Shop Tricks and Tools
Simple but effective welding tips help fabricators save time, improve accuracy, and make better use of common shop materials and tools.
Save Those Triangles!
Any time you’re cutting plate and end up with scrap in the shape of a right triangle, save those pieces in a separate bucket or bin for later use. Next time you’re working on a project that requires gussets, you can reach into your handy collection of triangles and save yourself a lot of time. Thanks ChuckE2009!
Sharpening Tungsten Faster and More Evenly
If you need to quickly sharpen a piece of tungsten for TIG welding, chuck it into your famous cordless drill before taking it to the grinding wheel. Trigger down on the drill to activate it, then set it against the grinder. The two spinning surfaces will make quick work of sharpening the tungsten to a point, and will ensure that an even cone shape is created. Attributed to APEX Welding.
Note: Be sure to use a grinding wheel that’s made for tungsten only. A carbon steel grinding wheel will contaminate the tungsten.
90-Degree Clamping Vise
This project was brought to you by the YouTube channel Mr. Novruz, and can probably be assembled from pieces you have in your scrap bin. The unique pivoting center point ensures that you get a 90-degree angle every time, even from materials that are not the same dimension. Great for holding square tubing to assemble corner joints or even coped round tubing or stock.
Speakers Yield Magnetic Holding Tools
With smaller, “smarter” audio speakers replacing the woofers and tweeters of old, there’s a good chance you have a set of cabinet-style speakers in your attic or basement ripe for repurposing. If not, your local landfill is probably getting daily deliveries. At the core of these speakers is a high-grade magnet that can be harvested and used to hold pieces of steel in place for welding. To find them, just open the cabinet to access the speaker cone. Strip away all the material until you get to the magnetic core, then grind the faces flush for that perfect extra set of hands for any project. Thanks to ZippoVarga for this simple tip.