Now I have to learn to weld!

[slydog]

Thanks for all your advice! I called the school today and they are sending me info on the classes! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I can't wait to start em.

Ken

 

[Dargo]

I agree with MMM. I was fortunate (or unfortunate, take your pick) to be born into a welding family. The people I learned to weld from had literally tens of thousands of hours welding time on numerous machines. Great education, but brutal on the evaluation of my welds for several years. Being that I have a "white collar" job, I really do not get to weld that often, but I'm constantly amazed at seeing some "welds" by some "professional welders". Heck, if I welded like some of those people, my dad would scream at me until I'd ground every bit of the weld off and "welded it right".
The misconception many people have is that they can go to Harbor Freight and buy a $120 MIG welder and weld anything. To properly wire or MIG weld 7/16" or 1/2" metal with sufficient strength, you need about a 10 to 15K machine. So, you can indeed weld strong welds with relatively thick gauge steel with a wire welder, but the average person will not be able to justify the expense for a welder that is capable of doing those sort of welds.
A good Hobart AC/DC stick welder and proper training will result in smooth and strong welds with proper penetration that look like smoothly laid caulk when completed. Since I only weld for my self, basically hobby welding, I have a $800 Hobart machine that will churn out great welds. At many professional shops, various welds will be X Ray'd and others intentionally broken in a press to measure the penetration and strength. I'd assume that some of the schools would have similar testing available.
I only mention this because I've seen many "bad" welds break that actually looked good on a brief visual inspection, only to be of poor quality because they were not applied at the appropriate temperature or with the appropriate rod for the occasion. If your school does not have a way to test your welds. Practice, practice, practice, and then intentionally destroy your welds and see how they break or if the part breaks somewhere other than where you welded it. Good luck!!

 

[RICHARDG]

Thats the best way always to learn anything,,,to actually go to a school,,,stick,mig,tig,oxyacet,,,,all part of it,,,,but if you want to be simple about this,,,[unless you already have a mig machine],,take the stick class,,than get you either a welder generator machine,,d.c.,,,or 220/230 rectifier box,,[stick machines],,now if you already have a good mig machine,,than take the mig class,,you can make equally quality welds with either,,,,but,they are different,,and just cause you can weld with one,,doesn't mean you can weld with the other,,,if your starting from scratch in both knowledge and equipment,,,go the stick route...thingy

 

[Henro]

I personally can't believe I was 56 years old before I learned to weld...take the "learned" with a grain of salt... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

The best thing you can do is take some kiind of welding course. If for no other reason, the instructor will not hesitate to tell it like it is when he sees your welds...

Taking a course and more importantly, practice, practice, practice will result in your being able to produce functional welds.

So much harder I think to make good welds with out instruction in the beginning...

Spend the money up front to buy a good auto darkening helmet...or do what I did and spend twice.

Welding is a wonderful skill to have. I personally can't believe I waited so long to get into welding.

For those who have not considered learnig welding...DO IT NOW.

Welding is a skill that you will never regret learning... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I can't believe it took me so long to get into it... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[markct]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Spend the money up front to buy a good auto darkening helmet...or do what I did and spend twice.
)</font>

not to sound argumentative henro, but i dont think that for general welding a auto dark helmet is all that neccesary, i learned to weld without one, after a few tries ya get the hang of nodding your head to flip the helmet down. i have used and auto helmet at work with the tig welder, and it is nice especialy with tig when you are doing super tiny precise parts, but i dont think that if i had a auto helmet i would use it at home, why you ask, well they are expensive, and dont take abuse well, when i am fabricating up something in front of my garage the helmet is always gettin set down on the ground, or set ontop of stuff and then knocked off etc, and i have even dropped steel parts on my helmet when it was on the ground while seting up stuff, if i ruin a regular helmet im out 20 to 30 bucks, if i had a auto one i would be out a $100 to $200 or more, they are nice to learn with i suppose but you will very soon see that you dont realy need to have one. i do like the helmets that have a larger window tho than the regular 2 by 5 inch or so one, as you can see in the pic the helmet i have now has the larger 4by 5 or whatever it is window, its alot easier to use when your in a tight area where you cant get your head in all the way or at the right angle

oh and another thing, if you can get a slag hammer like the one you can see in the front of the above pic, i dont know who carries them, i got mine at a tag sale, but they are a one piece forging, so much nicer than the little ones with a spring handle, i have a half dozen spring handle ones but this one just feels so much nicer to use

 

[Dargo]

A slag hammer?? I thought that the slag always just stood up and fell off in a nice long piece on it's own. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Obviously you know I'm kidding. However, it is nice when you don't have any trash in the mix and a nice smooth weld has the slag just basically fall off! I've never had that happen when I have to weld over some paint that someone either refuses to remove, or does a poor job of doing so. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif...if you know what I mean. I don't know how many times I've had someone tell me "just burn through the paint". Ya might as well add dirt, grease and a little galvanizing to what you are welding as well! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[markct]

yea thats what i love about 7014, especialy on the long flat welds i was doing in that pic, the slag just about falls off, just one hit from the side and its gone, 7018 take a bit more chipping but still not too bad usualy, but 6011 i hate for slag, almost always needs to be cleaned with a wire wheel, chipping doesnt work well at all on that it seems, and another thing to add to this thread, i remember seeing a friends father trying to teach him to weld once, and the kid kept sayin that he couldnt see what he was doing once the helmet was down, and to that his father said "you learned to eat with a fork didnt ya, and you cant see your mouth"

 

[ronjhall]

<font color="blue"> but i dont think that for general welding a auto dark helmet is all that necessary, i learned to weld without one, after a few tries ya get the hang of nodding your head to flip the helmet down. i have used and auto helmet at work with the tig welder, and it is nice especially with tig when you are doing super tiny precise parts, but i dont think that if i had a auto helmet i would use it at home, why you ask, well they are expensive, </font>
Mark
I have been welding things since I got out of school 44 years ago. Always used the flip down method to weld with a non darking helmet.
The biggest reason for me buying the Auto Darkening Helmet is <font color="red"> Bifocals</font>. I checked your Bio. You have about 20 years before you may need them. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Enjoy the use of a the flip method and save your money.
You will need to purchase at least one for your home shop. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[varmint]

Guys, I have a question for you: I was all set to buy an auto-darkening helmet, and I mentioned it to my brother, who used to teach welding, and is a pretty experienced and competent welder (but 750 miles away, unfortunately for me) and he told me not to- that the very slight delay in darkening is enough to harm your eyes over time. I kinda think he is being overly cautious, but I wonder if anyone else has a learned opinion about that? I would probably not use any helmet more than a few hours total a year...

 

[BobReeves]

First off I am no weldor (or is it welder) /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I have a sears AC stick welder my mom bought me for Christmas 6 years ago and have played enough to do a respectable gorilla weld. The best thing I ever did was purchase an inexpensive auto dark helment off eBay, think around $50.00. I love the thing it works great and I can actually see what I am doing.