Give me your welding experiences

[Mith]

i got my first (arc/stick) welder for christmas - i guess the pestering paid off
im in the firm belief that books can teach you enough to get you by but experience is what keeps you out the emergency room
just wondering if you have any experiences that i could learn from to prevent me having to find out the hard and painful way
so far ive learnt - dont aim angle grinder sparks at cardbourd electrode box /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
metal is very hot even 15 mins after welding /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
things catch fire fast /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
any help appreciated
mith

 

[Turfman]

I'm in about the same positon as you are, new to welding. I read a few books and made some messes of things trying to weld. I have had an arc welder for over two years and bought a mig last year. Never used them until this past month or so. I decided that I really needed to learn, so I got some practice scrap and started. Nothing worked right. Lots of messy and poor welds.

My brother-in-law did two things that helped me a lot. He brought me a big scrap of 1/2 inch aluminum to use as a welding table and spent 30 minutes helping me weld. The metal table lets me ground the parts through the table and I don't have to fit up the ground to the small scraps I'm practicing on. After 30 minutes of tutoring I've been practicing a bit and can make a decent weld, and some of them even look good.

Get a metal plate for a table, have someone spend a few hours with you and then practice a lot. A little instruction makes a BIG difference.

 

[Malibu]

Take a basic welding course at a community college or night school. Worth the time and money from a welding knowledge and safety point of view.

A bit of knowledge makes welding more fun and gives you the ability to do a wider variety of things.

 

[blackd]

When welding on vehicles watch sparks. Caught tractor afire when installing mounting brackets for FEL. Cosmetically, tractor was never the same. Loader works great, though.

 

[Steve_Miller]

<font color="red">" so far ive learnt - dont aim angle grinder sparks at cardbourd electrode box
metal is very hot even 15 mins after welding
things catch fire fast " </font>

You've got it pretty well covered. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Trail and error and a few tips from some welders where I work and practice. I should have taken a night course though (maybe still will someday). You'll get the hang of it pretty quick, keep you're rod in the welding pool and you shouldn't end up with too many holes once you knock the flux off. I learned to just paint over the flux at first as its mostly looked better that way. Amp setting will come with time, most rods have a range on the box and that will depend on how thick of metal you are welding. If you don't break at least one of your welds (I've lost count of ones I broke) your not trying hard enough. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif My best one so far was on the pivot on my wagon when it was almost fully dumped. Wagon fell over, man, I wish I would have had the camera for that one.

Happy Holidays
Steve

 

[Mith]

Turfman - thanks for the hint about the table - i think i will get a dheet of aluminium - will thin sheet like 1/16 inch do to lay ontop of a metal frame.
both my mother and father have welding qualifications so know the theory and im sure they will teach me
i just need experience /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Mith]

malibu - im not yet old enough to go on a welding course but yes i will go on one when i can
mith

 

[Mith]

blackd - i thought i would stay away from fuels and tyres for a bit until i learn how to contain the hot bits /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif i hope your tractor was ok
steve - some good points - so far ive just been following the chart my dad drew on the side of the welder for rod size and amps - but as you say experience helps
i did a weld today and it broke when i chicked it at the dirt
how thin metal can i realistically weld - my welder goes down to 55 amps
i too wish you had a camera - could make for a good post in the oops thread /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

thanks for everyones help - keep it coming /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[JD3130]

If you are like the rest of us, you will read what I'm about to tell you and tell me to "stuff it". And that's OK!! But, I was in your place some 40 years ago. After all any body can weld, right? especially a smart Axx machinist, So I read the books, got a welder and used up all the scrap around the shop. Thought I was doing great, even made a few farm projects for myself.
This went on for several years until a job a big gov job came into the shop that also needed some certified welding. I talked the boss into letting me take the test, (being sure I had learned enough to pass). You guessed it, I came back with my tail between my legs. So I signed up for a local college course. I have to agree with that first instructor, (I became one myself 20 yrs later). Self taught welders are in most cases the worst welders in the world. They pick up all the BAD habits that are very hard to break. Welding classes are cheap! A lot of High School shops will even hold night classes if asked too. Continueing edu classes cost a little more, but most of that is for the materials. You don't need to go for the certification classes, they don't last long anyway. (that's another subject) We joke about welders having an attitude, but you will not find a better group of guys anywhere, at least get with one to teach you the basics and the safety points.
Not trying to scare you, but it's so much more fun when you really know what the differene is between a 7018 rod and 6011 and when to use them, etc.
Aother Note: If you take a course, check that you can learn on your welding machine, for at least part of the course. It's good to learn other machines, DC and AC, but I always let my students use their own machines as much as possible.
Above all ENJOY! Learn it right the first time!!!!!!!!!!!
Good Luck

 

[Mith]

well im not gunna tell you to stuff it - afterall you probably know better than me i have about 2 hours of experience you probably have far more
as i said i would love to take a course but am not old enough - im on the waiting list!!
i weld on everyones machine and everyone teches me different so i doubt ill develop any habits atall /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
thanks for your response /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
mith