Magnetic Ground Clamp

[Meriasek]

Was watching some welding videos on youtube, and there is a gentleman who has a magnetic ground clap. It's a circluar magnet that attaches to wherever. Do any of you guys use such a device, and if so where can I get one?

 

[bcp]

4" Magnetic Ground Block

Bruce

 

[Transit]

Look around on line or your local welding supplier.

 

[sweettractors]

I tried one for a while and they work good on a clean metal surface, If you have any paint or dirt or grease issues, they are not worth 10 cents. Ken Sweet

 

[grsthegreat]

i tried one also....wasnt too impressed. my gripping clamp gives me a great positive grounding..... not sure why i bought the magnetic one..guess it was just another gadget that i thought i needed.

 

[crazyal]

I've never had any luck with magnets and welding. They just seam to collect every small piece of steel, whether it be cuttings, grindings, or splatters, the magnet finds them all.

 

[crash325]

Tried one once.

They are very good for picking up nails in in your driveway. :thumbsup:

 

[mjncad]

I have one of these and I think it's great. 300amp Ground Clamp : Magswitch - Magswitch

 

[sandman2234]

From the posts, I would tend to consider a switchable magnet if such a thing is made for a ground clamp, but even then you still going to have the paint/rust grounding problem, but realistically that is true for mechanical clamps also. A switchable magnet is typically used in machine shops to hold dial indicators at various locations.
An example of the mentioned magnet can be view in this link.

http://www.diytools.co.uk/diy/Images/DB_Detail/_90714_187687.jpg

David from jax

 

[Gary Fowler]

Magnetic grounds are handy if you cant put on a ground clamp like if you wanted to weld on a large sphere or large pipe and ground wouldnt reach the end, otherwise clamps are best. As for paint, rust etc, even with a clamp style, the area needs to be clean to avoid arcing the ground area.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

The big problem with them is there is a spring involved. If you don't have a good connection the clamp will heat up and your spring is sprung and from then on you are fighting a bad connection.

 

[JB4310]

HF has them cheap enough if you want to try it.

But like mentioned, just like those magnetic corner jigs, everything is gonna stick to them, would think you would have to wipe them clean before every reposition, if so that would be a major PITA.

JB.

 

[travis potter]

The others have said the metal MUST be clean for it to work. I tried one and now have bolted a rod to it and use it to pick up stuff.

 

[moored4]

The others have said the metal MUST be clean for it to work. I tried one and now have bolted a rod to it and use it to pick up stuff.

We bought 24 of these at work and handed them out to the welders to try. In the sheet metal shop where they only weld fresh metal is the only place they lasted. The rest of them ended as pick ups.

 

[yomax4]

You have to get the 600 amp one or you wont have enough magnet to really get a good connection. They do have a place and I use them but I currently use one to hold my slow moving vehicle sign on my ROPS. :thumbsup:

 

[DanD78]

I had the same results as others have said with paint and rust. I usually clamp a pair of Vice Grips to what ever I am welding on and clamp my ground to them. On new clean steel worked fiine.

Dan