Welding can be a great way to earn extra cash if you know which projects can be profitable. The best welding ideas to sell are simple and creative.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or have a vast amount of experience. There are so many ideas for things that you can weld and sell. Below are great projects that you can either sell on etsy or at local farmer markets.
MIG Welding Projects To Sell
MIG welding came about in the 1940s.
It is used with non-ferrous metals and aluminum. This type of welding is ideal for beginners and here are some neat little projects that you can sell to get you going.
Here are a few welding projects to sell that will give your work a touch of class above the rest. These are very profitable welding ideas to sell.
Horseshoe Bookends
This is the simplest of projects that you can finish in a matter of minutes, even if you are new to welding.
Your end product is a desirable and sale-worthy piece of work, great to sell at flea markets or even at boutique stores. This is one of our favourite welding projects to make money.
Materials
Four horseshoes, or two horseshoes and two pieces of sheet metal the size of your horseshoes
How To Make
Clean up the horseshoes before you start.
It’s easier than when they’re joined together. Position two horseshoes at a right angle to each other.
Once positioned, weld where they meet together. Do the same for the other pair and you have a complete pair of bookends.
If you only have two horseshoes, simply weld a piece of sheet metal to each horseshoe at a right angle. This will be the part that goes under the books. Clean the welds to complete.
Suggested price - $29.99 if your welds are good.
Tree Jewelry Holder
This is a beginner-friendly project. The end result is a great piece of work that many people will be interested in buying.
It can take you a couple of hours or a couple of days, depending on how much work you put into your creation.
Materials
How To Make
Make sure all the rods are clean and prepared before welding, to get a neater join.
Sketch out your design before you begin, or you can create your masterpiece as you go. Making it as you work will mean that each one is an original and no two will look exactly alike.
Make sure that the metal you choose and the size of your design is appropriate for hanging jewelry on.
Start by welding the thicker rod to the sheet metal base, for the tree trunk. Then cut your branches to different lengths and weld them into position to complete the tree.
If you are a little more adventurous, you could choose to twist the rods a little to make the tree look more authentic.
For this, you’ll need to use a small twisting jig. There are some great tutorials online on how to make a twisting jig.
Once you are happy with the shape of the tree, clean up all the welds. You can then spray it, paint it, or even just polish it up a little for a more rustic look.
Suggested price: $49.99-$79.99 depending on your location, demand, and welding ability.
This is one of the more complicated welding projects to make money, but it still works very well.
Hanging Pan Rack
Here’s the ideal project for a beginner as it’s simple to make. These are popular items that many people like to add to their kitchens. This is one of our top pick for metal projects to sell that is unique.
Materials
As far as planning goes there is not too much to think about; you are only welding three pieces of metal together. The first thing you need to decide on is the size of the rack.
The materials you will need are:
How to Make
Cut one long piece and two short (equal) pieces of steel tubing to your preferred size: e.g. 48 inches by 8 inches. Arrange as if making an open rectangle.
Miter both ends of the long piece and the adjoining end of both the short pieces. For the open end of the short pieces, weld with a square piece of plate steel to cap them off.
Clean the areas you’re going to weld. Grind off any rust or black oxide. Align your pieces and use a square to make sure the angles are right.
Join the pieces together with a tack weld and, when you’ve checked they are aligned, weld the pieces together. Clean up your welds using a grinder to give them a seamless look.
Drill holes through the tubing for the hooks. Put one at each corner for the hanging hooks, drilling through both walls of the tube.
Space the rest of them around ten inches apart along the length of the long piece of tubing, with one in the center of each short tube.
The next step is to add the hooks, securing each one with a washer and nut. You will need four facing upward in the corners, to hang your rack from the ceiling. The rest will be on the underside to hold the pans.
You can spray, paint or polish up the rack to give it an even finish.
Use the four lengths of chain to hang the rack to the ceiling, the length will depend on your ceiling height.
The chains should be fixed to the ceiling using drywall anchors and ceiling hooks. If you’re selling the piece, supply all these parts and give instructions.
This is a simple project and even a beginner could have it completed within a couple of hours.
