There seems to be a lot of discussion about equipment. What's good vs. what's bad etc. I think a lot of experienced welders or craftsmen in general can agree that going cheap when it comes to tools never ends well. I'm not saying you've gotta spend a ton of cash even though we've all got Jeeps which means we all have heaps of cash laying around
. Here's a few options you should consider if you want to get into welding or are unhappy with the gear you already have.
Hoods/Helmets: Mr. Blaine mentioned it earlier & I want to stress the importance of a
quality welding hood. I always recommend an auto-darkening hood with an adjustable shade lens. An auto dark allows you to see what you're doing without constantly lifting your hood while an adjustable shade allows for more flexibility if you aren't sure which shade you need. Also I'd like to mention the grind feature that many hoods have. Basically this feature allows you to use your welding hood as a face shield while grinding without the sparks triggering the auto darkening mode. Just remember to switch back to weld mode before welding.
A few good hoods:
Jackson Safety ~ $160 Reputable company, standard clear lenses & large viewing area.
ESAB ~ $150 Reputable company, standard clear lenses but smaller viewing area.
Lincoln Electric ~ $140 Excellent quality, standard clear lenses but smaller viewing area.
Miller ~ $150 Excellent quality, standard clear lenses but smaller viewing area.
Better hoods IMO:
Lincoln Electric ~ $330 Large viewing area, standard clear lenses & integrated LED light.
Miller ~ $320 Large viewing area & great for welding outdoors in sunlight.
ESAB Sentinel ~ $300 Large viewing area, very comfortable but clear lenses cost more.
Other gear I recommend getting:
MIG welding gloves - these get worn out so stick in the $15-25 range
Extra clear lenses inside & out - expect to change outer lenses a lot while your learning
Welding jacket or 100% cotton long sleeve shirt, polyester will melt & stick to your skin
I always wear earplugs because I don't want sparks/spatter getting inside my ear
A welding cap, bandana or something to cover your head
I also want to touch on shielding gas. If you plan on using MIG wire sometimes called hardwire or solid wire you will absolutely need some shielding gas. Typically C25 which means 25% Carbon Dioxide & 75% Argon. This means purchasing a bottle which can get expensive. Bottles are sized by the cubic feet they can hold 40, 60, 80, 125 & 300. Bottles are typically a 1 time purchase & can be swapped out for a full bottle at any welding supply store & you only pay for the gas. Tractor Supply & Northern Tool also sell shielding gas but they are usually more expensive. I think either 80 or 125 would be enough for a garage welder without having to get a refill every time you want to weld. I started off with a 125 & when I switched to a 300 I was able to get credit for the old bottle towards the new one. There's so much more I could discuss with shielding gas but I'll save that for another post.
If I'm forgetting something then please let me know
