Welding for dummies

[wdbtchr]

Some high schools offer adult education classes also, tend to be less formal and geared more for hobby welding rather than production welding. A trained instructor is worth his weight in gold, he can watch your technique and correct a lot of mistakes. I started with a book, but I'm glad I took the course. It's great working with fire and smoke, I love welding. Besides plated metals, don't work without forced ventilation especially on exhaust systems, unless you're fond of pounding headaches that will last for about three days. I'm hoping Santa will get me a TIG for Christmas, I left the page out of the catalog on the front of the refrigerator with the weldor circled just in case.

 

[dc3coyote]

I highly recommend the Modern Welding book, it is like a school book, and great it covers nearly all welding practices. It also gives you some pointers. Or you can come play in my shop in Fl we got it all.

 

[kc8sfq]

No.2Diesel: Great pix. I specially like the one with the torch in amongst all the stacked wood.

Maddawg: several have suggested the JuCo classes. That's a good idea, but in the end there are only really three things that count. Prectice, practice, practice. It's really just eye/ hand coordination. The Junior colege class will teach you how to spot what's going on. Such as what the metal looks like just before ir melts into a puddle in your shoe.(the first time that happens... It's a revelation. The first time it happens when you're sitting on a beam 30 feet up, you learn about consintration. No matter how bad it hurts, your first priority is to remain sitting ON that beam. Don't cheat on the safety gear, It helps keep you from getting burned and it looks cool. People sometimes chide me about my steel toed boots, but I always tell them that they work. I've tested them (not on purpose) they work...That's good enough for me.

 

[rosco]

The thing that the Welding Class will provide for you is the chance for concentrated practice. Mostly, welding skills require proper manipulation and dexterity. That is hard to get at the neighbors place. When practicing, in class, you will go through lots of materials. The most versital type of welding is "stick", and it requires the highest skill level. Other forms are mostly tied to the shop. Getting good at "burning rod" requires Practice, Practice.... ......

Lee in Alaska (X welding Instructor)

 

[tsmall07]

I highly recommend the Modern Welding book, it is like a school book, and great it covers nearly all welding practices. It also gives you some pointers. Or you can come play in my shop in Fl we got it all.

Thats the book we used in my classes. Its really good!

 

[Cdub]

I think that the Mig welder would be your most universal welder for your needs. Having a Gas welder on hand is always good for cutting and heating. An Arc welder takes a little getting used to and is really only good for heavy stuff.

As long as you have good clean metal and the setting are set right on the Mig.......YOUR GOOD TO GO.........!!

Take a night class or two for the Mig and you'll have a great time.

Good Luck,

C'dub

 

[jimk]

A career welder, or proficient hobby welder, can teach stuff they can't/don't/won't in school. Unfortunately many won't have time to teach it. They may be able to offer a small bit of hands on (which is what you seem to be after). MIG can be very easy to master and you can get the hang of the basics in 15 min.

The library is a good place to start. Lincoln sold via mail (sold?) text books- one w/details on "the 45 welding processes" , others w/greater detail in mig,stick,tig....A school will cover the basic, and important, safety issues.

Many are just self taught. It will take years to build real skill so any input source is good at this point. JimK

 

[Cdub]

this could be interesting..........


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mili...ryZ43998QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Cheers,

C'dub

 

[jimk]

Lincoln's "The James F Linclon Arc Welding Foundation"

www.jflf.org

or examples from menu bar-

Books-
https://ssl.lincolnelectric.com/foundation/store.asp?PID=16&cat=8

Videos-
https://ssl.lincolnelectric.com/foundation/store_video.asp?PID=18&cat=6

 

[rosco]

I'm a "Has Been" welding instructor. Back in the Pipline Days here, I qualified welders for about everything/every kind of Job.
Welding is a trade - it takes a while to learn it. Once you have the basics, then you need, Practice, Practice, Practics!!! The Vocational/Technical School course will give you the opportunity for concentrated practice, along with the basics.

