TIG/MIG Welding Arm Support

[poppa bird]

My first post here but I thought I would share this for anyone else who has struggled keeping their hand in the right place especially when TIG welding. I can't remember what I was actually looking for but I came across a commercial version of this for about £80. Not a lot of money but looking at it I thought I could:

1. Make it for less
2. Make it better

The details of the product were sketchy but from the pictures it looked unlikely it had any bearings to ease movement and it had a magnetic stand rather than one with holes to clamp to your welding table.

It was definitely cheap since it was made entirely out of garage "scrap" except for the linear ball joint, £9.39 for 5 off Amazon.

Anyway, here are some pictures of the support along with a set of drawings for making one if you fancy. Please let me know if you do and if there are any issues with the drawings so I can update if necessary

[DIYer]

Thanks poppa bird! We've added your Welding Arm Support to our Welding category,
as well as to your builder page: poppa bird's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Welding Arm Support by poppa bird

tags: welding, support

[sossol]

Will this be permanently mounted to a benchtop? It looks like it would be useful for more than just welding - woodcarving and engraving would be easier with one or two of these.

Neil

[poppa bird]

Hi Neil,

I totally agree, as with a lot of the things I have made over the years, I think it has many more applications than I envisaged such as you suggest. The idea is that it can be clamped on a welding bench using the 16 mm holes. I have designed it so it is able to be dismantled and packed away when not required. That being said, it is likely to be a permanent feature on the bench because the reach is quite long while folding away to the side neatly

Poppa Bird

[Jon]

Congratulations poppa bird - your Welding Arm Support is the Homemade Tool of the Month for January 2026!

A difficult month to win, but this is a standout example of a lowbuck scrap build of a highly useful tool, made even more valuable by the professional set of plans you've provided.

Some more good builds from January:

Knurled Adaptors by BuffaloJohn
3D Vee Block by Mook
Circlip Grooving Setup by Occasional machinist
Wood Lathe by Dr.Al
Folding Cargo Trike by tado creation
Tapping Tool by VuVT Workshop
Stand Vise by Kwandotechnic
Miter Bar Reference Guide by Make Things
D-Bit Grinder Wheel Hubs by The Hobby Machinist NZ
Slide Hammer by Improvised DIY
Soft Jaws by Improvised DIY
Vise Extension Jaw by Improvised DIY
Table Saw Fence And Sleeve by Make Things
Tailstock Chuck Adaptor by hemmjo
Grinder Stop and Adjusting Knob by The Hobby Machinist NZ
Scribe by sossol
Power Bank and Automobile Jump Starter by ercaneverything


poppa bird - You'll be receiving a $250 cash prize, in your choice of Amazon, PayPal, or bitcoin. Please PM me your current email address and prize choice and I'll get it sent over right away.

You've also been granted lifetime Supporting Member status, so you'll never have to pay for membership again.

And, you'll now notice the four-column award in the awards showcase in your postbit, visible beneath your username:



Nice work