Taking Some Welding Classes

[Denwa]

OK now, this tractor thing, and this particular forum are heading me in directions I didn't envision last year.

Got some time this summer, so, aside from rebuilding the tranny on my orange B20, next week I'm headed to the local tech school to expand my horizons or at least brighten them up temporarily.


Here's what in my immediate future:

"WELD 102 Creative Welding
This class is designed for beginners and returning students, it covers the fundamentals of GMAW (wire feed welding), oxyfuel and plasma arc cutting, safety, fabricating, and creative applications of metalwork. Student will complete two class projects. Materials supplied by student. Mary Kuebelbeck is a WABO certified Welder, BTC graduate, and a local and regional exhibiting Metal Sculptor." This is three hour sessions, two nights a week for a month. $205.00

Then, first weekend of next month, kind of out of order, I'll do a one day "intro" class from a different instructor:

"WELD 101 Introduction to Welding
This is a great class for anyone who would like to try welding for the first time. The instructor will lead you through the steps to begin welding safely and successfully. Students should wear appropriate work clothes and leather shoes or boots, no synthetic fabrics allowed. Bring hat, safety glasses and leather gloves. Equipment and supplies will be provided, but students may bring their own welding helmet, if desired. Please be prepared to begin welding in this introductory class." This is a one day deal, 9 to 4. $76.00

After this I should at least have a better idea what you guys have been talking about here.

I had a O/A rig sitting in the garage for several years and finally loaned it to
the son in law who is actually a trained Deere wrench and farmer, and knows how to weld. Probably want to call it back soon.

My only experience with a torch so far was cutting a piece of anchor chain that was sitting on a sidewalk. Found out quickly that cutting on cement is not a great idea. No permanent wounds. Didn't kill me, I'm stronger for it I guess. A bit smarter anyhow. I'm sure the first part of the class will be a good bunch of safety warning stuff. Good idea !!

I'm a pack rat and have a bunch of pipe, some I-beam, some condemned SCUBA cylinders and other stock laying about so I'll have to come up with a couple of useful projects to build. I'd appreciate any ideas as to what might fall within my novice capabilities and be useful around a tractor or shop?

Thanks for the inspiration,
Dennis

 

[flusher]

OK now, this tractor thing, and this particular forum are heading me in directions I didn't envision last year.

Got some time this summer, so, aside from rebuilding the tranny on my orange B20, next week I'm headed to the local tech school to expand my horizons or at least brighten them up temporarily.


Here's what in my immediate future:

"WELD 102 Creative Welding
This class is designed for beginners and returning students, it covers the fundamentals of GMAW (wire feed welding), oxyfuel and plasma arc cutting, safety, fabricating, and creative applications of metalwork. Student will complete two class projects. Materials supplied by student. Mary Kuebelbeck is a WABO certified Welder, BTC graduate, and a local and regional exhibiting Metal Sculptor." This is three hour sessions, two nights a week for a month. $205.00

Then, first weekend of next month, kind of out of order, I'll do a one day "intro" class from a different instructor:

"WELD 101 Introduction to Welding
This is a great class for anyone who would like to try welding for the first time. The instructor will lead you through the steps to begin welding safely and successfully. Students should wear appropriate work clothes and leather shoes or boots, no synthetic fabrics allowed. Bring hat, safety glasses and leather gloves. Equipment and supplies will be provided, but students may bring their own welding helmet, if desired. Please be prepared to begin welding in this introductory class." This is a one day deal, 9 to 4. $76.00

After this I should at least have a better idea what you guys have been talking about here.

I had a O/A rig sitting in the garage for several years and finally loaned it to
the son in law who is actually a trained Deere wrench and farmer, and knows how to weld. Probably want to call it back soon.

My only experience with a torch so far was cutting a piece of anchor chain that was sitting on a sidewalk. Found out quickly that cutting on cement is not a great idea. No permanent wounds. Didn't kill me, I'm stronger for it I guess. A bit smarter anyhow. I'm sure the first part of the class will be a good bunch of safety warning stuff. Good idea !!

I'm a pack rat and have a bunch of pipe, some I-beam, some condemned SCUBA cylinders and other stock laying about so I'll have to come up with a couple of useful projects to build. I'd appreciate any ideas as to what might fall within my novice capabilities and be useful around a tractor or shop?

