Reddit reviews 3M Virtua Safety Glasses

Pipeliner welding hood

Tillman 850 welding gloves I highly recommend these gloves. The palm is unlined so you have plenty of dexterity to stick, mig, or tig with. The back is insulated to protect you from burning to a crisp.

Wrangler work shirts (get a few of them) I wear these shirts every day for work. Depending on your budget, you may not be able to get a few of these versus one decent welding jacket. If that's the case, I recommend a heavyweight denim jacket or the basic FR green welding jacket.

Safety glasses (get a few of these, as well as a dark pair for cutting)

Steel or composite toe work boots. I'm not going to recommend a pair... everyone is different. I do prefer Carolina boots and Thorogoods, though.

Ear plugs... can be bought at Lowes or any supply store.

That's your basic safety list. You won't need much more than that for school. Hopefully for you, they will provide tools. Otherwise this is a basic list for a welder's bucket:

2 crescent wrenches, 12" (or spud wrench)
Welpers
Chipping hammer
25' tape measure
Torpedo level
Combo or speed square
Vice grips
Channel locks
1 half round bastard file
1 flat file
2 wire brushes (one for carbon, one for stainless)
4.5" angle grinder (or 6" if you want)
Die grinder (optional)

This is, honestly, all you will ever need as a welder. If you end up with a job that does other mechanical shit, you will need more tools like a set of wrenches, ratchet and sockets, various clamps, etc.

I usually work for bigger contractors that will supply all the power tools and typically have a gang box of hand tools that supplies what I don't have or don't want to bring. When I go to work, I bring my 5 gallon bucket (for a seat mostly), and a canvas backpack. In the bucket is that list above. I put shit I need in the canvas bag if I'm going to be moving around between joints so I don't have to lug around a heavy bucket. At any given time there are only a few main tools in my bag. A chipping hammer, a wire brush, a file, a level, combo square, a 4lb hammer, flashlight, and my tungsten holder. It's all you will ever really need if you're just welding.

Safety sunglasses: http://www.amazon.com/3M-11328-Virtua-Safety-Glasses/dp/B0006PJHLM

Cheap, resilient, disposable, and have UV protection (unlike the cheapo gas station type)

I ride with simple safety glasses. They aren’t sealed to your face but it’s a much tighter fit than sunglasses. They’re also cheap and designed to protect against stuff flying into your face.

These are only a few bucks, will probably last you a year or more and come in tinted variants.

The only time I don’t have these are sometimes in the rain (when I take them off) and sometimes if it gets below ~10-15F I’ll wear something else.

I also wear them all day at work, they’re super comfortable.

3m safety glasses, clear and dark https://www.amazon.com/3M-11328-Virtua-Safety-Glasses/dp/B0006PJHLM