Basic Equip Needs for SMAW Arc Welding?

Nice to have, don't worry about the turnon time spec as the lens is coated so that even if it never turns on your eyes won't get damaged

One is enough - I use the hatchet-style type, also I use a small chisel and one pound hammer when I care about cosmetics.

Flap wheels are great.

I use Vise-Grip clamps in the 6" and 10" sizes, and a variety of pieces of scrap both flat and 90 (cut from angle iron) deburred, for clamping

No. You can get away with heavy cotton clothes.

No. Only for overhead or for high-up work where the sparks fly over your hood and land in your hair. When you need one, you will know. :-)

Heavy gauntlet style gloves, and some lighter gloves for just grinding and shop work.

One is usually enough. I prefer the the straight peen type, but some prefer the cross peen. Straight peen means the chisel edge is parallel with the handle.

move to a 4-1/2" grinder.

Be careful of clamps with plastic or rubber jaws, or other plastic bits that will melt.

Depends. I wear blue jeans and a heavy Carhart button up shirt for almost all of my welding. If I was doing a LOT of overhead work I would wear leathers.

For a keen fashion statement, yes, or just to keep crap out of your hair.

Soapstone, Wire hand brushes, both big and small. A bunch of spare cover lenses for your hood. High top, closed toe, all leather, work shoes. (steel toes are optional) Spare shoe laces (hot metal eats laces) A few pairs of safety glasses. #5 Burning glasses if doing any torch work. Ear plugs (I prefer the type on the plastic spring that sits around your neck when not in use)

Channel locks Visegrips. Hammers of various sizes.

Something to cut he stock with; hacksaw, band saw, chop saw and more clamps (never enough). If you hair is challenged you'll appreciate the funky cap - or even if your welding is done in a cold climate. Don't ask how I know.

You got the basics.

Autodark - that one will be good enough until it wears out or you start making good money and want a better one. Gloves - shop around. The most expensive aren't always the best. Get some safety glasses or a face shield. THIS IS A NECESSITY. Wear COTTON clothing with NO FRAYED EDGES. I like Wrangler khaki western shirts with the snap ties. Get you some Wellington style (should be steel toe) boots so the slag doesn't go down and burn your shoelaces, then your toes. The hats are necessary. The color is up to you. They have been known to help you fight better. ;-) GET EAR PROTECTION. I like the ones on the spring clip. A hot dingleberry in your ear can end your welding career in two seconds. No lie. Get soapstones and a holder. Get some squares, tri-square, adjustable bevel square, etc. One slag hammer is enough. Get a broken piece of hacksaw blade and use the pointy part to scratch along the edge of your weld to get out the fine stuff. Irvin 11R are good welding clamps. Other depending on what you're working on. You can't have too many clamps.

Then just do it. You'll fill in with more stuff. Most important rule: You cannot have too many tools.

Steve

Considering everything else suggested, first I would have to restate the high top boots. Keep at least a heavy cotton pant leg over the top of a leather boot.

Other than that, a good torch or plasma cutter, and maybe a chop saw, depending on the scope of your work.

No cuffs on the pants or open-topped shirt pockets. A fire extinguisher or at least a small spray bottle of water. Some way to keep curious bystanders from looking at the arc, or a spare helmet. Pliers kept close so you aren't tempted to pick up something red-hot with the gloves. The welding-clamp style of Vise-Grip or the cheap import equivalents. A flat surface to assemble the pieces on. Scraps of particle board work, firebricks last longer.

I beg to differ here. Cheap import welding clamps are often useless. Actual Irwin Vise-Grip clamps (I use both the 6R and 11R) aren't cheap but they last many many years and they flat out work.

Or a piece of 3/8" plate steel 30" square and an old oil drum. Makes a fine welding table, I used one like that for 15 years. When you aren't using it, lean the plate against a wall outside. Every so often knock off the loose rust and wipe it with some linseed oil. After a few years it won't rust anymore but will stay a nice dark brown.

GWE

Good stuff. Thanks guys.

Jonesy.

Just checked, mine are 6Rs and 11Rs. The import one with a 10" reach that also works well is stamped Taiwan.

Even better, but I didn't expect a newbie to already have a good scrap steel collection.

Get the best lens you can afford. I've had cheapies, but now I'm using the Jackson Nexgen lens in a Huntsman 951P hood on Ernie L's suggestion. I'm very satisfied. But then, I use it every day when in the shop. I just use a regular lens in the Huntsman hood for field service. It gets too rowdy.

You local welding supplier probably has a house brand. Get a pair. You'll see what you prefer later. Also get a pair of heavy leather work gloves. Good for fitting and handling steel. Some guys like the mechanic style gloves for light handling work.

I like the Tomohawk brand. Nice wooden handle. Lasts for years.

Good for starters. Eventually you'll have a separate grinder for all the common wheels you use. Saves a lot of time.

