First-year & Senior Welding Students Required Tools, Equipment, and Clothing

First-year & Senior Welding Students Required Tools, Equipment, and Clothing

In addition to the regular college expenses, students entering the welding program must possess hand tools, safety equipment, and protective clothing. The cost of tools is approximately $1,000 and cost of the safety equipment (not the required protective clothing) is approximately $150 depending upon where they are purchased. It is recommended that all tools and equipment be insured under the parents' or the student's homeowner's insurance.

There are specific types of welding rod required for each of the semesters during the freshman year and are noted below. The approximate cost of this welding rod is $700 for the freshman year.

The protective clothing must be made of flame-resistant material such as cotton or wool (NOT polyester or nylon).

Please be aware that there are no lockers for the students to store their protective clothing and tools in. Therefore, a roll around toolbox must also be purchased. We recommend a size of 28"W x 18"D x 42"H (max.). This toolbox can be purchased anywhere as long as it meets the specified measurements. Please remember it must be big enough to hold the tools, clothing, and welding helmet.

If you have any questions, please contact George Merry, freshman instructor, via email at merrygj@alfredstate.edu.

First-year Welding Tools, Equipment, and Clothing

The following items (unless otherwise noted) are to be furnished by each freshman. Please bring these with you when you begin classes. Tools are NOT available at the campus bookstore. It is strongly recommended that these tools be insured under the parents' or student's homeowner's insurance.

Safety Equipment

  1. Approved safety glasses with Z87 approved side shields (prescription glasses must have Z87 approved side shields)
  2. Earplugs and earmuffs
  3. Approved welding helmet with 10 and 11 lens shade
  4. Approved face shield clear lens
  5. Approved face shield (#5 lens and #3 lens)
  6. Extra cover lenses (inner and outer) for welding helmet, minimum 15-30 each semester

Protective Clothing

  1. Skull cap
  2. Leather jacket or green fire-resistant jacket
  3. Leather gloves (multiple pairs)
  4. Leather steel toe boots (no sneakers), all leather construction, no canvas/synthetic panels or tongue
  5. Two long-sleeved cotton shirts
  6. Two pair of cotton pants
  7. Extra boot laces (preferably leather)

Required Tool List

  1. Tool box 32" W x 19.3"D x 17.5"H (maximum size, cannot exceed this size)
  2. Lock for tool box
  3. 25 ft. tape measure
  4. Adjustable tri-square
  5. Calculator - Casio 300fx or equivalent
  6. Metal scribe
  7. Slip joint pliers size 7"
  8. MIG pliers size 9 1/2"
  9. Bastard cut mill file 10" with handles
  10. Bastard cut flat file 10" with handles
  11. 8" - 10" Round File (Rat Tail File)
  12. #2 Phillips screwdriver
  13. #2 slotted screwdriver
  14. Adjustable wrenches 8" and 12"
  15. Standard hex key set 5/64" - 3/8" and 2mm-10mm metric keys
  16. Tip cleaners for both propylene and acetylene cutting tips
  17. 2 Spark lighter, with 5 extra flints
  18. Chipping hammer
  19. Cold chisel 5/8" x 6" and 3/8" x 6"
  20. Center punch 3/8" x 4 1/2"
  21. Ball peen hammer - 16 oz.
  22. (1) G.A.L. brand V-WAC gauge
  23. Hack saw & blades
  24. Wire brush (carbon steel, stainless)
  25. Soap stone
  26. Permanent metal marker
  27. G.A.L. fillet weld measuring gauge
  28. Flashlight
  29. Vise grip pliers
  30. 4 1/2" right angle grinder
  31. 30- 4 1/2" Grinding wheels (Sait Weiler)
  32. Steel protractor
  33. Steel compass

Welding Rod Requirements (email for rod recommendations)

  1. Low fuming bronze 5-10 lb. 3/32 diameter, flux coated
  2. Shielded Metal Arc Welding Rod (SMAW)
    • 100 lb. Lincoln Excalibur E7018 – 1/8”
    • ER70S-6 10 lbs. 1/16" (TIG)
    • ER70S-6 10 lbs. 3/32" (TIG)
  3. Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) 10 lb. ER4043 3/32" diameter
  4. 50 lb. Lincoln 5P+E6010-1/8" (MUST be Lincoln 5P+E6010-1/8" diameter)
  5. 2% Thoriated Tungsten - 3/32" diameter
    • 10 electrodes 7" long (red)
  6. Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)
    • ER - 70S-6 0.35" diameter, 33 lb. spool minimum
  7. Flux Core Arc Welding (FCAW)
    • Lincoln 71M E71T-1 0.45" diameter
    • 30 lbs. to 35 lbs.
    • DO NOT buy self shielding wire (we use 75% Ar-25% CO2Shielding Gas for our fluxcore wire)

Textbooks are approximately $450 each year. You may visit the Alfred State campus bookstore's website for prices and/or ordering information.

A laptop or tablet computer capable of wireless connection to the Internet is required - must be Windows compatible - no MACs. Shop online.

Additional Required Senior Welding Tools, Equipment and Clothing

In addition to the required tools, equipment, and protective clothing from the freshman year, the following are required for the senior year of welding technology. Tools are NOT available at the campus bookstore and it is strongly recommended that all tools be insured under the parents' or student's homeowners' insurance.

Required Tools

  1. Inspection mirror - approximate mirror diameter1 1/4" with telescoping handle
  2. 2-3/4 x 5/8” – 11 Type 16 24 grit aluminum oxide portable snagging cone
  3. 30 Grinding wheels
  4. 20 Cutting wheels

Welding Rod Requirements

  1. Shielded Metal Arc Welding Rod (SMAW)
    • 50 lb. Lincoln Excalibur E7018 - 1/8"
    • 30 lb. Lincoln Excalibur E7018 - 3/32"
  2. Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)
    • ER-70S-6 0.35" diameter
    • 33 lb. spool minimum
  3. 2% Thoriated Tungsten-3/32, 10 electrodes 7" long (red band)
  4. Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) 
    • ER 70S-6 10 lbs. 1/16"
    • ER 70S-6 10 lbs. 3/32"

Hit the ground running®…

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