For the projects in this book, a number of hand tools are needed, some of which are specially designed for metalwork and others of which are more common. To make sure that you have access to all the tools you’ll need for the projects in this book, I’m going to review the names and functions of each and provide a few tips.
C-clamps, pipe clamps, and bar clamps all have their place in a metal shop. One of the most common clamps you’ll encounter is the C-clamp, shown in Figure 5.1. C-clamps come in varying sizes and depths, but two of the biggest advantages of them are the high clamping force and the large throat depth. Their compact size means that it’s easy to put one anywhere you need it. For longer clamping, pipe clamps and bar clamps may be preferred.
FIGURE 5.1 C-clamps.
Vice-Grip is a brand name, and there are many other types of grip-style clamps or pliers. The purpose is to hold material securely for grinding, welding, and more. Figure 5.2 shows examples of these types of clamps. If you need to grind pieces of work that are less than 3 in long on a bench grinder, a pair of Vice-Grips to hold your work is a must. Other pairs of Vice-Grips are specially made to hold your weld area together while you create the weld. All in all, this is a very handy tool to have in your shop.
FIGURE 5.2 Example Vice-Grip-style clamps.
Well, this one is pretty obvious, but if you’re interested in building projects that are at all straight and square, you’re going to need a decent tape measure and know how to use it (Figure 5.3). Because I grew up using U.S. standard measurements and most of the steel industry uses them too, make sure that you have a tape measure that uses inches. Some tape measures have a magnetic strip on the end to help hold the tape in place when extended. This isn’t necessary but may help.
FIGURE 5.3 Measuring tape.
Wire cutters have many uses, but for welding, they come in handy for one thing—cutting the exposed welding wire 
to ¼ in from the tip of the electrode. Having a nice pair of wire cutters that don’t bind and cut cleanly every time will save you frustration (Figure 5.4).
FIGURE 5.4 Wire cutters.
Get ready, you’re about to have a new best friend. Magnetic angles are made specifically for holding your work together at 90 degrees, 45 degrees, or other angles while you get ready to weld. They come in various sizes and angles and are either electromagnetic or regular, as shown in Figure 5.5. Electromagnetic angles are easier to clean because you can release the metal dust and bits that collect on them. Keeping these angles clean from debris and weld spatter will help you to make accurate angles for a long time to come. Cleaning these angles with a stiff wire brush will help to remove built-up debris.
FIGURE 5.5 Magnetic angles.
Magnetic angles are very handy, but some more traditional layout tools also may be used for increased accuracy. Some of the tools I prefer are a speed square (aluminum or plastic), an adjustable square, a 24-in or larger right angle, and sometimes a level (Figure 5.6).
FIGURE 5.6 Layout tools.
Slag hammers like the ones shown in Figure 5.7, are used to chip off slag that forms over welds or along cuts made with the plasma or oxygen-acetylene torch. A slag hammer has a hardened-steel head that comes to a point on each end that is usually welded to a flexible spring-like handle. On one side, the point is conical, and on the other, the point is a flattened rectangle. Generally, the flat side is used to slide along the surface of the steel, chipping away at the edge, and the conical side can be used to hammer small cut sections out of a recently cut piece of material.
FIGURE 5.7 Slag hammer.
Metal files are a great quick way to lightly clean off a burr or corner before welding. They aren’t very efficient for removing a lot of material (for that I’d recommend using an angle grinder), but they are nice to have around for small jobs. They also leave the finished edge much smoother than a grinding disk, so they can be useful to smooth out corners before finishing. Remember that files cut in only one direction, typically on the push stroke. Different types of files appropriate for metal use are shown in Figure 5.8.
FIGURE 5.8 Files.
A scribe is to metal what a no. 3 lead pencil is to paper—the most accurate and precise way to mark something out. On uncoated steel, the marks can be hard to see sometimes, so a type of stain called marking blue can be used, or simply use a Sharpie to make the rough line first and then scribe over that. Scribes are long lasting because the tip is hardened steel. If your scribe ever loses its sharp point, you can grind a new one using the bench grinder. Two handmade scribes are shown in Figure 5.9.
FIGURE 5.9 Scribes.
Soapstone is a less precise way of marking steel, but it comes in very handy when welding, torch cutting, and plasma cutting. When you start welding, it will take you some time to get used to the dark environment. By drawing along the intended joint or weld area with soapstone, you can increase contrast of that area from the rest of the material. Soapstone is a naturally occurring type of rock that is resistant to heat, but when heated enough, it will burn away without leaving any impurities in or on the weld. It’s also not permanent, so if you make a mark you didn’t intend to, just wipe it off. New and used soapstone can be seen in Figure 5.10.
FIGURE 5.10 Soapstone