Tool Reviews

Why sleeves matter at the bench Bench fabrication puts your arms close to sharp edges, hot parts and stray sparks. A sleeve can reduce minor burns and abrasion, but it…

MIG gloves have two jobs: protect your hands from sparks and radiant heat, and let you hold the work without fumbling. Those goals can conflict. Thick gloves buy more insulation…

Why lightweight matters for hot-weather TIG TIG work often means leaning over a joint, holding a steady torch, and making small adjustments for minutes at a time. A heavy jacket…

What a Leather Jacket Protects Against A leather welding jacket is most useful when MIG or stick welding sends hot spatter toward your arms and torso. MIG can throw small,…

What scratch resistance means on a welding helmet A scratched lens is more than an annoyance. Marks scatter light from the arc and can make it harder to see the…

What a welding helmet respirator does A welding helmet protects your eyes and face from arc radiation, sparks and hot metal. A respirator reduces what you breathe. They do different…

Switching between MIG and TIG exposes the limits of a welding helmet faster than sticking to one process. MIG’s bright arc and spatter call for dependable coverage, while TIG often…

What matters when welding overhead Overhead welding puts a helmet’s fit and coverage under more strain than bench work. The shell needs to stay put when you look up, cover…

A true-color welding lens makes the puddle and nearby workpiece look more like their natural colors than they do through a conventional green lens. That can make it easier to…

A shop that does MIG, TIG, stick welding, grinding, and plasma cutting needs more than a helmet with a dark lens. The useful helmet is one you will actually keep…