Last Updated on Apr 17, 2022
Whether you are a beginner or an expert, welding is something that can surely be a fun and creative activity with the perks of some extra earning. Currently, there is a lot of buzz about diy items, so it is a great opportunity to weld and sell such pieces in the market to earn profit. If you are looking for some activities that can help to earn some additional income, do read the article for some useful tips.
Before we move onto the things that you can weld and sell, make sure you have all the essentials required, like- a welding helmet, safety gloves, fire extinguisher, goggles, jackets that are fire resistant, magnets, some kind of protection for your ears, etc. It is important to note that these things must be present with you to ensure safety while welding, especially with specific metals.
Speaking in technical terms, welding can be of two types- MIG(metal inert gas) and TIG (Tungsten inert gas). The first one is very basic and more appropriate for people who have just started or are about to and the second one is for skilled welders. MIG welding includes working on non ferrous metals while TIG includes metals like copper alloys and stainless steel materials.
Here is a mixed list of welding projects that are suitable for beginners as well as an intermediate or advanced person in welding.
Item 1: Jewelry stand
Art and craft pieces are among the most simple things that you can easily weld with all the scrap that is available at your place. It does not require much of your time and effort too. You can start them as a beginner.
For making a jewelry stand, you will require a few pieces of metal rods and weld them into unique shapes and sizes that are user friendly. The stand must be able to serve the purpose properly, that is holding the jewelry. Just ensure to clean the rods thoroughly before you start to get a clean finish.
Item 2: Plant stand
Interior items are quite profitable as they have a lot of popularity in the market. For someone who loves to style their interiors with lots of plants, a metal plant stand will surely be on their bucket list.
You can make them with the help of spare metal sheets, weld them together and you are good to go. Additionally, add a rope or wire to hang them and paint them to give an attractive look.
Item 3: Bookends
This is again one of the simplest things that you can weld and sell for profit. You can make them with horseshoes and a sheet of metal. This will hardly take some time of yours to complete and has quite a lot of utility.
Book lovers would love to buy this and you can sell them online or at any flea market. Make sure to clean them properly and join two horseshoes at a right angle before welding.
Item 4: Pan racks
Racks for the kitchen are user friendly and simple to make. Firstly, determine the size you want for the pan rack. For this piece, you will need to cut and weld three pieces of metal sheets together.Also, drill some holes for the hooks to hang pans.
As you are welding the piece for selling purposes, provide chains for hanging and provide all the instructions clearly. Pan racks are a great piece to keep the kitchen organized and can incur a decent amount of profit. You can also paint or polish them to give a smooth finish.
Item 5: Bar Stools
Who would not love to give their place a new look in regular intervals? Furniture plays a key role here, so here comes your next idea to weld and sell. You can give a new look to a bar stool or shop stool with some simple welding or make new ones with your own design.
There is a lot of scope for creativity in such items and does not require much effort. Furniture pieces can instantly lift the look of any corner so they should surely mark a presence in your welding list.
Item 6: Furniture parts
As mentioned in the point above, furniture is an essential requirement of any place. You can also weld some furniture items like tables but it might be a little difficult and requires a little more effort, so you can switch to making parts for furniture.
If not a table, then legs of the table can be made which is quite useful. You can also use some old metal to make table legs or upcycle them. Remember to include all the parts to assemble them while you are selling. There is also an option to make them for different sizes with unique designs and coating.
Item 7: Garden fencing
This is something you can weld and sell if you have an advanced experience. It will require you to work with metals like copper and aluminum. The time required to make it depends what size you choose and the area for which the fence is prepared. Before starting, ensure to take proper measurements.
After the rods are welded, you can add a spray paint or polish with a preferred color to give a clean look. This item can help you earn acceptable profits.
Item 8: Doorbells
The very first thing you notice before entering any house is a doorbell. You will find it in every house which makes it highly useful. You can weld one in a couple of hours with a steel sheet and rod, and an argon cylinder.
You can also choose a creative design for it, if you wish to avoid the basic ones. After the welding is done, polish the doorbell to give a shiny look.
Item 9: Bowls for pet
The basic requirement in every house that has a pet is the meal bowl. You can add a touch of creativity to their boring meal bowls which makes their meal times more interesting.
