Welding ground clamp question

[JobeFabrications]

Often times I'm in the need for a traditional clamp ground clamp on my MIG welder as well as a magnetic attachement. Currently I have to take my ground wire off my jaw clamp and bolt to the magnetic ground.

Is there an attachement that does both? I'm probably asking for too much here.

One other question is sometimes while I'm using my magnetic ground clamp I get a little scar on the steel where it sits. I do most of my furniture in bare unfinished steel so I'm trying to keep it unmarred as possible.

Hope that makes sense.

Thanks.

 

[R-132 Fan]

I don't know of a factory ground clamp setup like that. Could you weld a bracket onto the side of a pair of vise grips and bolt the magnetic ground clamp to that?
One place in town I would check with is Alamo Welding Supply on Chicon St. I buy all my supplies there and they have some good counter help that would know if anything is availble like you are looking for.

 

[bad_idea]

You have a welding machine, make something. No need to buy something.

 

[A_Pmech]

Slap the magnet on the object you're working on, then clamp onto it with your ground clamp.

 

[Piper]

that's what I do.

 

[garfunkle24]

As others have said, you could just make something. Shouldn't be hard to knock up a cable with both a clamp and a magnet. The only thing I can think of to help with marring on the magnetic clamp is to use something softer between the magnet and work piece like a thin sheet of copper or aluminum. Heck, folded up aluminum foil might do the trick. Just needs to be conductive and thin enough to allow the magnet to work properly.

 

[radardog]

Magnetic ground clamps don't work very well. The contact pressure is usually applied by a spring that weakens due to heat generated by electrical resistance between the work and ground. The poor connection will cause arcing (scars) that will be made worse by metal shavings. Anything between the magnet and work will probably get fried like a bug in a zapper. If it is substantial enough to handle the heat and current, your magnet won't stick.

Sometimes just the weight of the cable will prevent the contact from making a complete connection ... more arcing.

Ask your local welding supply to sell you a one female and two male twist lock connectors and make pigtails so you can easily connect whichever ground you choose to use. You could also just buy a length of cable and two lugs and have both grounds connected all the time.

 

[JasonTX]

Lose the magnetic grounding device. It will always scar. Get a Tweco clamp. All copper. No scratches on my work, stainless, mild steel, or alu.

 

[JobeFabrications]

Thanks for the feedback all.
Problem is sometimes I'm welding up a tube steel frame with no where to clamp to the work thus the mag clamp.
I'll try making sure its clean and investigate making something better.

 

[mjb]

Slap the magnet on the object you're working on, then clamp onto it with your ground clamp.

This is what I do.

The magnet has a twist on/off knob so you can easily wipe off metal chips and grinding dust.

Not sure how many pounds of force it takes to remove it, but it sticks great. It also has a notch cut in the base to attach to tubing.

 

[WILD-BILL]

I think it was Jody From WTnT that showed using a ground cable (or other heavy copper wire) with the insulation stripped off. Wrap the cable tight around the tube, Twist, clamp ground onto twist to hold.

Sorry. can't remember which video it was in though.

 

[radardog]

MJB has the right idea. A high quality magnetic clamp may solve your problem. You should expect to pay extra and have to special order one of these. Most "in stock - made in China" magnetic clamps look like a stereo speaker magnet with a spring and stud sticking out of it.

Tweco makes premium (quality) products that are pricey. I am an outside salesman for a national welding distributor with 20 years of real world experience. Most people buy a product based on price and believe that if it's almost (or half) as good that's good enough. Most people will never know the difference. If you are very serious about quality ... buy quality. Don't be afraid to negotiate with your local welding supply guy.

mjb - thanks for reminding me that quality sells!

 

[Stick]

Why not use something like a Tweco twist lock connector, like the ones you use for stinger cables in stick welding? It won't be the cheapest option, but it would only take a couple of feet of ground cable on the magnet with the twist lock on the end, and another couple of feet for the regular clamp ground.

 

[JayL]

I have this for my Mig Welder. I can only use either one of the ground clamps at a time.

 

[ZRX61]

Apparently no one thought of drilling a hole in a tradition clamp & then using that hole to bolt the mag clamp to it? Then you have both clamps in one. This isn't rocket science yanno...