily, there is a wide selection of gear available to minimize that danger.

First, you need eye, face, and head protection in the form of an auto-darkening helmet, welding cap, safety goggles, fireproof earmuffs, and a respirator. All of this PPE works in tandem, meaning that just because you have a helmet doesn’t mean you don’t need safety goggles or a welding cap on underneath.

Furthermore, you have to protect your body with fireproof shirts, pants, leather jackets, steel toe boots, and gloves. Refusing to use apparel specialized for welding will result in easily avoidable injuries. Prioritizing your PPE is even one of the best ways to avoid welding fires.

Cleaning Equipment

Cleaning the base metal is a necessary step to ensure your welds come out as clean as they should. Materials you can use for cleaning base metals include acetone, sandpaper, wire brushes, and an angle grinder with a flap disc attachment.

Wire brushes are particularly effective at cleaning contaminants out of tight spots on the base metal. However, don’t use one brush for cleaning multiple metals. Stainless steel brushes are the go-to for welding aluminum because other options on the market can contaminate the metal. Obviously, that defeats the purpose of cleaning it in the first place.

Tools

The final stop on this list of essential welding gear is necessary tools. For instance, not only are angle grinders suitable for cleaning base metals, but they’re also invaluable when you need to make a clean cut. You can find wheels that attach to a grinder for cutting purposes and even smoothing out any rough spots on the metal. A quality angle grinder with a library of attachable disks is a must-have tool for any weld. Other tools you must have during a weld include chipping hammers and wire cutters.

Some welding methods will create a coating of slag that will stick around after completion of the project. When it comes time to remove that slag, chipping hammers are the best tool for the task. Additionally, when your welding wire sticks out too far, the wire cutter will come in handy. With a reliable pair of wire cutters or MIG pliers, you can swiftly and precisely get the welding wire to the right size.

The equipment above isn’t the only gear welders consistently use in the field, but they’re undoubtedly crucial. Whether you’re walking into your first training course or working on your latest project at home, these essential supplies you need for welding will help you get the job done right.

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Last modified: February 1, 2021