Thanks for the inspiration,
Dennis

You can get plenty of ideas for welding projects by checking the Build It Yourself and Customization forums on TBN.

Also check the web for simple 3pt hitch implements you can weld up.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

This is the type of course level that is designed to get your feet wet and give you a little "play" time. Very few come out of those courses ready to hit the shipyards. But they are valuable and exactly the type of courses I recommend for our customers that call and ask advice and want me to give them a crash course over the phone in welding. I'd recommend that you take the 101 course very seriously, as the majority of it is likely to cover very basic safety issues related to welding. Don't get bored...I know I can haze over, but safety is really important in welding. Don't be surprised if you have to take some sort of test to get passed onto the lab work. Welding can be dangerous and proper protocol and protection is essential for a safe work environment for you and the one's around you.

As far as clothing, get you a lightweight welding jacket or long sleeve heavy denim or cotton shirt (that's going to get burned) to protect the arms. Welding sleeves are okay, but they don't protect the rest of the body...Once a spark burns through your shirt and rolls down your chest and stops at the end of your nipple, youl'll get the full jacket. Leather jackets aren't necessary, and can be distracting from the weight and heat they bring. However, get GOOD leather gloves. Don't skimp. I recommend the Tillman ONYX series. 20+ buck a pair. If you are paying 3-5 buck for a pair, you'll find they won't last long. A good welding cap is good too. Some people wear heavy ball caps, but they are clumsy. I use a good quality welding cap from Comeaux or other manufacturer...Other's use a dew rag tap "hat" but unless you are the tough bald biker type, I'd stay away from them as they don't offer much protection. I tried wearing them, but they just weren't my thing. Having a good bib type brim is really important to protect yourself because you can turn the hat to shelter your ears or back of the neck or whatever when you are welding out of position.

I think once you start welding, the ideas will start flowing out of your head because everyone in the class is going to be talking about their pet project or job that they have that they need to weld.

 

[gauthier]

Well,can't think that hitting the ship yard would be a great way to experience welding.So,good,he won't be able to.

 

[lostcause]

Well,can't think that hitting the ship yard would be a great way to experience welding.So,good,he won't be able to.

there's a little shipyard a ways down the road from me. i've known tons of people who have worked there over the years. i've never been in there, but i'd bet you could experience some welding in there:

General Dynamics Bath Iron Works

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Shipyard welders are the toughest and most seasoned type of welders. I had a friend in school when I was a kid, when things got slow in sw GA, his father would pack up his rig and hit the shipyards. He would come back and not have to hit a lick for a few weeks if he didn't want to because of the nonstop work he had welding there. He always did though as soon as warm weather hit, he'd be back welding on broken farm machinery.

 

[gauthier]

OK,shipyard welders are not just ship yard welders,you got burners,you got some sub arc wlders and some flat flux core welders,[no welders in the mix so far],than,,,you got some steamfitters/pipefitters/boiler makers who are welders[well],for the most part anyways...so,just saying a shipyard welder is a welder and has a good job,,you ain't been there have you???and you ain't a welder either if you say that,,are you..

 

[yomax4]

As long as we are talking Ship Yards, Check out Nassco Ship Yard. They currently employ 4000 Welders of Various Skill Levels. They also have over 4000 Thermal Arc Power Supplies. They have a bad habit of losing power supplies in the Ocean and buying more to replace them. Works for me!!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[smfcpacfp]

The nice thing about taking a weling class is that you will probably use different brands of welders. Unfortuantely it sounds like you will only do GMAW, not stick, tig or O/A welding which I did in my first welding course. In my course I saw different machines and used different methods of welding so that I coule make a better choice of welding machine when I finally bought a couple of machines.

 

[toy]

We are overlooking his first class, it was self taught don't cut directly on concrete or rock. I got a question, if you are ordering a welding jacket and it's size is 48 to 50 and your chest size is 50 and you were ordering one would you order the 48 to 50 or would you order the 50 to 52 chest size? I don't like my clothes to fit tight. Northern has theirs listed as medium, large, x large, and xx large which size would you order for a 50 chest size?

One of the members on tbn forums has the heavy cowhide welding jacket and it looks like it would do the job but it looks like it would be hot of the summertime, it looks like one from the northern book. Northern also has a welding jacket that is made out of pig skin and it looks a lot lighter and they say it can breathe, has anyone on here got one of those and are they cooler than the cowhide one? Does anyone have a preference between these two jackets?