Suggested price: $200
Washer Fruit Bowl
This project is a quick and simple design with minimum cost yet maximum effect. You will find these are easy to sell and they can be made in various sizes.
Materials
How To Make
To begin, turn the mold upside down so that you can lay your washers on the outer side to form the shape of the bowl.
Start MIG welding the edges of the steel washers together, choosing different sizes at random.
Keep welding them together until the shape of the bowl is formed. You can vary the design of the rim to give it a more unique finish.
Once you have your bowl shape, clean up all the welds and remove any beads of metal that may have fallen on the design by accident. When you have a completely smooth finish, polish the bowl to a shine.
You can then complete it by adding a clear metal lacquer or spray paint it if preferred.
This project is ideal for beginners as well as those with experience and is something you could fully complete within the space of an afternoon.
Suggested price: $24.99
This is one of the top welding ideas to sell
Pen/Pencil Holder
These are great things to sell, or use as gifts for family or friends with an office or study.
They’re quick and easy to make, too.
Materials
Square steel tube big enough to hold single or multiple pens/pencils (a ⅜ by ⅜ inch inner dimension will hold the average size pen/pencil)
How To Make
First, cut four pieces of tube, each one measuring ¼ inch less than the previous one. If you are making the holder for single pens, then have the longest tube at three inches.
File or grind the top and bottom of each tube. They’ll need to be able to stand up straight with no wobbling when you’ve finished.
Next, make the base, by cutting a rectangle from the sheet metal. You need an equal border all the way around the tubes, so measure it to size, with the tubes in the middle.
Once the base is cut out, file all the edges smooth. Next, put the tubes onto the base where they will be welded into place.
You can position them however you want, so the sizes could be mixed or in ascending order.
Once you have them positioned correctly, you can use a magnet to help keep them in place. Then MIG weld them into position so they are firmly attached to the base.
The next step is to clean up the welds, or you can leave them as they are for a more rugged look. To finish the holder off, either polish it up to a shine, or spray paint it in any color you choose.
This project is so simple that you’ll have a finished product in an hour or two.
suggested price: $24.99
Spoon Flower
Welded art is growing in popularity and people can’t seem to get enough. This is one of the more profitable welding projects around to try.
This is a good starting point for complete beginners. Experts can get a little more intricate with their designs.
Materials
How To Make
You need to start off by cutting the handles of the spoons down to size. To do this lay two of the spoons together, in opposite directions, under the ladle (or what you are using for the center of the flower).
Adjust the spoons to the correct length so that the “petals” (spoon heads) are where you want them on either side of the center. Move the flower center and mark where the ends of the spoons need to be cut off.
Do this with all the other spoons and then cut them where you made the marks. You then have two options to choose from.
Either weld the spoons together into pairs, then join all the pairs to form the petals, or you can weld each spoon into the flower center.
If you weld the spoons into the flower you need to bend them into shape first. If you are welding them all together you will bend them into shape afterward.
Use a clamp to bend them to the angle required, so they fit onto the flower center. You may need to make a few adjustments so it fits together well. Once you have a good fit, tack one spoon to the flower center.
You can then weld all the spoons to it to secure them into position. The next step is to weld the stem.
This needs to be welded to the center where all the spoons join. Weld it at an angle to give it a better finish.
The final step is to add the leaves of the flower. For this, you will use the two forks and all you need to do is clamp them to the stem and weld them on.
Bend them outward into position. You can also bend the prongs of the fork to give a better-looking finish.
Spray it with an acrylic coating to protect it from rusting or add paint to give it some color.
This project will only take you a couple of hours to complete, and at the end, you will have a great piece of art.
Suggested Price: $19.99
This is a great welding project to make money.
TIG Welding Projects To Sell
Tungsten inert gas welding is used when working with thin stainless steel or non-ferrous metals like copper alloys or aluminum.
TIG welding requires a little more experience and you need to learn basic MIG/STICK welding first.
Here are some easy welding projects to sell. You can try if you are just progressing to TIG welding and to help improve your skills.
Garden Fence
There is a big market for fencing, and you will find this as one of the easier metal projects to sell.
You can make a basic style or add ornamental features to it.
This example is for a basic design that a beginner could complete without too much trouble.