You can add a holder to their bowls with some unique designs to give it a fresh look. Pet owners will undoubtedly not miss such meal bowls. Now that many people own pets, this item can reap good profits.
Item 10: Hangers for clothes
You can easily make these hangers with some leftover metal sheets. Hangers come in vibrant colors so you can paint them with different colors. There is not much time and skills required to weld them.
Cloth hangers are again, one of the commonly used things in our homes which makes their utility very high. They are a great source to keep your wardrobe organized.
Apart from the above mentioned list, there are several other ideas that you can try to weld depending upon your level of skills, like-
- Shelves for storage
- Wall art and sculptures
- Rings to hold napkins
- Barbeque pits
- Metal Hooks
- Bench for garden
- Wooden stove, etc.
Where can you sell the products?
There are a wide variety of options accessible to sell your products. If you wish to sell them online on a website or social media platform or in local markets, both have a favorable chance of good response. You can sell your products on online platforms like amazon, ebay, etc. Craft fairs are an excellent market to sell your products, keep looking for such opportunities.
Here are some steps to consider if you are selling your products online :
- Try to keep posting good pictures of your products to promote them as much as possible. Good quality pictures can create a strong impact.
- State your shipping charges clearly. Include everything to cover your costs but do not make the product very expensive for the consumer.
- List all the prices, description about the products, etc properly.
- Do not give unreal expectations about product delivery. Be honest while stating the date and time of delivery.
- Devote extra time for packaging. It is the first thing that the customer will notice and create an impression about the product. Packaging must be done with extensive care.
- Stay connected with the buyer and communicate the status of the product in regular intervals. This will build loyalty from your side.
- Product descriptions are an essential part of selling your product. Write good descriptions about your product with clear pictures. Also, include some unique things about your product to attract customers.
- Good customer support is required to retain the customers. After sale service is also important so stay in touch with them after the product is delivered, implement their feedback to achieve high customer satisfaction.
How much can you earn?
It mostly depends upon the kind of knowledge you have related to welding. For an experienced person, earning can be 35$-40$ per hour. It requires both on field and theoretical knowledge of the field.
You must have hands-on experience to ace perfection. Talking about the level of difficulty, if you have some practice of welding, you will come to know that titanium is the toughest to weld when compared to aluminum, steel and other materials. It requires a lot of hard work but attaining finishing at the end is still not assured.
Points to remember
Welding can be a great source to earn profits but there are some points to remember before you decide to move forward.
First aid kit
Always keep a first aid kit handy around the working area. The kit must be stocked up completely for any emergency situation. You must also keep some fire blankets ready in case of any accident. It is better if there is someone around you who knows how to treat minor injuries.
Ventilation
Make sure to work in an area that has adequate ventilation. If you are working on extensive projects, it is necessary to take all the precautions because the metals used can be hazardous. There can be toxic materials present around you so make sure there is enough space in the area.
Fire precautions
There is a major risk of fire breakouts while welding, ensure to have proper arrangements to prevent fire. Work at a place which is not prone to fire. Do not keep any substance around that can catch fire easily.
Proper clothing
Wear enough clothing and shoes to protect yourself from any harmful substance. You must have gloves, shoes and clothes that protect from fire. Do not forget to protect your eyes and ears too. You can be prone to severe injuries while working around metals.
Caution while welding
Always remember not to perform any cutting work on drums or tanks that are used before. It can result in some serious accidents. Do not work on hot metals.
Mark the containers
Always put a label on the metal containers that are hot so that you can be cautious while welding. You can also add a tag to all the hot metals present around.
Adequate nutrition
It is said that welders who work under high fumes must consume milk because it protects them from a fever that is caused by metal fumes. It helps to remove the toxins, if any, present in the body due to working around metals.
To summarize, there are many advantages of selecting welding as a source of earning profits. If you are someone who is new to this, you must learn some basics but if you have an experience, there are a lot of options available. It is very important to take all the safety precautions because you will be working around metals which can cause injuries, if not handled properly.
Welding can be a great activity to learn and experiment but it does include some technicalities that need to be aced. You also need proper tools that are required for welding, especially for big projects but for the small ones, mostly the spare items in your store room will work. Once you practice them thoroughly, you will become a skilled welder, earning good profits. In addition to these basics of welding, efficient tricks to promote selling is also important. Maintain good relationship with the buyers and focus on after sale services too.