MIG Pliers..

[Pile Buck]

I always use diagonal pliers, I like the sharp nose to be able to reach way down in the gas cup and scrape out all the splatter. I have to agree with the others; sometimes there is a place for cheap tools. Take it from a guy who worked over water for 25-years. That $65.00 spud crescent floats just as well as the $7.00 spud I cut off a wrench and welded it to a 12-inch crescent

[cutter]

I use an old Crescent sidecutter with a chipped off jawtip because I don't like to use it for anything else. The jaws still cut good down close, pops off mig wire just fine. And they will grab tip buildup as well as anything if the wire sticks to it; I do have to pick up a different pair of pliers to change tips. Big deal.

[Razorhunter]

Well I guess I never thought of the lost/stolen thing. In my home shop, that's never been an issue. I don't know that I've ever lost a tool, and I'm usually the only one in my shop anyway. No shop buddies to hang with.

I was really looking at the MIG pliers to clean the nozzle with. I figured too, that some other pliers could be used for nozzle cleaning...
I was just looking for a nice small set of dykes or wire cutters to fit in my back pocket today, and ran across the MIG pliers. Thought they looked like they would be perfect, but I just didn't like the quality of them...

[arcdawg]

paul, I would recomend the ones at home depot.........husky brand

heres the story behind it....im out at lincoln electrics factory this time last year takinga tig class and wanted to buy a set of those welpers you speak of........ lincolns store was selling them for $22.00 so I took a ride down to big orange and got a set of the ones that are needle nose and then flip to linesmen......very cool and very handy........plus they came with a small set for somthing like $12.00

i use those things every day........

d-

[morpheus]

I picked up a pair of the Weld-It brand crap that Hobart pushes these days ... I've had them for a while and they absolutely suck. I think I paid about $12 for them and if it weren't for the "needle nose" design of them that's handy for cleaning the MIG nozzle I'd through them as far in the woods as I could ... why you ask? ... they won't hardly cut the wire at all.

Not sure if it matters, but the mig pliers sold by Forney in the local hardware stores is $7 and change. Work about as well as the next and the price is right. Forney sells through many different hardware chains, so you should be able to find a pair.

[Marcus]

I paid a premium at the welding dealer and later found that I couldn't tell the difference between mine and the HF ones. Oh well, they work great.

[john pen]

Hey, just wanted to mention a note about Snap On tools...If you come across any broken unusable tool at a garage sale or whatever, you can trade them in for new with any dealer. I bought three busted scew drivers for a dime a piece last year (tips all buggered up), took 'em to the truck and he was more than glad to replace them for me. Seems they get counted and credited to him as a sale. I also had an old Snap On test light..probably had it since the late 70's, dont really know where I got it from, but the wire was all dried out and the clip busted off...took it to the truck and walked out with a brand new one...worth keepin' your eyes open for !

[Sberry]

I am with Pile Buck, dykes, with fluxcore I never used them, just bust the wire off.

[Scott V]

Originally Posted by Pile Buck

I always use diagonal pliers, I like the sharp nose to be able to reach way down in the gas cup and scrape out all the splatter. I have to agree with the others; sometimes there is a place for cheap tools. Take it from a guy who worked over water for 25-years. That $65.00 spud crescent floats just as well as the $7.00 spud I cut off a wrench and welded it to a 12-inch crescent

You are right on the floating part. I helped my friend remodel /build his house boat of of Vancouver lake. It runs into the Columbia river. First thing, I dropped a hammer and he told my don't worry about it because it was about the 100th one!!
Anyway I watched him drop his $150.00 cell phone and he was pissed. I asked him what was wrong, and he told me that he just dropped his phone. Of course I always have to add my two cents, so I said " Oh I thought you dropped something important like your tape"

He said lets quit and go home.

My mig pliers sound a whole lot like Cutters. They work great too.