"Stick Electrode" requires the highest skill levels, but is the most versital, & is portable. This is where to spend your time at practice, along with Oxyacetlene cutting. MIG is easy & fast.

Lee in Alaska

 

[kinetichotshot]

I learned how to "weld" out of neccessity as a kid growing up on a ranch... at one point I actually thought I was a 'welder"!! Later on I learned that I was capable of making two pieces of metal stick together but by no means know how to "weld." Now I can still make two pieces of metal stick together and I can even make it look decent, but when I have the chance, I still let someone with more skill than me do the welding. and just for reference... oxy acetelyne "welding" is actually "brazing" not welding... I can do that fairly decently... (great skill to have for road/trail side pinches...)
Good luck with your pursuit!
Laterz,
Gator
>|--|~

 

[dc3coyote]

First Armyman- Your kidding right? Thats like saying it is ok to eat rat poisin as long as you have the antidote with you.
Mike if your not sure if it is galvanized wear a good respirator.
Well I gotta 9th the welding classes, even as a USCG welder I still take them to keep current with industry trends.]

Branan

 

[ygmir]

I might differ, although I'm admittedly not so smart, that gas welding isn't welding.
I know I've made the puddle of molten metal, and, added more, to joing plates......

One think I'm working on, with some measured sucess, is, "forge welding". Now, that's an art.....and, the strongest, if done correctly. Which, is still far beyond me........

Henry

 

[ATC]

and just for reference... oxy acetelyne "welding" is actually "brazing" not welding...

No, O/A is welding, and you can braze with it.

Brazing occures at temperatures above 800*F, but does not melt the base metals. The brazing rod is drawn into the joint by capillary action (very similar to soldering...)

Welding is where you actually melt the base metals together.

Both are easily done with a O/A set-up...as I have one and do both with it (I suck at Brazing BTW....never got the hang of it...but then again, I only played with it for a few days).


I highly suggest you take a course at the local college or VO-Tech school. I am going to a local Community College to get my welding cert. I have taken a semester in O/A, SMAW (stick), and a split course in GTAW/GMAW (TIG and MIG...half semester of one, half of the other). I still want to go back and take a full semester of each.

Once you get the hang of O/A welding, TIG will come easy for you...as both are nearly the same process. One uses a flame, and the other uses an electric arc.

MIG is pretty simple....the hardest part is setting your wire speed and voltage for the correct joint and thickness.

Stick is by far my favorite. Just stick it in there and go! No cylinder to buy, no gas to buy, no worrying about the wind blowing the shielding gas away, you can bend the electrode to fit in places a MIG or TIG won't reach, etc...



Here's a picture of one of my TIG joints. Keep in mind that this was made on just my 3rd time with a TIG torch in my hand:

 

[Floyd]

Good looking weld ATC.

Floyd

 

[swbradley1]

Looks almost like some of them thar professional butter looking welds.

 

[BugEyeBear]

When I was a student at Cal Poly I took a couple of welding classes.

We did O/A, MIG, TIG, stick, & even some programming of robotic welders.

GREAT Skill to learn! & it was great that we were able to use commercial quality tools, rather than just the "home hobby" type of stuff.

I ESPECIALLY liked using the Acetylene Cutting Torch! Nothing beats the thrill of burning through 1/2" plate steel like it is butter!!

 

[powerhouseduece]

Well, can you weld yet maddawg?

 

[tanglediver]

Burn, burn, burn, bbbburn, burn, burn, just keep practicing. Burn, burn, burn, burn, burn, burn, burn, burn, burn, are we there yet?, burn, burn, ditto, ditto.

 

[ARMYMAN30YearsPlus]

That is a nice mount but my question is with solid bar steel did you champher the edges to ensure deeper penetration? When I weld heavy bar stock I always do to ensure I get a few passes in and deep roots.