“You are a welder if you have a sunburn in the winter”.
Did you know:
• The highest-paid people in Alaska with an annual salary of $66,740 are welders. They get a mean hourly wage of $32.09.
• Most welding jobs are found in Houston, Dallas, and Chicago.
• The technology for deep-sea welding has reached over 2000fts.
• The temperature needed for welding is around 5000 degrees Celsius.
For thousands of years, humans have practiced metal crafting and have employed techniques and technology in the production of metal goods and objects over time.
The innovations of science and technology have coordinated the contributions of welding to foster industrialization and without it, manufacturing as we know it cannot be possible. It's interesting to know that seven in every ten welders work in manufacturing.
This shows that if there were no welders, humans would probably still live in the stone age. By definition, welding is the process of joining materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, via fusion. Welding has taken different forms since it first surfaced in the Bronze Age. It progressed through the Egyptian era up until the 1800s, when the industrial revolution started.
Several remarkable feats have been achieved with welding, and there are very few aspects of life where welding isn't applicable either directly or indirectly. For someone looking to kick off a profession in welding, there's a need to go through the training and discipline of the craft, but also, it's essential to have all the needed tools and equipment useful for a welder.
WHAT DOES A WELDER USE?
To start in the welding profession, one must have at least a set of necessary equipment and safety gears like the helmet, safety goggles or shield, gloves, etc. However, before getting to welding, complete training is recommended, so the required discipline and skill to properly weld are learned, and all the safety requirements are memorized and practiced.
The same principle is applied in all welding work. A source of heat(gas torch or electric welder) is used to generate a precise amount of heat on a material, and a filler material is used to achieve the fusion process. A welder's work is to read blueprints, take measurements, plan layouts, and determine what to weld and for him to do this, there are quite a few necessary things a welder should have in his toolbox.
Here is a list of important and often overlooked things every welder should have in his toolbox:
1. 7 Piece Fillet Welding Inspection Gauge Set:
Owning a welding gauge is a must-have for any welder's tool kit. The Ally gauge is one of the most straightforward gauges to use. The ends of the fillet welding gauge two parameters of the welded material.
1.) The throat thickness
2.) The leg length.
It's reading is simple and straightforward. The convex sides of the welding fillet gauge are used to calculate the leg length, while the sides with the protrusions in the middle of its side are used to calculate the throat thickness. Overall, the welding gauge features 7 pieces of fillet welds. Each fillet welding gauge has etched markings that are very visible. The fillet welding gauges are peculiar because they are both bend-proof and rustproof, ensuring that they are resilient and guarantee an accurate and reliable reading.
The whole set measures welds from 1/8″ to 1″ or 3.2 – 25.4mm. Each of its measurements is etched in imperial and metric. The fillet welds come with a leather pouch that comes in handy to store the gauges and keep them safe from scratches or dents. Surprisingly, the fillet gauge is one of the most underused tools.
Uses:
• ForInspecting welds is to ensure your they are properly done.
• For checking standard measurements.
• To check welds for fillet size and concavity.
2. Large and Small 13 Wire Oxy-Acetylene Tip Cleaner Set
A good tip cleaner set is a crucial tool to make consistently clean welds. It's a must-have set to clean out welding torches and maintain the condition of a welding kit.
In one set, there is a small tip cleaner and a large tip cleaner. The small tip cleaner's length is 3 inches or 75mm in length, while the large tip cleaner is 5 inches or 130mm in size.
Each Tip Cleaner has 13 individual wire files and a flat-file for filing down surfaces. The wire files for the large tip cleaner are four and 1/3″ long, while the small tip cleaner's wire files are two and 1/3″ long. These wire file sizes range from drill size 49 – 77 or from Gauge 6 to 26.
With easy referencing and the different wire size etched on the aluminum casing. It won't take up much room in your toolbox and worth every penny.
Uses:
• For cleaning out gas orifices, engine jet carburetors, showerheads, and small hard-to-reach places. They are easy to use and easy to carry around in any toolbox.
• For cleaning away any gunk that may be clogging the tip and preventing it from working correctly.
3. Soapstone Holders with Soapstone Pens
When used with a soapstone pen, the welding soapstone holder is used to create visible markings on the welding metal without causing harm or making a dent on the welds. For the round soapstone holder, the body of the holder is made of high-quality aluminum.
The holder has a front pocket clip that allows the holder's clipping anywhere (most likely a tool belt).
This Soapstone is unique because its markings are easy to rub off and will not make permanent marks or damage your material. It is the most common tool used for marking welds.
The soapstone pen is to welders as to what a woodworking pencil is to a carpenter. If you prefer a more “pen” like feel the round soapstone holder is another great option.
Uses:
• The soapstone pen and holders combine to create soapstone markers.
• To create obvious markings on metal without compromising the integrity of the material.
• Used for marking plastics and steel.
• Creating markings that you can rub off easily.
4.Triple Flint Striker with 9 Rotatable Triple Flints
During the welding process, you'll need a triple flint striker to create and deliver excellent sparks on demand. The flint striker's body is zinc, which is a perfect choice because it prevents rust and corrosion. Each piece of equipment features three individual flints. There will be no need to purchase additional flints or flint strikers for a long time.
The flint striker is also useful for non-welding applications such as Bunsen burners, campfires, and starting gas appliances. It is easy to install and replace the triangle flints when needed by merely screwing and unscrewing the middle screw on the flint striker to change or rotate flints. It is easier to create sparks from a triple flint striker.
The triple flint striker's handle is sturdy and easy to use when striking the flints against the cylindrical file. The handle portion of the flint striker is made of zinc to prevent rust and corrosion.
Uses:
• For producing great quality sparks. The flint's sharp edge is used to strike the fire steel at an acute angle to cleave or shave off small particles off the metal.
5. Welding MIG Pliers
Every welder should have a strong set of welding pliers made of high carbon steel with a hardness rating of at least HRC60. A pair like this will stand the test of time without wearing off or rusting. The strength of the pliers supports using them for hammering without a problem.
The pliers have hard cutting edges for cutting wires and a small-serrated hole to remove and install contact tips. They also have a large-serrated spot for nozzle removal and installation. Sharp tip edges for cleaning the inside the nozzles of the weld and cleaning out splatter. The tip edge of the pliers is serrated as well to make drawing and cutting wire seamless. The tip edges are sharp and thin enough to reach small areas that larger pliers cannot reach.
Most importantly, these pliers are comfortable and durable. The pliers' spring-loaded handle feature reduces pressure on the hand and makes it easier to open and close the pliers. Easily one the best options for the best option is looking for the right combination of value and quality.
Uses:
• For hammering, tip removal, and installation.
• Cutting wire
• For spatter removal from inside and outside a nozzle
CONCLUSION
Finding the appropriate instruments for welding is a crucial step to ensure your welds go perfectly as planned. The above-listed tools are a must-have for every welder, the toolbox is not complete yet if any of them are missing because, without the right instruments, it will be an impossible task to work and make accurate measurements effectively. As craftsmen, our first challenge is to find high-quality products that get the job done, suit your budget and last for many years without wearing off or rusting.
“You may design something in steel, but to make it, you need to know how to manipulate the material. On a very technical end, you have to know how to weld stainless steel.”
—Brian Slocum
Brian's words are profound, but how can anyone perfect the craft of welding if they lack the necessary tools to do the work effectively and efficiently?
