Clamping, fixturing, and positioning parts to weld is half of the secret of getting a good weld and a strong weld joint. If your parts fit together poorly or are allowed to move while welding your work will suffer and it can even be a weak weld joint. That’s why we’ve worked hard to put together a wide variety of welding clamps.
One of the smallest holding devices for welding and fixturing panels is our Stitch Weld Magnets. These are super strong rare earth magnets that have an incredible holding force in a small size! A set of these have the strength to hold a patch panel in place and aligned in a butt weld situation or the ends can be used to hold a 90 degree panel or hold the ends of a weld joint together for tack welding. We like to spread the magnets across a panel and use them as a third hand when setting up and tack welding a part in place. Once the panel is tacked in place you can easily weld it all with the magnets removed. Because of the popularity of these we’ve decided to put together our top 3 tips for extending the life of your Stitch Weld Magnets.
- Cover the Magnets- We aren’t joking when we say these magnets are SUPER strong for their size! That means they will pick up any little piece of grinding dust, rust flakes, or metal shavings that get near them! Don’t believe us? Simply put one in the corner of a car when you’re sanding a weld or grinding metal and you will see how it will be covered in metal dust from just what’s floating in the air! This can be a huge annoyance when trying to setup a weld joint and there’s a coating of metal shavings or dust on them. We like to cover our magnets in plastic when not in use or store them in a drawer to keep debris off of them.
- Keep them away From High Heat- While these magnets can take a lot of abuse their magnetic properties can be compromised when they are exposed to high temps. As a rule of thumb if the metal is changing color where the magnet is placed it can harm the magnetic and you will see extended exposure to high heat will slowly make the magnets loose their power. When welding keep at least a few inches away from the magnet to be safe and remove then after everything is tack welded and hold itself in place.
- Use Tape for Scratch Resistance- Stitch weld magnets are a nemesis for painted or nicely polished parts and if even spec of dust or metal gets on the surface and is clamped between the magnet and the surface of your part it can cause damage. One trick is to coat the magnets with a fresh coating of masking tape before use. This will also give a small cushion between the magnet and the panel itself. Want more cushion or to lower the strength of the magnet? Simply coat it with additional layers of tape! Tape covering the magnets will also help keep them from chipping on the edges if they snap together when stored.
So there you have our top 3 tips for our ever-popular stitch weld magnets. You can never have enough magnets, clamps, or fixtures for your welding jobs so make sure you check out the wide variety we have available on our site HERE.