If you are a more skilled welder, you can add your own artistic flair to it. These profitable welding projects are ideal to put some extra money in your pocket.
Materials
How To Make
Measure the length of steel tubing you need for the main frame of the fence and cut to size. You can make it as panels that will join together or as one complete piece.
The height you want is up to you. All you need to do is to measure and cut the tubing to size. If you are making panels, you need to create frames from four steel tubes and join them together to make a rectangle. The joins will be better if you miter the corners.
Place the steel rods inside the frame, space evenly and weld into place. Clean up your welds by grinding them, then weld the wire mesh between each of the inner rods.
Finish the fence up by spraying or painting it in the color of your choice. If the mesh is not to be painted, then spray the frame before adding the mesh.
This could take several days to complete, depending upon the size of the area you are making the fence for. It is a project you will need to put quite a few hours of work into.
Suggested price: $200-$500
Doorbell
Most of us have a doorbell at our front door, but how about a more unique design? These can be crafted by beginners; those who have experience can make them and add a few more details to the design.
Materials
How To Make
Prepare your materials by first cutting the valve off the cylinder to make sure it is empty. Next, cut the cylinder to the length you want the doorbell to be. Remove the paint from the cylinder using a grinder fitted with flap discs.
Drill a hole at the end of the cylinder for the steel rod to fit into. This will make the bell. Cut a piece of rod to use as an arm to hold the bell.
The size will depend on how big your mounting plate is and how big an arch you want on the arm.
Bend the rod into an arch shape to form the arm of the bell. One side will be welded to the mounting plate and the other side will hold the bell.
The side which holds the bell should be shorter than the one you are welding to the mount. Weld the shorter side of the arched rod to fit just inside the hole of the cylinder you are using as the bell.
Next, make a mounting plate for your bell from the sheet of steel. Cut the size you want and add holes for screws to fit it to the wall.
Position the bell on the mounting plate using the long side of the rod, and weld it in place. You will then need to weld a small piece of rod to form a hook on the mounting plate. Position this at the end of the rod you just welded in place, to form the clapper hook.
The clapper is hung on the clapper hook and removed to strike the bell. To make the clapper, use a piece of rod and bend the top over to make a closed loop.
Polish it all up to complete. If you want you can paint it or finish it with a sealant to prevent rust.
This project will take only a few hours to complete or even less if you’re not an absolute beginner.
Suggested Price: $79.99
Conclusion
We’re sure you’ll find that using your welding skills is a great way to create items to sell.
These are just a few of the terrific little projects that can be carried out by beginners, intermediates or experts.
They are a great way for beginners to get more practice and make some money into the bargain. Once you get good you'll be able to turn your basic projects into profitable welding projects and start earning the big bucks!
FAQS
1. What are some good welding projects?
Whether you're new to welding or have been doing it for a while, here are 11 beginner welding projects that anyone can do.
- Automobile Creeper. Getting safely underneath a car can be difficult.
- In-ground fireplace.
- Bar-B-Q Pit.
- Rack for storage.
- Sliding screen door or security door.
- Entrance Gates
- Holder for a wine bottle.
- Smoker for Barbecue.
More from the video below.
2. Do welders make a lot of money?
Welders with experience can earn up to $35.45 per hour. A skilled welder requires both knowledge and practical experience working with welding equipment and performing various types of welding work. As a result, you will earn a salary that is commensurate with your experience.
3. Why do welders drink milk?
Why do welders consume milk? Metal Fume Fever is a condition caused by the fumes released when welding, cutting, or brazing galvanized steel. The theory is that milk aids the body in eliminating toxins encountered while welding galvanized steel, thereby preventing them from becoming ill.
4. What is the easiest type of welding to learn?
MIG Welding.
MIG welding is occasionally referred to as the "hot glue gun" of the welding world and is widely regarded as the simplest type of welding to learn as long as you have a good MIG welder.
5. What is the most difficult metal to weld?
Both stainless and aluminum welding are an advancement over standard carbon steel, high Moly-high alloy carbon steel, or nickel-iron welding. Yes, titanium is extremely difficult to work with and is also extremely expensive. Welding properly and cleanly is nearly impossible.
