Let’s get this out of the way: welding is a dangerous business. Threats to your eyes, hands, chest, and ears are a constant, so it’s important to wear the proper gear when you get down to welding. We’ve listed ten must-have items for everyone—from the beginning mig welder or tig welder to the more experienced. They’re listed below.
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1. Mask
Perhaps the most recognized item in the life of a welder is their mask. Besides making them look significantly more awesome, it also protects the welder’s eyes from sparks and the bright light emanating from the welding process. Don’t skimp on this purchase—it’s the most important one.
2. Hood and Goggles
An interesting alternative to the mask, the combination of a hood and goggles make for a much wider field of vision. They also come tinted, just like a mask does. It’s your choice, but we wanted to make sure you knew there was another alternative.
3. Gloves
Gloves are crucial. It’s important to get ones that fit well too, since gloves that are too bulky or loose could cause problems when trying to be precise with your hand movements. Make sure to get ones that are heat-resistant.
4. Jacket
Sparks fly everywhere while you’re welding, and you need a heavy-duty jacket to keep them at bay. Get a standard long-sleeve welding jacket, but make sure it’s not too scratchy or irritating. You’ll be working in this for a long time.
5. Pants
One word: Jeans. They will get the job done—no need to go out and purchase special pants. Make sure there’s no holes in them, which is an obvious but crucial point.
6. Shoes
Unlike pants, which you could go to your dresser drawer to find, you need to go out and purchase some nice shoes for welding. Steel-toe shoes are preferred, and there are even other kinds of shoes that come with full leg protection included with them.
7. Bandana
Bandanas are fantastic for keeping sweat out of your eyes. It will no doubt get hot while you’re working, and the last thing you need are beads of sweat to roll into your eyes when you’re making a crucial weld.
8. Earplugs
Earplugs. It’s going to get quite noisy while you’re working. Why not take the added precaution to protect your ears along with everything else? This is a very easy item to go out and buy—you’ll thank us later.
9. Welding Clips and Magnets
Welding clips are great for keeping the pieces that you’re working on still. It really helps to free up your hands too, which is a major problem for welders everywhere. These can make your job so much easier.
10. Respirators
Often forgotten about, respirators help keep your lungs safe from fumes and oxides that get released into the air while welding. There’s also a lot of dust that gets swept up into the welding area as well, and the respirator will have you covered here as well.
What are safety items without a great welding machine? If you’re in the market to purchase new MIG or TIG welders, we’ve rounded up the best of the best on our website. Check out our selection of best MIG welders here, and also our list of best TIG welders here.