No such thing as enough clamps. I use the Vise-Grip 11R clamps and the Bessy sliding F-clamps the most.

Unless I'm doing overhead work or some really volitile gouging, I just wear the flame retardant green cotton jacket for most stuff. A cheap leather apron wouldn't hurt, too, when you're getting started. You'll see what you can get away with.

Stay away from anything with synthetic fibers (nylon, polyester, etc...). These fibers turn to napalm when lit. Not fun. Stick with cotton and leather.

They keep the headgear in hoods from pulling your hair. Also, take some spatter to the scalp a time or two and see if you need to ask again...

Good comfortable ANSI Z87.1 approved safety glasses. Pretty cheap to save your eyes.

Ear protection. Some guys like earmuff style some go with plugs. I use the yellow E.A.R. plugs. Also cheap to save your ears.

Have the above the above installed on your head at all times in the shop. You should feel naked with out them. Occasionally I have to replace glasses or ear plugs because they were hit by flying molten metal. Think about it.

Good footwear. I wear RedWing steel toe boots. To get started they may be cost prohibitive. A good comfortable boot with steel toes will suffice. They have saved my feet before.

I'd say the personal safety stuff is an immediate must. The rest you can get as you need.

Good luck.

John

I have mostly used a standard small face (light & best to get your head into tight places) hemet equiped with a gold covered plastic (flip-up) lens. These lenses do not crack when dropped and the gold is very reflective, if you hold your head right the lens will reflect the arc light on your weld area and improve vision especially in dark work areas. I use clear plastic guards on the front and back of the gold lens, and I change them often (rotate from back of flip to base for grinding then to front of flip & then discard, I buy them by the full box) I have always been too cheap to spring for an expensive self darkening helmet for rough field work but have recently purchased a cheap self darkening one and do appreciate it for small work and particularly tacking and I also like the shade adjustability. The auto darkening helmets are particularly good for MIG.

I use a small piece of soft leather mounted on the chin of the helmet to shield my neck and prevent UV burning, this allows me to keep my shirt collar open in the summer which is a lot cooler.

IMHO the best gloves are the cheapest ones that you will wear all the time. You should have your gloves on your hands as much as possible.

Me too, I like an air powered needle scaler for high volume work.

I use 4 1/2" mini grinders (5/8" drive shaft) as I can use the worn disks and attachments from my big grinders (use caution regarding rated operating speeds). I mount the disks on the smaller grinders when they are ~5" dia., small disks are not very effective on the big grinders. The worn disks are already broken in and are much nicer than a new disk. I start with 9" disks but they are a real bear until you get some experience with their power and gyroscopic effects. I suggest less experienced people start with 7" disks. I notice that the 5" grinders are very popular but are hard to use one handed. The 5" grinders would be very nice with wire brushes but may need larger 7" guards, they will be nicer for out of position and overhead work but are not as powerful as a 7 or 9" grinder.. I agree that it is nice to have several grinders to reduce the disk and brush changes.

An apron is a real help when grinding.

An old heavy cotton pant leg (or leather sleeve) on your right arm can help with the sparks and is cooler on a hot day. A real welders leather jacket (~$100) is nice in cool weather and is windproof, lots of working welders get a new one supplied with every job and are willing to pass their old ones on.

Visit your local thrift store as they are a great source for often surprisingly good quality work suitable clothing that it will not break your wallet to burn up. Keep you eyes open for leather as even a ladies leather coat can be a good source for sleeves or cut it off below the chest for summer wear, a long coat can become a nice apron, we are not looking for fashion.

Welding tends to be a dirty business and wild hat colors are often the only way to add some flash to your personal appearance. A good hat needs to be washable as it will get very sweaty and should not have a top button as the helmet will not fit comfortably. I like my hats to be properly sized (non-adjustable) and have soft brims (for ear protection) they are also nice to wear under a good hard hat (fiber-metal welders hat with welders rear adjustable suspension worn reversed (brim back) to give good vision when working with cranes and to prevent walking into obstructions.

This cannot be over emphasised, welding is bad enough but grinding and ESPECIALLY power WIRE BRUSHES and grinders can really spoil the rest of your days. I like dark glasses when outdoors, they help to darken the total shade in your helmet.

Ear plugs will help prevent sparks in your ears, and this is the reason (right handed) pipe welders wear their hat brims sideways over their left ear. I also have a small thin pair of ear muffs that will fit under my helmet. If I am just puttering around in a quiet environment, I do not always wear my plugs, but I do use the muffs whenever I am doing anything noisy and especially with the grinders as they are just the kind of noise it is easy to ignore just long enough for some real long term permanent damage.

I especially agree with your comments about safety and the importance of wearing full PPE at all times. This is a very dangerous business that is very unforgiving of ignorance or carelessness.

I have one good 4-1/2" grinder and two $15 ones. One cheapie holds a wire brush on and the other a cutoff wheel. They heat up too quickly for grinding welds flat but they are very convenient for removing flux between passes.