Creating useful and decorative art from horseshoes can be a fun hobby and profitable. Learning to work with metal is not difficult but you may need to invest in some welding equipment.
Below is a list of metal working tools and equipment you will need. Shop these items and accessories here and follow the links below for more information and welding instructions.
EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS
- Depending on your budget and familiarity with welding you will need a welding machine and a steel table to layout and weld your artwork.
- There are several types of welders to choose from. Welding requires protection of the material to be welded from oxygen, which may be in the form of a shielding gas or flux core wire for MIG & TIG or, in the case of welding rods with flux coating for ARC.
- Click here to learn the differences between the three types of welding machines: MIG , TIG and ARC
- 110 volt MIG – $400 to $900 price range
- MIG requires less preparation of the horseshoes to get a good weld.
- MIG welder with Argon gas is the easiest to learn with least amount of weld spatter.
- MIG welder with 75% Argon and 25% CO2 gas is less expensive with little weld spatter.
- MIG welder with CO2 gas is the least expensive, but has considerable weld spatter.
- MIG welder with flux core wire. Least expensive to operate but has maximum weld spatter.
- 220 volt TIG – $700 to $1500 price range
- TIG welding requires very clean steel or the weld will be weak.
- There is more preparation time but less clean up.
- Excellent for welding stainless steel and thin sheet metal.
- Requires Argon gas.
- 220 volt ARC (stick) welder – $200 to $400 price range
- ARC welding may be done with minimal cleaning of the steel.
- Rust and paint can be cut through by this type of welding.
- The welding rods come in various diameters and with a variety of flux coating on the rod.
- 110 volt MIG – $400 to $900 price range
- Where Can I Buy Welders and Supplies?
- A local welding supply store in your area such as Air Gas, Cee Kay, Praxair, etc.
- Online welding supply sites:
- Where Can I Learn to Weld?
- Community colleges and some high schools offer adult education welding classes.
- Online classes:
MORE TOOLS
- Grinder (bench grinder and a hand-held angle grinder are important and useful to have)
- Metal cutting tool (hacksaw, bandsaw or cut off wheel)
- Grinder (bench grinder and a hand-held angle grinder are important and useful tools)
- Metal cutting tool (hacksaw, bandsaw or cut off wheel)
- Clamps (a variety of vise grips and clamps are important to hold the materials for welding)
- Steel angle iron (a 2” x 2” piece of angle iron about 32” long will be very useful)
- Bernzomatic torch (helpful for bending horseshoes and when creating a “tortoise shell” finish to your projects)
- Wire brush or wire wheel on the bench grinder
- Safety glasses
- Face shield
- Leather work gloves and welder gloves
- Ear plugs or other ear protection
- Magnets (various angle magnets can be useful but may cause interference with welding)
- Small magnetic level
- Carpenter squares
- Soap stone or marking pencil
- Hammers of various sizes
- Files of various sizes and shapes
- Anvil or large block of steel
- Rust preventing paint and clear coat