Side cutters for use with MIG welders - opinions.

[Grumps]

I don't weld myself but am a cardholder on the TradeUK Corporate account which enables purchases from both Scewfix and B&Q. My general area of such is to purchase tools and general workshop consumables.

I am getting 'grumbles' from the Welders that the current supply of side cutters, are elsewhere/can't be found/are cr@p. Hence I need to enhance our stocks.

My dilemma is that I don't know what 'standard' of cutter they would be seeking (to snip off the MIG wire). As a Volunteer organisation, whilst we need to constrain costs, penny-pinching does nothing to inspire volunteers and certainly does not promote productivity.

I've been looking at 2.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/forge-steel-d ... 60mm/1805c

at £7.99 inc VAT.

and

http://www.diy.com/departments/bq-6-sid ... 126_BQ.prd

at £6.98 but, purchased on a Wednesday, with my 'wrinklies' card, even on a TradeUK card, would be 10% less.

Would either or both be suitable? Or should I be looking for something 'stronger'?

Opinions appreciated.

Cheers.

[Rorschach]

Knipex mini bolt cutters would be the best recomendation for that job as I know MIG wire can be tough stuff. Problem is Knipex are not cheap.

[Hitch]

Knipex mini bolt cutters would be the best recomendation for that job as I know MIG wire can be tough stuff. Problem is Knipex are not cheap.

Disagree with that one....

I have a pair of Orbis side cutters, served me for 16 years virtually daily use in a fab shop, used for unscrewing contact tips, pulling shrouds off, scraping shrouds out, cutting various wires including plenty of 1.2 stainless steel. Think they are about 6" version, which happily fit in pockets and chunky enough to use with gloves on.

The trouble is, certain cutters can flatten the wire rather than cut it properly, which isnt a great problem at the torch end, but when you need to put a new tip on, or change he reel of wire its a right pain in the backside as the end of the wire binds up.

You dont need anything special like high leverage sidecutters, just plain ol diagonal side cutters, but decent quality.
I have a pair of Snap-on side cutters which i have for non welding work, but to be honest, the others are better!

Knipex would be a good bet, one of the best, and not massively expensive at £15-20.

What are the existing ones? sometimes tightening the joint up can help if they have gone sloppy.

[Bob225]

unless its ultra thick mig wire a pair of side cutters does the job nicely I have a cheap pair of Magnusson cutters ive had for years - if I cant find my cutters - out come the tin snips

buy a few pairs and let the workers find what they like, machine mart have some good deals even better when they have zero vat days

[Grumps]

Thanks all for the replies. I'm glad I asked.

What are the existing ones? sometimes tightening the joint up can help if they have gone sloppy.

TBH they mostly tend to be old donated stuff that was probably 'life expired' before they ever came to us. The same with a lot of our kit. I'm trying to improve our supply of decent quality tools but, with a small number of the 'staff', although being eager and willing, are.....how can I phrase it diplomatically........'untrained'? I've often seen 'decent kit' buggered up by incompetence.

Let's just say that whilst some of the professional/precision items are not exactly hidden, they are stored 'not readily to hand'.

Following earlier advice on here, the use of Rivnuts for certain applications, is now the 'norm'. Mainly 10mm, but also 6mm. In fact, when the old tool store was being cleared an insertion tool dedicated for 6mm Rivnuts was found. Nobody knew what it was and, fortunately I was consulted before it was 'binned'.

Our account with Machine Mart expired many moons ago and, for what we'd buy from them, not really worth resurrecting.

I'd like to improve our supply of mallets. Nylon, copper and hide, which, purchased together, with free delivery, would be quite economical but, getting it past the Bean Counters, is another matter. "You want to spend how much, on hammers!"

I just need to convince the right person, on the right day.

Slowly, slowly........