Hobart 770662 Welding Magnet Set Review
Most welders buy their first set of welding magnets cheap and immediately understand why cheap magnets are frustrating. They hold your work at a questionable angle, they attract every chip and piece of spatter in a three-foot radius, and after one season the magnetism has noticeably degraded. Then you either accept the tool you have or you go looking for something better.
The Hobart 770662 sits in the middle of this picture. It’s a 4-pack of mini welding magnets, sold under the Hobart brand (hobartwelders.com), and it’s one of the more searched-for entry-level magnetic holder sets. At the same time, it competes directly with YESWELDER and CMS Magnetics sets that offer more holding power for similar or lower investment. This review tells you where the Hobart earns its place and where you’re better off buying something else.
Hobart’s 770662 is a 4-piece mini magnetic welding holder set. Each magnet is a small fixed-angle holder designed to support steel pieces at 45, 90, and 135 degrees during tacking and welding. The magnets are always-on permanent magnets, compact enough to fit in tight spaces, and light enough to carry in a bag without adding noticeable weight.
The short verdict: buy the Hobart 770662 if you want inexpensive holders for light tacking on small projects and you trust the Hobart brand name. Skip it if you’re working on anything that requires reliable holding force or if you’re comparing directly to the YESWELDER 50 lb or CMS Magnetics 25 lb sets, which offer more holding power per piece.
What the 770662 Actually Is
Four mini magnetic welding holders. Each one is a simple rectangular block with a magnet core and two flat contact faces arranged to create 45, 90, and 135-degree holding positions. No on/off switch, no angle adjustment, no special features. Place the magnet against your steel, and it grips. That’s the product.
Hobart specifies the 770662 as “mini” and the package dimensions confirm this: 7.5 inches by 5.5 inches by 0.75 inches for the entire set. Each individual magnet is small - useful in confined joints, not useful when you need serious holding force.
Hobart does not publish a specific holding force in pounds for the 770662 on their product page. The verified language from Hobartwelders.com and Amazon describes them as “multi-purpose mini-magnets” that “hold steel pieces in place at 45, 90 and 135 degree angles.” No lb rating is stated. That tells you something about the product tier.
The Named Flaw:Lower Holding Power Than the Category Standard
This is the central issue with the Hobart 770662 compared to alternatives in the same market. The YESWELDER 50 lb 4-piece set (ASIN B08FHS2VFP)publishes a 50-pound rated holding force per magnet. The CMS Magnetics 4-piece set (ASIN B000UD16VO) is rated at 25 pounds. The Hobart 770662 does not publish a comparable number.
In practice, mini welding magnets at this size class typically hold somewhere in the 10 to 20-pound range. That’s adequate for tacking thin sheet metal, positioning small angle iron, or holding light tubing while you make a single tack. It is not adequate if you’re tacking anything heavier, if thermal distortion from welding is pulling the joint, or if the magnet needs to hold a workpiece that’s being handled rather than sitting flat on a table.
If holding force matters for your work, the YESWELDER 50 lb set gives you roughly 3 to 5 times the holding force at a comparable or lower price point, with published specs you can evaluate before buying.
Where the Hobart 770662 Makes Sense
Small fabrication. Light sheet metal. Situations where you need to hold thin steel in position for a quick tack and the forces involved are minimal. Hobbyists doing occasional work who want to try magnetic holders before investing in a higher-end set. Welding instructors setting up training exercises where students need basic positioning tools that can take rough handling.
The four-pack configuration is a genuine advantage for small projects. Having four holders means you can position all four corners of a small frame simultaneously and tack them all before thermal distortion has a chance to pull things out of alignment. Four simultaneous tacks beats two.
The Hobart brand name also carries real meaning for brand-loyal welders. If you’re already running Hobart consumables and Hobart equipment, buying Hobart accessories feels consistent. The brand reputation at least tells you the product will do what it says - hold at 45, 90, and 135 degrees - even if the holding force is modest.
YESWELDER 50 LB vs. Hobart 770662: Head to Head
The YESWELDER 50 lb 4-piece welding magnet set (B08FHS2VFP) is the direct performance comparison. It’s the same concept - four welding holder magnets at 45, 90, and 135 degree positions - with a published 50-pound holding force per piece.
The YESWELDER magnets are physically larger, which means they can’t squeeze into the same tight spots as the Hobart minis. If you’re tacking inside a narrow tube or a small box section, the smaller Hobart may actually fit where the YESWELDER won’t. Size is the one practical argument for the Hobart over the YESWELDER.
For anything else - holding force, specified performance, confidence in a heavy tack joint - the YESWELDER wins the direct comparison.
CMS Magnetics 25 LB vs. Hobart 770662
The CMS Magnetics 4-piece welding holder set (B000UD16VO) is rated at 25 pounds of holding force at 90, 45, and 135 degrees. Identical angles to the Hobart, specified performance unlike the Hobart.
The CMS Magnetics set is made from a ceramic magnet core and holds up well in shop conditions. 25 pounds is more than the Hobart likely delivers and is enough for light to medium plate tacking. If you want a direct Hobart-versus-competitor comparison and you’re not sure how heavy your work gets, the CMS Magnetics 25 lb set is the safe middle ground.
Comparison Table
| Product | Pieces | Rated Hold | Angles | Published Specs | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart 770662 | 4 | Not published | 45/90/135° | No | Light work, tight spaces, brand loyalty |
| CMS Magnetics 25 lb | 4 | 25 lbs | 45/90/135° | Yes | Light to medium plate tacking |
| YESWELDER 50 lb | 4 | 50 lbs | 45/90/135° | Yes | Medium to heavier plate tacking |
FAQ
Is the Hobart welding magnet set good for small jobs? Yes. For light sheet metal, small frame tacking, or occasional hobby fabrication, the Hobart 770662 four-pack is adequate. The compact size helps in tight spaces where larger magnets won’t fit. The limitation is holding force, which isn’t published and is likely modest compared to alternatives.
How does it compare to YESWELDER and TOOLIOM sets? The YESWELDER 50 lb set provides significantly more holding force (published at 50 lbs per piece vs. no published rating for the Hobart). The Hobart’s advantage is its smaller physical size, which fits tighter spaces. For most welding work where holding force matters, the YESWELDER or CMS Magnetics sets are the better choice.
What holding power does the Hobart 770662 offer? Hobart does not publish a rated holding force in pounds for this product. The verified product listing describes it as holding at 45, 90, and 135 degree angles without specifying a weight capacity. Based on the mini size, it is in the lower range for this category.
Can I use the Hobart 770662 on aluminum or stainless steel? No. Like all permanent magnet welding holders, the 770662 only grips ferrous steel and iron. Aluminum and stainless are non-ferrous and will not be held by the magnet.
How do I keep the magnets from picking up chips and spatter? Wipe the contact faces with a rag and use a wire brush on the face occasionally. Always-on magnets like these accumulate debris constantly. Keeping the faces clean maintains effective holding force. Some welders store them in a plastic bag or wrap the faces in tape when not in use.
Are there situations where the mini size is actually an advantage? Yes. Inside box sections, narrow tube joints, or any confined space where a standard-size welding magnet physically won’t fit, the Hobart minis can get in and hold. This is the single strongest argument for the product versus higher-force alternatives.
Where is the Hobart 770662 made? The manufacturer specs and Amazon listing do not specify country of origin in the verified content. Hobart welding equipment is a brand under Illinois Tool Works (ITW).
References
- Hobart official product page for 770662 (hobartwelders.com)
- American Welding Society - Welding Safety
- Miller Electric welding resources (millerwelds.com)
