Inspiration from here....

[herdfan]

I have been considering doing some limited welding, but have zero experience on this aside from the typical homeowner soldering and copper pipe sweating tasks. Are there any resources that would be helpful to get started? What would be the best welder to use for typical jobs around the homestead like reinforcing a loader or general implement repairs? I'm sure my ignorance on this subject is obvious /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Learning to weld opens one up to a whole new world. And like most other things, the more you know about it, the more you realize how much you need to learn.

There are many threads here in TBN on welding. I'd suggest you peruse them and then if you still have questions, well, there's more than one weldor cruising through at any given moment.

 

[PineRidge]

Herdfan, Hobart offers a excellent web site that you can post questions relating to welding or just lurk, learn, and read. It is very informative. To see it click here

 

[KiotiJohn]

I want to learn to weld as well. Have you checked your local junior college to see if they offer classes? We have them here at Florida Community College at Jacksonville and a whole lot of courses run about $2000 + about $75 for books. Ebay has a lot of good books with a LOT of information on all types of welding. Check Ebay Search for "Welding" and you'll find some good books for around $10. John

 

[herdfan]

Thanks for the direction guys.
It helps to find a starting point with something that broad.
Eric

 

[polecat]

mig...mig...mig all the way!!!!!much cleaner and the self feeding wire allows u to weld 4ever without changing the rods!!!!!!!git yer temp and wire feed correct and with a little practice..you'll never touch a wire brush,angle grinder, or slag hammer again!!!!! alittle more expensive up front but its well worth the initial investment!!!! find a friend who knows allo about it and inveite him over and learn..it's a breeze once u get started...little projects round the homestead done for others will help defer the costs long term jist a cracked mower deck or broken weld here should git u $20 any time u flip the on switch /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[JimR]

Mig is the way to go for almost everything. I use a stick welder for the thick pieces because my mig is a small machine. As for the skin burn. #30 suntan lotion works wonders. I use a set of welding goggles with a darker lens when I need a shield. But the suntan lotion saves the skin from cooking off. The wife use to complain about my tan in the middle of the winter.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I took a couple welding classes last year through the local adult continuing education program here. I don't think it cost me $300 total for the two semesters. Ironically, it would have been cheaper had I NOT been a HS graduate, but that's another story. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

While I agree that MIG is the way to go for most of us with most projects, I'll tell you that learning ARC first was the best thing I ever did. Now I'd like to tell you that I did this all on my own, but the reality is that I was not allowed to enroll in the MIG class until I had completed the ARC class. The logic behind that is very sound in that ARC welding really shows you how to weld properly and why you do what you do when welding.

After my semester of ARC welding I could get a good, strong weld with an appearance nice enough that I wasn't ashamed to admit was my work. It took a lot of time and practice to get them not only strong but looking good. With ARC welding you can get a strong weld that's ugly or nice but if you get a nice one you know it's a strong one.

On my first day in the MIG welding class the instructor (who'd taught me ARC the prior semester) took me into a booth and ran a gorgeous MIG weld bead on an interior 90 degree corner for a few inches and, after we lifted our helmets, held it up and asked me what I thought.

I was, of course, just amazed at the look and consistency of the weld, the speed with which he ran it and with the lack of slag and spatter common with ARC welds. It looked like a perfect caulk line. I was thoroughly impressed. He then lifted it up and slammed it down on the table and the pieces flew apart. "That's your first lesson," he said. "ALL MIG welds LOOK good. You need to learn how to make them as good as they look." The rest of th semester was spent doing just that. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Now that I've done it, I would heartily recommend taking the ARC class before MIG even if it's not required. I can't imagine learning how to weld with a MIG setup without that background. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Good luck with whatever you decide. I hope this helps. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif